Third Thursday of Advent

My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory! For you are my hope, O LORD; my trust, O God, from my youth. On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength. 

From the moment of our conception, God has loved us as His Own children. He blessed us in the womb with gifts, graces, and strengths that would help us throughout our lives. From birth, we have been dependent upon Him for all good things and this reliance will continue till the day we die and beyond. God has watched over us since out youth, granting us everything we need to become good and faithful servants to Him and to our brothers and sisters. He has been a Father to us, protecting, guiding, and encouraging us in our good words. He has also reprimanded us when we have gone astray and tried to lead us back to the right path as gently, but firmly as possible. For all these reasons, we find hope in Him and trust in His Ways. We praise Him for His Works and sing of His Glory because He has been the best Father, we could ever ask for... patient, kind, and compassionate.

Do we thank God for all the blessings He has given us? Do we allow Him to be our Father and act like His children, obedient and loving? What can we do to imitate Him in our lives?

O Lord, you are our Father, in you we trust and hope.

Amen.

Thanksgiving

I will praise your name forever, Lord. Generation after generation praises your works and proclaims your might. They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty and tell of your wondrous works. 

There is much we should be thankful for as Christians. We should be thankful for having a Heavenly Father, who created us in His Divine Image. We should be thankful for His Beloved Son, who proclaimed the Good News for us and gave up his life so we might be saved from sin and death. We should be thankful for the Holy Spirit, who is always with us, granting us inspiration and guidance so we might lead holy lives. The Holy Trinity is someone we can all praise forever because He has done so many works for us, great and small. He has united us with himself, revealing His Love, Mercy, and Grace. Yes, indeed, we have much to be thankful for because our God is full of glorious majesty and wondrous works.

What are we thankful for this year? In what ways do we show our thankfulness to God for all He has given us? What can we do to help make others thankful?

O Lord, we will praise your works and proclaim your might forever and ever.

Amen.

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

To the upright I will show the saving power of God. “Offer to God praise as your sacrifice and fulfill your vows to the Most High; Then call upon me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me.”

God wants all His children to be upright and good. He wants us to offer him praise and thanksgiving for all our gifts and graces. He wants us to recognize Him as our Heavenly Father. He wants us to know, love, and serve Him to the best of our abilities. He wants us to call upon Him in our times of trouble and distress. He wants to rescue us from the slavery of sin and spare us a destructive death. He wants us to give Him glory and place our trust in Him. All for our benefit, not His. He does not need anything from us, but He does want what is best for the members of His Spiritual Body.

Do we offer God our praise as a sacrifice? Do we fulfill our vows to Him? Do we call on Him in our times of distress?

O Lord, we offer our praise to you as a sacrifice.

Amen.

Thirty-Second Friday in Ordinary Time

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. 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.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God and so should we. Our voices should lift up with the angels and saints and declare our thanks to God for all He has done. We should also proclaim and appreciate His handiwork, both great and small. He has truly done many things for us from the moment of our conception to this moment in time. And He will continue to do so through the rest of our lives and forever. What a wonderful Father we have, who loves and cares for us beyond anything we could hope for. What an amazing Brother we have in Jesus Christ, who showed us how to live holy lives. What a great Holy Spirit we have, an Advocate for us in our darkest hours and a light to lead us where we are called to be. Yes, indeed, let us proclaim the glory of God, for He is Good and Merciful, even to us poor sinners.

In what ways do we proclaim the glory of God? How do we join our voices with those of the angels and saints? What can we do to celebrate having such a wonderful Holy Trinity watching out for us in all things?

O Lord, we declare the glory of God and proclaim His handiwork.

Amen.

Solemnity of All Saints

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

We are all called to be saints. We are all made in the image of God and He loves us as Himself. He calls us His children and like any Father, He wants what is best for us. He wants to protect us from harm, show us the way to live holy and good lives, and offer us a seat at His Heavenly banquet table. No wonder the world does not know us! No wonder the world mocks and persecutes us! We are beloved by God and that love shines through us and stands in stark contrast to the dark places the world’s adherents cling to. We are made for loftier things than fame or fortune or pleasures or selfishness. We are made to go out from ourselves, to share our faith, hope, and love with all whom we meet so we will be revealed to be like our God. Caring compassionate, and welcoming of all who wish to be united with Christ and see the face of God as saints.

Do we accept our place as children of God and all the responsibilities that entails? Are we willing to be mocked and persecuted in order to spread the Good News that our heavenly Father has given us? How can we become more like Him in all we think, say, and do?

O Lord, we are your children now and forever.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs

Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer. Hear the sound of my pleading, when I cry to you, lifting up my hands toward your holy shrine.

Our prayers do not go unheard or unanswered. God is always listening to us, in our thoughts and in our words. When we petition Him, He knows the truth behind our prayers. He knows what is good for us and what would be bad. He gives us what we need to flourish as His children. He answers us in ways that will help us to become better Christians. He denies us when what we ask for isn’t what would be best for us, but He softens the rejection by giving us something better. He knows us and what we truly need just as a good father knows his children and gives them what is good even though his children might not understand and complain. God is confident that what He gives us will eventually be accepted and cherished. And for that we should all be thankful.

What petitions are we making to the Lord? Can we honestly say they are all for our good or the good of others or are some selfish? How can we make better prayers and petitions to God?

O Lord, you hear the sound of our pleading and answer us beyond anything we could hope for.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

You have searched me and you know me, Lord. Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence where can I flee? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.

God is ever-present in our lives. There is not a moment when He abandons us, even if we might sometimes feel that way. He is always beside us, even when we turn our backs on Him. He does not leave us alone, no matter how much we might push Him away with sin. He is a loving Father who is always waiting for us to return to Him when we go astray. And sometimes, He goes far out of His way to find us and bring us home. There is no place we can flee that is out of His reach and nothing we can do that He won’t forgive if we are truly sorry and contrite. So, let us not be afraid of Him, but rather embrace Him and make Him a central part of every day.

Do we sometimes think we can escape God? How can we embrace God as central to our lives? What can we do to make ourselves more present to Him as He is ever-present for us?

O Lord, you are always there for us.

Amen.

Fifth Thursday of Lent

The Lord remembers his covenant forever. Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.

There are many reasons to look at the Lord and seek to serve Him constantly. He is our Heavenly Father, who created us and now protects us for evil. He is our Beloved Brother, who showed us the Way, the Truth, and the Life and wants only to lead us to salvation. He is our Holy Advocate, who inspires us to do the right thing and helps us be the best versions of ourselves. He is true to His Word and has adopted us as His children. He loves us. He is merciful toward us. He pours out His graces upon us. He has wrought wondrous deeds for us, but He has also wrought small miracles in our lives that we won’t really know about until they are revealed in the next life. He has given us every guidance along the way so we might not be lost to the world, but walk the narrow path to heaven. Let us hope we will devotedly follow Him so that one day we will be called His good and faithful servants.

Are we serving God constantly in all our thoughts, our words, and our works? Do we seek Him as we ought? How can we recall and give thanks for all His wondrous deeds?

O Lord, we look to you in your strength and strive to serve you constantly.

Amen.

Seventh Saturday of Ordinary Time

The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him, for he knows how we are formed; he remembers that we are dust.

God is compassionate to those who fear and respect Him. His kindness endures forever for those who love Him and His children. He treats us as a Father treats His offspring. He gives us every chance to know, love, and serve Him as He knows, loves, and serves us. He knows us better than we know ourselves and does everything in His Divine Power to lead us to good and holy lives. He will give us every opportunity to redeem ourselves and prove we are good and faithful people. And if we fall into sin, He is the first one to welcome us back into His Divine Grace.

Do we trust in God’s Mercy enough to not despair when we sin? Do we respect God enough to seek His Forgiveness when we choose what is wrong over what is right? Are we compassionate to others like our Heavenly Father is to us?

O Lord, your kindness is everlasting.

Amen.

Christmas Weekday

All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.

As Christians we should foster a spirit of joy throughout the year. We should constantly rejoice in our Heavenly Father, our Lord and Savior, our Holy Advocate. Each of these three persons in the Holy Trinity should be praised and thanked with happy hearts. We should delight in the love our Heavenly Father shows us each and every day. We should enjoy the presence of Jesus in the Word and in the Blessed Sacrament. We should be glad for all the inspirations and guidance we receive from the Holy Spirit. We are all marvelously blessed by our God and there should be no hesitation to sing praise to our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.

How do we celebrate the joys the Heavenly Father has give us? What about the joys of the Son? What about the joys of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, we sing joyfully to you.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

We are all children of God. We are all loved by our Heavenly Father from the moment we were conceived by Him through all of eternity. And as children of God, we are called to be His first and foremost. Everything in and of the world needs to come second. Jesus taught us how to be good and faithful servants by loving God with all our hearts, minds, and strengths and others as He loves them. The world doesn’t understand us because we are willing to walk in the sacrificial footsteps of Christ, giving up all we have in order to do God’s Will. We might not be asked to sacrifice everything, but we must be willing to do so. If we have this attitude, then we shall be like Christ, full of the Spirit, and we shall see God as He is when we are called to heaven to be with Him, forever.

Are we acting like children of God or children of the world? How can we know, love, and serve God with our whole being? What are we willing to sacrifice in order to be good and faithful servants to Him?

O Lord, thank you for adopting us as your children.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. As proof that you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then also an heir, through God.

We are the adopted sons and daughters of God and we would do well to remember that. God so loved us He sent His Beloved Son to die for us all so we might be united to our Heavenly Father through the Body and Blood of Christ. He also sent the Holy Spirit to be our Advocate and Guide so we would know He loves us as His children. God does so many things for us. He gives us His Love, Mercy, and Grace to fill us with charity, to wash us of our sins, and to strengthen us for the way ahead. We should take comfort in the knowledge that we are so loved by God that He wants us to call Him, Abba, Father. Not only that, but He has also prepared a place for us in His Heavenly Kingdom and as long as we are willing to cast off the shackles of sins, we shall be given the grace to be co-heirs with Christ.

Do we act like the sons and daughters of God? How can we become more saintly people so we make our Heavenly Father proud of us? Do we call upon God as our Father when we are in need?

O Lord, Abba, Father, thank you for all you have given us.

Amen.

Third Thursday of Advent

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies; The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear.

We should all shout for joy in response to how well God treats us. He created us at the moment of our conception and has loved us from the first spark of life. He protected us in the womb and has be our shield every since our birth. He loves us like a Father, who knows our hearts and minds and wants only the best for us. He is merciful to us when we fall into temptation and sin, seeking only to correct us and help us to make amends. He wants us to be saved and so He forgives and forgets as long as we come to Him with humble and contrite hearts. He will aid us in all our good endeavors and defend us from all our enemies. He will always be with us and because of this eternal Truth, we should never be afraid.

Are we joyful people, exulting God for all the good He has done for us? If not, then how might we cultivate a joyous spirit? Do we realize God is always with us and we have nothing to fear?

O Lord, we are glad to have you as our Heavenly Father and exult you with all our hearts.

Amen.

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

The questions Jesus poses to his disciples are questions we need to ask ourselves. Who do we say that Jesus is? If we think he is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, then that requires us to live our lives accordingly. He is our Lord and Savior and we need to recognize him as such. Our confession of faith in him is only as sincere as the thoughts, words, and works we think, speak, and do in his name. Our relationship with God also changes depending upon what we say He is... if God is our Heavenly Father, then we need to treat Him with the respect that is due to Him. If God is our Holy Spirit, then we need to cultivate our hearts so that they are fertile fields for the seeds of His inspirations. If God is our spiritual brother, then we are co-heirs to the kingdom and should act accordingly.

Who do we say Jesus is to us? What about God the Father and the Holy Spirit? How can we grow in our relationship with all three persons of the Holy Trinity?

O Lord, you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Amen.

Fifth Thursday of Lent

I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.” God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

Our relationship with God is covenantal. It is a solemn agreement to accept God as our Heavenly Father, Sibling Savior, and Holy Spirit and to know, love, and serve Him and His children with all our being. In return for this, God promises to love us as His sons and daughters and protect us from evil. He promises to teach us the truth, show us the way, and lead us to life everlasting. He promises to enkindle the fires of our hearts, to inspire us, and lead us to holiness. We are His children and He is our Heavenly Father. We are His brothers and sisters and He is our Sibling Savior. We are His spiritual spouses and He is our Holy Spirit. Together we can do all things. Together we can move mountains and give light to the whole world.

Have we accepted God as our Heavenly Father, Sibling Savior, and Spiritual Spouse? How can we keep God’s covenant ever in our hearts and minds? What can we do to show God that we want to be united to Him through the New Covenant?

O Lord, we shall keep your covenant throughout our lives.

Amen.

Thanksgiving

“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed.  And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.

There are so many things to be thankful for. We should be thankful for our lives. We should be thankful for friends and family. We should be thankful for the great things. And the little ones. We should be thankful for our health, if we have it, and for our suffering because it brings us closer to Christ. We should be thankful for the successes we have enjoyed, but also the failures we have learned from. Most of all, we should be thankful because we are children of a loving and merciful God. He is our Heavenly Father and will do everything in His power to cleanse and heal us, if only we will give Him a chance and trust in His Will.

What are we thankful for? Have we expressed this thanks to God? How can we led more thankful lives?

O Lord, thank you for everything you have done for us, great and small, noticed and unnoticed.

Amen.

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

“Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”

We should all be consumed with zeal for our God. He should be the first thing we think of in the morning. He should be at the center of our every thought, word, and work throughout the day. He should be the one we turn to at the end of each day for forgiveness and the strength to be better people. We should cast out everything within us that does not lead us to a deeper relationship with God, just as Jesus cast out those who we defiling his Father’s house. And once we have accomplished this, we shall have nothing to fear because even if the temple of our body is destroyed, we shall have confidence that we shall rise again.

Are we willing to rid ourselves of those things that keep us from being a worthy temple for the Holy Spirit? How do we express our zeal for our Heavenly Father? What can we do to unite ourselves with the sacrificial spirit of Jesus?

O Lord, fill us with zeal for you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene

"Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and then reported what he told her.

God is not only the Father of Jesus, but also of us. This is why Jesus speaks of his disciples as his brothers. We are his family. He wants to be with us, to help us in all we do, and lead us to life everlasting. He sacrificed himself for us and we should be willing to do the same for him. If we do make our lives into living sacrifices for God, then our eyes will be opened to seeing the Lord, speaking His Word, and doing His Works. He will be with us in spirit and truth and we shall have nothing to be afraid or weep about. He shall protect and console us in our times of need. We would do well to remember our kinship with Christ and make every effort to know, love, and serve him as he knows, loves, and serves us.

How often do we give thanks to our Heavenly Father for what he has done for us? Are we willing to sacrifice our lives to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ’s resurrection? How often do we turn to Christ as not just our savior, but also our spiritual brother and comforter?

O Lord, led us to our Heavenly Father.

Amen.

Eighth Saturday of Ordinary Time

“I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”–they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” Then Jesus said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Jesus’ authority comes from his divinity and his relationship with the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. Together, the Holy Trinity can do all things. We, like Jesus and John, also have heavenly origins. God gave each of us the breath of life through the Holy Spirit. This breath enlivens and inspires us, allowing us to become kings of service, priests of sacrifice, and prophets of the truth. Of course, if we choose to follow the commandments of the Father, the way of Jesus, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, then we should expect to be questioned, opposed, and even persecuted by the world. However, as long as we listen to God and trust in His authority over our lives, then we shall be able to overcome these obstacles and do what is right and good.

Do we believe in Jesus’ authority over our lives? Are we willing to follow the Father’s commandments, Jesus’ way of life, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit? What can we do to fulfill our calling to be prophets of the truth?

O Lord, we believe in you and your authority over us.

Amen.

The Fifth Thursday of Easter

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.

Jesus, his Father, and the Holy Spirit love us. The Holy Trinity loves us. It is a love that enlivens, sustains, and fulfills us. And although we can never repay God's Love, we can respect it by keeping the commandments to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths, and to love others as God loves us. When we love, we participate in the essential action of God who is Love and unite ourselves to His Divine Will. As lovers of God and His children, we welcome the joy of God into our hearts and complete ourselves by becoming bearers of His Love, Mercy, and Grace.

Have we welcomed the love of God into our hearts? How has His Love transformed our relationship with Him and our family, friends, and neighbors? Have we kept God’s commandments to love?

O Lord, loving you and your children fills us with joy and completes us.

Amen.