Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors. Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness.

No matter how kind or good or loving we might be, we all have enemies and persecutors. They might be family members. They might be old friends or loves whom we have broken up with for one reason or another. They might be strangers who we hardly know or who hardly know us. They might be good people who have bad information. They might mean well, but oppose us because they have a different vision of the way things are or should be. We might never know why they are our foes, but one thing we can be certain of is that if we are striving to do God’s Will and do it with love, then He will rescue us from their clutches. His Divine Face will shine on us and we will be saved by His Kindness. Perhaps not always in the time or way we would prefer... perhaps not even in this life, but if we persevere, then we shall find ourselves with the only person whose opinion matters: God.

Do we commend our spirits to the Lord on a daily basis? Do we ask Him to rescue us from our foes? How can we be the shining face of God for those who are being persecuted?

O Lord, let your face shine upon us, your servants.

Amen.

Fourth Tuesday of Advent

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. The favors of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. For you have said, "My kindness is established forever"; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.

Kind and faithful. These are the adjectives we should hope come to mind when people think and speak about us. We should be known for our kindness. Not the fake kindness of putting on airs, but the true kindness that recognizes the kindred spirits of others and their inherent dignity as human beings who share in the Divine Image of God. We should also be models of faithfulness to others. Reminding them that this is something beyond the mundane world around us. Our lives should bear God into the world around us and make others aware that God is with us. We should make Him present to others through our holy and good presence.

Are we truly kind to others, not with worldly masks, but as heavenly reflections of God’s Divine Image? How can we be more faithful? What can we do to help others grow in kindness and faithfulness?

O Lord, establish your true kindness within us, your faithful servants.

Amen.

Third Monday of Advent

Teach me your ways, O Lord. Remember that your compassion, O LORD, and your kindness are from of old. In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O LORD.

We have a lot to learn from God. He is a loving Father, who shows us how to be good sons and daughters. He is a Good Shepherd, who leads us to holiness in thought, word, and deed. He is an Advocate, who inspires us to become better people. Everything we could ever want to learn comes from Him. He teaches us compassion, kindness, goodness, and love. He is the Most Perfect Teacher, giving us the Good News, the Scriptures, and the Church to guide us along our paths to holiness. He will always remember us and hopefully, we will always remember Him for all the wondrous things He’s done for us.

Do we remember God as we should? Do we allow Him to teach us His Way, His Truth, and His Life? How do we imitate His Compassion, Kindness, and Goodness?

O Lord, teach us your ways.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

The Lord speaks of peace to his people. Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.

Kindness is necessary if we want to imitate Jesus. There wasn’t a moment in his life when he wasn’t kind. Even when he overturned the money changers tables, he did it out of kindness, namely to save souls. Kindness isn’t a passive virtue. It goes out from us and shows our love of God, of our neighbors, and ourselves. Truth is also needed if we want to be good and faithful servants to God. After all, if we do not proclaim and follow the truth in our lives, then how can we expect to share in the life to come? Justice, too, is a virtue we must cultivate in order to live up to the title of being Christians. We need to give God and His children what they deserve in thought, word, and work. Otherwise, we will have nothing to show when the time comes to make an account of our lives. Lastly, peace should be at the core of our being. The calm that comes from trusting in God’s Divine Will and Mercy and believing that no matter the trials we face, we will overcome them with God’s grace.

Have kindness and truth meet within our hearts? Have justice and peace kissed our cheeks? How can we make ourselves into true imitators of Christ, who embodied all these virtues and more?

O Lord, make us kind, truthful, just, and peaceful.

Amen.

Seventeenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

The Lord is kind and merciful. Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.

Thank goodness God doesn’t deal with us according to our sins or requite us according to our crimes. If He did, we would all be destined to destruction. We are infinitely blessed to have such a kind and merciful God as our Heavenly Father, who not only gave us His Beloved Son, but also His Holy Spirit. He has provided us commandments to protect us, teachings to guide us, and inspirations to sanctify us. He is always ready to help those who fear disappointing Him. He will never abandon us as long as we seek Him out in our daily lives and strive to be good and faithful servants. Yes, we might stumble along the Way, we might forget the Truth, and we might lose sight of the Life we are called to live, but He will be there every step of the way to lead us back to where we are supposed to be as Christians.

Are we as kind and merciful as God is to us? How can we become more compassionate? What can we do to promote the compassion of others?

O Lord, help us to imitate your kindness and mercy.

Amen.

Fifteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

The Lord is kind and merciful. The LORD secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed. He has made known his ways to Moses, and his deeds to the children of Israel.

God has made known His Ways to us. He has shown us His Divine Love and Mercy through His deeds. The Incarnation united Him with us in body and blood. His hidden life with Mary illustrated how to be humble and obedient. His ministry revealed what it means to be forgiving, compassionate, and charitable to all, even our enemies. His Passion and Death were choices Jesus made to reveal what it truly means to give your life for others. His Resurrection and the Gift of the Holy Spirit reminds us to hold onto hope no matter what and gives us the strength to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News.

Do we follow the ways of God? Do we imitate his good deeds? How can we be as kind and merciful as He is to us?

O Lord, help us to follow your ways.

Amen.

Thirteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

The Lord is kind and merciful. Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever.

God is kind. He cares for each and every human being and has sacrificed His Beloved Son to prove His Love to us. He is merciful because even though we take Him for granted, ignore Him, turn our backs on His teachings, choose worldly things over Him, and fail Him in countless ways... He still is willing to forgive us. Even though we are sinners, He still shows us compassion in our own times of trial and difficulty. He is much slower to anger than any of us and much more forgiving. He knows we are weak and fallen, but He gives us the grace to be strong and rise up again. If we do make Him angry, but confess our sins with contrite hearts and do penance, then He will let go of His anger and let us back into His Good Graces. We should feel blessed to have such a merciful and kind God and strive to imitate Him whenever we can.

Are we kind? Are we merciful? How can we become better imitators of God’s gracious goodness?

O Lord, make us kind and merciful as you are kind and merciful.

Amen.

Tenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

The Lord is kind and merciful. He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion.

It is truly humbling to consider how much God has forgiven us. Think about all of our imperfections, failures, trespasses, and sins. Think about what we have done wrong in this life and all the goods we have failed to do. And yet, God continues to love and forgive us. He pardons us of our iniquities and heals us of our ills. He redeems us from destruction and offers us everlasting life. He crowns us with kindness and compassion as a show of what we are called to do as Christians. Truly, He is kind and merciful and all He asks of us is to be kind and merciful to others and to love Him as He loves us.

Have we thanked God for being so kind and merciful to us? Are we kind and merciful to others like God is to us? What can we do to show our desire to be pardoned, healed, and redeemed?

O Lord, pardon our iniquities and redeem us.

Amen.

Seventh Friday of Easter

The Lord has established his throne in heaven. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us.

God’s kindness toward us is beyond anything we can imagine. He is loving and merciful toward us in spite of our sinfulness, our indifference, and our failings. He is good to us even though we take Him for granted, abuse His trust, and desert Him. He is willing to forgive us no matter what we have done. Can we say the same in our dealings with others? Are we as kind? As loving? As merciful? Not even close, and yet, God doesn’t abandon us. He remains with us and does everything in His Divine Power to protect us from evil, guide us to better lives, and help us to be holy.

How can we be as kind and merciful as God is toward us? What can we do to make the world a more loving place? How can we help others to grow in goodness?

O Lord, help us to imitate your kindness, love, and mercy.

Amen.

Third Friday of Easter

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.

God is faithful and kind to us. In good times and bad, in sickness and in health, in sin and holiness, He will always love us. His love is unconditional. It does not weaken with time or out of anger. It endures all out of a deep love for His every child. He is our Heavenly Father and in Him we have the Promise of eternal life.

How can we become as faithful and kind as our Heavenly Father? In what ways can we go out into the world and tell the Good News? How can we strengthen our faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, help us to be kind as you are kind.

Amen.

Second Saturday of Lent

The Lord is kind and merciful. He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion.

How fortunate for us that we have such a kind and merciful God! Just imagine how we might feel in His place when we see so many of our children turning their backs on us for various reasons. Imagine being betrayed by those whom we love. Imagine being taken for granted and ignored by the people we care about. Would we be as patient, loving, and forgiving as God? And yet, God pardons all our iniquities. He heals us of our ills. He redeems us from destruction. He even crowns us with kindness and compassion. Yes, we are blessed to have such a good God on our side.

Are we as kind and merciful as God is to us? Are we willing to pardon those who trespass against us? How do we repay God for all the kindness and compassion He has shown us?

O Lord, you are kind and merciful.

Amen.

Second Wednesday of Lent

Save me, O Lord, in your kindness. You will free me from the snare they set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.

The wickedness and snares of the Devil are all around us. We see it in the world, in people, in places, and in things. We are constantly tempted by evil or tormented by those who see good and want to tear it down. God is our only refuge in this dark valley. He is our light, leading us to safety. He is our shelter, protecting us from the storm. He is our help, freeing us from the snares. If we want to have any hope of reaching Heaven, then we must commend our spirits to Him and allow Him to shepherd us to the Promised Land along the Way He has prepared for us.

Do we pray for God’s Help in overcoming the wickedness and snares of the Devil? Do we turn to Him in our times of need and commend our spirits to Him? How can we train ourselves to seek His Grace, follow His Light, and walk His Way?

O Lord, save us in your kindness.

Amen.

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The son of David will live forever. The promises of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness, For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.

God’s kindness has been established forever. He expressed it through the creation of the heavens and the earth and all living things, especially man and woman. He showed it through His Mercy on the people of the Old Testament. He revealed it through His Beloved Son’s life, passion, death, and resurrection. He continues to prove it through the Holy Spirit, who guides His Church. O, how faithful God has been to us! We can only hope we can return a fraction of His faithfulness and sing His praises forever.

Have we been faithful to God? How can we become more faithful? In what ways can we reflect God’s kindness to the rest of the world?

O Lord, may your kindness be established in us.

Amen.

Seventh Saturday of Ordinary Time

The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him, for he knows how we are formed; he remembers that we are dust.

God is compassionate to those who fear and respect Him. His kindness endures forever for those who love Him and His children. He treats us as a Father treats His offspring. He gives us every chance to know, love, and serve Him as He knows, loves, and serves us. He knows us better than we know ourselves and does everything in His Divine Power to lead us to good and holy lives. He will give us every opportunity to redeem ourselves and prove we are good and faithful people. And if we fall into sin, He is the first one to welcome us back into His Divine Grace.

Do we trust in God’s Mercy enough to not despair when we sin? Do we respect God enough to seek His Forgiveness when we choose what is wrong over what is right? Are we compassionate to others like our Heavenly Father is to us?

O Lord, your kindness is everlasting.

Amen.

Fourth Monday of Advent

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. The favors of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. For you have said, "My kindness is established forever"; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.

God has been very good to us. He has given us life. He has made us in His Divine Image. He has provided us with free will so we can truly love Him and others as He loves us. He has poured out His blessings and favors upon us. He has been a faithful Father to us. He has been a loving brother and teacher. He has been a guiding Spirit. He has shown us His Kindness. We cannot imagine how much God has done for us throughout our lives from the moment of our conception to the moment of our death and beyond. All we can do is accept His gifts and use them to the best of our abilities for the good of all whom we meet.

Do we thank God for all He has done for us? How can we reflect God’s Goodness in our own lives? What can we do to be better children of our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, we sing of your goodness.

Amen.

Third Wednesday of Advent

My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory! Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.

God is our rock of refuge. He will always provide us shelter from the storms of our lives and give us rest when we are wary. The stronghold of His Love and Grace gives us safety from the moment of our conception to the moment of death and beyond. He is a Fortress against the wickedness and snares of the Devil and if we trust in Him, then nothing can overcome us. He is our rescuer from sin and death. He is our Savior and our mouths should be filled with praise for Him. Our hearts should sing His glory. For He will never abandon us to the wicked.

Do we take refuge in God when our lives are difficult and stormy? Do we give thanks to God for all the graces He gives us and the spiritual shelter He provides us? What can we do to repay His Infinite Kindness?

O Lord, you are our rock and we praise and glorify you for the refuge you constantly provide us in our lives.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Advent

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

There is a lot to be joyful about in our lives. No matter what trials we might be undergoing, we should have no anxiety at all because as Christians we know God is with us and will never abandon us. As long as we are prayerful and willing to ask for God’s help, then He will grant His Grace to us. Perhaps not in the time and place we would choose, but at the time and place that will do the most good for our souls. If we trust God in this way, then we shall have His peace within our hearts and minds, knowing our requests will be fulfilled to our betterment. So, let us give thanks to our God, who is our Heavenly Father, Loving Brother, and Protective Spirit.

How can we cultivate a joyful spirit, even in times of trial and distress? How can we imitate God’s Kindness to all whom we meet? What can we do to prepare our hearts and minds for God’s Peace?

O Lord, guard our hearts and minds.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr

In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.

Our lives are either guided by the flesh or by the spirit. If we are guided by the flesh, then we will fall into every kind of wickedness. We will become prideful, envious, wrathful, lustful, gluttonous, greedy, and slothful. We will live worldly lives constantly chasing our evil passions and empty pleasures. In contrast, if we live according to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, then we shall have fruitful lives. We shall have love, joy, and peace no matter what might be going on in our lives. We will grow in patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, and gentleness. We will learn to tame our passions and gain the self-control we need to become holy people. Last but not least, our flesh will be crucified by our sacrifices and we will be freed from the chains of our sins and able to live as good and faithful servants to God and all His children.

Are we living according to the flesh or according to the Holy Spirit? How can we rid ourselves of those evil inclinations that lead us into temptation and sin? How can we grow in the virtues that will lead us to life everlasting?

O Lord, crucify our flesh with its passions and desires so that we might be made holy.

Amen.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.

The road to Heaven isn’t always easy to follow, but God is very clear as to what He expects from us as we travel towards His Kingdom. He wants us to get rid of all the things that distract us from our goal or that might push others away from Him. That means removing bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, reviling, and all malice from our lives. In their stead, we are called to be kind to one another, even our enemies. We are asked to be compassionate and as forgiving as God is with us. We are given Jesus as our guide in all things. If we follow him and imitate his Way of Love, then we shall become God’s beloved children. This may require many sacrifices on our part, just as it did for Christ, but if we face our crosses with trust and carry them without complaint or anger, then we shall find ourselves well on our way to the Kingdom of God.

In what ways have we grieved the Holy Spirit? How can we rid ourselves of all those things that keep us from being Christ-like? What can we do to become faithful imitators of Jesus?

O Lord, rid us of our evil inclinations and make us more and more like you.

Amen.

Second Friday of Ordinary Time

Saul then said to David: "You are in the right rather than I; you have treated me generously, while I have done you harm. Great is the generosity you showed me today, when the LORD delivered me into your grasp and you did not kill me. For if a man meets his enemy, does he send him away unharmed? May the LORD reward you generously for what you have done this day. And now, I know that you shall surely be king and that sovereignty over Israel shall come into your possession."

It isn’t easy treating our enemies generously. It’s difficult to do good to those who have done evil to us. However, we are all asked to respect the dignity of others, no matter how much they might disrespect us. God asks all of us to do no harm to others. It isn’t our place to judge or punish, but rather to love unconditionally just as Jesus did. Only our Heavenly Father can judge the hearts of others and we disrespect Him when we try to take justice into our own hands. Instead of selfish retaliation, we are called to be generous to our enemies and let them go unharmed. Perhaps our example of kindness, will change our enemies’ hearts and make them realize the error of their ways, but even if it doesn’t then we can be secure in knowing that we turned the other cheek just as Jesus did and although the world might slap it... God will heal our temporary pain and replace it with eternal life in and with Him.

Who are the people we find it most difficult to love? Are we treating them generously and lovingly? How can we become more charitable to those who are unkind to us?

O Lord, grant us generous and merciful spirits.

Amen.