Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.

Just as Jesus poured out his Blood for us, so too, each of us are called to pour out our own lives for him. As his brothers and sisters, we have a responsibility to do everything within our power to bear God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace into the lives of others. Peter and Paul did this in their lives and paid the ultimate price to keep the faith. They finished the race with the crown of martyrdom and we must be willing to do the same. We might not be called to die physically, but we must all die to our own selfishness so we might live in the Holy Spirit. The crown of righteousness awaits us if we are true to God and willing to accept the thorns that come with it. And the most amazing thing is God doesn’t care how successful we are in the world, He only cares whether we competed faithfully and well.

Are we willing to pour out our blood for God and His children? Are we willing to accept the crown of righteousness and all the sacrifices it requires from us? How can we compete more faithfully in the race to our salvation?

O Lord, we pour ourselves out to you like a libation, holding nothing back.

Amen.

Fourth Thursday of Ordinary Time

When the time of David's death drew near, he gave these instructions to his son Solomon: "I am going the way of all flesh. Take courage and be a man. Keep the mandate of the LORD, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees as they are written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in whatever you do, wherever you turn, and the LORD may fulfill the promise he made on my behalf when he said, 'If your sons so conduct themselves that they remain faithful to me with their whole heart and with their whole soul, you shall always have someone of your line on the throne of Israel.'"

The words David speaks to Solomon are also the ones God speaks to us every day. He instructs us through the teachings of the Church and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit to keep His commandments and the spirit of the laws. If we do this, we will succeed in the important things of life and we will become worthy heirs to His Heavenly Kingdom. If we fail, we will be faced with many hardships and difficulties, but we will also have a chance to right our wrongs and return to God’s Graces through the sacrament of reconciliation. Hopefully we listen to God and follow Him faithfully so that one day we might join Him in Paradise and eat with Him at the Heavenly Banquet.

Are we courageous enough to be men and women in Christ? In what ways are we keeping the commandments? How can we remain faithful to the Lord with all our hearts and souls?

O Lord, grant us the courage to stand firm in our faith and follow your every commandment.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Trust in the LORD forever! For the LORD is an eternal Rock.

God is our Rock and if our lives are founded on Him, we shall not lose them. No storm of suffering will topple us. No quake of fear will bring us down. No flood of woes shall wash us away. With God as our cornerstone, we can withstand any trial and stand firm against all temptations. We shall survive all difficulties if we trust in God and let Him lead us to a saintly life. It may not be easy to keep the faith in the midst of sufferings, but reaching the Gates of Heaven is worth every test we must undertake.

Are our lives founded on Our Lord and God? Do we trust Him to support us through every trial? How can we make God the foundation of our every thought, word, and work?

O Lord, we trust in you, Our Rock and Savior.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope

Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge and save them from the power of their enemies as long as the judge lived; it was thus the LORD took pity on their distressful cries of affliction under their oppressors. But when the judge died, they would relapse and do worse than their ancestors, following other gods in service and worship, relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct.

Sometimes we can have a lot in common with the Israelites of old. We go through hot and cold periods of faith and sin. We are good for a while, but fall into the same sins over and over again. We can have times of great comfort and joy in the faith, but also dark nights where we get lost. We can feel abandoned by God in our times of trial. Yet, we can also champion the faith like the judges of old. We are sinners, struggling to be saints. God knows this better than any of us and that is why He does all He can to help us to overcome our weaknesses and become better servants to Him and all His children.

What sins are we struggling with? Are we keeping the faith to the best of our abilities, especially when we are in our dark nights of the soul? How can we better resist the temptations that surround us?

O Lord, take pity on us and help us to become better Christians.

Amen.

First Thursday of Advent

A strong city have we; he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us. Open up the gates
to let in a nation that is just, one that keeps faith. A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace; in peace, for its trust in you.

The traits of the nation in this scripture should also be our traits. They are the traits God wants us to have because they reflect His Goodness and led us to holier lives. We are called to be just as the Heavenly Father is just. We are called to keep the faith, just as our ancestors did during good times and bad. We are to have a purpose, just as Jesus did. He came into the world to reveal the depth of God’s Love and Mercy and our lives should reveal the same. We are called to keep the outer peace just as the Holy Spirit provides us with inner peace. Last but not least, we are asked to trust in God and allow Him to lead us through the darkness and into the light of eternal life.

Are we dedicated to justice and keeping the faith? Do we have a firm purpose in our lives to know, love, and serve God and His children? Do our words and actions keep the peace?

O Lord, in peace, we trust in you.

Amen.