Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors. Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness.

No matter how kind or good or loving we might be, we all have enemies and persecutors. They might be family members. They might be old friends or loves whom we have broken up with for one reason or another. They might be strangers who we hardly know or who hardly know us. They might be good people who have bad information. They might mean well, but oppose us because they have a different vision of the way things are or should be. We might never know why they are our foes, but one thing we can be certain of is that if we are striving to do God’s Will and do it with love, then He will rescue us from their clutches. His Divine Face will shine on us and we will be saved by His Kindness. Perhaps not always in the time or way we would prefer... perhaps not even in this life, but if we persevere, then we shall find ourselves with the only person whose opinion matters: God.

Do we commend our spirits to the Lord on a daily basis? Do we ask Him to rescue us from our foes? How can we be the shining face of God for those who are being persecuted?

O Lord, let your face shine upon us, your servants.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Monday in Ordinary Time

Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands. Indignation seizes me because of the wicked who forsake your law.

The unfair treatment of others should fill us with indignation. It should light a fire within us. One that inspires us to bring love, mercy, and justice to the world around us. When we see wickedness, we should oppose it and try to show people there is another way. We cannot force goodness on others, but we can proclaim the Good News and show what it means to be Christians by living our lives in accordance with Scriptures. Most importantly, although we might hate the sins, we must also love the sinner. We must be able to separate the two from each other so we can treat people well no matter how ugly their actions are. God is the only judge and no matter how much we might be tempted to condemn another, we must only condemn their actions, not the person.

How are we fighting against the unfair treatment of others? How can we learn to love those whom we find most repugnant? What do we do to keep ourselves from being judgmental?

O Lord, help us to fight against the unfair treatment of others.

Amen.

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.

Thirty-First Tuesday in Ordinary Time

In you, O Lord, I have found my peace. O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor are my eyes haughty; I busy not myself with great things, nor with things too sublime for me.

Pride is a vice none of us can afford to have. Wherever we find it in our lives, we need to uproot it, cast it away, and burn it to ashes. The temptation to pride is one that can bring low even the most holy of people. It can corrupt our good works by turning them into acts weighed down with self-righteousness and disdainful judgments of others. We can prize our own time, talents, and treasures above others. We hear the music of the Church and instead of focusing on the glory of God, we are lost in criticizing others for being poorer singers than we. We see someone act with charity or mercy and we say, “I could do better!” The prideful taint all they touch turning gold to lead and bountiful harvests into wilted crops. Instead of building up the body of Christ, they build themselves up like a tower of Babel, until they collapse under the weight of their own sins and selfishness. So, let us be humble people, busy not with self-important “great things,” but with selfless good things.

Have we found peace in our lives? How can we uproot pride from our lives? What can we do to be happy with being humble?

O Lord, make our hearts not proud, but good.

Amen.

Twenty-Third Tuesday in Ordinary Time

The Lord is compassionate toward all his works. I will extol you, O my God and King, and I will bless your name forever and ever. Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.

God is compassionate toward all of us. He may be just in His punishment, but He is merciful, too. He gives us an example of treating others well and being good to them, even when they aren’t good to us. He shows us how to know, love, and serve Him and all His children, especially those who are most difficult to love. It is by His Holy Name that we are blessed and filled with grace and it is because of Him that we are called to become living sacrifices.

How do we treat others? Are we as compassionate as God is compassionate? What can we do to grown in mercy and love of God and others?

O Lord, be compassionate toward us.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.

Jesus’ body and blood speak eloquently to all of us of what it means to be a good and faithful servant. It means being willing to give up everything in order to know, love, and serve God and all His children. We might be intimidated by this radical call of self-sacrifice, but it is a vocation none of us can ignore if we want to be a part of God’s Kingdom. We cannot deny what God is asking of us and share in the inheritance He offers us. If we accept His adoption, then we must accept the sufferings that come with becoming His heirs. The only way we can become enrolled in Heaven is to sprinkle ourselves with the blood of sacrifice.

Are we willing to be sprinkled with the blood of suffering and sacrifice in this life so we might join in the feast of the next one? What sacrifices are we being asked to make in order to fulfill God’s Will? What are we doing to prepare ourselves to be God’s good and faithful servants?

O Lord, sprinkle us with your blood.

Amen.

Thirteenth Friday of Ordinary Time

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. Blessed are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just. Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people. 

Just as Jesus became strong and filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon Him, so we are called to grow stronger in faith and wisdom so God can favor us. Our Heavenly Father wants each and every one of us to be good as He is Good. He wants to bless us and help us to observe and do what is right. He wants us to be just and merciful as He is Justice and Mercy. He wants to bless us and fill us with grace and give us every chance to become holy disciples. When we consider all He has done for us, we should be more than willing to give Him thanks and to bear His Good News to the ends of the earth.

Do we observe what is right? Are we just in the way we treat others? How can we be good as our Heavenly Father is Good?

O Lord, remember and favor us as we strive to do what is right and just.

Amen.

Thirteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

The Lord is kind and merciful. Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever.

God is kind. He cares for each and every human being and has sacrificed His Beloved Son to prove His Love to us. He is merciful because even though we take Him for granted, ignore Him, turn our backs on His teachings, choose worldly things over Him, and fail Him in countless ways... He still is willing to forgive us. Even though we are sinners, He still shows us compassion in our own times of trial and difficulty. He is much slower to anger than any of us and much more forgiving. He knows we are weak and fallen, but He gives us the grace to be strong and rise up again. If we do make Him angry, but confess our sins with contrite hearts and do penance, then He will let go of His anger and let us back into His Good Graces. We should feel blessed to have such a merciful and kind God and strive to imitate Him whenever we can.

Are we kind? Are we merciful? How can we become better imitators of God’s gracious goodness?

O Lord, make us kind and merciful as you are kind and merciful.

Amen.

Eleventh Saturday of Ordinary Time

Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

God is constantly providing us with the chance to taste and see how good He is. He does this every day through the sacrifice of the Mass where we can share in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. He has given us the other sacraments as blessings, too. Baptism gives us the purifying waters that wash clean and nourish our souls. Reconciliation allows us to root out the evils and imperfections inside us so more of God’s Grace can enter into our hearts and feed our spirits. Confirmation renews our baptismal promises and lets the Holy Spirit supply us with all the inspirations and guidance we need to grow as Christians. The Anointing of the Sick helps to heal us, if not physically, at least spiritually, so we can be strong for whatever trials and difficulties come our way during illness or injury. The other sacraments of Marriage and Ordination prepare us to serve others and help them prosper in faith, hope, and love, either as spouse or as priest or deacon. So, let us taste and see the goodness of the Lord through these sacraments and all the ways God reaches into our lives as the caretaker of the vines of our faith.

Do we make good and frequent use of the sacraments? When we do, do we prepare ourselves appropriately? How can we thank God for all the good things He has done for us?

O Lord, help us to taste and see your goodness and to bear good fruits.

Amen.

Fourth Thursday of Easter

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. "My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him, and through my name shall his horn be exalted. He shall say of me, 'You are my father, my God, the Rock, my savior.'"

God’s faithfulness and mercy are always with us just as He is always with us through the presence of the Divine Image He has engraved within our souls. His presence is in us every step of our way through this journey called life. And if we tend and take care of the Divine Image within us, then we, too, will be exulted one day and enter into the kingdom. We, like David, will be able to say to God, “You are our Father, God, Rock and Savior. Thank you for all you’ve done for us.”

Do we remember that God is with us? How should we amend our lives so we do remember this truth, especially when we are most tempted? Are we able to sing the goodness of the Lord along with David and all our fore-bearers in the faith?

O Lord, you are our Father, God, Rock, and Savior.

Amen.

Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles

Their message goes out through all the earth. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day pours out the word to day; and night to night imparts knowledge.

Creation itself reveals the glory of God and proclaims His handiwork. In creation we find good, for God created all things good. He made the day and the night good. He made heaven and earth good. He made the skies and the seas good. He made the plants and animals good. All good things come from God. They find through source, center, and summit in Him. It is no different for us for God made us in His image, which is very good. He wants us to follow Him, to walk His Way, to speak His Truth, and the live His Life. If we do all these things, then we shall overcome all obstacles and become good and faithful servants, now and forever.

Do we take time each day to enjoy the goodness of creation? How can our lives reveal God’s Glory and proclaim His handiwork? What can we do to lead others to good and faithful lives?

O Lord, let the message of your goodness go out through all the earth.

Amen.

Sunday of Divine Mercy

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let those who fear the LORD say, “His mercy endures forever.”

God’s Mercy endures forever. When He forgives us, it isn’t like how we forgive. Sometimes we are tempted to bring up old wounds to those who have harmed us. We do this especially when we are annoyed with another person such as a sibling, friend, and co-worker. We snap and say things that could be hurtful. This is why it’s so important to keep in mind the example of Christ on the cross. He was arrested, beaten, mocked, and scourged. He was forced to carry his cross and was treated like a criminal. And yet, he bore these terrible burdens without complaint and forgave his persecutors. He does this for us, too. If only our mercy and forgiveness could mirror his!

How do we give thanks to God for His Goodness and Love? How do we show others God’s Mercy? What can we do to keep ourselves from giving into the temptation to point out past harms done to us?

O Lord, we are thankful for your goodness.

Amen.

Tuesday in the Octave of Easter

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy. He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.

God loves the goodness for He is good. God loves the righteous for He is upright. God loves justice for He is just. God loves kindness for He is kind. God loves the faithful for He is the Way. God loves the trustworthy for He is the Truth. God loves the joyful for He is the Life. In Him is the fullness of existence and redemption. We will never be disappointed if we remain by His side and allow Him to lead us where we need to go and inspire us to do what must be done.

Do we see the goodness of the world God created? How can we magnify that goodness and lead others to a closer relationship with our Creator? How can we embody all the virtues that have their source, center, and summit in our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, the earth is full of your goodness.

Amen.

Third Saturday of Lent

It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice. Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.

God wants us to be merciful like Him. He wants us to be good like Him. He wants us to be compassionate like Him. He wants us to love like Him. He wants us to magnify Him for all the world through our thoughts, words, and works. All the almsgiving, prayer, and mortification in the world will avail us nothing if we don’t do it in His Spirit. We can do all the right things for all the wrong reasons. God wants us to do them for Him and Him alone. It isn’t easy choosing to be Christ-like. It is a hard and narrow path filled with hardship and suffering and sacrifice, but if we follow in God’s footsteps and accept our crosses, then we shall taste the goodness of the Lord and enjoy His Heavenly Feast for all eternity.

Are we merciful like God? Are we good and compassionate like Him? How can we magnify Him in all we think, do, and say?

O Lord, wash us from our guilt and sin so we will become merciful, good, and compassionate.

Amen.

Friday after Ash Wednesday

A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.

God will not spurn us if we come to Him with hearts that are contrite and humble. God wants us to come to Him and seek forgiveness for our sins and imperfections. He wants to shower us with His Mercy as an example of what we should for those who trespass against us. He wants to wipe out our offenses and wash away our guilt. He wants us to be cleansed of evil and filled with goodness and compassion.

How can we become humbler and more contrite in our hearts? What can we do to imitate God’s Mercy and Compassion in our own lives? How can we be as good as our Heavenly Father is good?

O Lord, grant us humble and contrite hearts.

Amen.

Fifth Saturday in Ordinary Time

Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy! You turn man back to dust, saying, “Return, O children of men.” For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night.

God constantly pours His love upon us because He wants us to be filled with love. He wants us to be overflowing with holiness, goodness, truth, mercy, and all that He is. He wants us to magnify Him in and through our every thought, word, and work. He only wants what is best for us and does everything in His power to provide us with the graces and blessings we need to become good and faithful servants to Him and His children.  He wants to make us heirs to His Heavenly Kingdom because He wants to spend the rest of eternity with us. Our Father wants us to be his sons and daughters forever and ever, for a thousand years and beyond... till time ends and beyond. It should humble us to imagine that God loves us so much although we are less than dust compared to Him. What a marvelous thing it is to be loved by an infinite God.

Are we allowing ourselves to be filled to the brim with God’s Love? Do we sing for joy at the thought of how much we are loved by our Heavenly Father? How can we help others feel loved, too?

O Lord, fill us with your love.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church

All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm.

The world around us should see the saving power of God reflected in us. Our thoughts, words, and works should mirror those of Christ so when others see us they should know we are Christians by our love. There should be no doubt about our faith, hope, and love when a person sees us in action. Our deeds, although not always wondrous or great, should sing to the Lord, giving Him praise for all He has done for us. Our lives should win victory for him in great and small things by revealing God’s Goodness through our acts of charity and mercy. Just as Jesus proclaimed the Good News through his holy life, so we should do the same.

Do our lives reflect the saving power of God? Do they proclaim the Good News and sign of God’s Glory? How can our acts of charity and mercy win victory for God in the hearts of others?

O Lord, we see your saving power and pray to become instruments of it for all.

Amen.

The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice! Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all you lands. Sing to the LORD; bless his name.

We have much to be glad and rejoice about in our lives. As such, our thoughts, words, and works should sing to the Lord and bless His name. After all, it is because of God that we have the time, talents, and treasures present in our lives. We would be nothing and have nothing, if it wasn’t for the generosity of our Heavenly Father, who gave us not only His Beloved Son as a sacrifice for our sins, but His Holy Spirit as a guide to holiness.

Are we glad for all we have? Do we rejoice in God’s Goodness and Graces? How can we make our lives sing God’s praises?

O Lord, we bless your name and sing with joy to you.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety. You are my rock and my fortress; for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.

During this Christmas season, we should be more willing than ever to commend our spirits into the hands of our Lord and God. After all, He gave Himself to us through His Beloved Son, Jesus. He asked us, through Mary and Joseph, to take care of His Word Made Flesh. How wondrous is the Incarnation! Our rock of refuge transformed into a child in a manger. Our stronghold a babe in swaddling clothes. Our leader and our guide come into the world as a little one. This is why we trust in God's Goodness and Compassion... because He became one of us in all things, except for sin and so He knows our frailty and weaknesses and is willing to show us how to overcome them.

Do we commend our spirits to God on a daily basis? What can we do to prepare ourselves for God's coming into our lives? How can we let God lead and guide us along the way of salvation?

O Lord, we commend our spirits to you.

Amen.

Fourth Monday of Advent

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. The favors of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. For you have said, "My kindness is established forever"; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.

God has been very good to us. He has given us life. He has made us in His Divine Image. He has provided us with free will so we can truly love Him and others as He loves us. He has poured out His blessings and favors upon us. He has been a faithful Father to us. He has been a loving brother and teacher. He has been a guiding Spirit. He has shown us His Kindness. We cannot imagine how much God has done for us throughout our lives from the moment of our conception to the moment of our death and beyond. All we can do is accept His gifts and use them to the best of our abilities for the good of all whom we meet.

Do we thank God for all He has done for us? How can we reflect God’s Goodness in our own lives? What can we do to be better children of our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, we sing of your goodness.

Amen.