Second Friday of Lent

Remember the marvels the Lord has done. When the LORD called down a famine on the land and ruined the crop that sustained them, He sent a man before them, Joseph, sold as a slave.

We all undergo trials and tribulations in our lives. Some challenges come early in life, others later. We never quite understand why they happen to us or where they will lead us. Often, we ask in protest, “Why me?” And yet if our hearts are open to God’s Will, we discover our sufferings have led us to a better place. We must pass through the famine to get to the feast. We must struggle in slavery before we can taste true freedom. We must see ourselves ruined before we rebuild a better life. These painful moments in our lives are not something to fear or shy away from. They are opportunities to join ourselves with the Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Instead of complaining, we should thank God for the difficulties in our lives and ask Him, “What do you want me to learn from this?”

Can we think of any times when we have suffered in some way and it led us to a person, place, or thing that helped us grow as a Christian? How can we unite our suffering with that of Jesus Christ? What can we do to transform our difficulties and challenges into opportunities to grow in faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, you have done marvelous things for us.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle

When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord.

Barnabas was a good man and so too we are all called to be good. Sometimes this means leaving behind everything we know and love and following the Will of God to a new life. Barnabas traveled much in his life and sometimes we are asked to do the same. If we want to be good like Barnabas, we should seek to see the grace in others, reaffirm their faith, rejoice with them and encourage them to remain faithful. We also must open our minds and hearts to the Holy Spirit and allow him to fill us with faith, hope, and charity. If we do this, then we shall magnify the Lord in everything we think, say, and do and lead others closer to the Lord.

Do we rejoice with others when we see the grace of God at work in their lives? Are we striving to be good and faithful servants to God and His children? What can we do to draw more people deeper into our faith in Jesus Christ?

O Lord, we want only to be a reflection of your perfect goodness.

Amen.

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, as it is written, I have made you father of many nations.

If we want to become the adopted children of God, then we must be righteous. Not in the way that strokes our pride or sees ourselves as holier and better than others because we go to Church or say our prayers, but in the sense of always seeking to do what is right even when it costs us to do so. It is our choice to follow God's Will as Abraham did that leads to the hope of spending eternity with God. Our salvation is a gift, one we cannot earn, and it depends on our faith and our pursuit of holy righteousness.

Are we acting righteously in regard to our relationship with God and all His children? Are we thinking, speaking, and acting like true descendants of Jesus Christ? How can we align our lives so that we are righteous and faithful servants?

O Lord, help us to follow the faith with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Amen.

The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Worldly things will not last. They are as temporary as shadows at dusk. They soon disappear. Our love should be focused on God and His children. God first of all. All the temptations of the world will try to entice us away from our Heavenly Father, Loving Brother, and Holy Advocate. It is up to us to make the choice to turn our backs on the empty, temporary things of this world and instead embrace and value the promises of Heaven.

Are we doing God’s Will? What worldly things do we have the most difficulty resisting? How can we find the strength to choose our love of God over all else?

O Lord, may our relationship with you always be more enticing than all the world.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD. Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and they shall be his people and he will dwell among you.

God dwells with us. We might not see or hear Him directly, but He is always there for us. He is ready to help us in all our good works and to warn us against all our evil inclinations. With Him we can do great things. Without Him we can do nothing. Whenever we think, say, or do anything we should keep in mind God sees, hears, and knows what we are doing. We can’t hide anything from Him, nor can we explain away our actions or inactions. He knows exactly why we acted rightly or wrongly. We should live our lives with the sure knowledge God is with us and do everything according to God’s Will.

Do we rejoice at knowing God is with us? How have we joined ourselves to our Lord? What can we do to keep in mind He is always with us?

O Lord, dwell among us.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.

In order to live for God, we must die to ourselves. We must be willing to give our every possession, including our lives, in order to do God's Will. This is the only way to produce the good fruit God desires from us. We cannot yield anything but the weeds of sin if we do not tend to our souls and cultivate the virtues of faith, hope, and love. If we love ourselves more than God, then we lose the light of truth, our roots wither, and we put ourselves at risk of dying a death that we can never return from. But if we are willing to sacrifice everything we are and have for God's sake or for His children, then we shall preserve our lives for eternity with the Holy Trinity. We must follow in Jesus footsteps if we want to be saved. This means living a life that is sacrificial and loving and selfless. Then and only then can we claim to be servants of God and discover the honor that comes from being a humble disciple of Christ, His Father, and the Holy Spirit.

Are we willing to die to ourselves so that we can live for God and His children? How can we prune our lives of the temptation to selfish love? What can we do to be better followers of Christ?

O Lord, we hand over our lives to you. Do with them what you will.

Amen.

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up a mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.

Once again Jesus gives us an example of how to pray. He goes to a deserted place on a mountain and there he communes with his Heavenly Father. While doing so, his appearance is transformed and he converses with Moses and Elijah, witnesses to the Law and the prophets. This reminds us that our prayer lives should also transform us and lead us to live in accordance with the Scriptures and Traditions of the Church and to proclaim the Good News in all that we do. Lastly, Jesus, Moses, and Elijah speak of Jesus’ exodus, namely his passion, death, resurrection, and ascension. In the same way, our own prayers should lead us to meditate on the life of Jesus as well as to contemplate the mysteries of God. If we do these things, then the roots of our faith will deepen, the branches of our hope will provide us with refuge, and the fruits of our love will nourish and sustain our family, friends, and neighbors.

How do we pray? What can we do to pray more like Christ? In what ways do our lives show others how to live in accord with God’s Will, the Church’s teachings, and our calling to spread the Good News to all the nations?

O Lord, transform us more and more into you in our prayers, words, and works.

Amen.

Eighteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.

After John the Baptist’s death, Jesus goes to a deserted place to pray. Sometimes when something sorrowful happens to our loved ones or to ourselves, we need to take time to spend with God and work through our suffering. In order to do this, we need to find a place of solitude and rest there, listening to God. Then, once we are ready, we should return to our mission renewed in the Spirit with eyes filled with compassion for others who might be going through their own trials. It is in this way that prayer and works move us forward in life toward our own Jerusalem and our own passions where we shall be faced with the same choice Jesus was given in the garden: to do our will or God’s Will.

How can we overcome our sorrows through prayer and works? What can we do to show our compassion for others even in the midst of our own trials? Are we doing our will or God’s Will?

O Lord, may our lives be filled with renewing prayer and fulfilling works.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

"Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

We are all called to do God’s Will, no matter the time or place. Sometimes we can convince ourselves that we shouldn’t do the right thing because we’re too busy practicing our religious routines. However, we should not let ourselves be blinded to the needs of others by our personal spirituality. Sometimes we may need to stop in the middle of a prayer to give someone else a hand. We might even need to miss Mass in order to take care of someone in need. God knows that if we could have finished the prayer or gone to Mass we would have done so. He sees the inner actions of our hearts and He will not punish us for being Christ-like and knowing, loving, and serving our neighbors in their times of need. We should never allow an opportunity to show mercy to pass by because of a sense of religious obligation.

Have we let chances to do God’s Will pass us by out of a false sense of religiousness? What can we do to open our hearts to those moments when we can offer God acts of love and mercy outside our normal religious routines? How can we prepare ourselves for those moments when we might be called to be not just religious, but merciful servants as well?

O Lord, make us into fonts of your mercy.

Amen.

Twelfth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them.

The way we speak and act determines whether we bear good or bad fruits in our lives. If we speak the Word of God and do God’s Will, then we will produce goods and live life abundantly in heaven. If we speak ill and do everything for selfish reasons, then we will produce evils and be cut down and thrown into the fires of Hell. This is the choice we have to make in our lives: to do good or evil. It should be an easy choice, but as with many things, we complicate the choice with anxieties, doubts, fears, passions, and excuses. However, if we want to be worthy of heaven, then we must put aside all these things and instead nourish ourselves on the faith, hope, and love of God, who shows us how to bear the best fruit.

Are our lives bearing good or bad fruits? How can we cultivate our souls so that they only produce goods? What can we do to get rid of those things that cause us to produce bad fruits?

O Lord, give us the grace we need to make all our fruits good.

Amen.

Eleventh Thursday of Ordinary Time

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

This is how Jesus tells us to pray. He makes it clear that our God is also our Heavenly Father. We are His children and as such we are called to do His Will on earth. In return, He sustains us with our daily bread, forgives us as we forgive, and delivers us from evil. We need all three of these things in order to grow in faith, hope, and love. We need the Body and Blood of Christ to nourish our spirits. We need to be merciful toward others so that our own faults might be forgiven. Lastly, we need to be delivered from temptation and evil because alone we would fall into sin, but with God at our side we can overcome every obstacle to living the Christ-like life.

Do all our thoughts, words, and works find their source in our Heavenly Father’s Will? Do we seek out the strengthening graces of the Blessed Sacrament as often as we can? Are we willing to forgive those who trespass against us and avoid temptation and sin?

O Lord, teach us how to make our lives a living prayer that give glory to your hallowed name.

Amen.

Tenth Monday of Ordinary Time

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The Beatitudes should be a way of life for us. We should see in these blessings a higher calling and a way to know, love, and serve God and His children more perfectly. They are also a promise by Jesus that when we follow in his footsteps on earth, we build up treasures for ourselves in heaven. If we are humble in spirit, mourn with those who are suffering, submit to God’s Will, hunger and thirst for righteousness, show mercy to others, keep our hearts clean from sin, make peace, and are willing to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness, and insulted for our faith in Jesus, then we shall be rewarded. By doing all these things, we become living Beatitudes and instruments of blessing for the whole world, just like Jesus.

Are we living out the Beatitudes? Are we willing to suffer and even die in this life so that we might be rewarded in the next? How can we live lives that are a spiritual blessing to those around us and ourselves?

O Lord, give us the grace to live out the Beatitudes with our whole hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Amen.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

Every good we have is the Most Holy Trinity’s. We owe our very existence to the Holy Trinity and our every thought, word, and work should have the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as its source, center, and summit. It is in the Father’s commandments that we discover His paternal love for us. It is in Jesus’ teachings that we witness the way we are called to live our lives. It is in the Holy Spirit’s inspirations that we encounter the truth, which will guide us and set us free. And just like Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we should seek to think, speak, and do all things not on our own, but as channels of God’s Will. When we do this, our actions glorify God and in turn we are glorified by Him.

Do we give thanks and glory to the Holy Trinity for all they have given us? Do we allow God to think, speak, and work through us? Do we declare ourselves His and only His?

O Lord, we declare ourselves to you. Do with us what you will.

Amen.

The Seventh Monday of Easter

Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.

Immediately after Jesus’ disciples said that they understand him, he tells them that they will be scattered and leave him alone. Sometimes we believe that we understand God’s Divine Plan for us, too. We convince ourselves we are right about something when in reality we do not understand what God is asking of us and sometime even confuse our will for God’s Will. However, Jesus does not tell his disciples (or us) that we do not understand without also giving us the hope that one day things will work out. We might not understand how God will do this, but if we have faith in Him, hope in Him, and let His Love flow through us, then we will have the inner peace and courage we need to see things through to the end.

How can we keep ourselves open to God’s Divine Plan? Are we open to the peace that comes with letting go of our plans and letting God move forward with His plans for us? Do we seek God’s help in becoming more courageous in our thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, let us have peace in you.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist

Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

Just as Jesus sent out his disciples and apostles, so he sends us into the world. He gives each of us gifts and talents we can use to spread the Good News to the ends of the world. Some of us are given vocations to know, love, and serve God in the priesthood or religious life. Others are called to proclaim the Gospels through our lay lives. No matter the tasks before us we should take comfort in the fact that Jesus is constantly working with us through the Holy Spirit. We are not alone on this journey or in our mission to love God and our neighbors. God is truly with us, giving us aid to overcome all our fears, doubts, and obstacles so we might do His Will more faithfully.

How are we preaching the Good News? What gifts and talents has God given us to use for His Glory? What are the things keeping us from following God's Will more perfectly?

O Lord, work with us to spread your Good News to all the world.

Amen.

The Fourth Saturday of Easter

The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.  And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.

By believing in and imitating Jesus, we do the Will of God. The words we speak become God’s and not our own. The works we do become Our Heavenly Father’s and not our own. And these words and works will lead others to believe in God because they will see His Love, Mercy, and Grace made manifest in us. Some of us will be asked to do little things to bring about God’s Kingdom. Other will be asked to do great things. No matter what God’s Plan for us, as long as we do what He asks us to do and say what He asks us to say, then we will glorify God, have our prayers answered, and one day join the Holy Trinity in a never-ending heavenly banquet.

Does our Heavenly Father dwell in us? When others see or hear us, do they see and hear God? Are we doing the works of God?

O Lord, we ask you to sanctify us and make us better children of our Heavenly Father.

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 Third Wednesday of Easter

Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.

Jesus will not reject anyone who comes to him. It is important for us to remember this because sometimes we will be tempted to feel like we are not worthy of God’s Love. However, when we suffer such thoughts we should remember that God willed that His Son atone for our sins and that through his Passion, Death, and Resurrection we are offered a chance to be cleansed of all our sins and imperfections. If we wish to be found by Jesus, he will find us and never lose us. Then, on the last day, he shall raise us up and we shall be with him forever and ever.

Are we doing God’s Will or our own? What can we do to overcome our feelings of unworthiness and trust in God’s Mercy? Do we seek to understand and believe in God so that we can live holy lives and have eternal life?

O Lord, we believe in you. Raise us on the last day.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

After denying Jesus three times, discovering the empty tomb of Jesus, and being visited by Jesus on two occasions, Peter decides to go out fishing. Peter used to be a fisherman. He’s familiar with the life of a fisherman and he probably would find great comfort in doing something that is “normal” after the events following Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Sometimes when we go through difficult times or times of great change, we have a tendency to seek out the familiar and attempt to rediscover our comfort zone. However, just like Peter, we can discover that our old life isn’t as fulfilling as it was. We’ve changed too much. Something within us has been transformed so utterly by an experience that our old lives aren’t rewarding anymore. It is at this point that we have the opportunity to grow as individuals and accept our new callings. We might not understand what exactly God is asking of us, but as long as we are willing to make up for our previous denials, procrastination, and hesitancy, then we shall find a new way to live. We shall be able love God as we should and take the first steps to feeding and tending His flock in our own unique fashions.

Do we love God more than all the people and things of this world? Are we willing to feed and tend God’s flock on this earth with the time, treasures, and talents He has given us? What changes is God asking us to make in our own lives?

O Lord, you know that we love you.

Amen.

Good Friday

After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.” There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Jesus was incarnated for us. He was raised by the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph for us. He was baptized for us. He was tempted by the Devil and prevailed for us. He was a preacher of the Good News for us. He performed miracles for us. He suffered persecution for us. He was abandoned, betrayed and bound for us. He was mistreated and found guilty for us. He was scourged and crowned with thorns for us. He was condemned and sentenced to crucifixion for us. He carried his cross and its humiliation for us. He was nailed to the cross for us. He was lifted up for all to mock for us. He was merciful even to his enemies for us. He granted mercy to the good thief for us. He bestowed his Blessed Mother Mary to all mankind for us. He felt abandoned for us. He thirsted for us. He accomplished everything for us. He sacrificed his body and blood for us. He handed over his spirit for us. He did all these things and more for us and we should make every effort to remember this throughout our lives and eternity.

Do we spend time every day recalling what Jesus has done for us? How can we use Jesus’ life of self-sacrifice as a model for our own lives? In what ways do we accomplish God’s Will through our thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, we thirst for your saving waters and the accomplishment of your will.

Amen.