Monday of Holy Week

Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, Upon whom I have put my Spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, Not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, Until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

Jesus is the perfect servant of the Heavenly Father and gives us a model we can all follow along the way to paradise. He shows us how to be pleasing to God and live Spirit-filled lives. He shows us how to bring justice to the world through our thoughts, words, and works. He shows us how to proclaim the Good News in humble and gentle ways that draw people to God. He shows us how to be a people of the New Covenant and a light to all. He shows us how to be loving and merciful and free others from the chains of sin, indifference, and distraction.

Are we servants of God or ourselves? How can we be more faithful to God and allow Him to fill us with His Holy Spirit? What can we do to bring justice, love, mercy, and grace to those whom are in need of them?

O Lord, we desire to be good and faithful servants.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Brothers and sisters: I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided.

Each of us has their own set of anxieties in life. Some of us have anxieties in regards to our families and friends, others in regard to our jobs and finances, and all of us in the conflict between the heavenly and worldly things in our lives. Some of us are unmarried and have worries about our vocations. Others are married and have worries about spouses, children, and grandchildren. No lifestyle is free of difficulties, fears, and doubts, but if we trust in God, live our lives in accordance with His Will, then we shall have nothing to be afraid of. As long as we know, love, and serve God and His children with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths, then we shall overcome all obstacles and be pleasing to the Lord.

What are the anxieties we are facing in our lives? How can we place these worries at the feet of Christ and allow him to help us carry them? What can we do to ensure our lives are founded on heavenly and not worldly things?

O Lord, make us pleasing to you, always and in every way.

Amen.

Twenty-First Friday of Ordinary Time

Brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God—and as you are conducting yourselves—you do so even more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

In order to follow Jesus, we need to control ourselves. We need to have not only a well-informed conscience, but also the willpower to do good and avoid evil. We can have all the wisdom in the world, but if we don’t have the strength of character to choose what is right over what is wrong, then what good is our knowledge? Self-discipline is something we must work at constantly, strengthening it like a spiritual muscle. We cannot let ourselves become lax or we lose ground and weaken in our resolve and become more and more vulnerable to temptation and sin. The best way to build up our willpower is to recognize how living in accord with God’s commandments increases our ability to love not only God and others, but ourselves. This is because when we have control over ourselves in body, mind, and spirit, we love with our whole being.

Do we have control over ourselves? How can we become more disciplined in body, mind, and spirit? What can we do to build up our willpower in all things?

O Lord, we want only to conduct ourselves in a way pleasing to you.

Amen.

The Baptism of the Lord

After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Jesus shares in the baptism of John because he wants to unite himself to us. He might not have needed to be cleansed, but he wants to let us know that he understands our need for forgiveness and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. His baptism is also a sign of his transition from his private life as a carpenter and the son of Mary and Joseph to his public life as the Messiah and Savior. Just like Jesus, we also are called to transition from our private lives to public lives of faith. We might not be called to leave behind our private lives completely as Jesus was, but to some degree all Christians are called to lead a public life in imitation of Jesus. We can do this through our thoughts, words, and works. We can do this through small and great acts of love, mercy, and grace towards others or through lives of prayer, almsgiving, and fasting for God’s greater glory. The degree to which we transition from our private, worldlier lives to public, faithful lives is the degree to which we manifest Jesus Christ to those around us. So let us be beacons of God’s Will in the world so that one day our Heavenly Father will be able to say to us, “You are my beloved Son (or daughter); with you I am well please.”

Do we pray for the grace to live our faith in a way that brings ourselves and others closer to God? How do we imitate Jesus’ public ministry in our own lives? Are our lives pleasing to God?

O Lord, send your Holy Spirit down upon us so that we might be transformed into your beloved children and please you in all that we think, say, and do.

Amen.