Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.  Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.

We are not alone in our struggle against sin. There is a cloud of witnesses from the Patriarchs of the Old Testament to the saints of our times, who are all praying for us. They also provide us with an example of how to resist evil and do good no matter what. In their lives they rid themselves of every burden and sin that clung to them and persevered till the end of their earthly race. They kept their eyes fixed on Jesus and endured their crosses. We would do well to imitate them just as they imitated Jesus and His Mother. So, let us take our inspiration from these witnesses, be willing to suffer for the sake of holiness, and one day join God in Heaven. 

Do we call upon the saints for help when we need it? How can we live in imitation of the Jesus as the saints did in their lives? Are we willing to resist sin to the point of shedding our blood for the glory of God and the good of others?

O Lord, thank you for the example of your holy and selfless life and the lives of your saints.

Amen.

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

You are the highest honor of our race. Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all the women on earth; and blessed be the LORD God, the creator of heaven and earth. 

Mary is blessed among all women and beloved by God. She was kept from sin through the Immaculate Conception and has the highest honor of our race as the Mother of God. Her trust in and faithfulness to Her Heavenly Father are virtues we all should seek to imitate. We also should mirror her openness to God's Will in her life. Like her, we should constantly be saying, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." So, too, she was the perfect disciple of her Beloved Son, Jesus, following his teachings even before he spoke them aloud. The Word of God dwelt in her and though she didn't always understand its meaning, she always treasured each revelation in her heart. Last but not least, she was a constant co-worker with the Holy Spirit, open to His fruitfulness, guidance, and inspirations. This is what sets Mary apart. She made her will one with the Holy Trinity and let her God guide her every thought, word, and work. May we do our best to imitate her in this regard.

Do we honor Mary as we should? Do we seek her help and intercession in our times of need? What can we do to build a closer relationship with her?

O Lord, thank you for giving us such a blessed Heavenly Mother.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds. Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm.

On this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blesses Virgin Mary, it is only right that we sing to the Lord a new song and proclaim the marvelous deeds God has done for us. These are words that echo those Mary spoke to Elizabeth in the Magnificat where she proclaims the greatness of the Lord, rejoices in the Savior, and recognizes the great things God has done for her. In a similar way, we are also called to follow in Mary’s footsteps by proclaiming God’s greatness, rejoicing in His saving grace, and giving thanks for all He has done for us. If we do these things and live our lives in accordance with the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church, then we shall be a part of God’s victory and share in His Triumph over sin and death.

Do we sing God’s praises? In what ways can we rejoice in God, our Savior? How can we express the depths of our thanksgiving for all God has done for us?

O Lord, we praise and thank you for all the marvelous deeds you have done for us.

Amen.

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation.

Our faith isn't always easy to follow. Our Heavenly Father asks a lot of us. He asks us to love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. He asks us to be sincere in our love of others, even those who persecute us. He asks us to endure afflictions and face our trials and tribulations with hope and prayer. He asks us to be sympathetic to others and treat them with dignity. He asks us to be humble in our own estimation. All of these requests can be difficult to fulfill each and every day, but if we do our best and do penance when we fail, then we shall one day find ourselves before God and He will say, "Well, done, my good and faithful servants."

What ways of our faith do we find most difficult to follow? How can we allow God into these areas of weakness so He can help us overcome them? In what ways can we become more fervent in the Holy Spirit like Mary?

O Lord, we wish only to do what you ask of us like Mary did.

Amen.

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.

We are all called to be sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father by conforming our lives to the image of His Son through the Holy Spirit. From the beginning of time we were created in God’s Divine Image. Our own image may have been marred by Adam and Eve, but it can also be restored by the New Adam and Eve, namely Jesus and Mary. Both Jesus and Mary offer us perfect models of holiness, showing us how to think, speak, and work in the world, but remain virtuous. Their lives reveal to us how to know, love, and serve God and His children so we might be worthy coheirs to the Heavenly Kingdom. Jesus and Mary manifest and magnify God’s Will just as we all are asked to in our own lives. And if we do so by answering the call to love and mercy, then we shall be justified by our bonds to Christ, and ultimately glorified with him and his Most Holy Mother.

Are we acting like true sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father? How can we become more Christ and Mary-like in our bodies, minds, and hearts? In what ways is God calling us to manifest the His Divine Image?

O Lord, conform us to the image of Jesus as you did with regards to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Amen.

Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist

But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, that is how we speak, not as trying to please men, but rather God, who judges our hearts. Nor, indeed, did we ever appear with flattering speech, as you know, or with a pretext for greed--God is witness--nor did we seek praise from men, either from you or from others, although we were able to impose our weight as Apostles of Christ. Rather, we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children. With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us.

When we bring the Gospel to others, the best way to do so is not through trying to please or flatter them or to force or demean them, but rather to be truthful, gentle, and loving. This is why the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Spiritual Mother, is such an important role model for us to emulate. She shows us throughout the Gospel through word and deed how to magnify the Lord and proclaim His Greatness in all things. She does this through sharing herself with others. First, with her fiat to our Heavenly Father and her openness to the Holy Spirit with whom she conceived Jesus. Second, through the visitation of Elizabeth, whom she cares for. Third, with Joseph, whom she shares a life full of blessings and sorrows. Fourth, with Jesus, her Son and out Lord with whom she shared everything from conception to Passion to death to Resurrection. Last but not least, she shares herself with all God’s children by accepting God’s call to be our Spiritual Mother, who knows, loves, and serves us most perfectly in Heaven and desires nothing more than for us to fulfill God’s Will and join her in Heaven. So let us all be givers of our selves just as Jesus, Paul, and Mary gave themselves for us.

How can we become more effective preachers of the Gospel of God? In what ways can we share ourselves with our fellow children of God? Are we gentle in our approach to bringing the Good News into the lives of others?

O Lord, help us to share not only your Gospel, but also ourselves with all those we are asked to evangelize.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

"Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal.

The Church is the Bride of Christ and the wife of the Lamb. This relationship with God is mirrored in Mary, who is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Both Church and Mary have given their fiat to God. They have magnified Him, rejoiced in Him, and proclaimed Him through their thoughts, words, and works. Mary prefigures the Church. She is the model upon which the Church is formed. Her virtues are the virtues of the Church, her sacrifices are the sacrifices of the Church. It is through Mary that the Word was made Flesh and Jesus Christ was brought into the world. It is through the Church that the Eucharistic Feast is celebrated and Jesus Christ is made present to us today. Just as Mary gave her life completely to knowing, loving, and serving God, so too has the Church throughout the ages. Just as Mary was infallible in her faith, so too the doctrines of the Church are infallible, even though individuals within the Church are not. As Mary is the Seat of Wisdom who will never fail us, so too the collected Wisdom of the Church is something that cannot fail. Mary and the Church both guide us toward Christ in their own ways and we would do well to follow their lead.

Do we ask Mary for her help and guidance? Do we seek out the wisdom of the Church when we are in difficulty or doubt? How can we become more like Mary and the Church in our faith lives?

O Lord, guide us through Mary and the Church to your Divine Wisdom.

Amen.

Thirteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Rebekah had been listening while Isaac was speaking to his son Esau. So, when Esau went out into the country to hunt some game for his father, Rebekah [then] took the best clothes of her older son Esau that she had in the house, and gave them to her younger son Jacob to wear; and with the skins of the kids she covered up his hands and the hairless parts of his neck. Then she handed her son Jacob the appetizing dish and the bread she had prepared.

Mary does for us what Rebekah did for Jacob. She listens to God and knows what He wants and if we treat her with honor and love, then she will do everything she can to put us into position to receive God’s blessing. If we listen to her and do whatever she tells us, then God will find us pleasing. She tells us to dress in the virtues of faith, hope, and love because she knows our Heavenly Father favors them. She tells us to cover up our flaws and imperfections by putting on the sacrificial life of Christ because she knows that the only way to our heavenly reward is through becoming children of God. She prepares for us a feast of faithful acts and good works that she knows God will enjoy. Mary is our most perfect Mother, giving us every advantage... for who knows God better than His Daughter, His Mother, and His Holy Spouse?

Do we honor and love Mary as we should? Do we follow the example she sets for us? How can we make Mary a more important and influential model for our lives?

O Lord, thank you for our immaculate mother.

Amen.

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality.

Although Paul’s words are addressed to the Romans and the Church, they echo the life of Mary, who we all should take as our model of holiness. For of all the creatures in the world, only Mary, through the grace of God, remained sinless. She endured the afflictions of the Passion and the Cross. She persevered in prayer through these trials, placing her trust in God the Father. This is because her love is sincere, she hates evil, she holds onto what was good. She loves others with compassionate affection and shows them honor and gives them dignity. Her zeal for doing God’s Will never wavers, she is fervent in the Spirit, her Beloved Spouse. She serves the Lord and His children. She rejoices in her Savior and Son, the Prince of Hope. She contributes to the needs of the God’s holy ones past, present, and future. She exercises every hospitality to God’s children, her children, because she loves us all as her own. By imitating Mary, we become more Christ-like. She is our stepping stone, leading to the Holy Trinity, Her Father, Her Son, and Her Holy Spouse.

Is our love of God and neighbor sincere? Are we fervent in the Spirit? How can we imitate Mary and become more like Christ?

O Lord, help us to become more like you, just as Mary did in her most holy life.

Amen.

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed.”

Mary is the mother of our salvation. She is our Blessed Mother and Most Holy Mediator between God and us. She shows us through her Most Immaculate Life how to know, love, and serve God with all our hearts and minds. It was through her humble acceptance of God's Will that God's Saving Power, namely Jesus, came into the world. Her mildness gave birth to the greatest authority of all… the Son of God! This doesn't mean her life wasn't hard. Far from it! She ran into difficulties from the very first moment she accepted the angel's annunciation. However, she did not let her fears, anxieties, and problems keep her from doing God's Will. She found a way to overcome all the obstacles in her way and became the Most Faithful Servant of All. In the same way, we are called to become living vessels of God's Will no matter what stands in our way.

What are we giving birth to in this world? Are we imitating Mary's trust, love, humility, and mildness in our own lives? Do we turn to Mary and her beloved Son, Jesus, when we are trying to be good vessels of God's Love, Mercy, and Grace?

O Lord, may your salvation and power come into the world through us as it did through Mary?

Amen.

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

Jesus' father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

If we want to be followers of Christ, like Mary, then we will be destined for the rise and fall of many. We will become signs of contradiction in the world. And swords will pierce our hearts, so that the hearts of many may be revealed. It might be through our lives that God reveals the inner character of others and whether they deserve heaven or hell. We are all called to become witnesses to and sharers of God's Love, Mercy, and Grace in order to show the world that there is another way to live that goes beyond selfishness and to selflessness. Last but not least, part of loving someone means being willing to sacrifice ourselves for them. If we love God, then we will be willing to suffer anything for His Divine Will. He may need us to drink a chalice of sorrow for the reparation of sins, the conversion of sinners, or the salvation or souls. However, just as Mary was rewarded for her holy life, so shall we be rewarded for ours as long as we remain true to God no matter what comes our way.

Do we live holy lives of contradiction? If not, then how can we become exemplars of what it means to be Disciples of Christ, like Mary? Are we willing to imitate Our Lady of Sorrows and suffer for the glory of God and the good of souls?

O Lord, bless us with hearts willing to sacrifice all for you and your children.

Amen.

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." 

We would all do well to remember Joseph's example of acceptance of God's Will. Just like Joseph, we are all called to welcome Mary into our homes because by doing so we also welcome the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God the Father into our lives. Mary is the living temple of the Holy Trinity, wherever she is found the Triune God is found, too. As such, we should give Mary the veneration she deserves and learn from her how to know, love, and serve God and others as she did in her most holy and chaste life. The more we imitate Mary, the more we can incarnate Christ through our thoughts, words, and works. She constantly pours graces upon us when we seek her aid in prayer and meditation. She is our Mediatix and through her we not only received Christ, but also his love and mercy as well. We owe Mary a great debt of gratitude and the best way to repay that debt is to become faithful followers of her Son and loving children of God.

Are we afraid of accepting Mary into our lives? How can we welcome her into our every thought, word, and work? What can we learn from her in regards to how to live the Christ-like life?

O Lord, just as Joseph welcomed Mary into his home, so may we let her into our hearts.

Amen.