Twentieth Monday in Ordinary Time

Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people. They did not exterminate the peoples, as the LORD had commanded them, But mingled with the nations and learned their works.

God may have created us in this world, but He does not want us to be enthralled with it. He made us for Himself and does not want anything or anyone else taking us away from Him. He wants our undivided attention and gives us every grace we need to resist the temptations of the world around us. He set us apart from the world through our baptism and if we want any part in His Kingdom, then we must honor His wishes by living lives detached from earthly things. We must rid ourselves of all those things that compete with God for our attention. We must disentangle ourselves from worldly doubts, fears, worries, and possessions. And instead, we should pick up the life of Christ, put it on, and walk with God always at our side.

What do we need to exterminate from our lives? What worldly things must we disentangle ourselves from so we might attach ourselves more perfectly to Christ? How can we cultivate a spirit of holy detachment from the world?

O Lord, you created us to be wholly yours, let it be so always.

Amen.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second man, from heaven. As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly, and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.

We are both earthly and heavenly creatures. We have the potential for good and evil that Adam, our first ancestor had. We also have the opportunity to cultivate Christ’s heavenly virtues in our every thought, word, and work. We are our best selves when we choose the goods of earth and heaven over the evils of worldliness. But God won’t force us to be good as He is Good. He won’t take away our free will. He wants us to know, love, and serve Him of our own accord. He wants us to choose eternity in Heaven with Him over the here and now desires we have on the earth. This isn’t to say God doesn’t want us to enjoy the earth, after all He created it and it was good. But that should be something that flows naturally from the course of events as we follow Him and His commandments and not the goal of life itself.

Are we using our earthly selves to do good instead of evil? How are we allowing the heavenly to influence our thoughts, words, and works? What can we do to bear the image of God to the whole world?

O Lord, you made us earthly and heavenly. Help us to understand how to be faithful in both.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Thursday in Ordinary Time

I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard? Are you so stupid? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so many things in vain?-- if indeed it was in vain. Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you and works mighty deeds among you do so from works of the law or from faith in what you heard?

There is a vast difference between faith and works. We can have faith, but without works to back it up, we are like a clashing cymbal. We can have works, but without faith, we gain no spiritual growth. We need both in order to live as true Christians. Now, this may seem at odds with what Paul tells the Galatians, but we need to keep in mind Paul is talking about the works of the Mosaic law, not the works of Christian service. The Pharisees followed the obligations of the law, but lacked in understanding that the law was not the end of their relationship with God, but the means to it. Just because we fulfill our obligations to go to Mass, abstain from meat during Lent, help others, etc. doesn’t mean we have grown in faith. We can do seemingly good things without good intent. We might just be going through the motions, but without any emotional or spiritual investment. Faith needs to be at the heart of our works so we might grow in hope and love. This is how we must live as Christians if we want to embody the Holy Spirit and gain a place in the Heavenly Kingdom.

Is our faith the driving force behind our acts of hope and love? How can we grow spiritually through our works, great and small? How can we guard against becoming children of the flesh as opposed to children of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, send us the faith we desire so we might work good deeds for you and all your children.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest

Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays. The sun rises and the sun goes down; then it presses on to the place where it rises. Blowing now toward the south, then toward the north, the wind turns again and again, resuming its rounds. All rivers go to the sea, yet never does the sea become full.

The world will move on without us. To think otherwise is to ignore the truth that what we do with our lives is but a drop in an ocean of time and activity. Everything we have in this life will pass away, except our relationship with God. And so, our time, talents, and treasures should be focused on knowing, loving, and serving God and His children to the best of our abilities. The sun will rise and set when we are gone and the only lasting impression we will make is the one we make with God. We will either be his good and faithful servants and enjoy eternal life or we will reject Him and become outcasts, grinding and gnashing our teeth. The world might give us the illusion of success and wealth, but if these aren't spiritual in nature, then they will come to nothing in the end.

Are we spending our lives on vanities and things that will not stand the test of time? Are we willing to labor for God and His children rather than for the fleeting successes and pleasures of this world? How can we make a lasting impression on God through our thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, strip us of our vanities and clothe us in the graces that come from serving you.

Amen.

Twenty-Third Wednesday in Ordinary Time

I tell you, brothers, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.

As Christians, we need a certain level of detachment from the world around us. This separation comes not out of a feeling of indifference, but rather the realization that the world is passing away and any attachments we have to it will one day be dissolved. The only lasting attachments we can ever make are those with our Lord and God and this is what we should focus on in this world. Paul isn’t telling us not to get married, or weep, or rejoice, or buy goods, or use things. Rather, he is warning us against becoming too attached to people, places, and things. They come and go, while our relationship with God will determine our existence forevermore.

Are we appropriately detached from the people, places, and things in our lives? What can we do to forge a lasting relationship with God? How can we make Him and only Him, the source, center, and summit of our lives?

O Lord, help us to detach ourselves from worldly things and fasten our hearts to you.

Amen.

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal. For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven.

The things in this world are indeed transitory… temporary. It might not feel that way as we live in the midst of our transition, but this is the truth. Whatever difficulties we face in this life are as nothing before the vast, great, and wonderful future God has promised us if we follow Him. The momentary afflictions of this world may weigh us down while we are on earth, but in the end, they will have no weight at all in the next life. Whatever goods we have here on earth will pale and vanish in comparison to the beauty and spiritual richness we will enjoy in Heaven. God’s Eternal Love will infuse everything in the afterlife and this alone will be enough for us forever and ever.

Do we recognize that this world is only transitory? How can we place more worth on our happiness in the afterlife than the pleasures of this world? Are we doing everything in our powers to prepare ourselves a dwelling place in Heaven?

O Lord, let us not be discouraged by the world, but trust in you and our eventual eternity in Heave with you.

Amen.

Second Friday of Easter

“For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him. After recalling the Apostles, they had them flogged, ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus.

If our endeavors are of human origin, they will destroy themselves. Nothing worldly lasts forever. However, if our actions come from God, then they will succeed. They will magnify the Lord and bear good fruits. Even if we suffer greatly to do God’s Will, our blood, sweat, and tears will be worth it to see God’s Divine Plan put into action. This is why we should always seek to do God’s Will in all things. It is through Him, with Him, and in Him that we are fulfilled in this life. It is through Him, with, Him, and in Him that we find our joy. And so, we proclaim the Good News to all whom will listen because the Good News has saved us and we want it to save others and bring glory to God.

Do we place our every thought, word, and work into the hands of God? Are we willing to suffer greatly in order to do God’s Will in all things? How can we teach and proclaim Jesus Christ through our daily lives?

O Lord, we rejoice in doing your Divine Will.

Amen.

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the LORD, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy. If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods, I tell you now that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy.

The choice before us is clear: life with God or death with sin. We can either give our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths to God or to the world. There is no middle ground... no sitting on the fence. If we are lukewarm in our faith, give into our temptations, or allow ourselves to be lead astray, then we have chosen the world and will have to face the consequences. If, however, we obey the commandments of the Lord and follow the teachings of His Good News, we will be blessed by Him. We shall go forth, grow in the faith, and live in peace and prosperity. Perhaps not as the world sees success, but rather a spiritual success that leads us to know, love, a serve God and others more perfectly and fruitfully.

Are we choosing life or death? How can we live more faithfully the Good News? How can we love God, walk in His ways, and keep His commandments, statutes, and decrees?

O Lord, we choose life and prosperity with you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep your covenant of mercy with your servants who are faithful to you with their whole heart.

Being faithful to God with our whole hearts isn’t easy. The world constantly tempts us to give a piece of our heart to earthly things. It might be a person, a place, a thing, an action, a hobby, or some other pursuit. Not that any of these things are bad in and of themselves, but if they aren’t loved in light of our relationship with God, then they can become a distraction from spiritual things. They can even lead to sin. Thankfully, God understands our difficulties and so he constantly pours out His Love and Mercy upon us, refreshing us and sustaining us so that we can continue on our journey to heaven. There is no father like our Father. No paradise like the Paradise of Heaven. There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the heavenly things that await us if we choose to know, love, and serve God to the best of our abilities... striving to do so with our whole hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Do our hearts dwell on worldly or heavenly things? How can we become more faithful to God and the New Covenant He has created with us? Do we seek God’s help in leading holy lives?

O Lord, there is no God like you, the King of Love, Mercy, and Grace.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Brothers and sisters: I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided.

Each of us has their own set of anxieties in life. Some of us have anxieties in regards to our families and friends, others in regard to our jobs and finances, and all of us in the conflict between the heavenly and worldly things in our lives. Some of us are unmarried and have worries about our vocations. Others are married and have worries about spouses, children, and grandchildren. No lifestyle is free of difficulties, fears, and doubts, but if we trust in God, live our lives in accordance with His Will, then we shall have nothing to be afraid of. As long as we know, love, and serve God and His children with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths, then we shall overcome all obstacles and be pleasing to the Lord.

What are the anxieties we are facing in our lives? How can we place these worries at the feet of Christ and allow him to help us carry them? What can we do to ensure our lives are founded on heavenly and not worldly things?

O Lord, make us pleasing to you, always and in every way.

Amen.

Thirty-Fourth Friday of Ordinary Time

As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.

Everything in this world will pass away. Countries, families, friends, possessions, wealth, fame, influence, and all other earthly things. However, there is one thing which will remain: God’s dominion over all. He existed before creation and formed the universe out of nothing. He is the beginning and end of all that was, is, and ever will be. He may have delegated his dominion over the world to us through Adam, but in the end, we are but tenants who work the fields of this life, but must return the harvest to God when He sends for His share. Everything we have is wholly His and we would do well to remember the gifts, talents, and goods we have are borrowed. This is why we give Him glory, honor, and praise for all He has done for us. His gracious gifts are a cause for constant thanksgiving and humble reverence before our Lord and King.

Are our lives pledged to worldly things or to heavenly ones? Are we willing to give God dominion over our thoughts, words, and works? How can we do a better job of giving all glory, honor, and praise to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for all they have done for us?

O Lord, we are your humble servants.

Amen.

Thirty-Fourth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

In the lifetime of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people; rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever. That is the meaning of the stone you saw hewn from the mountain without a hand being put to it, which broke in pieces the tile, iron, bronze, silver, and gold.

Everything man-made has a beginning and an end. Only God is eternal. Wealth, power, possessions and other worldly things will eventually fail us, crumbling to dust. Our bodies will fail, our minds weaken, and death will overtake us. However, if we found ourselves upon the rock of Christ and live in accordance with God’s commandments, Jesus’ teachings, and the Holy Spirit’s inspirations, then we shall have a solid foundation which will resist all trials and sufferings. If we choose to model ourselves on Christ, then we might die, but we shall be given eternal life in the kingdom of heaven.

Are our lives founded on worldly or heavenly things? Have we modeled our lives on the Life of Christ? How can we build our thoughts, words, and works upon the solid rock of faith in God?

O Lord, make our hearts into mountains dedicated to you.

Amen.

Thirty-Second Wednesday of Ordinary Time

But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.

As followers of Christ, we might be seen by others as pitiable and misguided. The world might tell us we are deluding ourselves and letting opportunities to enjoy life, improve our lot, and fulfill our desires to pass us by… all in the hopes of an afterlife. The see us choose the uncertain, unverifiable promise of one day joining the Holy Trinity in Heaven over worldly things and shake their heads at us. However, we are not to be pitied. Instead, we should embrace our death to the world and accept our call to choose the heavenly things of the eternal tomorrow over the earthly things of the passing today. It is this hope for a blessed afterlife which should animate our thoughts, words, and works and allow us to become living sacrifices for the glory of God and the good of others.

Are there earthly things that tempt us? If so, then how can we resist those temptations and die to the world? How can we become better living sacrifices to God’s glory and for the good of His other children?

O Lord, give us the peace that comes with being tested and proved in the furnace of your love.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Show me the coin that pays the census tax." Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's." At that he said to them, "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

We have both worldly and heavenly responsibilities in our lives. We have responsibilities to our families, our friends, our neighborhoods, our states, our country, and our world. These include doing things we might not want to do, but ought to do out of respect for others. It also consists of repaying others for the goods they’ve done for us. Similarly, we have a responsibility to repay to God what belongs to Him, namely our faith and good works. Through baptism God has placed an indelible mark upon our souls that reinforces the Image of God that is imprinted in all our souls at the moment of creation. It reminds us all that we belong to God. We are His and to Him we must return to be judged and hopefully to be called His good and faithful servants.

Are we meeting both our worldly and heavenly responsibilities? How can we repay God for all the goods He has done for us? What can we do to deepen and ingrain the Divine Image of God within us so that we are more perfect signs of God’s Goodness?

O Lord, help us to meet our responsibilities to you first and then to the world around us.

Amen.

Fourth Monday of Lent

Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; For I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people.

This world is only a way point on our road to forever. It is not meant to be the beginning and the end of our lives. It is only the end of the beginning. It is the inciting event that propels us into eternity either as selfish sinners doomed to Hell or selfless saints destined to share our afterlives with God. If we allow this world to consume us, then there will be nothing left of us for God to save. We shall have no thoughts, words, or works to show Him. However, if we know, love, and serve God and His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths, then we shall be saved. We shall witness the creation of the new heavens and earth. We, like God, will forget the things of the past and instead we shall rejoice and be happy.

Do we realize that the things of this world are fleeting and will never satisfy the true desires of our hearts? Are we willing to die to our lives so that we might live forever with God? What are we doing to prepare ourselves for the new creation and eternal life with God?

O Lord, we want to be a delight to you and all your children.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here–the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

If we seek to adorn our lives with costly things or make a show of our faith without any real substance, then in the end we will be thrown down. The weight of our earthly possessions will weigh us down and keep our thoughts from rising up to the heavens. If our prayers and actions are misguided and selfish rather than holy and sacrificial, then we shall have nothing to stand on when we come before God. Instead, our lives should be spent building up a treasure house of spiritual rewards built upon charitable and merciful words and works. Without these we are nothing, but with them we show ourselves to be good and faithful servants of God and His children.

Are we adorning our lives with worldly things or heavenly ones? Are our prayers and works meant to exult ourselves or God? How can we build the temples of our souls upon the firm foundations of faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, tear down the house of my pride and build me up into a temple of humility.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Friday of Ordinary Time

When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

It is easy for us to understand worldly things. We can predict a lot of what will happen to us each day and yet we don't use that foresight to lead holier lives. We use it frivolously. Many of us have regular schedules that we follow and yet how often do we schedule in time to just be with God and pray? If we are asked when our favorite TV show is on, we know immediately the day and time, but how many of us know when and where we can go to confession, daily mass, or volunteer opportunities with our church? We are so knowledgeable about the world and yet so blind to the Will of God. Perhaps instead of making worldly plans, we should open ourselves to letting God pencil Himself into our lives and helping us to know how to interpret our days.

Do we make time to spend with God each day? What can we give up to make time for Him? How can we open our hearts so that God can help us to interpret His Will?

O Lord, give us the grace we need to interpret what you are calling us to do.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr

“Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

We would all do well if we constantly asked ourselves, what we can do to accomplish the works of God. We do this best by believing in the teachings of Jesus Christ and living them out to the best of our abilities. We might not understand how to accomplish God’s Will or why He wishes us to undertake a certain task, but that is why we have faith He knows best and will always give us the graces we need to do His Works. We all have a choice in this life between surviving on the earthly things that perish or thriving on the heavenly things that endure forever. We will be constantly tempted to partake in vice and sin and to enslave ourselves to the world, but if we want to live free, then we need to believe in the Good News and proclaim it through our every thought, word, and work of this day and all our days.

Do we work for the worldly food that perishes or the heavenly food that endures? How can we accomplish God’s Will in our lives? Do we believe in Jesus and live according to his teachings?

O Lord, help us to thrive on heavenly things.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint John Baptist de la Salle, Priest

The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.

There are two conflicting voices that speak to our hearts. One is the voice of the world and speaks of earthly things such as the pursuit of power, money, and glory. It tempts us to sin or to choose the lesser goods in our lives. The other voice testifies to heavenly things like faith, hope, and love. It encourages us to give witness to our faith and to know, love, and serve God and His children. It is up to us to choose which voice to listen to and put into action. If we choose the worldly voice, then we will ground ourselves in selfishness. If we choose, the heavenly one, then we will allow the inspirations of the Holy Spirit to lift us to new heights. By accepting the guidance of the heavenly voice, we will become more and more Christ-like in our thoughts, words, and works. We will be given gifts by the Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s Will and live our lives in accord with Jesus’ teachings. And so, our hearts will expand and overflow with an abundance of life and virtues that will never end.

Do we listen to the earthly or heavenly voices in our lives? How are our lives a testimony to the trustworthiness of God? What can we do to fill ourselves with faith in the Father, hope in Jesus, and love through the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, let us never ration the gifts of your Spirit.

Amen.

Second Monday of Ordinary Time

“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.”

Our faith is one of both fasting and feasting. We fast because it teaches us to discipline our minds and bodies. It also reminds us that worldly things pass away. They are not what is truly important in this world, nor should we attach ourselves to them. This is why we foster a spirit of detachment from the world through fasting, almsgiving, and prayer, especially during Lent. However, our faith is also a festive one because we believe Jesus not only died for our sins, but also rose again from the dead promising us a heavenly banquet with him if we live our lives according to his commands. Every Sunday, we celebrate the Eucharistic feast with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are united as one Church with the souls on earth, in purgatory, and in heaven. This is why we do not fast on Sundays, they are days of feasting in the Church, even during Lent. And so, we as Christians are called to cultivate a spirit of fasting in regards to worldly things and feasting in regards to heavenly things. And if we do this, we will find a balance in life that is both fruitful and rewarding for ourselves and those around us.

Do we fast from worldly things? Do we feast on the heavenly ones? Do we treat Jesus as our bridegroom when he comes to us through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist?

O Lord, help us to know when to fast for you and when to feast with you.

Amen.