The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice! Give to the LORD, you families of nations, give to the LORD glory and praise; give to the LORD the glory due his name!

There are many things for us to rejoice in during this season and throughout our lives. First, we should rejoice in having a God who is a Father to us. A Lord who Shepherds us. A Holy Spirit to guide us. We should be joyful for our lives, families, friends, neighbors, and even the strangers we meet each day. We should be jubilant at the thought of the graces, gifts, talents, and blessings God has given, is giving, and will give to us. And in return, we should honor Him, glorify Him, and praise Him for being so overwhelmingly loving of us, who are at times so terrible at loving Him.

Do we rejoice at everything God has given us? Do we give God the glory and praise He deserves? What can we do to honor God as He should be?

O Lord, let us always give you the glory due to your name.

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.

Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope

Lord, in your strength the king is glad. O LORD, in your strength the king is glad; in your victory how greatly he rejoices! You have granted him his heart’s desire; you refused not the wish of his lips.

We are reminded in today’s psalm that we should rejoice in God’s victories on this earth. Sure, we are more likely to recognize and celebrate our own triumphs, but it is even more important to rejoice in those victories that God wins in the world. These successes can be great or small. They can be simple or complex. They can be a single kind word or an elaborate act of charity. We can see these victories of faith, hope, and love all around us in our families, friends, neighbors, and even strangers. We can also participate in the triumph of good over evil by choosing to live holy and loving lives and fulfilling God’s Will.

Do we keep our eyes and ears open to God’s victories in this world? In what ways can we help God triumph? How can we help others to succeed in their good deeds?

O Lord, we rejoice in every victory that is won for and by you.

Amen.

Third Thursday of Easter

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Bless our God, you peoples, loudly sound his praise; He has given life to our souls, and has not let our feet slip.

Joyful spirits are something we all need to cultivate in this world. Having a joyful spirit can be the difference between optimism and despair. Without joy, faith weakens and withers. Without joy, hope drains and disappears. Without joy, love falters and fails. We must be able to rejoice in our triumphs as is right, but also remain joyful in the midst of trials. God loves a joyful spirit. He gives strength to those who cultivate joy in their hearts and spread its good seeds to others. He wants His children to have a contagious joy that can’t help but spread from person to person, bringing each person closer to Him.

Are we joyful people? How can we increase our joy? What can we do to bring joy to others?

O Lord, we cry out to you with joyful spirits.

Amen.

Saturday After Epiphany

The Lord takes delight in his people. Sing to the LORD a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel be glad in their maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.

We should all be glad in our maker for He has done marvelous things for us. He created us and saw that it was very good. He delights in us. He loves us and gives us ever spiritual blessing. He will never abandon us. He will always treat us as His beloved children. How wonderful that we should have such a compassionate and caring Heavenly Father to protect us. He is constantly helping us in little and great ways. He does everything in His power to lead us to become holy people and share eternal life with Him.

Do we thank God for making us? How can we learn to delight in God as much as He delights in us? What can we do to rejoice in our Father and our King?

O Lord, we are glad in you.

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.

Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin

On his arrival in the region of Goshen, Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and rode to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Joseph saw him, he flung himself on his neck and wept a long time in his arms. And Israel said to Joseph, “At last I can die, now that I have seen for myself that Joseph is still alive.”

God is our Heavenly Father and like Joseph we should rejoice in Him. We should show Him respect, give Him homage, and offer Him everything we have. We should not rest until we are in His Divine Presence and should do all things in hopes of one day entering into His Kingdom. We should fling ourselves upon Him in thanksgiving for all He has done for us and weep in His Arms for the love and mercy He has shown us. We should go to Him wherever we can find Him, in our families, friends, and strangers who bear the image of God within them. We should prepare our hearts and homes to receive Him when He comes... through the presence of others, the sacraments, and our own prayer lives. God is our Father and it is in Him that we shall find our fulfillment.

What can we do to prepare ourselves to receive our Father? How can we be mindful of His Presence in our lives? How do we give thanks to Him, who has do so much for us?

O Lord, we fling ourselves upon you and weep for joy in your arms.

Amen.