Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.

Mary is the Mother of God and all His children. She loves us unconditionally, as a perfect parent. She is an advocate for us before the Heavenly Father just like many mothers are advocates for their children. She is a role model for us, showing us how to know, love, and serve God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. She is a servant of God and of us, who works tirelessly and patiently to lead us to a closer relationship with Jesus, her son and our brother. She is a mold, who can shape us into good and faithful servants. She is filled with grace and the Holy Spirit and through her role as His Holy Spouse, she asks for us every spiritual blessing we need in order to thrive as her children. She comforts us when we are sorrowful and will never leave our side, just as she never left Jesus.

Do we give thanks to God for giving us Mary as our spiritual Mother? What can we learn from her life of service and humility? How can we become better children of God, our Father, and Mary, our Mother?

O Lord, we thank you for our Blessed Mother, Mary.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.  In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.

We are all adopted children of God through Jesus Christ, who made us his brothers and sisters through his life, passion, death, and resurrection. He broke his body and poured out his blood for us in order to secure us our adoption... to make us co-heirs to the Kingdom of God. He shows us how to be good and faithful children to our Heavenly Father. He shared his own Holy Mother with us while on the cross and asked us to take her into our homes and hearts. He gave us his Holy Spirit to be our advocate and constant guide. He has offered his love, his mercy, his saving and sanctifying grace to fill us with good things so we might grow in favor with God and give praise and glory to Him for all He has done for us.

How are we living out our calling to be co-heirs to the kingdom of God? What can we do to become more faithful children of our Lord? Do we give thanks for all the blessings God has given us, especially the Holy Spirit and our Holy Queen, Mary?

O Lord, bless us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest

The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A Spirit of counsel and of strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, But he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land's afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.

The Holy Spirit has many gifts to offer us and He does so with generosity and compassion. He desires for us to be wise, understanding, full of good counsel, strong in faith, knowledgeable, and fearful of letting the Lord down. He offers us eyes to see the Way, ears to hear the Truth, and hearts to live the Life of Christ. He gives us the guidance of our consciences to help us lead just lives and choose right over wrong. He wants us to be sealed to Him through righteousness and faithfulness and never leave His side. He wants only the best for us, but He will not force His Will on us. Instead, He lets us make our own choices to accept or deny His gifts of our own free will.

How can we strengthen the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us? How can we conform our lives to justice toward all and fidelity to God? Are we willing to bind ourselves to God, giving up earthly goods, in order to become good and faithful servants?

O Lord, send down your Holy Spirit and His gifts.

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.

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.

Twenty-Second Thursday in Ordinary Time

The Lord has made known his salvation. Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.

God makes known His salvation in various ways. Sometimes He does so through great signs. Other times He does so in a whisper. He brings salvation to us through people, places, and things. He leads us to holiness through the guidance and inspirations of the Holy Spirit. He gives us perfect examples to base our lives on in Jesus and His Mother, Mary. He protects us from evil and calls us to good in numerous ways that we are free to accept or ignore. However, one thing cannot be ignored, His Love for us, because it is clear, constant, and never waivers, even when we take it for granted or deny it. So, let us be thankful for the Lord, for He is merciful, kind, and always offering to save us.

In what ways do we sing the praise of the Lord? How often do we raise our hearts up to Him in joy? How can we make our lives into a living song of glory and praise?

O Lord, we praise you with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Amen.

Nineteenth Saturday in Ordinary Time

You are my inheritance, O Lord. You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.

God is everything we should be striving for in our lives. He should be the source, center, and summit of our thoughts, words, and works. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and if we want to find ourselves, then we must seek Him. If we want to know who we truly are, we must strive to be more like Him. If we want to be at peace, we have to do whatever the Holy Spirit guides us to do. The only way we can ever have joy in this life is to know, love, and serve God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. However, this path is not an easy one. It leads to the cross, which we must carry without hesitation or complaint, sacrificing ourselves of the glory of God and the good of others. Then, and only then will we be made worth of the promises of Christ and the delights of Heaven.

Do we strive to follow the path of life God has shown us? How can we walk His Way more joyfully and trustingly? What can we do to prepare ourselves for the Heavenly Feast that awaits those who know, love, and serve God and His children?

O Lord, show us the path that leads to you.

Amen.

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh.  For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Living by the Spirit requires a great deal of trust in God. Letting go of our own desires can be very difficult to do. We are constantly tempted to gratify ourselves in various ways. We all have certain things we like to do and sometimes these things lead us away from what we are called to do. However, there is hope for us. We can overcome our flesh and weaknesses. We can moderate our passions and the things we enjoy so we do not become enslaved to them and are willing to give them up when they interfere with our spiritual lives. By recognizing that we can’t always get what we want and accepting that sometimes we are called to mortification and sacrifice, we can let go and let the Holy Spirit lead us to holier lives.

What desires of the flesh are leading us astray or distracting us from our true callings as Christians? How can we become more open to letting go of our wants and letting God give us what we need? What can we do to be more attentive to the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, we wish to live by your Spirit and not by our flesh.

Amen.

Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

There is a temptation to grumble when things don’t go our way or when we are suffering in some way. However, if we truly believe God is our Shepherd, then we should not doubt that He will provide relief for us. We shall not want for anything as long as we remain true to Him and do not leave His Wounded Side. His Love, Mercy, and Grace will pour out upon us as long as we cling to Him. He will spread a table before us and provide us the refreshment and nourishment we need to grow strong in faith, hope, and love. If we follow Him, He will anoint us with holiness and fill us with saving grace till we overflow with it.

Do we allow God to shepherd us? Are we open to letting Him guide our thoughts, words, and works? How can we become better followers of His Good News, allowing Him to lead us where we need to be?

O Lord, anoint us with your Holy Spirit and make us overflow with your goodness.

Amen.

Pentecost Sunday

Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD be glad in his works! Pleasing to him be my theme; I will be glad in the LORD.

The Holy Spirit comes into our lives in many ways. He comes in our moment of conception. He comes in our living. He comes in our loving. He comes in our holy thoughts. He comes in our words of peace and compassion. He comes in our works of charity and mercy. He comes to renew our faith in every prayer we pray and every mass we attend. He comes to us through the Blessed Sacrament. He also goes forth with us into the world. He goes forth with us to proclaim the Good News. He goes forth with us to be our companion along the Way. He goes forth with us to guide us to the Truth. He goes forth into our daily world to show us how to live the Life of Christ. He goes for with us to show us how to make our every moment into a good work that brings gladness to God and others.

Are our minds, hearts, souls, and bodies open to the Holy Spirit? What can we do to bring the Holy Spirit into every facet of our lives? How can we embody the gifts of the Holy Spirit and magnify God through our thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, send your Spirit to us so we might be able to go forth into the world and bear your Good News to all your people.

Amen.

Holy Saturday – Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter

Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. How manifold are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you have wrought them all—the earth is full of your creatures. Bless the LORD, O my soul! Alleluia.

God created the world to be good. He made us to be good. He provides everything we need to live in this world. He gives us love and the light of faith. His works are indeed manifold! His Divine Wisdom is woven into the very fabric of reality itself. Every creature on the earth, in the water, under the soil, or in the sky bears the gift of creation inside them. And one day, all of these things will be renewed by the Holy Spirit and made new so we call enjoy them all in the afterlife.

Are we calling out for and accepting the Holy Spirit into our lives? How are we reflecting the manifold works of the Lord? What can we do to be as good as God is?

O Lord, grant us the wisdom to see all you have wrought in the light of faith, hope, and love.

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.

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth. Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me, for I am afflicted and poor. Keep my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God.

God does everything He can to help us. He has given us the Scriptures and the Church to teach us how to imitate His Beloved Son. He leads us through the Holy Spirit so we might walk in the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He listens to our prayers and answers them for our betterment. He helps us to overcome our afflictions and showers us with spiritual riches. He will keep our lives safe and reward those who trust in Him. He will never abandon us because He is our God and our Heavenly Father.

Do we listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as well as God listens to us? How can we be more devoted to the God who has sacrificed and given so much for us? In what ways can we proclaim we are Christians to the rest of the world? 

O Lord, help us to walk in your truth.

Amen.

Fifth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD, my God, you are great indeed! You are clothed with majesty and glory, robed in light as with a cloak.

The Lord sends out His Holy Spirit to each and every one of us and through the Holy Spirit He offers us virtues, gifts, and graces. He pours out His Love and Mercy upon us and offers to make us holy, too. He wants our souls to be blessed and our lives to be good. He wants us to be great like He is great. He wants to clothe us in His Light and robe us in His Truth so we might walk His Way in confidence. He gives us more gifts than we can count. More than we could ever repay. And yet, all He asks of us is to be good and faithful servants and love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and our neighbors as He loves them. Truly, He is majestic, glorious, and good.

Are our hearts open and welcoming to the Holy Spirit? Do we put the graces and blessings we receive through the Spirit to good use? How can we magnify the greatness and the glory of God for all whom we meet?

O Lord, send your Holy Spirit to renew our hearts.

Amen.

First Saturday in Ordinary Time

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.

If we want to have a good life, then we need to be open to God’s Word and Spirit. We have to be willing to live in accordance to the Scriptures and the traditions of the Church. We know and think imperfectly, but we can depend upon the Wisdom of God to overcome our failings. If we trust God, He will lead us to the best possible lives. He will give us wisdom and love and life. He will refresh our souls when they are thirsty and feed our spirits when they are hungry. He will prepare a banquet for us and lead us to life everlasting. All we have to do is listen to the Divine Word and act like Christ in all things.

Do we accept God’s Word and Spirit into our lives? Do we allow Him to refresh our souls and give us wisdom? Do we trust that God’s Plan will lead to our good, even if it requires great sacrifices?

O Lord, give us your wisdom and refresh our souls.

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.

Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs

In Christ we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God's possession, to the praise of his glory.

We were chosen to be Christians. God, through His Infinite Mercy, brought us into the faith for a reason. He brought some by birth and others by conversion. He brought us together to do His Will so we might fulfill His Work. We exist for His praise and glory and for the good of all His children. We, who have heard and accepted Christ’s word, believe and hope in him and the promises he made to us throughout his life. His promise of salvation is one we have all been given, but it is up to us to strive toward it with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. We do this best when we are open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who is constantly leading us toward redemption through His aid and inspirations. Yes, we are chosen and if we accept our calling, then we shall one day be welcomed into Heaven and spend the rest of eternity with our Beloved God.

Are we living our lives in accordance with God’s purpose and plan? What are we doing to praise and glorify God through our thoughts, words, and works? How can we be more open to the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives?

O Lord, we thank you for the Holy Spirit and the promise of eternal life with you.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Tuesday in Ordinary Time

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms.

If we are worldly in our thoughts, words, and works, we will never understand our faith. We will be deaf to the Word of God, blind to the sacraments, and unable to feel the Holy Spirit within us. However, if we open our minds and hearts to the Holy Spirit, then a whole new world will unfold before us. We shall be able to see the world around us in spiritual terms. We will be able to see how to increase our faith, hope, and love. We shall come to understand how to lead holy and humble lives. We shall be better able to walk the Way, hear the Truth, and live the Life of Christ. Moreover, we shall be able to help others to do the same by providing them an example of what it means to be good and faithful Christians.

Are there worldly things that are keeping us from seeing the world as Jesus does? How can we make the Holy Spirit more welcome in our hearts? What can we do to be more open to God's inspirations?

O Lord, grant us your Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Seventeenth Friday in Ordinary Time

If you disobey me, not living according to the law I placed before you and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them, I will treat this house like Shiloh, and make this the city to which all the nations of the earth shall refer when cursing another.

When we fail to live according to God’s Commandments, choose sin over virtue, act with indifference to the needs of others, and turn a deaf ear to the Holy Spirit, then we become accursed. When we allow our hearts to swell with pride or believe ourselves to be holier than others, then we will be humbled by God and shown just how imperfect we are in His eyes. We are constantly faced with a choice to either listen to God, believe, and live the Way, the Truth, and the Life... or to ignore Him and suffer the consequences. There is no middle ground, not choosing is a choice that leads to destruction just as much as sinning does because lukewarm souls have no place at the table of the Lord. The only souls who do have a place are those who allow themselves to be lit on fire with the Holy Spirit and bear the light of Christ into the world with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Are we failing to live according to God’s Commandments? How can we be more faithful to listening to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit? What can we do to bring blessing to others and ourselves?

O Lord, make us a blessing, not a curse.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious

Then Elisha, filled with the twofold portion of his spirit, wrought many marvels by his mere word. During his lifetime he feared no one, nor was any man able to intimidate his will. Nothing was beyond his power; beneath him flesh was brought back into life. In life he performed wonders, and after death, marvelous deeds.

The Holy Spirit can move mountains through us if we let Him. He can do marvelous and wondrous deeds if we let Him. He can convert sinners and save souls through us if we lend him our thoughts, words, and works. If our souls magnify God, then we shall be like prophets, bearing the Good News to others and proving God's Goodness through our actions. With faith, all things are possible. We might not know exactly what to do, but we know that God is with us and will provide us with exactly what we need to do His Will.

Do we call upon and pray to the Holy Spirit each and every day? Do we allow Him to think, speak, and work through us? How can we make ourselves into living vessels of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, pour into us your Holy Spirit.

Amen.