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.

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.

Solemnity of All Saints

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

We are all called to be saints. We are all made in the image of God and He loves us as Himself. He calls us His children and like any Father, He wants what is best for us. He wants to protect us from harm, show us the way to live holy and good lives, and offer us a seat at His Heavenly banquet table. No wonder the world does not know us! No wonder the world mocks and persecutes us! We are beloved by God and that love shines through us and stands in stark contrast to the dark places the world’s adherents cling to. We are made for loftier things than fame or fortune or pleasures or selfishness. We are made to go out from ourselves, to share our faith, hope, and love with all whom we meet so we will be revealed to be like our God. Caring compassionate, and welcoming of all who wish to be united with Christ and see the face of God as saints.

Do we accept our place as children of God and all the responsibilities that entails? Are we willing to be mocked and persecuted in order to spread the Good News that our heavenly Father has given us? How can we become more like Him in all we think, say, and do?

O Lord, we are your children now and forever.

Amen.

Second Monday of Easter

Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord. Why do the nations rage and the peoples utter folly? The kings of the earth rise up, and the princes conspire together against the LORD and against his anointed: "Let us break their fetters and cast their bonds from us!"

Many nations rage against Christian values. Their people utter every folly against the followers of Christ. Mockery and persecution are not things of the distant past. They are constantly circling every Christian looking for any weakness. Some of these are subtle attacks. Others are blatant and violent. Many leaders and politicians conspire against our faith, its teachings, and ultimately our God. All we can do as Christians is defend ourselves with good words and works that speak to the heart of others and make clear we are a people of truth, conviction, and love that will never bow or bend to the pressures of the world.

Are we taking refuge in the Lord in the midst of our trials? Have we prepared ourselves to be persecuted? How can we resist the mockery of the world with our good words and works?

O Lord, help us overcome all our worldly persecutors.

Amen.

Wednesday of Holy Week

Lord, in your great love, answer me. For your sake I bear insult, and shame covers my face. I have become an outcast to my brothers, a stranger to my mother’s sons, because zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.

The world constantly blasphemes and mocks our faith and us for having it. It tells us we are fools. It says we are superstitious. It says we are wasting our time. It insults us for our beliefs. It shames us and calls us outcasts. We are strangers to the world, but we should be thankful because when we are too close to the world, we lose sight of what is right and good and just. So, let us ignore the protests of the world and instead let zeal for God consume us and make us into good and faithful servants.

What can we do to resist the insults of the world? How can we show those who persecute us that our faith is a boon and not a curse? Are we willing to become outcasts and defend our faith?

O Lord, we are willing to bear any insult or shame for you.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Monday in Ordinary Time

Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ. Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the Gospel preached by me is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

Being a slave of Christ won’t win us any popularity contests in the world. As followers of Christ, we are walking signs of contradiction to all the worldly stands for. It should come as no surprise that because of this we cannot please everyone. Spreading the Good News and proclaiming the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Jesus will cause trials for us. However, we should not concern ourselves with currying favor with other people. God is the only one we need to please and we do that best when we are willing to sacrifice all we have to accomplish His Good Will.

Are we currying favor with others or with God? Are we willing to suffer the dislike and persecution of others in order to follow God’s Will? How can we live as more faithful slaves to Jesus Christ?

O Lord, we desire to please you above all else.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest, and Paul Chong Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs

For I am the least of the Apostles, not fit to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

None of us are complete free of sin. We’ve all been persecutors of the Church in some shape, form, or fashion. We have persecuted it through our sins, through our failure to do good, or our indifference. Thankfully, God forgives us like He forgave Paul and gives us strength and graces to grow in faith, hope, and love. These gifts should make us strive all the harder to be good and faithful servants willing to do whatever God calls us to do.

Are we toiling as hard as we should to fulfill God’s Will in our lives? How can we become holier followers of Christ? How can we put the graces and gifts God has given us to the best use in bringing about God’s Kingdom?

O Lord, we are not fit to be your followers, but by your grace we will be good and faithful servants to you and your children.

Amen.

Fifth Wednesday of Lent

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up."

Maintaining our faith in the face of opposition or morals in the face of peer pressure can be difficult. The world persecutes those who place their trust in a higher power. Anyone who does not worship at the altar of selfishness and worldliness, is seen as strange and backward. However, our opposition to the ways of the world is exactly what gives us strength. We are signs of contradiction and as long as we place our trust in God, then we shall be saved and overcome all our trials. And even if we suffer greatly, we shall know in our heart of hearts that God is with us and will console us in the afterlife.

What forces in our lives are trying to sway us into giving into the wickedness? How can we better resist these temptations and influences? Are we willing to suffer in order to know, love, and serve God and His children with all we are and ever will be?

O Lord, we trust you will save us from all evil.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Lent

Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

There are many people in our world that think our faith is foolishness. They will dismiss our faith as superstition or mock our faith as backwards. However, we should let their words slide off us because those who attack our faith do so out of ignorance. Like Christ, we should say, “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.” This is because we know our faith is not superstition, nor backwards, nor any of the other words people use to demean our beliefs. Instead, it is wiser than human wisdom and stronger than human strength. If we trust in it, we have nothing to fear. If we allow its commandments and precepts to guide us, then we shall be at peace and be made worthy of eternal life.

How do we respond to those who mock or attack our faith? How can we respond more like Christ? How can we proclaim Christ crucified in our own daily lives?

O Lord, grant us your wisdom and strength.

Amen.

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened, there was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted out in a loud voice, "Do no harm to yourself; we are all here." He asked for a light and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved."

It would have been easy for Paul and Silas to run away after the doors to their cells were opened and their chains broken, but they didn't leave. We might wonder, "Why?" Perhaps the Holy Spirit gave them the courage to remain in spite of the dangers. Maybe in their hearts they knew the jailer would be in even greater danger if they left and so they choose to stay for his sake. In this way, they showed compassion and love for someone who was in every sense of the word an "enemy." But Jesus taught his followers to love their enemies and the jailer's conversion shows us why… by loving our enemies, we offer them an opportunity to be converted and saved. If we run away from non-believers or persecutors, we won't have a chance to change their minds.

Are we running away from our enemies or those who might benefit from a show of compassion and love? How can we be there for those in need of conversion? What can we do to change the minds of our enemies so they can come into the light of the faith?

O Lord, help us to be there for others as they walk the road to deeper conversion.

Amen.

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter

It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.

Not everyone will accept the Good News. Some will not want to hear it. Others will deny or suppress it. Some will persecute us for speaking the truth. Others will speak falsely against us. However, just because some people reject the Divine Word doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t continue to proclaim the Gospels with all our hearts. We may discover, like the disciples, that there are people who are open to the teachings of Christ and His Church. All they need is someone to become their guiding light and lead them to eternal life. We do this best when we ask for the Father’s protection, Jesus’ love, and the Holy Spirit’s inspiration. With these things we can become instruments of salvation for all those whom we meet, who are ready to accept the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Christ.

How can we respond more fruitfully to those who do not want to listen to the Good News? Are we willing to set aside our own feelings and put the proclamation to Gospels first and foremost in our lives? What can we do to transform ourselves into lights of God’s Love and Mercy?

O Lord, make us into instruments of your peace and salvation.

Amen.

Friday of the Third Week of Easter

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.”

Although we might not realize it, we persecute Jesus just as Saul did. We might not hunt down Christians like he did or stand by as innocent people are stoned to death, but we do it in little ways. We do it when we chose our own interests over what God is calling us to do. We do it when we put our selfish desires ahead of the good of others. We do it when we choose to be lazy or to let an opportunity to do good pass us by. We do it when we let our passions rule our wisdom and our conscience. We do it when we don’t listen to someone’s cry for help. We do it when we seek revenge or deny forgiveness to those who ask for it. We do it in many great and small ways whenever we sin. However, thanks to the Resurrection and the hope it gives to us, we like Saul, can be transformed into good and faithful servants if we are willing to listen to His Word and do what He tells us in our heart of hearts.

How are we persecuting God? How can we overcome our sins and make amends to our Lord and God? Are we ready and willing to listen to the plan that He has for us and embrace it?

O Lord, transform us from sinful Sauls into faithful Pauls so we might become more Christ-like in all that we think, say, and do.

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.

Fourth Friday of Lent

He professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the LORD. To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, because his life is not like that of others, and different are his ways. He judges us debased; he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure. He calls blest the destiny of the just and boasts that God is his Father.

We are surrounded by worldly people who see true faith, hope, and love as a threat to their ways of life. They see us in this life because like Jesus Christ, we are signs of contradiction to the world. We shine a light into the dark places of sin and call it what it is. We proclaim the Good News and evangelize those around us through our thoughts, words, and works. Worldly people see the followers of Christ as people to persecute, condemn, and mock. Many of them do this out of ignorance, but some out of malice. However, no matter their reasons for attacking us, we must love them and thereby show them the blessings that come from being just and that there is a Heavenly Father who loves them enough to forgive them.

How can we become more perfect children of God? How can our lives show others that there is a different way to live? Are we willing to suffer persecution in order to live the Christ-like life?

O Lord, bless us as we stand in contradiction to the world.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday in Lent

“Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?” His parents answered and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue.

There will be times in our lives when we will be challenged to either stand up for the truth and be punished for doing so or remain silent and save our skins. This is the choice the blind man and his parents were faced with and it is the same one we must confront in various ways in our lives. The parents chose to pass the buck onto their son. They were afraid of acknowledging Jesus ever after he healed their son. They should have been happy for the miracle of their son’s cure, but they let worldly concerns strangle their joy and muzzle their praise. The formerly blind man on the other hand is not afraid of speaking the truth. He does so several times and because of this he is tossed out of the synagogue. However, this apparent loss is really a gain. Jesus finds him and reveals himself to be the Son of Man. The man’s faith has saved him. He has chosen the light of Christ over the darkness of the world.

Are we willing to suffer in order to proclaim the truth? Are we willing to be persecuted for our faith? How can we conquer our fears and live in the light of the Good News?

O Lord, cure our blindness so we might see your guiding light.

Amen.

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.’ My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me. I asked, ‘What shall I do, sir?’ The Lord answered me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything appointed for you to do.’

All of us persecute God in one way or another. Some of us persecute Him through indifference and laziness. Others persecute Him through sinful actions. Still others persecute Him by denying Him or His teachings and choosing our own way above His Will. No matter how we persecute God, we all are constantly being called to see the light, hear the voice of God, and do whatever He tells us to do. And like Paul, we must get off the ground, dust ourselves off, and allow Him to lead us where we need to be and inspire us to do everything He has appointed us to do. We cannot do this if we remain blind and deaf to God. But if we open our eyes and ears to Him, then we shall be converted from persecutors of God to witnesses to His Love and Mercy.

In what ways are we persecuting God? How can we stop these persecutions? How can we become better witnesses to God’s Good News?

O Lord, what shall we do?

Amen.

Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.  As they were stoning Stephen, he called out “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Martyrdom was constantly a reality for the early believers in Jesus. It is a less constant now, but there are areas in the world where Christians are being killed for their faith on a daily basis. Recently, there have even been terrorist threats against our places of worship. We might not appreciate how close to martyrdom we are just by choosing to follow Christ. Our persecution might not be as overt as that of the early Christians, but it is ever present. We might not be martyred in body, like St. Stephen, but our thoughts, words, and works might cause us problems and even put our lives and livelihoods in danger.

Do we appreciate the dangers that we face as Christians? Are we lending support to those Christians who are suffering for their faith? Are we willing to proclaim the Good News even if it causes us trouble?

O Lord, receive our spirits.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

As followers of Christ, we should be guided by the Beatitudes in every aspect of our lives. When others hear or see us, they should hear and see the Beatitudes. We should be poor in spirit so that we can be rich with confidence in God’s Divine Providence. We should be willing to mourn with others so that God will comfort us during our own sufferings. We should be meek so that we will learn to be humble enough to go wherever God wants to lead us. We should hunger and thirst for righteousness because it is only in doing good and avoiding evil that our consciences can be satisfied. We should be merciful because by doing so we act as Christ did and obtain forgiveness for our own sins. We should have clean hearts because it is only by keeping ourselves unsoiled by sin that we can see the Will of God. We should be peacemakers because when we help others heal their relationships we become true imitators of Christ and heirs to his promise of salvation. We should be willing to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness because Jesus showed us in his life that the Kingdom of Heaven is worth suffering and dying for. We should be willing to suffer insults and persecutions in the name of Christ because when our souls are right with God no amount of difficulty can lessen our joy and gladness. If we do all these things, then our reward will be great in Heaven and our lives will be truly blessed.

Are we leading lives guided by the Beatitudes? How can we make our words and works more in line with these ideals? What can we do to bring these blessings into the lives of others?

O Lord, make us into living Beatitudes.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame.

As Christians, we are called to profess our faith through our words and works. The people who hear and see us should know without a doubt we are Christians by our expressions and acts of love and mercy. And if we do these things, we will never be put to shame. No persecution, mocking, failure, disrespect, or other suffering will be able to touch us because our hearts will be protected as long as they remain true to God and believe in the promise of eternal life. It is this belief in the resurrection that sparks us to action and to sacrifice for God and for others.

Do we confess that Jesus is Lord through word and deed? Do we believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead? Do we trust that no matter what might happen to us God will never allow us to be put to shame?

O Lord, we believe in you with our whole hearts.

Amen.

Thirty-Fourth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.

Not a hair on our heads will be destroyed if we persevere in our faith. We might lose our livelihoods, possessions, and our earthly lives, but if we are true to God, then we shall gain eternal life. We might be betrayed by our parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, but if we are good and faithful servants, then we shall become a part of a heavenly family. We might be hated, persecuted, and mocked, but if we remain true to our beliefs, then we shall be loved by Love itself.

Are we willing to persevere in our faith through the loss of all our worldly possessions?  Are we willing to persevere through betrayal? Are we willing to persevere through persecution?

O Lord, give us a spirit of perseverance.

Amen.