Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot

Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple–amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.

We will be judged by how we do God’s Will and treat others. We are all called to be prophets of the truth, to be righteous in word and deed, and to give to those in need. Likewise, we should recognize others who do these things and do everything we can to encourage and support them. When we welcome them into our lives, we also welcome all the goods they do. It doesn’t matter how little or great our acts of charity or mercy might be, God sees the love behind the actions and gives us a share in the rewards. Love multiplies no matter how much we give away. We can never run out of it as long as we continue to offer it to others.

How do we receive others? Do we treat them with respect, love, and mercy? What do we do to support those who do the right thing in their lives?

O Lord, we promise to welcome your children into our hearts and with them, you.

Amen.

Seventh Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

After telling his disciples that those who want to be first among his disciples must become the least and servants of all, he goes even further and shows them how to receive the lowly and the poor in spirit. He takes a child and wraps his arms around it. This hug expresses the depth of love Jesus has for us all. He wants his disciples to understand they must love others, especially the lowly, whom the child represents, with generous and gentle hearts. He makes clear that we will be judged by how we treat those who are most in need in this world. If we do treat them with love and respect, then we shall be blessed by not only Jesus, but His Father and the Holy Spirit.

How do we receive the lowly? Do we treat them well? How can we love those in need more perfectly?

O Lord, help us to receive others as you receive us.

Amen.

Third Wednesday of Ordinary Time

The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no roots; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.

God constantly scatters the seeds of His Word onto the soil of our souls. How we receive His message is up to us. Some of us allow Satan to take away our belief in God and His Divine Truths. Others of us harden our hearts to God’s calling so the seeds of faith never take root in us. Still more of us are in the midst of the thorns of anxiety, fear, doubt, temptation, and the like and let our worldly worries choke the good we could and should do. A few of us are like rich soil, we hear the word, accept it, and go forth into the world to bear fruit in God’s Holy Name. However, during our lives we are not always the same type of soil. Some days we are fruitful, but other days we let the thorns of the world strangle the good we could have done. When our souls are becoming thorny, rocky, or trodden by sin, we should seek help from our family, friends, and neighbors, but also from the Church and its sacraments, especially Reconciliation and Communion. These two sacraments restore and sustain us. Reconciliation tills the soil of our soil, breaking up its hardness and weeding out those temptations and sins that choke our faith. This prepares us to not only receive the Word of God, but also the Bread of Life and Wine of Salvation. Together, these sacraments replenish our souls and make them ready to bear good fruit again and again.

How do we receive God’s Word into our lives? How can we prepare the soil of our souls to accept God’s Divine Grace so we can bear good fruit? Do we make use of the sacraments, especially Reconciliation and Communion to maintain and sustain our faith?

O Lord, we hear and accept your word and with your help we will bear much fruit.

Amen.

Twenty-Sixth Monday of Ordinary Time

An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest.  Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”

Jesus reminds his disciples and us that following him is not a question of greatness, but rather a quest for humility. If we want to be great in the kingdom of Heaven, then we must be the least in the world. We must be receptive of others, compassionate toward them in their times of need, and always listening to those who are in need of a friendly ear. In short, we must be a servant to all of God’s children. We must be willing to sacrifice everything we have to do God’s Will by knowing, loving and serving as Jesus did in his life.

Are we willing to sacrifice worldly success to do God’s Will? How are we cultivating a spirit of humility in our lives? Do we receive others like little children?

O Lord, let us receive others like little children.

Amen.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)

The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.

We all need to prepare ourselves for the reception of Jesus through the Eucharist. We might not wander through Jerusalem as the disciples did, but we need to wander through our hearts, seeking the place where we can unite ourselves to the Body and Blood of Jesus. It is through the Blessed Sacrament that we are united with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. When we partake of the Eucharist, we are not just reenacting the Last Supper, we are also making it truly present again. Jesus is with us during the Eucharistic celebration from start to finish. He remains with us afterward as well. We would do well to remember how important it is to prepare ourselves to receive Him, who died for us all. So the next time we are about the go to communion, let us make ready our hearts for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

How do we prepare for the Eucharist? What do we do before, during and after receiving the Body and Blood of Christ? How can we carry Jesus out into the world with us after the Mass?

O Lord, help us prepare our hearts for you.

Amen.