Third Saturday of Lent

What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your piety is like a morning cloud, like the dew that early passes away. For this reason I smote them through the prophets, I slew them by the words of my mouth; For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

If we are not careful our piety can disappear like the morning dew. If our faith is founded on pride or selfishness, we can do all the right things for all the wrong reasons. Our religious observations can be done not for the glory of God, but out of an empty self-righteousness. We can think we are pious and good, but in truth we are acting like self-righteous hypocrites, who believe they are better than everyone else. Our prayers can be self-serving and our actions can bear no good fruits. However, if our lives are founded on knowing, loving, and serving God with all our being, then we shall be truly faithful to our calling to be disciples of Christ in all things.

What is our faith life founded on? How can we resist the temptations to misuse our faith? How can we become good, faithful, and loving servants to God and all His children?

O Lord, we want only to know and love you more perfectly in all things.

Amen.

Twenty-First Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.

We are not called to appear to be righteous, but to be righteous. God knows our hearts and sees our every thought, word, and work in light of our true intentions. Even when we do good works, if we do them for the wrong reason they shall have no merit before God. He knows when we act out of virtue and when we act out of self-interest. He knows us better in that regard than we know ourselves. Sometimes we can fool ourselves into believing we are acting in accord with God's Will, but in truth we choose to blind ourselves to the reasons for our choices and do what we want regardless of what God might want from us. This is why we need to make a constant effort to understand ourselves, our strengths and weaknesses, so that we can make a good examination of conscience and overcome our temptations, imperfections, and sins. If we do that, then even though we might fall once in a while, we will have the tools to recognize what lead us to fall, try to avoid it in the future, and seek to amend our lives.

Are we hypocrites? Do we act out of righteousness or selfishness? What can we do to avoid hypocrisy and evildoing?

O Lord, grant us the graces we need to overcome our temptations to hypocrisy and evil so that we can truly be righteous people.

Amen.

Twenty-First Tuesday of Ordinary Time

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.”

God calls us to be clean of conscience and heart. We cannot do that if we do not regularly examine our consciences and honestly evaluate our lives as Christians. If we are not reflective on our thoughts, words, and works, we can lose sight of what God is calling us to do. We can become hypocrites, just going through the motions of faith, but without any deeper meaning or motivation. Our outward acts of faith can become mere self-indulgence and self-glorification. This is why it is so important to cleanse ourselves of our selfishness and truly strive to do God's Will without thinking of how it can help us get ahead in life. Our faith and charity is not meant to make us look better in front of others, but rather it is meant to express our choice to follow God without counting the cost.

Are we hypocritical in our faith? Have we cleansed our insides so we can become better vessels of God's Love and Mercy? What can we do to ensure our thoughts, words, and works are done for God's glory and the good of others and not out of selfishness?

O Lord, cleanse us of our self-indulgence so we can be better bearers of your will?

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Jesus teaches us both how to act and how not to act. First, he lays out what not to do by talking about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who do not practice what they preach, do not lift a finger to help others, and seek honor for themselves. Then, Jesus tells us what we should do. Instead of seeking honor for ourselves, we should humble ourselves. Instead of burdening others, we should be servants of all. Instead of speaking one way and acting another, our words and works should complement each other. God is our Father, our Master, and our Lord and we should do everything for Him and not for ourselves or some worldly idol like wealth, honor, etc. If we humble ourselves before God and others, then we shall be exalted.

How can we live lives that are in closer alignment with Christ's teachings? How can we more perfectly practice what we preach? What can we do to foster humble hearts, souls, and minds?

O Lord, we are humbled before you and ask only to be your good and faithful servants.

Amen.

Twenty-Third Saturday of Ordinary Time

A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit.

We are known by our fruit. God measures our lives according to how well we keep His commandments to love Him and all His children. If we continually love God and our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we will be fruitful. Our good thoughts, words, and works will show everyone around us that we are good. We will be witnesses of the faith to our fellow man. However, if we sin and turn to evil thoughts, words, and works, then those around us will know us as hypocrites, liars, and betrayers. So let us make every effort to produce good fruit so that one day when God picks us our lives will be ripe with sweetness instead of rotten to the core.

Do we produce good words and works? How do we give witness to God’s Goodness through our speech and actions? Do we prune away the rotten parts of ourselves so they do not contaminate the good within us?

O Lord, help us to bear good fruits.

Amen.