Eleventh Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Blessed the man who fears the Lord. Wealth and riches shall be in his house; his generosity shall endure forever. Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just.

Fear is often seen as something bad in the world around us. However, there are times when fear is helpful and good. One such example is fearing the Lord. This is not the scary fear we often think of, but rather a fear based in awe and reverence. It is the fear a child feels when they worry about disappointing their parents. It is the fear that comes out of a concern for someone or something else in our lives. This good type of fear isn’t paralyzing, but rather freeing. It enriches us and helps us to endure all things for God. It is a fear that sparks the fire of devotion within us that shines through the darkness and helps guide us to become gracious, merciful, and just.

Do we fear the Lord? How can we show our love and respect for Him? What can we do to become lights of God’s Love to the world?

O Lord, we fear disappointing you. Grant us the grace to never do so.

Amen.

Second Tuesday of Easter

The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty. The LORD is king, in splendor robed; robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.

God is our King and as such deserves our respect. We should fear disappointing Him, not because He will punish us for our faults, but because He is a Good Father and we don’t want to disappoint Him. He is robed in majesty and so we bow before His Will and sing His glory and praises. He is robed in splendor and so we allow Him to lead us. He is girted with strength and so we seek His help through the teachings of Jesus and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. As His children and heirs, all His Kingdom is promised to us if we will accept it and all the rights and responsibilities that come with living out our baptismal promises.

Do we show respect to God in our thoughts, words, and works? How can we live our lives as worthy heirs to our Father? What can we do to build up the Heavenly Kingdom on earth?

O Lord, you are robed in majesty, splendor, and strength.

Amen.

Seventh Saturday of Ordinary Time

The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him, for he knows how we are formed; he remembers that we are dust.

God is compassionate to those who fear and respect Him. His kindness endures forever for those who love Him and His children. He treats us as a Father treats His offspring. He gives us every chance to know, love, and serve Him as He knows, loves, and serves us. He knows us better than we know ourselves and does everything in His Divine Power to lead us to good and holy lives. He will give us every opportunity to redeem ourselves and prove we are good and faithful people. And if we fall into sin, He is the first one to welcome us back into His Divine Grace.

Do we trust in God’s Mercy enough to not despair when we sin? Do we respect God enough to seek His Forgiveness when we choose what is wrong over what is right? Are we compassionate to others like our Heavenly Father is to us?

O Lord, your kindness is everlasting.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Thursday of Ordinary Time

Then they who fear the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened attentively; And a record book was written before him of those who fear the LORD and trust in his name. And they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, my own special possession, on the day I take action. And I will have compassion on them, as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.

Fear of the Lord is not about being afraid of God’s wrath, but rather is about not wanting to disappoint God because we love Him and He loves us. If we fear the Lord properly, then we do good and avoid evil not for the rewards or because of the threat of punishment, but rather out of respect for God’s Will and love for our Creator. Additionally, if our fear is founded on love, then we don’t become jealous of those worldly people who do well or despair when we undergo some suffering. Instead, we trust in God’s Mercy and Justice. We understand failure and suffering in this life can be redemptive and lead to eternal life with our Heavenly Father.

Is our fear of the Lord founded on love and respect rather than dread of punishment? Are we willing to suffer in this life so that we might prosper in the next? Do we trust in God’s Mercy and Justice?

O Lord, we love you, make us yours.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr

And now, Israel, what does the LORD, your God, ask of you but to fear the LORD, your God, and follow his ways exactly, to love and serve the LORD, your God, with all your heart and all your soul, to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD which I enjoin on you today for your own good?

Here we have a good road map of what it means to follow God’s Will. It means to fear disappointing Him. It means respecting God and following in His ways. It means to love and serve Him and His children with all our hearts and souls... with all our minds and strengths. It means to keep His commandments, to follow His teachings, and listen to and enact His inspirations. He asks us to do all these things for our own good because He loves us and wants only the best for us. Everything He does is for our good and the good of others and we would do well to remember that when we are undergoing trials and tribulations and are tempted to doubt His Love for us. He does not wish any ill upon us, but neither will He take away our free will to do good or evil. And if we suffer evil, we should rest assured that He will come to our aid.

Are we respectful of God and fearful of disappointing Him? How can we do a better job of knowing, loving, and serving Him with all our hearts and souls? In what ways can we learn to keep God’s commandments more faithfully?

O Lord, help us to follow your ways, now and forever.

Amen.

Fifteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

God called out to him from the bush, “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.” God said, “Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

Holy ground is something we don’t always think about when going to Mass, but when we enter a church and its grounds we find ourselves on it and should act accordingly. We should treat the church and its grounds with respect and do our best to be holy. We should strive to be loving, merciful, patient and mild while there in our reverence for God, our treatment of others, and our attention to the Mass, the sacraments, and any other programs or events going on within the church or its properties. We should be prayerful and united in Christ while in these holy places. We should dress properly, speak appropriately, and act in accordance with God’s Will. If we cannot contain our vices, imperfections, and passions within these sacred grounds, then how can we ever hope to be worthy of heaven? So let us be respectful of the holy places we enter and treat them wisely and well.

Do we treat holy grounds with reverence? How can we allow the holiness of these sacred sites infuse and upraise our spirits? What can we do to make our hearts into sacred grounds consecrated to God?

O Lord, give us a healthy respect for your holy grounds, the sacraments we celebrate there, and those we meet within your sacred places.

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.

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is the reason we come to mass. Gathering together as a community is important, but it is the Holy Communion that unites us in faith. Listening to the Scriptures is enlightening and uplifting, but it is the Blessed Sacrament that gives us the grace to fulfill God’s Will. The best way to meditate upon the mysteries of the Incarnation, Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is to receive the Divine Bread and Wine he blessed so long ago. The centrality of the Eucharist to our faith is undeniable. We must eat of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ if we want to be a part of God’s Kingdom and rise to eternal life with Jesus. It is also through this Blessed Sacrament that we welcome God into our lives. And if we are sincere in our reception of the Eucharist, then God will remain with us in a special way, providing us with many graces we can get nowhere else and that will carry us forth into the world.

Do we place our focus on the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ whenever we go to mass? How do we show God respect and sincerity before, during, and after our reception of the Blessed Sacrament? In what ways do we cultivate the graces of the Eucharist?

O Lord, you are our true food and drink. Remain with us forever and ever.

Amen.

Ninth Monday of Ordinary Time

He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture passage: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?”

Respect is something we should give to others every moment of our lives. This is because God dwells in all of us from the lowliest of the poor to the wealthiest of the rich. The image of God is emblazoned upon us and everyone around us. As such, we should treat everyone as God's Beloved Son. We cannot let selfishness, greed, pride, or any other vices get in the way of treating others with love and mercy. The tenants in this parable allowed their greed to rule over them and led them to do horrible things to others. They rejected the call to be good to and love others. They decided to build their lives on their own debased ideas. As Christians, we are called to cast aside our baser instincts and instead allow God to live and work though us so we can bear good fruits for the glory of God and the good of all.

Do we show respect to God in all things? How can we rid ourselves of the vices that might lead us astray? How can we become good and faithful tenants in the vineyard of souls that is the earth?

O Lord, let us not reject you, but rather choose to always respect you and the work you've placed before us.

Amen.

The Second Friday of Lent

Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?” They answered him, He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.

God the Father constantly sends His Beloved Son into our lives to plead with us for the harvest of the good fruit we owe Him. He has given us all the goods we have and in return He asks us to produce a harvest of holy thoughts, words, and works. And if we respect what Jesus Christ has done for us through his life, death, and resurrection, then we will bear good fruits. However, if we are like the tenants in today’s gospel and put our own selfishness above obedience to the God who gave us everything, then we shall perish in sin. This is why it is important to cultivate humble spirits so that when the temptation to see ourselves more worthy than others, we shall be able to set aside our pride and remember that God is master of all our lives.

Do we respect Christ? If so, then how do we show it in our dealings with Him and others? Do we spend time each day cultivating humble spirits so that they will obey you and produce good fruit?

O Lord, we respect you, help us to produce a holy harvest.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr

Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh.” Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.

As Jesus discusses marriage with his disciples, he makes it clear that marriage is not to be entered into lightly and leaving a marriage can only be done if it was unlawful to begin with. Marriage for Jesus is not a contract that can be broke, but rather a covenant between the husband, his wife, and God who joins them together. The man and woman are made one flesh in the eyes of God and so it cannot be reversed. This covenant places a responsibility upon both husband and wife to live their lives in harmony with each other and with God. In a world that has come to see marriage as a secular contract rather than a spiritual covenant, it can be hard for us to understand the permanency of marriage, but those who enter into a lawful marriage are permanently changed by it and connected to each other in the eyes of God. The standards that God holds us to are high, but they are the ones worth living up to no matter what.

Do we believe in the covenantal nature of marriage? Are we prepared to recognize the permanent responsibilities of being married? Do we fully respect those who are married and give them the support they need to stay together?

O Lord, let us always remember that what you have joined, we should not separate.

Amen.