Thirty-First Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need. He dawns through the darkness, a light for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just. Well for the man who is gracious and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice.

As Christians, we are called to be lights to the world. Our thoughts should enlighten ourselves and others and lead us to faithful and holy lives. Our words should bring the fires of hope into the world. Our works should reveal and magnify God’s Goodness and manifest it for all to see. We are meant to be gracious, merciful, and just, leading all whom we meet to a better way of life through the truth. We make present the Lord through our good deeds and we should do everything in our power to be the dawn in the darkness for all those in need of God’s Light.

Are our thoughts, words, and works good? Do we cultivate our lives so they are filled with graciousness, mercy, and justice? How can we become a light for others on their journey toward eternal life with God?

O Lord, help us to dawn through the darkness.

Amen.

Thirtieth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy. Look, answer me, O LORD, my God! Give light to my eyes that I may not sleep in death lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him”; lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.

Our hope is indeed founded upon God’s Mercy. It is not up to us if we are forgiven. It is up to God. We can only offer small penances and repayments to God for what evils we have done and what goods we have failed to do. We are not perfect and depend upon His Divine Mercy. It is only through Him that we have a chance at redemption. It is only in Him that we have any hope of triumph. He is the source of our good, the center of who we should be, and the summit of what we are called to become. He is the light that guides us where we need to go and shows us the way out of the dark valleys that surround us.

Does our hope reside in God’s Divine Mercy? Do we allow God to light the way when we are lost? How can we become what we are called to be?

O Lord, answer us and give us your light.

Amen.

Sixth Sunday of Easter

I saw no temple in the city for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb. The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb.

Each of our souls is a city. We build them up over the course of our lives. Some of us have straight and narrow roads. Others wide and winding streets. Some place God in the center of their souls. Others put money, fame, passions, and others things in the center of their lives. Still others never settle on a center and their cities are chaotic with no rhyme or reason to them. Hopefully, we are the ones who found ourselves on God... and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Holy Lamb. If we do this, then our lives will shine for all to see and give glory to God for everything He has done for us.

Where is God in our lives? Is He in the center of our souls or on the outskirts begging to come in? What can we do to build up a holy dwelling place for God within our hearts?

O Lord, enter into the cities of our souls.

Amen.

Fifth Monday of Lent

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul.

When we live the Christ-like life, we have nothing to fear. There is no challenge, no enemy, no obstacle, no worry, no trial, no evil, no suffering that can truly harm us. When we have the light of Christ within us, we cannot go astray. God will lead us back to Himself, no matter where we are. When we rest in God, we can be at complete peace because He will water our souls with grace and refresh us with His Divine Love. When we allow the Lord to be our Shepherd, we will always have a home with Him and He will protect and guide us and lead us to the greener pastures of Paradise.

Are we unafraid to walk the way of the Lord? Are we willing to let Him shepherd us to where we need to go and what we need to do? How can we learn to rest beside Him and let Him refresh our souls?

O Lord, be our shepherd through dark valleys to verdant pastures and restful waters.

Amen.

Second Saturday of Advent

 Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. O shepherd of Israel, hearken, From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth. Rouse your power.

Sometimes we can become lost in the world and need God’s help to find our way back to Him. We need His Light to show us the way. We need to see His Face in family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers so we might be reminded He is always with us. We need His guidance and protection to lead us where we are called to go. We need Him to shine forth and rouse His Divine Power to save us from the temptations of the world and even from ourselves. All these things should lead us to turn to God in our lives and help others do the same.

Are we allowing God to be our spiritual shepherd? How can we be more faithful followers of Christ? How can we reflect the face of God to all whom we meet each day?

O Lord, let us see your face and be saved.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

The Lord is my light and my salvation. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom should I be afraid?

With the Lord as our light and our salvation, we have nothing to fear. He illuminates our lives, leading us out of darkness and sin. He guides our way like a lighthouse, protecting us from the hazards that can sometimes beset us. He is our refuge, too, providing each of us with a safe haven within His Sacred Heart. When we are wary, He gives us rest. When we are needy, He sustains us. When we are lost, He finds us and leads us back home to Him. This is why we should place our complete trust in Him. He will never abandon us. He will always do everything within His Power to bring us to the Promised Land and life everlasting.

Are our eyes open to the light of Christ? Are we willing to leave the temptations of the darkness and follow where God is calling us? How can we rid ourselves of the fears that keep us from seeking the light?

O Lord, you are our light and our salvation.

Amen.

Thirty-Fourth Saturday in Ordinary Time

They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever.

If we are true to our faith, the name of God will be written on our foreheads. Our lips will proclaim the Word of God. Our hands will do the work of God. Our feet will follow the path God has set before us. Our minds will meditate on and contemplate God. Our hearts will be at one with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Our lives will be fruitful and abundant with good works. God's Light will dwell within us and make us into shining beacons of faith and hope and love. And the Lord will reign within us and through us to the rest of the world.

Are we living fruitful lives? How can we grow in faith and become more Christ-like in all things? What can we do to bring the God's Light into the world around us?

O Lord, write your name upon our foreheads and our hearts.

Amen.

Tenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.

We are meant to be lights to the world. Our thoughts, words, and works should shine before others, leading them toward God’s Divine Light and away from the darkness of sin. We are not meant to hide our faith, hope, or charity from the world. Instead we are supposed to reflect the love and mercy of God and be a source of grace for those around us. We do this best through our good deeds, through which we give glory to God. We might be tempted to keep quiet when we hear evils spoken by or about others. We might be tempted to close our eyes to injustices or those in need. But this is not why God gave us the breath of life. We should speak out and give an unquestionable witness to the love of God for all His children, even if it leads to our persecution.

Are we lights for the world? Is there anything holding our spirits back from blazing like the Sun? How can we share our faith with others who are in darkness?

O Lord, make us a light that shines before others and glorifies you.

Amen.

The Fourth Wednesday of Easter

I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.

Jesus came into the world to be our light, leading us to salvation. However, if we do not listen to his words or follow his teachings, then we reject his light and condemn ourselves to the darkness of sin and death. This is why we must accept his words as the Truth, his actions as the Way, and his spirituality as the Life we are all called to live. It is not easy to lead the Christ-like life, but we will never be abandoned. The light of Jesus will always light our way. All we have to do is keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open to the beacon of his grace and let him lead us where we need to be as his faithful followers.

Are we following the light of Christ or are we lost in the darkness of sin? Do we accept the words and teachings of Jesus and the Divine Will of our Heavenly Father? How can we train ourselves to perceive the light of Christ in our lives and let it lead us?

O Lord, we accept your light and hear your words. Lead us to where we are being called.

Amen.

The Second Wednesday of Easter

And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

We are all called to the light and truth of God. However, every time we sin, we show a preference for darkness and slavery to our passions. This is why it is so important to build virtuous habits that lead us to the light and away from darkness. If we want to find the light, then we must not only look for it, but also prepare our souls for the journey. The narrow path to heaven is surrounded by temptations to vice and wickedness. But if we think wisely, speak well, and do good works of charity and mercy, then we will be alive in the light and bear God’s Truth into the world for all to see.

Do we prefer the light of truth or the darkness of selfishness? How can we become better lovers of the truth? What can we do to ground our every thought, word, and work in the teachings of the Gospel of Christ?

O Lord, we want to live in your light.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light.

Our faith should never be hidden from others. It should be upheld so that its light can lead others to God. This does not mean we flaunt it or force it on others, but rather we are not afraid to act like Christ in both our public and private lives. When people see us, they should see Jesus in our thoughts, words, and works. These manifestations of God’s Love for and mercy towards His children should constantly flow from our actions. Too often we hide our faith from others, but Jesus calls us to go forth into the world and bear the light of God's Truth to everyone we meet. We cannot do that if we are not willing to risk ourselves completely for him and his gospel message.

Do we hide our faith from others? How do we manifest God’s Love and Mercy for others? Are we willing to risk everything to bear the light of truth into the world?

O Lord, lift us up so that we can bear your light into the world?

Amen.

Fourth Wednesday of Easter

“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.”

If we believe in a loving God, then why do we so often fail to be loving? Sometimes we allow the darkness in our lives to overwhelm us with doubt and fear or deter us from doing the right and good thing. We need to remember that Jesus came into the world as light for us when things are at their darkest. No sin is too much for him to forgive if we will but believe in him and trust in his promise to protect us from evil and raise us out of sin.

How do we express our belief in Jesus? Do we try to see him in all the people around us? What do we do to allow the light of Christ to shine through us and into the world?

O Lord, be our light.

Amen.

Third Thursday of Ordinary Time

Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light.

Jesus Christ is the Light of the World and it is he who lends us his flame of love. He ignites our hearts and makes us into lamps of his goodwill toward all. When we accept His Light into our lives, we are tasked with lifting it up for our family, friends, and neighbors to see. By doing so we reveal the hearts and minds of those around us and give God’s children a chance to participate in the revelation of what it means to be a servant of the Light. Of course, being a disciple of Jesus also means opening up ourselves and revealing the hidden recesses of our hearts in order to allow His Love to fill us up. Once we are full of his charity, the shadow of sin has no way to enter because all is light within us.

Do we hide the light of the gospel in our daily lives out of fear of what others might think about us? What are our secret sins, the ones which keep us from being a light for others? What can we do to lift up the Light of the Lord and make ourselves into sacramental signs of God’s love for all?

O Lord, make us lights unto your people.

Amen.

The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Jesus Christ is our light and it is important for us to remember that no matter how dark it is, His Light is always nearby. We might be blinded to it by our sins, or distracted from it by our doubts and fears, but it is always there waiting for us to reach out to it. It is also important to remember that we are called to reflect the light of God’s grace to others.

What are the things that keep us from seeing the light of Christ in our lives? What are we doing to reach out to our Lord and his children? How can we be better beacons of God’s love?

O Lord, be our light and the source of all our good.

Amen.

Fourth Wednesday in Advent

In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The Lord is like a lantern in our hands. He shows us just enough to take the next step on the way of peace. Sometimes we hide this lantern or do not follow the path he presents us. We think in our selfish pride that we can find our own way or make our own path, but these only lead to darkness and the shadow of death. God’s tender compassion for us all is the reason for the light He grants us and it is our humility and faithfulness that allow us to accept it. It takes a great deal of trust to walk the way of Jesus Christ. We cannot see where we are going and fear and doubt can creep into our hearts if we are not vigilant. However, if we let go and let God light our next footstep we will be rewarded with a Heavenly Dawn with our God.

Where is God’s Light currently leading us? Are we looking for it or patient enough to wait for it to shine a light on the way God wants us to go? What are the things in our lives which blind us to the light and what can we do to get rid of them?

O Lord, open our eyes so they can see the way of peace you have prepared for us.

Amen.