The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice! Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; let the plains be joyful and all that is in them! Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the LORD.

All of creation should rejoice in its Creator. That is after all one of the reasons the whole world was created... to know, love, and serve our Heavenly Father. It is in knowing Him that we become wise and hopeful. It is in loving Him that we learn to become charitable and merciful. It is in serving Him that we fulfill our vocation as His children and co-heirs. He is the Alpha and the Omega of the universe and should be the beginning and the end of our lives. It is in, by, through, and with Him that we accomplish the greatest good. So, let our hearts and voices resound with hymns of thanksgiving, joy, and exultant praise for our Good and Faithful Lord.

Do we take time to appreciate all God has Created? What can we do this year, and in all our future years, to soak in the joy and gladness of creation? How can we be better children to our Father, who created us to know, love, and serve Him and all His creation?

O Lord, let us join the heavens and earth in rejoicing before you, our King and Father.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above, like gentle rain let the skies drop it down. Let the earth open and salvation bud forth; let justice also spring up! I, the LORD, have created this. For thus says the LORD, the creator of the heavens, who is God, The designer and maker of the earth who established it, Not creating it to be a waste, but designing it be lived in: I am the LORD, and there is no other.

Justice and salvation are what God offers us each and every day. He created all the universe and everything in it in order for us to live in justice so we might be saved. He does not wish us any evil, He gives us every chance to do the right thing... to know, love, and serve Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and to love others as He loves them. He wants us to be good fruits, nourishing the faith, hope, and love of others so they might join him in Heaven. He wants us to be fonts of His Mercy, pouring out His Grace upon all whom we meet. He did not create us to be a waste, but to be a living blessing, showing others that God loves them and should be at the center of all people’s hearts.

Are we leading just lives? What are we doing in order to lead others to God’s Grace and Salvation? Are we living our lives wisely and well or are we wasting them?

O Lord, give us the grace to live in you and not waste away in worldly pursuits.

Amen.

Thirty-First Friday in Ordinary Time

In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast in what pertains to God. For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to lead the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum I have finished preaching the Gospel of Christ. Thus I aspire to proclaim the Gospel not where Christ has already been named, so that I do not build on another’s foundation, but as it is written: Those who have never been told of him shall see, and those who have never heard of him shall understand.

It might be difficult to believe, but there are many in this world that do not know Jesus Christ. They have no personal or communal relationship with Him. He exists outside their frame of reference. They might have heard about him, but they do not know him or what he truly stands for. So many children are not being taught what it means to be Christian. So many are told they do not need him in their lives. So many are denied him by parents who have neglected to bring him into their children’s lives. It can be saddening to think that the only exposure many have with Jesus is as a historical figure, who lived and died in Israel. What a loss for such people! We should look at this lack and be driven to do something about it... to proclaim the Gospels and show others what it means to be faithful, hopeful, and loving Christians. That way those around us will have a chance to see and understand our God, who is Good and worth knowing.

What does pertain to God in our lives? What have we done to accomplish His Will in our lives? How are we spreading the Good News and the knowledge of Christ to all those who are around us?

O Lord, spread your Word and accomplish your Will through us.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.”

The only sacrifice and oblation God wants from us is to do His Will in all things. This means being faithful to His commandments, Christ’s teachings, and the inspirations of the Spirit. This means placing our hope in God and trusting in His Grace and His Mercy. This means knowing, loving, and serving God and all His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. This means being obedient even to the point of sacrifice and death. This is the offering God wants from us... to imitate His Son, Jesus Christ, in all things and come to Him when He calls.

How can we make our lives into living sacrifices? What can we do to be better followers of the commandment, teachings, and inspirations of God? How can we more perfectly imitate Jesus in our lives?

O Lord, behold we come.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; serve the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful song.

Serving the Lord can be difficult at times. With all the anxieties and worries of the world we can sometimes forget our call to service or put it on the back burner. Health, finances, relationships can all get in the way of our vocations. Thankfully, the greatest vocation is to love God and one another and no matter what is going on in our lives, we should always have time for great and small acts of love. It is through these works of charity and mercy that we truly proclaim the Good News. It is through them that we sing to God with joy, bringing gladness to the people around us.

How can we serve God more faithfully? What can we do to make more time for God and others in our lives? How can we spread gladness and joy to the people around us?

O Lord, we hope to know, love, and serve you with gladness.

Amen.

Thirty-First Thursday in Ordinary Time

But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Everything in this world is a loss, except those things that lead us closer to God. We might be surrounded by worldly treasures and pleasures, but all of them are empty when compared to the spiritual treasures and pleasures we can gain through a holy, loving, and faithful life. The supreme good of our lives is coming to know, love, and serve our Heavenly Father through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It is this good that we should constantly strive for in this life so we might magnify the Lord and rejoice in our Savior just as his most faithful servants did in their lives.

How can we detach ourselves from worldly things and see them all as a loss? What can we do to live our lives in accord with the supreme good of knowing, loving, and serving God? Are we willing to sacrifice the world so we might gain heaven?

O Lord, you are the source of all spiritual gain. Grant us the supreme good of knowing, loving, and serving you.

Amen.

Twenty-Fourth Tuesday in Ordinary Time

Now you are Christ's Body, and individually parts of it. Some people God has designated in the Church to be, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. Are all Apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

We are each given unique graces, gifts, and talents by God. We are given these things in order to fulfill His Will, give Him glory, and help those in need. Some of us are called to speak prophetically, announcing the Good News to others and proclaiming the Word. Others are asked by God to undertake mighty deeds to reveal His power to the world and help others. We are also called to healing, assistance, administration, communication, and various other vocations. Not everyone has the same gifts, but we all have the same purpose... to know, love, and serve God and His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. So, let us take what gifts we’ve been given and do with them as God wills so we might build up the Body of Christ.

What graces, gifts, and talents has God given us? How can we put them to good use? What can we do to build up the Body of Christ through our thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, give us the wisdom and will to use the gifts you’ve given us to strengthen the Church and all of God’s children.

Amen.

Ninth Thursday in Ordinary Time

If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

As a follower of Christ, we have to be willing to die to ourselves. We need to be able to detach our minds, hearts, souls, and strengths from all worldly people, places, and things. God, and God alone, must be our foundation stone. We must live for Him... to know, love, and serve Him with all our being. The world will throw all sorts of distractions in our way and it is up to us to step over these stumbling blocks and continue upon the narrow way to Heaven. We might not always succeed, but as long as we sincerely try to live with Him in all things, then He shall remain faithful to us and help us to grow in virtue and holiness.

What are some things we need to die to in this life? How can we learn to die to these things and live more perfectly in Jesus Christ? In what ways can we foster the spirit of detachment we need in order to live in the world, but not be consumed by it.

O Lord, help us to detach ourselves from the world and unite ourselves to you.

Amen.

Fourth Saturday of Lent

But, you, O LORD of hosts, O just Judge, searcher of mind and heart, Let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause!

If we are wise, trusting, and loving, then we shall entrust our causes to God. Only He has the strength to lift us up and see us through all things. Only He can grant us the graces and gifts we need to succeed at what is truly important in life. Only He offers to protect us from all evil. Only He provides us with true justice and mercy. Only He knows our minds and hearts. Only He has the right to judge others. All we are called to do is to know, love, and serve Him and all His children, including those whom we don’t like. Only we have the ability to let go and let God, and if we do, then we shall find all our burdens lifted and have nothing to fear.

What causes do we have in our lives? Have we entrusted those causes to God? Are we willing to let Him take those causes and do with them what He wills?

O Lord, we entrust everything to you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

After taking counsel, the king made two calves of gold and said to the people: "You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough. Here is your God, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt." And he put one in Bethel, the other in Dan. This led to sin, because the people frequented those calves in Bethel and in Dan.

The temptations and distractions in our lives can become idols that take the place of God in our hearts. This is why we must be vigilant against sin and be willing to walk away from those things that divert our attention from knowing, loving, and serving God and His children. This isn’t to say that leisure activities should be completely cut out of our lives, but that they should always come in second place and be done in moderation. If we ever have to choose between what is right and what is wrong, then we should always do what is right. But in the same vein, we should always choose what is right over what is enjoyable and fun. Sometimes being a follower of Christ requires us to give up something we like for the greater good of being charitable and merciful. If we discover that we have a difficult time giving up a certain activity, even a good one, in order to do what is right, then we must find a way to reign in that activity and exercise our self-control.

What temptations and distractions are leading us away from our responsibilities to God and others? How can we align our lives more perfectly with knowing, loving, and serving our Heavenly Father and all His children? In what ways can we prepare ourselves to always choose what is good and right over those things we find enjoyable and fun?

O Lord, cast out from our hearts all those sins and worldly things that keep us from being completely yours.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep your covenant of mercy with your servants who are faithful to you with their whole heart.

Being faithful to God with our whole hearts isn’t easy. The world constantly tempts us to give a piece of our heart to earthly things. It might be a person, a place, a thing, an action, a hobby, or some other pursuit. Not that any of these things are bad in and of themselves, but if they aren’t loved in light of our relationship with God, then they can become a distraction from spiritual things. They can even lead to sin. Thankfully, God understands our difficulties and so he constantly pours out His Love and Mercy upon us, refreshing us and sustaining us so that we can continue on our journey to heaven. There is no father like our Father. No paradise like the Paradise of Heaven. There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the heavenly things that await us if we choose to know, love, and serve God to the best of our abilities... striving to do so with our whole hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Do our hearts dwell on worldly or heavenly things? How can we become more faithful to God and the New Covenant He has created with us? Do we seek God’s help in leading holy lives?

O Lord, there is no God like you, the King of Love, Mercy, and Grace.

Amen.

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

In a world where we are constantly told we need to stand out, show off, and take what we want, it can be difficult to remain humble. However, we don’t need to exult ourselves to make our mark on this world. We can make a difference by simply being Christians and knowing, loving, and serving God and His children to the best of our ability. We might not get rich, gain fame, or even be recognized for our spiritual successes, but when we pass on from this world God will be there with the treasures of the afterlife and the laurels of sainthood. It will be Him who exults us by telling us that we have been good and faithful servants and worthy co-heirs to the Heavenly Kingdom.

What can we do to remain humble in spirit? Are we willing to forgo worldly successes in order to obtain heavenly ones? How can we become good and faithful servant leaders?

O Lord, give us humble hearts.

Amen.

Eighteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

"When the LORD, your God, brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that he would give you, a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, with houses full of goods of all sorts that you did not garner, with cisterns that you did not dig, with vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant; and when, therefore, you eat your fill, take care not to forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. The LORD, your God, shall you fear; him shall you serve, and by his name shall you swear."

What we have in life isn’t ours. It is God’s. He has given us our life, health, goods, family, friends, and homes. He has instilled within each of us gifts, talents, and graces, which find their source, center, and summit in Him. We should never forget that we are merely borrowing all these things for a time. We should always be grateful for the goods God has given us. He has indeed delivered us from the slavery of sin and offered us a Promised Land filled with good things. We should fear disappointing Him and do everything we can to repay His unfathomable kindness by knowing, loving, and serving Him to the best of our abilities.

What goods, gifts, talents, and graces has God given us? Do we thank Him for all the goods we have? How can we know, love, and serve Him better?

O Lord, let us thank you through humble and faithful service.

Amen.

Seventeenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while he conversed with the LORD. When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Moses and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become, they were afraid to come near him.

Although we might not have radiant faces after speaking to God in our prayers or when we celebrate the sacraments, we should have glowing minds and hearts. Our time spent in conversation with God should leave us with the commandments written upon the two tablets of our intellect and will. Our faith should radiate for all to see. Our hope should be a light for all to enjoy. Our love should shine on everyone we meet. We all have the choice to either know, love, and serve God and become a light for the whole world or serve ourselves and fall into darkness. It is up to us to make the right decision, God doesn’t force His graces on us, but if we accept them, we shall reap the rewards and grow in holiness.

Do we seek out God and converse with Him? How can we prepare our minds and hearts to receive His commandments and live them out faithfully? What can we do to radiate God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace for all to see?

O Lord, we wish to converse with you and radiate your goodness for all to see.

Amen.

Twelfth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

“Look about you, and from where you are, gaze to the north and south, east and west; all the land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever. I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth; if anyone could count the dust of the earth, your descendants too might be counted. Set forth and walk about in the land, through its length and breadth, for to you I will give it.” Abram moved his tents and went on to settle near the terebinth of Mamre, which is at Hebron. There he built an altar to the LORD.

God gives us every opportunity to thrive in this world. He gives us gifts and graces that allow us to fulfill our unique role in His Divine Plan. His blessings cannot be counted... they are more numerous than the dust of the earth. He has prepared a place for us in this world that will lead to prosperity. Perhaps not in human terms of wealth and fame, but in heavenly terms of spiritual rewards and glory. And in return for all of this, He only asks us to know, love, and serve Him and His children as He knows, loves, and serves us. It is when we imitate Him that we are most uniquely ourselves. It is when we think, speak, and do His Will that we make our hearts into living altars to His Love, Goodness, and Mercy.

Have we looked around and really appreciated all God has given us? How have we given thanks for all the gifts and graces we have? In what ways can we make ourselves into living sacrifices to God?

O Lord, make our hearts into altars to you.

Amen.

Friday of the Second Week of Easter

After recalling the Apostles, they had them flogged, ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus.

Suffering. We spend a lot of time avoiding it and yet there are some types of suffering we should gladly endure. We should be willing to suffer in order to know, love, and serve God and His children. We should be willing to suffer in order to do what is right and to resist temptation and sin. We should be willing to suffer in order to proclaim the Good News and give witness to our faith. We should be willing to suffer in order to defend life. We should be willing to suffer for the sake of being Christians. Yes, there is pain in suffering, but when we are wounded in the pursuit of God’s Will there is also joy.

Are we willing to suffer for God? What about suffering for our family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers? How can we learn to rejoice in the suffering that comes with doing what is right?

O Lord, we rejoice that you have found us worthy to suffer for the sake of your name.

Amen.

Fifteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

If we want to know, love, and serve God and His children more perfectly, then we shall need to become child-like. Children depend upon their parents for their protection, their goods, and the provision of their needs. They truly understand what it means to have faith in someone, to hope in them, and to love them unconditionally. In the same way, we should be child-like toward our spiritual parents, God, Our Heavenly Father, and Mary, Our Holy Mother. Both of them protect and provide for us in their own way and show us how to be filled with charity and mercy towards all. They give us something greater than ourselves to believe in, to trust in, and love with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. In the end, we will be measured by how well we imitate them in our thoughts, words, and works.

Are we child-like in our relationship with God and Mary or do we pretend we do not need them? How can we become more faithful, hopeful, and loving children of God and Mary? What thanks have we given our heavenly parents for all they have, are, and will do for us?

O Lord, make us child-like in spirit.

Amen.

Eleventh Friday of Ordinary Time

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

It can be tempting to store up treasures on earth. They are more tangible and because of this we can point to them as evidence of our success. However, no worldly treasure will ever last. They will all pass away in time. If we want rewards that truly last, then we need to turn to God and store up treasures in heaven. We do this by knowing, loving, and serving God and our family, friends, and neighbors. Unlike earthly rewards, the treasures we store up through our acts of love and mercy will never decay. In addition, our treasure house of merits multiplies our goods as we give them away to others. It is in this way that we become vessels of God’s Love, never running dry of the wine of charity.

Are we storing up worldly or heavenly treasures for ourselves? How can we build ourselves into a treasure house of God’s graces? What do our hearts treasure most?

O Lord, you are the source of all our treasures.

Amen.

The Fourth Thursday of Easter

Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.

None of us is greater than Jesus. Our passions, wants, and goals come in a distant second to the Will of God and the gospel teachings of Christ. It is when our passions, wants, and goals are aligned with these things that we fulfill our purpose on earth and become true messengers of the Lord. We should dedicate ourselves to knowing, loving, and serving God and His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. It is for this that we came into the world and it how we should spend our lives from beginning to end. We are most blessed by God when we give ourselves over to His Divine Plan and think, speak, and do everything in His Holy Name, just as Jesus did in his life.

Are we truly dedicated to knowing, loving, and serving God? How can we cleanse ourselves of the sin of pride and become more humble in spirit? What can we do to become better messengers of Christ?

O Lord, bless us and make us your humble messengers.

Amen.

Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

“Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Jesus makes himself known to us in a variety of ways. He makes himself known through the scriptures. He makes himself known through others. He makes himself known to us through the graces of the Holy Spirit and the sacraments of the Church. We are not alone on our journey to Heaven. Jesus is with us giving us thoughts of understanding, words of encouragement, and works to sustain us. He is always by our side ready to enkindle our hearts and make them burn within us with love, mercy, and grace. It is up to us to welcome him into our hearts so that we can bear him to others and proclaim that he is risen and alive within us.

Do we allow God to speak to us through the scriptures and the sacraments? Are we listening to Him and watching for Him in the words and works of others? How do our actions proclaim the resurrection and the salvation of souls?

O Lord, you are truly risen. Alleluia!

Amen.