First Friday of Advent

The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. For the tyrant will be no more and the arrogant will have gone; All who are alert to do evil will be cut off, those whose mere word condemns a man, who ensnare his defender at the gate, and leave the just man with an empty claim.

The world around us may offer us many pleasures and momentary distractions, but no person, place, or thing can ever give us the joy that God offers us. When we humbly converse with Him in prayer, feast with Him in mass, and seek His Divine Mercy in reconciliation, we are filled with an unmatchable happiness. When we are poor in spirit, renouncing earthly goods, mortifying ourselves, and placing our trust in our Heavenly Father, we are rewarded with spiritual consolations. When we know, love, and serve God and His children with our whole hearts, we grow in faith, hope, charity, and God’s favor. In this life, there may be those who lord it over us and do evil to us, but as long as we are patient and turn the other cheek, then we shall be given the grace we need to find joy even in the midst of our trials. God will act justly for us. We do not need to retaliate. We need only to love others, even our enemies, as Jesus did and let God take care of the rest.

How can we become humbler in our thoughts, words, and works? What can we do embody being poor in spirit? Are we willing to be patient and let God defend us against our persecutors?

O Lord, you are the source of our joy and our matchless defender.

Amen.

Thirty-First Thursday in Ordinary Time

I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.

We must believe God will do good things for us if we are to have any hope of eternal life. We must believe whatever we lack in our spiritual lives will be provided to us out of the bounty of our Lord. We must believe He will grant us blessings, graces, talents, and treasures to help us to achieve His Will in the world. We must be courageous and stouthearted and unwavering in our love of Him and all His children and trust that in the end all will be for our benefit and salvation.

Do we trust that good things will come to us, even when we are in our darkest hours? What can we do to build up and support our hope in God? Are we willing to wait for the Lord with courage?

O Lord, grant us the patience to wait for you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr

With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption. I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word. My soul waits for the LORD more than sentinels wait for the dawn.

Trusting in God means that sometimes we have to wait for Him. We need to learn patience and allow God to work in His own time. He knows better than us when we need help and what help is best for us. We might have our own notions about how God can help us, but they are not necessarily the best ways He can aid us. We can often grow impatience and upset when God seems to fail to answer our pleas, but that is our own selfishness blinding us to God’s work in our lives. He will never abandon us, we have only to bear our crosses and trust in His Saving Graces, which will come when and where it is most needed.

Do we trust in God and His Word? Are we patient enough to wait for His Help? Do we recognize all God is doing for us even in the midst of our trials?

O Lord, we wait for you more than sentinels wait for the dawn.

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.

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.

Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness. I will extol you, O my God and King, and I will bless your name forever and ever. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works.

We are truly blessed to have a loving and compassionate God. He is infinitely patient with us through our periods of sin, doubt, indifference, and selfishness. He is constantly helping us to overcome our weaknesses and to strengthen us in faith, hope, and love. He kindly extends His hand to us offering graces, blessings, and salvation to all whom will accept Him into their hearts. He is good to us all, even when we feel most abandoned and lost. Though we do not always see Him in our lives, He is always with us, waiting for us to open our eyes again and see Him next to us through thick and thin.

Do we recognize how blessed we are to have such a good God on our side? What can we do to express our thankfulness for His Graces, Love, and Mercy? How can we become more like Him, good and compassionate to all whom we meet each day?

O Lord, we extol you and bless your name forever.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Friday in Ordinary Time

I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace; one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Paul urges us all to live in a manner worthy of the call of Christ. It is a calling that emphasizes our oneness in Christ. We are called to be united to our Heavenly Father through the Body and Blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The act of joining our hearts, minds, and spirits to God requires us to trust in Him, to be humble enough to submit our will to His, and to strive to preserve our unity. We are called to faith, hope, and love. We are called to be gentle and patient and bear with one another. We are called to live out our baptismal vocation and imitate Jesus Christ. We are called to be willing to be a prisoner for the Lord and put His Will before ours.

Are we willing to suffer and be imprisoned in order to follow God’s Will? How can we learn to bear with others in patience and mildness? What can we do in our lives to be more united with God and all His children?

O Lord, we wish only to answer the call you’ve given us to be united with you and your children in faith, hope, and love.

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.

Twenty-Fifth Friday in Ordinary Time

There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for everything under the heavens. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces. A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

God’s Divine Plan for us does not always match up with our plans. However, He knows what is best for us and if we trust in Him, then no matter what happens to us, we will know it is for our good and the good of others. We were born for a purpose and will die for one, too. We will have to die to ourselves in some ways so we can live in others. We must be willing to tear down ourselves so we might be rebuilt in God’s image. We must be willing to suffer loss so we might gain in spirit. We must be willing to defend ourselves from the attacks and snares of the Devil so we might have eternal peace with God. Just like Jesus, our lives will not be without suffering and loss. We will need to be able to accept the sacrifices being asked of us and know in our hearts that if we commend our spirits to God, He will take care of them.

Do we trust there is a divinely appointed time for everything under the heavens? Are we willing to trust God will see us through our trials and tribulations to a deeper peace in Him? How can we become more patient with God’s Divine Plan?

O Lord, not our will, but your will be done.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

It requires a great deal of faith, hope, and love to remain united to God and to His children. There are so many things in the world that seek to divide us... gender, race, ideology, income, health, and lifestyles... just to name a few. Sometimes we are drawn away from each other by these various differences. We come to see our point of view as the best and are tempted to act holier than thou. However, this sort of attitude comes from the vice of pride and can lead us to destruction just as easily as the other extreme, which is to think we are the worst of people with no hope for a better life. This is why it is so important to cultivate a spirit of humility. So, we trust in God’s Plan no matter how good or bad our current lives might seem. We also must strive to be gentle and patient with one another through love so no matter how we might feel we will always be united together through the Holy Spirit. The goal of our lives is not worldly success, but rather unity in one Lord, one faith, and one baptism so one day we will be blessed to spend the rest of eternity with our one Heavenly Father.

Are we united with God as we ought to be? How can we become better united with others, especially those whom are most difficult for us to love? What can we do to bring people together in our faith?

O Lord, we wish to be united in you now and forevermore.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Clare, virgin

Write down the vision Clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. The rash man has no integrity; but the just man, because of his faith, shall live.

We must trust in God’s Justice if we want to be good and faithful servants to Him. We cannot let setbacks, sufferings, and challenges shake our faith. We cannot let the fortunes and successes of others, especially our enemies, make us jealous or angry. We do not know the whole picture. Perhaps our difficulties will lead us or others to a better place, situation, or life. We cannot predict what tomorrow will bring for us… good and bad. We can only trust that whatever it is... we will become better people if we take it on in the name of Jesus Christ and with the firm intention to do what is right and just.

Do we trust God as we ought to? Are we willing to let go of our feelings of disappointment and jealousy and give God a chance to work in our lives as He sees fit? How can we become more patient in our faith lives?

O Lord, make us into a just and enduring people.

Amen.

Wednesday of Holy Week

The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, That I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; And I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.

God provides us with everything we need to grow and prosper in faith, hope, and love. If we pray for them, He will give us the right words to speak to others in counsel or comfort. If we pray for it, He will open our ears so we might hear His voice and follow His commandments, teachings, and inspirations. If we pray for it, He will give us the grace and strength to resist temptation, indifference, and distraction and never turn our backs on Him. If we pray for it, He will give us the patience, mildness, and mercy to give our backs to those who beat us and forgive those who mock or persecute us. He is always there for us, standing by our side and ready to offer us all we need to succeed as His good and faithful servants.

Do we give thanks to God for all He has given us? Do we ask for His help in all our trials in this life? How can we be more open to His aid and guidance?

O Lord, grant us the gifts and graces we need to grow in faith, hope, and love.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

The LORD is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint nor grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound. Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles' wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.

God doesn’t get tired of us. He loves us just as much when we are saintly and when we are sinful. He does not force us to do anything, but rather lets us choose. He wants us to be good and faithful servants because we love Him and He is willing to wait patiently for us to come to Him. His unwavering love does not grow faint or weary, but that doesn’t mean His Love and Mercy for us will trump His Justice. If we fall into sin, He is more than willing to forgive us. However, we need to be contrite for our sins and honestly desire to amend our lives. We might not always succeed, but we should not grow weary of trying to be holy. God gives us every strength and grace we need to overcome the temptations we face. He gives us spiritual vigor during our times of trial and will renew us after every battle with our sinful selves. If we let Him, He will grant us wings which will bear us to heaven and eternal life.

Do we give thanks to God for being so patient with us? Are we truly grateful for the love, mercy, and support He has given us throughout our lives? How can we express our thanks for all God has done for us?

O Lord, give us your strength and vigor.

Amen.

Eighteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

When Moses heard the people, family after family, crying at the entrance of their tents, so that the LORD became very angry, he was grieved. “Why do you treat your servant so badly?” Moses asked the Lord. “Why are you so displeased with me that you burden me with all this people?”

There are times in our lives when we feel overwhelmed by what is going on. We might be ill, persecuted, sorrowful, fearful, or any number of things and pray to God for a way out. We might be upset with God because we are in a rut and don’t have a sense of progress in our lives. We might be angry that others are complaining to or about us. We might wonder why God is treating us so badly after all we have done for Him in our lives. We might even worry we’ve done something wrong and are being punished for it. All these feelings are part of being human, we know, love, and serve imperfectly and so time and time again we find something we can grumble about. However, if we trust God and prayerfully ask for His help, He will give it to us and we will eventually find our burdens lifted, the obstacles in our way removed, and our spirits renewed. We simply must be patient and let not our hearts be troubled by worldly things, nor should we allow our minds to become so prideful we mistakenly believe God owes us in some way. Whatever aid He gives comes as a gift, not a repayment.

What do we grumble about? How can we let go of our grumblings and trust in God’s Divine Providence? How can we remind ourselves doing God’s Will is not a burden, but an opportunity to grow in faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, protect us from the temptation to complain about our lives.

Amen.

Fifteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

Accordingly, taskmasters were set over the children of Israel to oppress them with forced labor. Thus they had to build for Pharaoh the supply cities of Pithom and Raamses. Yet the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread.

We are not guaranteed that our past actions will be rewarded. We never know when someone will come along who does not know or respect us. They might see the goods we have done and dismiss them or be jealous of them. The might seek to oppress us out of envy or pride in order to raise themselves in the eyes of others. We never know when our lives might be turned upside down by the actions of another person. However, in spite of all these things, if we trust in God’s Love and Mercy. If we believe in His Goodness. If we accept what comes with humility and patience, then we shall overcome, we shall be freed from our oppressors, and we shall be brought to the promise land of eternal life.

Do we trust in God? Do we believe that no matter what happens to us He shall protect and strengthen us? How can we become more humble and patient people?

O Lord, multiply your graces in us in our times of need.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

“See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir.” Then the word of the LORD came to him: “No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir.” He took him outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.

There are moments in our lives when we might be tempted to complain about God not doing something for us. We might run out of patience and wonder if God will ever give us what we’ve prayed for. However, we need to remember God works on His own timetable... and orders all things for our betterment. He may not give us what we want when we want it for any number of reasons. Perhaps we might not truly need what we’ve asked for. Perhaps we wouldn’t appreciate the gift at the time. Perhaps we aren’t ready for it just yet. Perhaps receiving the gift would lead us astray. There are any number of God reasons for God to delay or deny the answers to our prayers. However, we should realize without a doubt that God always has our best interests at heart. He wants us to prosper and our graces and gifts to increase. He wants us to grow in faith, hope, and love by putting our trust in Him and acting with righteousness.

What are some of the things we have asked God for that we have not received? Can we understand or at least accept God’s decision to delay or deny our requests? How can we put our faith in God just as Abram did?

O Lord, grant us the patience we need to await the answers to our prayers and the humility to accept whatever you deem best for us.

Amen.

Fifth Sunday in Lent

Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

In Jewish tradition, the soul departed from the body after three days. No one expected Jesus to raise Lazarus at this point. He was in essence too far gone. Perhaps if Jesus arrived earlier he could have made a difference. We have a tendency to limit God. He can’t possibly help us with this or that difficulty. He wouldn’t be interested in our problems when there are so many more pressing matters in the world. However, we need to remember that God is always listening. If we trust in Him, then He will protect, guide, and strengthen us through ever trial. But most importantly, we must be open to doing whatever He asks us to do no matter how impossible it might seem. With God on our side all things are possible... even life after death.

Are we willing to trust God even when we feel like nothing can help us? Do we believe in God enough to be patient with the timeline of His Divine Plan rather than our own? How do we thank God for hearing our prayers and answering them in ways more wonderful than we could ever imagine.

O Lord, take away the stones that block our hearts from hearing your call to trust in you and your will.

Amen.

Fourth Saturday of Lent

Yet I, like a trusting lamb led to slaughter, had not realized that they were hatching plots against me: “Let us destroy the tree in its vigor; let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will be spoken no more.” 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!

Once again the scripture passage deals with the persecution of those who follow God’s Will. However, it makes clear that vengeance upon our persecutors is God’s alone. We are not called to repay mistreatment with mistreatment, but rather with love. We are not called to judge and condemn others, but rather to be merciful. God knows the just punishment for all sins (those done by and to us). We need to entrust our cause to Him and let Him protect us and take righteous retribution on those who have harmed us in body, mind, or heart. God will provide us with the justice we seek. We do not need to take it into our own hands.

How can we resist the temptation to retaliate against those who have harmed us? What can we do to foster the habit of being merciful to those who persecute us? Are we willing to entrust our cause to God?

O Lord, give us the patience we need to trust in your protection.

Amen.

The Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? 
Will he be slow to answer them?  I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.  But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?

Persistence and patience are two important virtues we need to cultivate as Christians. There will be times in our lives when we will want to give up because everything seems stacked against us. There will be other times when we feel abandoned because our prayers seem to go unanswered. But with persistence we can overcome any obstacle and with patience we can learn to accept God's Divine Plan and trust that everything will work out in the end. In addition, these two virtues help us to enter more deeply into our faith by connecting us with Jesus, who was persistence and patience personified. Whenever we feel like giving up, we can look at Jesus and see how after his cross came his triumph. The same holds true for us.

Do we call out to God day and night whenever we are in need? Do we trust that God will provide us with the graces we need to overcome all things? Do we believe that God will see justice done for us, even if it is not in the way we might want it?

O Lord, grant us the persistence and patience we need to triumph over every cross.

Amen.

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God…

Just like Simeon, we are called by God to be righteous, devout, filled with the Holy Spirit, and willing to wait for consolation. In order to be righteous, we need to reorder our lives so that knowing, loving, and serving God and His children come first. We also are asked to be devout in our faith, not letting anything discourage us from doing God’s Will. Additionally, we are challenged to invite the Holy Spirit into our every thought, word, and work so that we can better manifest Christ in the world. Last but not least, we need to cultivate a spirit of patient perseverance in our lives. Not everything will turn out how we imagined or hoped for, but if we remain faithful to God, then He will console us when we need it most and throughout eternity.

Are we righteous and devout like Simeon? Have we emptied ourselves of worldly things so that the Holy Spirit can fill us with grace? Are we willing to wait for our consolations no matter how much we might suffer along the way to Heaven?

O Lord, give us the graces we need to be righteous, devout, holy, and patient.

Amen.