Fourth Sunday of Advent

Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We were created to be apostles. We were made to bear God into the world. We were conceived to proclaim the Good News to all the nations. God has given Himself to us through the Scriptures, the Church, and the sacraments. He wants us to succeed as His servants and heirs to His Kingdom. And if we want to accomplish His Divine Plan, then we must be obedient to Him. We must follow His Commandments. We must live according to His Way, His Truth, and His Life. We must listen to the inspirations and guidance of the Holy Spirit. We must choose to be with Him as much as He is with us. We must belong to Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Are we with God or against Him? Are we answering the call to apostleship? What can we do to belong more perfectly to Him in all things?

O Lord, help us to become better apostles of the Good News for all.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Advent

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil.

Rejoice, pray, and give thanks without ceasing... this is the will of God for all of us. God wants us to be filled with joy and happiness. He wants us to be cheerful even in the midst of our daily trials. He wants us to pray to Him constantly and be in dialogue with Him through the Holy Spirit so our relationship with Him can bear much fruit. He wants us to give thanks to Him for all the good He has done for us. He wants us to accept His Love, Mercy, and Grace with adoring, contrite, and humble hearts. He wants us to be on fire with the Holy Spirit and listen to the voice of our consciences. He wants us to be open to His inspirations sent to us through our thoughts and the thoughts, words, and works of others. He wants us to test everything in order to make sure our days are filled with people, places, and things which lead to good and avoid all evil. In short, He wants us to be alive in Jesus Christ so we might live with Him forever in heaven.

Do we have joyful hearts, even in the midst of trials? Do we pray without ceasing and give thanks to God all the days of our lives? Are we letting the Holy Spirit think, speak, and work through us for the good of all?

O Lord, we rejoice in you. We pray to you. We give thanks to you.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

Their message goes out through all the earth. Not a word nor a discourse whose voice is not heard; Through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their message.

We often talk about the world as if it is an antagonist to our faith, but there is a difference between the world and the worldly. The world as part of creation is good and reflects the glory and majesty of its Creator. It is the worldly, those who focus on earthly things rather than heavenly ones, that we are at odds with. There is beauty and wonder in the world around us, which we should celebrate and give thanks for. There are marvels on the earth, in the seas, in the skies, and beyond that we should appreciate because they reveal a God whose works are wondrous indeed. All throughout the earth the voice of our Creator resounds, reminding us that we are part of His Divine Plan and beautiful, too.

Do we take time to appreciate the world around us? How do we fulfill our calling to be good stewards of the earth? What can we do to listen more carefully to the voice of our Creator?

O Lord, your voice resounds through all the earth.

Amen.

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Do not forget the works of the Lord! Hearken, my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter mysteries from of old.

God speaks to us in many ways. He speaks to us through our consciences, letting us know the difference between right and wrong. He listens to us through our prayers and gives us inspiration and solace through the Holy Spirit. He teaches us through the thoughts, words, and works of Christ and shows us what it means to be His children and heirs to His Kingdom. He offers us words of love and mercy and asks only that we listen to Him when He speaks to us and to put into practice what He tells us. He gives us the Scriptures and reveals to us eternal truths and mysteries through the parables and stories we find within. If we truly care about God, then it is impossible to forget His works. They are all around us as constant reminders that we are not alone in this world. We have a Heavenly Father, who cares for us and was willing to sacrifice His Beloved Son so we might have a chance to share in the bountiful harvest that awaits us all in Heaven.

Are we listening and living God’s teachings? Are our hearts open to the Scriptures and the teachings they offer us? How can we become more faithful followers of the wisdom of God?

O Lord, we will not forget your works.

Amen.

Eighteenth Monday in Ordinary Time

Sing with joy to God our help. “My people heard not my voice, and Israel obeyed me not; So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts; they walked according to their own counsels.”

There are many things in this world that can drown out the voice of God. Other people can lead us astray. TV, computers, games, and other forms of entertainment can distract us from what we should be doing. Our goods and possessions can come to possess us. We can suffer setbacks and difficulties without once turning to God for help. We complain about what we have, we envy what others possess, we are consumed by consuming. Our hearts are hardened with hatred, prejudices, sins, and evil thoughts. However, all these things can be overcome if we turn to the Lord, pray for His intercession, and are willing to listen to what He is asking us to do with our lives. It might not be where we want to go, but it is what is best for us and the sooner we accept this and humble ourselves before God, we sooner we will have peace and spiritual prosperity.

What are the things in our lives that are drowning out God’s voice? What can we do to free ourselves from these spiritual dead ends? How can we walk in God’s counsel rather than our own?

O Lord, we sing to you, who helps to soften our hearts with love and mercy.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; The ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just.

God gave us the ten commandments and the Golden Rule to help us grow in holiness and prepare us for everlasting life. He did not give them to us to burden us nor did He force them on us. It is up to us to accept them and live them out to the best of our abilities. Fear of breaking these commandments or losing our way is good for us. It keeps us away from evils and temptations and leads us toward the light. All of these commandments are true and just and will help us to become better people. They are rules we should be happy are engraved in our hearts and ones we should carry with shouts of joy and thanksgiving because if we follow them faithfully, then we will find our way to the Heavenly Banquet.

Do we actively listen to and act according to the Word of God? Do we have a proper fear of disappointing God by breaking one of His commandments? How can we lead lives that are holy, true, and just?

O Lord, help us to live your words and attain everlasting life with you.

Amen.

Seventh Thursday of Easter

Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. I bless the LORD who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

Keeping God in mind can be difficult in a world that begs us for our undivided attention, but it is necessary if we want to have inner peace. Anchoring our lives to God will give us the stability we need to resist temptations, worries, doubts, and all those things that try to weaken our devotion to God and our love of others. We need God to be at the center of our lives so we can more easily hear Him above the constant noise of the world around us. We need to take time out of each day and simply listen to Him as He exhorts us to do good and avoid evil. If we do this, then we will be kept safe from evil and given hope in a better life with God in heaven.

How can we be better listeners to the Lord? What can we do to keep our hearts and minds open to His holy counsels and inspirations? Are we willing to make space for God in our lives so He can be at our right hand?

O Lord, counsel and exhort us to goodness and holiness.

Amen.

Tuesday of Holy Week

 I will sing of your salvation. In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me.

We will never be put to shame for our faith. The world might try to shame us in various ways for our beliefs, but if we remain faithful and true, then we will triumph in the end. God will rescue us from injustice and deliver us from evil. He is always listening to us through our prayers and watching us in action. And if we are thinking, speaking, and doing His Will, then He will save us. He is a refuge for all whom are good and faithful, which is certainly something to sing about.

Who has tried to shame us for our faith? How can we respond to them with love and in such a way as to build up the faith of others? Are we as faithful to listening to God as He is to listening to us?

O Lord, we sing of your salvation.

Amen.

Fifth Tuesday of Lent

O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you. O LORD, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you. Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me; in the day when I call, answer me speedily.

We all have days of distress. Sometimes they are caused by family and friends, other times by co-workers or neighbors. Strangers and uncontrollable events can also cause us distress, but we can also cause ourselves the distress, too. No matter the cause, we must turn to God in prayer if we want to be freed from our anxieties, fears, and doubts. We must share our worries with God so He can answer them speedily in His own way. The answers He gives might be easy or hard, but they are always for our best. We have only to accept them and do His Will.

What is causing our distress? Have we asked God for His help with these problems? Are we truly listening for His answers?

O Lord, hear our prayer and save us from all our distress.

Amen.

Third Thursday of Lent

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.

We are all in danger of hardening our hearts. Some harden all at once because of some event in their lives that turns them against God. Others harden over time corrupted by the world and its distractions, worries, and trials. We have to constantly soften our hearts, souls, and minds through acts of sacrifice, humility, and love. Without doing so, our fields dry up and it becomes difficult for goodness to grow. We cannot bear fruits if our souls are burned up on rocky ground. If we want to prosper, then we have to hear God’s Word, understand it, and then put it into practice. We have to bow down in worship and allow God to shepherd us to greener pastures.

What are the things in our lives that are hardening our hearts? How can we rid ourselves of these things? What can we do to soften our souls so they are receptive of the Word of God and allow the seeds of faith, hope, and love to grow within us?

O Lord, soften our hearts.

Amen.

Third Tuesday of Lent

Remember your mercies, O Lord. Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths, Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior.

We can’t be taught if we don’t take the time to listen. We can’t be guided if we don’t accept the hand God offers us. We can’t ask for God’s Mercy, if we are not forgiving, too. All of these actions require some sort of sacrifice on our part. If we want to listen to God, then we have to sacrifice all those worldly things that keep us from listening to Him. If we want to be guided by our Heavenly Father, then we need to give up our willful pride and selfishness and trust that God knows what is best for us. If we want to be forgiven, then we must let go of our anger and pain and show compassion to those who trespass against us. None of these things are easy to do, but they are necessary if we want to have any hope of salvation.

How can we make more time to listen to the Lord? How can we become more child-like and dependent upon our Heavenly Father’s Will? How can we be more merciful to all of God’s children, especially those who are our enemies?

O Lord, make your ways known to us.

Amen.

First Tuesday of Lent

From all their distress God rescues the just. Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name. I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. 

When we have questions for the Lord, He does give us the answers we need. They might not be the ones we want or given to us in the way we sought, but He does provide them for us if we are willing to listen. Sometimes the answers will come in prayer. Sometimes they will come from other people. Sometimes they will come in opportunities or setbacks. However, no matter what happens God will rescue us from all our distress and deliver us from all our fears. We just have to have the openness and patience to listen to Him through the Holy Spirit and our consciences.

Do we seek God’s input into our lives? Do we take time out of each day to listen to Him? How can we be more open to the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, answer our pleas and deliver us from all distress.

Amen.

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth. Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me, for I am afflicted and poor. Keep my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God.

God does everything He can to help us. He has given us the Scriptures and the Church to teach us how to imitate His Beloved Son. He leads us through the Holy Spirit so we might walk in the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He listens to our prayers and answers them for our betterment. He helps us to overcome our afflictions and showers us with spiritual riches. He will keep our lives safe and reward those who trust in Him. He will never abandon us because He is our God and our Heavenly Father.

Do we listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as well as God listens to us? How can we be more devoted to the God who has sacrificed and given so much for us? In what ways can we proclaim we are Christians to the rest of the world? 

O Lord, help us to walk in your truth.

Amen.

Third Tuesday in Ordinary Time

Here am I Lord; I come to do your will. I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me. And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God.

Sometimes we are called to wait for the Lord... to be patient and listen for His call. We don't know the hour when He will summon us to Him, but we can be ready to do His Will. We are like instruments waiting to be played. One day God will have need of us and He will stoop toward us and pick us up. He will test us out and see if we will play the notes He wants. Hopefully, He will find us receptive to Him and willing to work the music He has planned. If not, He might put us away for a while longer and come back to us later in hopes that we will ready ourselves for the work ahead. However, if He finds us ready, then He will make beautiful music through us and with us and in us... a music that will proclaim His glory and lead to our salvation. So, let us keep our souls in tune by doing good and avoiding evil... by confessing our sins, doing penance, and striving to be holy.

Are we waiting patiently for God's call? How can we make ourselves more open to His invitations to holiness? What can we do to keep ourselves ready for the work God has prepared for us?

O Lord, we are ready for you to put a new song into our mouths so that we might fulfill your will.

Amen.

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members? You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

We are at constant war with ourselves. The sins of pride, jealousy, wrath, lust, avarice, sloth, and gluttony do battle with us every day. They seek to tempt us into wrongdoing and lead us into destruction. When we fall into their traps, our virtue fails and we become selfish sinners performing every foul practice. Worse yet, these vices try to take our good motives and passions and twist them to their own ends. Faith, they try to turn into self-righteousness. Hope they try to turn into impudence. Love, they try to turn into obsession. They encourage us to ask for the wrong things or ask for the right things, but in the wrong way. They lead us astray by offering us falsehoods instead of truths and empty pleasures instead of fulfilling responsibilities. It is only when we listen to the Wisdom of God that we will know the peace that comes from being pure, merciful, and charitable.

What vices are at war within us? How can we protect ourselves from them? How can we align our passions with the Will and Wisdom of God and not our own?

O Lord, help us to ask for what is right and be at peace with you and your children.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

There is a vast difference between being hearers of the Word of God and being doers of it. If we want to grow in faith, hope, and love, then we cannot stand idly by and do nothing. Our faith is an active one that requires constant and complete investment from the beginning of our lives to the very end. Our calling as Christians is to keep ourselves pure and undefiled, to do good and avoid evil, and to imitate Jesus in every way. We are asked by God to know, love, and serve Him and all His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. To do so means caring for others in their affliction, helping them in their times of need, and giving glory to God for everything He has given us.

Are we hearers or doers of the Word of God? How can we become more faithful to our Heavenly Father and our brothers and sisters in Christ? In what ways are we caring for those who are suffering or in need?

O Lord, makes us doers of your Word.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest

"Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds; listen to the voice of the LORD your God, so that the LORD will repent of the evil with which he threatens you. As for me, I am in your hands; do with me what you think good and right. But mark well: if you put me to death, it is innocent blood you bring on yourselves, on this city and its citizens. For in truth it was the LORD who sent me to you, to speak all these things for you to hear."

There are times in our lives when someone speaks the word of God to us. They might tell us to reform our ways, give us words of encouragement to continue on our path, or offer us advice that will help us grow in faith, hope, or love. It is important that we open our minds and hearts to these people, listen, and then do what God is calling us to do. There are other times when we are asked to speak the Word of God to others, to warn others against sin, to help lead them to a better life, to support them in their spiritual journeys. At these times, we are asked to be like the prophets of old and must be willing to act as such even if doing so means risking the mockery and anger of others.

Are we listening for the Word of God when others speak to us, especially those whom we know are good and faithful servants to the Lord? How might we become better prophets of the Good News to others? In what ways can we be more open to communicating with God and speaking his truth to others?

O Lord, give us ears to hear you and lips to speak you.

Amen.

Seventeenth Friday in Ordinary Time

If you disobey me, not living according to the law I placed before you and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them, I will treat this house like Shiloh, and make this the city to which all the nations of the earth shall refer when cursing another.

When we fail to live according to God’s Commandments, choose sin over virtue, act with indifference to the needs of others, and turn a deaf ear to the Holy Spirit, then we become accursed. When we allow our hearts to swell with pride or believe ourselves to be holier than others, then we will be humbled by God and shown just how imperfect we are in His eyes. We are constantly faced with a choice to either listen to God, believe, and live the Way, the Truth, and the Life... or to ignore Him and suffer the consequences. There is no middle ground, not choosing is a choice that leads to destruction just as much as sinning does because lukewarm souls have no place at the table of the Lord. The only souls who do have a place are those who allow themselves to be lit on fire with the Holy Spirit and bear the light of Christ into the world with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Are we failing to live according to God’s Commandments? How can we be more faithful to listening to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit? What can we do to bring blessing to others and ourselves?

O Lord, make us a blessing, not a curse.

Amen.

Sixteenth Friday in Ordinary Time

I will appoint over you shepherds after my own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently. When you multiply and become fruitful in the land, says the LORD, They will in those days no longer say, "The ark of the covenant of the LORD!" They will no longer think of it, or remember it, or miss it, or make another.

God gives us many shepherds to help us through our lives. He gives us our families, our friends, our teachers, our priests and religious, and our neighbors. They might not be perfect or even good shepherds, but God always gives us enough spiritual guidance from the Holy Spirit to know who is a good and bad influence on us. He always gives us what we need to live wisely and prudently and help others to do that same. If we know something or someone is no good for us, then we have to give it or them up. If we are faithful to God, then our memories of what we have given up will fade away and we shall not miss what has been sacrificed for the greater good of our souls.

Who are the good and faithful shepherds in our lives? How can listen to them and God more faithfully? What things or people do we need to give up in order to be holier?

O Lord, appoint your shepherds over us and lead us to the Promised Land.

Amen.

Thirteenth Thursday in Ordinary Time

Amos answered Amaziah, "I was no prophet, nor have I belonged to a company of prophets; I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' Now hear the word of the LORD!"

Amos didn't set out to be a prophet. He was a shepherd and dresser of sycamore trees before he received his calling. In a similar way, none of us daydreamed of being prophets when we grew up. However, as Christians, we are all called to be prophets, leading people deeper into the faith by thoughts, words, and deeds. We might not wake up each morning and receive a vision or hear the voice of God as the prophets of old did, but we all see the Truth and hear the voice of our conscience. We all know when others are in need of a good listener and a word of spiritual advice. Our prophesies might not be as profound as the prophets who came before us, but they can have a great effect on those who hear us and are willing to listen to what God is saying through us.

Are we answering our calling to be prophets of the Good News? Are we listening for the inspirations and guidance of the Holy Spirit? How can we manifest God's Divine Word to others?

O Lord, give us the words we need in order to bring your Divine Word to all those whom we meet each day.

Amen.