Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline? At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.

We are all in need of some discipline. There are areas of our lives where we all need some extra work. There are imperfections and sins in each of us that require some correction. So. it should come as no surprise when we are disciplined in some way. God doesn’t do this to hurt us, but rather to help us overcome our weaknesses and build up our faith, hope, and love. These moments of trial may be painful, but if we use them as opportunities to grow in holiness, then they will ultimately lead to joy and the peaceful fruits of righteousness.

What areas in our lives do we need more discipline? How can we learn to appreciate the trials that come our way and use them as stepping stones toward holier lives? What can we do to help others to overcome their weaknesses?

O Lord, we accept your discipline and hope to grow from it.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Tuesday in Ordinary Time

You heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my race, since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions. But when he, who from my mother's womb had set me apart and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me; rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.

We all have ways of life we need to be converted from. Some of us must be converted from pride, others from envy. Some from wrath, others from sloth. Some from lust, others from avarice. Some from gluttony, others from a combination of these sins. No matter what sins we've committed in our past, we have a chance at redemption. God's Mercy is greater than our sins and if we confess our failings, do penance, and strive to do good and avoid evil, then we shall be more deeply converted. Our hearts will be transformed from stone to flesh and we shall grow in grace, spreading God's Word through our thoughts, words, and works.

What ways do we need to be converted from? What sins do we need to purge ourselves of? How can we become more faithful followers and messengers of God's Divine Will?

O Lord, convert us from our former ways of sin so we might grow in holiness.

Amen.

Seventeenth Monday in Ordinary Time

Again I went to the Parath, sought out and took the loincloth from the place where I had hid it. But it was rotted, good for nothing! Then the message came to me from the LORD: Thus says the LORD: So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot, the great pride of Jerusalem. This wicked people who refuse to obey my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts, and follow strange gods to serve and adore them, shall be like this loincloth which is good for nothing.

If we don't obey God's Divine Word and follow His Way, Truth, and Life, then we are good for nothing. If false idols rule our lives and sins chain us, then we shall rot away. If our hearts are stubborn and our minds prideful, we shall be empty of all good. Nothing we think, say, or do will amount to anything. We shall be hollow vessels, clanging cymbals, rotten fruits. It is only when we put God first and foremost in our lives that we bear good fruits, sing God's praise worthily, and fill ourselves with God's Love, Mercy, and Goodness. Once we do that, then, and only then, will we be good for something.

Are there areas of our lives which are good for nothing? How can we rid ourselves of these weaknesses and put our time, talents, and treasures to greater use? What can we do to avoid rotting away from sin and indifference?

O Lord, make us good for something.

Amen.

Third Thursday of Lent

This is what I commanded my people: Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper. But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed. They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts and turned their backs, not their faces, to me.

There are many ways we turn our backs on God. We give into temptations and sin. We let an opportunity to do good pass us by. We let the world distract us from what is really important. We let how others treat us harden our hearts and make us less charitable and merciful. We fail to know, love, and serve God and His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. However, if we open our ears and listen to God’s Voice through our consciences, then we shall come face-to-face with God and be His people. We shall walk in His Ways and prosper spiritually. If we obey Our Heavenly Father’s commandments, Jesus’s teachings, and the Holy Spirit’s inspirations, then we shall grow in faith, hope, and love. We shall be good and holy servants.

Do we set aside time each day to listen to God? How can we walk more perfectly in the way of Christ? How can we avoid turning our backs on God?

O Lord, we are listening.

Amen.

First Wednesday of Lent

Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day's walk announcing, "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed," when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

Although we might not meet a Jonah in our lives, that doesn’t mean we aren’t all being warned by God to change our ways. We might have certain sins and imperfections we fall into again and again. These spiritual weaknesses need to be addressed with the same contrition, hope, and determination as the people of Nineveh. We might not put on sackcloth, sit in ashes, or fast on nothing, but we do need to turn away from our evil ways and make amends with God. If we do make things right with Him, then we shall be saved from destruction and death. God will take pity on us and give us another chance to prove we love Him more than our sins and failings.

What do we need to repent for and fast from? How can we amend our lives? What actions can we take to put God first and foremost in our lives?

O Lord, we repent for all our sins and imperfections.

Amen.

First Friday of Ordinary Time

All the elders of Israel came in a body to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, "Now that you are old, and your sons do not follow your example, appoint a king over us, as other nations have, to judge us." Samuel was displeased when they asked for a king to judge them. He prayed to the LORD, however, who said in answer: "Grant the people's every request. It is not you they reject, they are rejecting me as their king."

All of us have rejected God in one way or another. Some of us have rejected Him through sin. Others through being caught up in worldly distractions or laziness. However, no matter the reason, God will always be our King, waiting for us to allow Him to protect us from the wickedness and snares of the Devil and the world. He won’t force us to accept Him because He wants us to give our faith to Him freely and without reservation. He wants us to become His followers by our own choice. So let us remember that when we make sins or worldly things our kings, we will suffer greatly for it, but if we turn to God, then He will grant us what is good and lead us to the Promised Land and eternal life with Him.

In what ways are we rejecting God? How can we overcome our sins and inordinate attractions to worldly things? What can we do to place God firmly at the center of our lives?

O Lord, you are our one and only King. Rule over our hearts forever.

Amen.

Third Saturday of Advent

For he is like the refiner's fire, or like the fuller's lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, Refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

These words have been used to describe John the Baptist and Jesus, but they also describe what the sacrament of reconciliation does for all of us. It offers us a chance to be refined and purified. It removes our impurities by burning them away. In a similar way, the sacrament of reconciliation can rid us of our imperfections and sins, granting us the grace to become worthy vessels of God’s Will on earth. By seeking forgiveness with contrite hearts and doing our penances, we are emptied of all our sins and transformed into pleasing and faithful followers.

Do we make ourselves available to the sacrament of reconciliation and the graces it offers us? Are we willing to allow God to burn away our imperfections and refine our souls? How can we becomes living vessels, bearing God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace to all the world?

O Lord, refine and purify us.

Amen.

Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs

God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. If we say, “We are without sin,” we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.

We are not perfect. We all have our blind spots and our sinful inclinations. However, as long as we try to walk in the light, recognize our sinfulness, and seek to amend our lives, then God will be merciful. We’ll get lost along the way through pride, envy, lust, or some other sin, but if we are contrite and seek fellowship with God, then He shall lead us back to where we need to be. The trouble comes when we cannot recognize our sinfulness or think we are better than others. If we are unable to recognize our vices, then we need to pray for God to show them to us so we can address them with humility and allow God to cleanse us of every wrongdoing.

Are we in fellowship with God? Are we striving to follow the way of light? What sins do we need to overcome in our lives?

O Lord, forgive and cleanse us.

Amen.

Fourth Thursday of Advent

For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, Refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

God wants to refine and purify us so we are precious and pleasing in His sight. He wants us to be polished and shaped by the virtues of faith, hope, and love so we can more perfectly reflect His Divine Image. We cannot fulfill this purpose if we mar our souls with sins and muddy them with imperfections. Each time we do evil or fail to do good, we need to be refined and purified once again through the fires of contrition and penance. Then, once we are made clean in the eyes of the Lord, we will become an acceptable sacrifice to God.

Are we willing to allow God to refine and purify us through whatever means He decides is best for us? Are we willing to make our lives into living sacrifices to God? How can we be more pleasing to God?

O Lord, refine the metal of our souls and purify us of all our imperfections.

Amen.

Twelfth Friday of Ordinary Time

“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it.  Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”

God can make us spiritually clean at any time as long as we seek him out in the sacrament of reconciliation. We all can become infected with imperfections and sins that keep us from being true reflections of God. When we fall into sin, we disfigure the image of God within us and make it difficult for anyone to recognize. However, these defects can be fixed. We can be healed, if we are willing to seek out God, ask for His forgiveness with contrite hearts, and do penance. This is how we can prove our sincerity to God and once we have completed all that is asked of us, we will be freed from our imperfections and sins and have a clean conscience to lead us along a better path.

Are we spiritually clean? What imperfections and sins are obscuring the image of God within us? When was the last time we went to the sacrament of reconciliation?

O Lord, make us clean.

Amen.

Twelfth Monday of Ordinary Time

Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.

It can be tempting to point out the flaws and faults of others. It is often easier to see their sins because we are distanced from them. However, just because we see someone sinning, doesn’t give us the right to judge. We shouldn’t condone the sin, but we shouldn’t condemn the sinner. God is the judge who will have the final say because He knows the hearts of His children better than anyone else. So instead of focusing on other people’s problems, we should focus on our own. We are not sinless and we should constantly remind ourselves of this fact. Perhaps with time and practice we will be able to see the wooden beams in our eyes and notice our moral blind spots. Then, we will be in a better position to advise our brothers and sisters because we shall do so out of love and mercy and not out of false pride.

What are the sins that blind us to our own faults? How can we see ourselves more clearly? What can we do to remove these sins from our lives?

O Lord, remove the beam of sin from our eyes so that we can see others as you want us to see them.

Amen.

The Fourth Tuesday of Lent

“Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.”

After we are healed of our sins through the sacrament of reconciliation, we are given a new opportunity to live our lives as incarnations of Christ. Once we are forgiven, it is up to us to take the initiative and avoid temptations, sin no more, and do good works. If we do not, then we shall fall back into bad habits, lead lives of sin, and fail to do good when we have the chance. A worldly life of wickedness paralyzes our souls and sickens our minds, making it more and more difficult to cleanse ourselves as we either blind ourselves to the truth or sink into despair. So let us take the mercy and graces God gives to us through the sacrament of reconciliation and make them pillars in our lives. Then, we shall be able to rise up from our imperfections, failings, and sins and walk the narrow path to Heaven.

Do we receive reconciliation on a regular basis? If not, then why do we hold ourselves back from God’s Infinite Grace? After we are cleansed of our sins, do we strive to avoid temptation, sin no more, and do good works?

O Lord, you heal us through your sacrament of reconciliation. Give us the graces we need to sin no more and walk your Way, speak your Truth, and live your Life.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”

Bad things happen to good people, just as good things happen to bad people. God does not cause suffering, nor does He condone all our actions. We cause suffering by our sins and though we might not understand why some trial comes our way, we should not blame God for it. He not only lets us choose to love Him, but also allows us to deny Him, too. He loves us too much to force us to do anything. This is why there are times when we are tempted to take the easy way out. But there is always a cost to our actions. The question is whether we are sacrificing ourselves for others or others for ourselves. Hopefully, it is the former, but if we do fall into sin, we should always remember God loves us no matter how often we fail or how great our fall. All we have to do is return to Him with contrite hearts and do penance for our sins.

Do we think we are better than others? Do we realize that our trials and tribulations are not God’s fault, but rather the result of our sins and those of the rest of mankind? Are we ready to repent so we might live with God forever and ever?

O Lord, preserve us from sin and death.

Amen.

Thirteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”

Sometimes when we are in a state of sin, we need others to help us be healed. We, like the paralytic man, cannot do it ourselves. This is why we have the sacraments of reconciliation and the anointing of the sick. Through the priest, we are brought to Jesus and by own shared faith, we are healed by him. Sometimes we need others to point out our flaws, our blind spots, so that we can recognize where we are ill spiritually. These too, are like the people who brought the paralytic to Jesus. We might not always appreciate it when people point out our failings, but if they do it out of love, then we should be thankful for it. We should face our frailties with courage, knowing that Jesus will forgive us as long as we make our way to him through the help of family, friends, and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

What are our physical and spiritual ailments? Who are the people who help us overcome them? Do we seek out the healing sacraments of confession and the anointing of the sick?

O Lord, give us courage to face our frailties and overcome our sins.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

Remaining in God's love can be difficult at times. There are so many things in this world that try to drag us out of it. Temptations try to lead us into sins. Pride can sour our good intentions and actions. Selfishness can make us love ourselves over others. Sometimes we struggle with living according to the commandment and need every grace, every ounce of strength, to resist the wickedness and snares of the Devil. However, if we trust God, put our faith in Him, and allow Him to live and work through us, then we shall overcome all these things and become better people for it. So let us strive to remain in God's Love and live the life we were meant to live.

What things are keeping us from remaining in God's love? How can we resist and overcome them? Are we willing to keep the Father's commandments no matter the cost?

O Lord, help us to remain in your love. Always.

Amen.

Tuesday of Holy Week

Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.

We might not be Judas, but we all betray Jesus when we sin. All of his disciples betrayed him in some form or fashion during the Passion when things got difficult for Christ and all who followed him. We too face similar, though usually less dire, challenges to our faith and we fail just as they did back then. Sometimes we betray Jesus with a mortal sin like Judas. Sometimes we allow peer pressure to push us into denying some element of Jesus’ message like Peter. Sometimes we run away from those who we fear might persecute us for living out the Gospel like all the other disciples. Sometimes we fail to do the right thing in favor of the easy one like Pontius Pilate. These are all wounds in our relationship with Jesus and in the end we are too weak to heal them on our own. We need God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace to mend what we have broken. Thankfully for us, he offers these healing actions to us constantly, even though we do not deserve it. So the next time we fall because of our imperfections or sins, we should not be afraid because although we lost our way for a moment, Jesus will always give us another chance to follow him just as he did with all the disciples who were willing to accept his forgiveness.

What are our imperfections and our sins? What are those things which keep us from following Christ? How can we overcome these impediments?

O Lord, we know we have betrayed you, but with your help we will follow you once again.

Amen.

Fourth Tuesday of Lent

“Do you want to be well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Jesus asks all of us if we want to be healed of our sins and how we answer determines whether or not we are. Some of us are too self-centered or stubborn to ask for help. We think we can take care of everything ourselves. However, we should remember that we cannot heal ourselves. Every time we attempt to do so we are like the sick man before Jesus comes to him. We see a possible solution and clamber after it only to discover it is another roadblock. We must be willing to listen for God’s saving question, "Do you want to be well?" If we do, then we need to answer Him and be willing to do whatever He tells us to do. When we do trust the Lord and follow his commandments, we rise up healed of our afflictions.

Do we want to be well? If so, then what is God asking us to do? What are the problems in our lives which distract us from the offer of salvation, which God gives us each day?

O Lord, we want to be well. Heal us.

Amen.

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.”

We are lepers in some way or another whether it be our health, minds, or spirits which are afflicted. When we face our imperfections, sins, and even those trials from God which we do not understand, we should be like the leper and kneel down and beg God to cleanse us of our afflictions. He might not heal us in the manner we expect or within the time of our choosing, but moved with compassion He will answer our prayers according to His Will, which is always for our best.

When we are in need of help do we seek to solve the problem ourselves or do we turn to God for help? How do we treat others who are ill in body, mind, or spirit? Do we avoid them or mirror the compassionate presence of Christ?

O Lord, if you wish you can make us clean.

Amen.

Fifth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.

Jesus constantly reminds his followers their actions determine what kind of person they are, not any outside influences. We might blame our parents, our background, our environment, or any other number of things, but these scapegoats do not force us to sin. They may offer us the opportunity to sin, but in the end we are the ones who take the bait or refuse it. Our wills choose between good or evil in great and small things and we should be on constant guard against those things that lead us into temptation and sin. We also must be careful about what we allow to come out of our thoughts, words, and works. What we do can be the occasion for someone else to sin and woe to us when we lead others into evil.

What are the thoughts, words, or works in our lives which defile us? When we sin do we own up to our failings or do we blame something or someone else? What can we do to clean up our acts and remain good and faithful servants of Christ?

O Lord, cleanse our bodies, minds, and souls so all we do will be cleansed from the stain of sin.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops

Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.

The unforgivable sin in this gospel is the scribes’ attribution of the good works of the Holy Spirit to Satan. Jesus points out to them that if they cannot tell the difference between good and evil then they are doomed to be divided and destroyed. If they cannot see that driving out demons is a good act, then how can they claim to even know what good is? Sometimes we can become so sure of ourselves that we act like the scribes in this gospel and judge other people when we should be seeking to reconcile with them. We should always remember that we condemn the sin, and not the sinner. It is God’s job to determine whether someone is evil or not.

Who are the people in our lives whom we have judged? Have we ever tried to see our relationship or their actions from their point of view? If something is wrong, then how do we condemn the sin, while loving the sinner?

O Lord, let my heart be united with yours and grant me the grace to love even those whom I find most difficult to love.

Amen.