Thirty-Second Saturday in Ordinary Time

Remember the marvels the Lord has done! Then he struck every first born throughout their land, the first fruits of all their manhood. And he led them forth laden with silver and gold, with not a weakling among their tribes.

The world around us is full of marvels and miracles. If we do not see them, it is not God’s fault, but our own blindness. He constantly works within our lives in great and small ways. We might not connect the dots or see the whole picture in our lives, but He is there with us always. He has struck down our enemies and raised us up. He has given us graces and gifts beyond counting. He has led us forth laden with good things and built up our faith so we are not weaklings. The trials we undergo are not for our punishment, but for our betterment. He wants us to prove our metal in this life and the only way to do that is to cleanse us in purifying fires, forge us through our choices, and temper us with His Holy Spirit.

Do we remember the marvels God has done for us? Do we let God lead us where He wants us? What can we do to prove our metal to Him?

O Lord, lead us forth and strengthen us.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Tuesday in Ordinary Time

For you say, 'I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,' and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.

There is the constant temptation to believe we can be self-sufficient in this world. However, riches and material wealth doesn't make us self-sufficient. Instead, they can be dangerous by tempting us to misuse our wealth for selfish reasons and to mistake our worldly successes as a sign God favors us. God favors not the rich or the poor, but those who do His Will. He favors those who purchase His grace through prayer, alms-giving, and mortification. He favors those who clothe themselves in virtues and good works. He favors those who seek to remedy their spiritual blindness by trusting, hoping, and loving Him and His children to the best of their abilities. Most of all, God favors those who are earnest in their desire for repentance and who show mercy to those who trespass against them.

How can we grow in grace through prayer, alms-giving, and mortification? What can we do to clothe ourselves in God's Goodness? How can we gain the spiritual insights we need to overcome our spiritual blindness?

O Lord, we know you love us and are earnest in our repentance.

Amen.

Twenty-Eighth Saturday in Ordinary Time

May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might, which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come.

We all should pray that the eyes of our hearts might be enlightened by God. There are many areas in our lives where we are blind to what is right and good. Sometimes these blind spots are people, other times they are worldly things, and still more are evil inclinations. However, when our hearts are open to the hope that belongs to our calling to know, love, and serve God and His children, then we free ourselves from these blindfolds. Once enlightened, we can accept our inheritance as Christians and give glory to God for all He has done for us through the greatness of his power. What a wonderful gift God gave us through the Word Made Flesh! He united Himself to our lives through the life of His Beloved Son and raised us from dust and ashes to be heirs to the Kingdom. All we have to do is accept our roles as good and faithful children, who trust in their Heavenly Father and do His Will.

Do we pray to God for enlightenment? What can we do to become better heirs to the Kingdom of God? How can we thank God for all He has given us through His Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, may the eyes of our hearts be enlightened.

Amen.

Twenty-Sixth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Should he come near me, I see him not; should he pass by, I am not aware of him; Should he seize me forcibly, who can say him nay? Who can say to him, "What are you doing?" How much less shall I give him any answer, or choose out arguments against him! Even though I were right, I could not answer him, but should rather beg for what was due me. If I appealed to him and he answered my call, I could not believe that he would hearken to my words.

Sometimes we are blinded to the presence of God in our lives. This blindness can come in many forms. We might be distracted by worldly things, we might be sunk in the darkness of sin, or lost in indifference. We can be tempted to think nothing we do or say will make a difference because God has abandoned us. We may even feel angry at Him for letting us suffer. However, just because we can’t see God or hear Him doesn't mean He's not there. Just because we feel abandoned and alone doesn't mean we are. Just because we are suffering doesn't mean God wants us to suffer. This is why we must trust in Him even in our times of trials. If we appeal to Him, He will answer us. Maybe not in the way we wish, but He will give us what is best for the well-being of our souls.

Are we being blinded to God's Presence in our lives? If so, then what can we do to see Him more clearly? How can we learn to trust He has our best interests at heart, even in the midst of our sufferings?

O Lord, make us more aware of your presence and grace in our lives.

Amen.

Eleventh Monday in Ordinary Time

His wife Jezebel came to him and said to him, "Why are you so angry that you will not eat?" He answered her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, 'Sell me your vineyard, or, if you prefer, I will give you a vineyard in exchange.' But he refused to let me have his vineyard." His wife Jezebel said to him, "A fine ruler over Israel you are indeed! Get up. Eat and be cheerful. I will obtain the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you."

The sin of jealousy or envy is a devious one. It worms its way into a person's heart slowly eating away at them from inside. It may lead to depression, but also may lead to evil deeds. Ahab may not have asked Jezebel to get rid of Naboth, but he probably could have guessed what she had planned when she told him that she would obtain the vineyard. However, he let his envy silence his conscience and is just as guilty as his wife. In a similar manner, we can sometimes let others come to harm because of our jealousy or our inaction. We might guess trouble is coming to someone, but keep quiet about it instead of warning them. There are times in our lives when we are tempted to ignore an evil done to someone else, especially someone whom we don't like. However, this does not excuse us. After all, God asked us to love others as He loves them... which means loving even our enemies. This means casting off our jealousy and protecting them as Jesus would protect them... from whatever it is that threatens them. This of course isn't easy, but the road to heaven isn't an easy on to walk. It is narrow and only those willing to die to themselves have a chance to make it to the end.

Are we jealous of someone else? How can we turn that jealousy into love? Are we willing to know, love, and serve even those whom we dislike?

O Lord, rid us of all jealousy and give us hearts full of love for all people, even our enemies.

Amen.

Third Friday of Easter

"Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."  Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength. He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Distractions, indifference, and sin can leave us blinded to what is right. However, if we seek God’s Forgiveness in the sacrament of reconciliation and accept His Mercy, then our spiritual sight will be restored and we will once again know that is good. Our consciences will be cleansed and we shall see clearly what God wants us to do. And what is that? To accept His gifts, talents, and strengths and proclaim Jesus in our lives. We might not do this from the pulpit or a soapbox, but we should constantly be spreading the Good News through our thoughts, words, and works. If we do everything, great and small, with faith, hope, and love, then we shall be effective witnesses to the Way, the Truth, and the Life that will set people free.

Where are our spiritual blind spots? How can we remove the scales of distraction, indifference, and sin from our eyes? How can we spread the Gospel message to others, like Paul?

O Lord, grant us your sight and the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Third Saturday of Ordinary Time

David grew very angry with that man and said to him: "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this merits death! He shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold because he has done this and has had no pity." Then Nathan said to David: "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'The sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.'

Often, when we sin, we are blinded to what we are doing. We don’t necessarily realize how bad our sins are. It takes an outside influence, a person, an event, or something along those lines to rip away our blinders and show us how bad our lives have become. More times than not, we notice the sins and imperfections in others more readily than we do our own. We point out how unfair another person is or shake our heads at their wickedness, but fail to see our own failings, which can be just as unfair and wrong-headed. This is why it is so important for us to remember we are sinners and as such it is not our place to judge others. In addition, our failures should remind us that we ought to be looking out for the good of others, not to take advantage of them or criticize them unjustly.

What can we do to see more clearly our own sins? In what ways can we treat others more mercifully? How can we train ourselves to avoid sin and do what is right even when we are tempted to use a situation for our own selfish gain?

O Lord, free us from our blindness to our own sins.

Amen.

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

"Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel, and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name." So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, "Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Although we might not be blinded by God or experience locutions or visions, we are all called to a deeper conversion. Sometimes that conversion involves our attitude toward God. Other times it involved our attitude toward others. Both involve the need for us to know, love, and serve more perfectly. For Paul, his conversion required him to turn his life upside-down from where he was. His calling asked him to give up his previous life completely and become a follower of Christ instead of a persecutor of Christ’s followers. He had to be reconciled with God, but also with the community of believers as well. This is why his conversion required not only God’s intervention, but also the intercession of Ananias. Ananias represented the entire Church in this moment and although he hesitated in going to Paul, he ultimately listened to the Lord, went forth, and welcomed Paul into the Body of Christ. Sometimes we are like Paul before the conversion, doing what we believe is right, but then discover that we were wrong and have to repent and realign our lives. Other times we are like Ananias and we know God’s Will, but hesitate at what is being asked of us. In both cases, we need to be more deeply converted and trust that God’s Divine Plan will lead to a greater good for us and all His children.

Are there thoughts, words, or works in our lives that are not in alignment with God’s Will? Are we willing to allow God to more deeply convert our hearts even if it means turning our lives upside-down? What do we need to do in order to reconcile ourselves with God and all His children?

O Lord, convert our hearts so that we might be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Saturday of Ordinary Time

"Into what tribulation have I come, and in what floods of sorrow am I now! Yet I was kindly and beloved in my rule." But I now recall the evils I did in Jerusalem, when I carried away all the vessels of gold and silver that were in it, and for no cause gave orders that the inhabitants of Judah be destroyed. I know that this is why these evils have overtaken me; and now I am dying, in bitter grief, in a foreign land."

Sometimes we don’t realize the evils we’ve done to others. We are blinded by our sins, our selfishness, our goods, our fame, and all sorts of worldly things. We only see the terrible things we’ve done in hindsight. Our reaction to this revelation of our own misdeeds can either be like Antiochus where we blame all the evils that have befallen us on our sins or we can try to make amends for what we’ve done and failed to do. We can tell those we have wronged, especially God, we are truly sorry for our failures. We can make good confessions with humble and contrite hearts. We can accept absolution from our priests and do penance for our sins. We can firmly promise to avoid those temptations that lead us into evil. Knowing we have done wrong should not paralyze us, but rather it should lead us to renew ourselves through the sacrament of reconciliation.

What evil things have we done to others? Have we sought God’s forgiveness for these sins? Have we made amends for our failings with those we have harmed?

O Lord, help us to make good confessions with humble and contrite hearts.

Amen.

Ninth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

I called to my wife and said: “Where did this goat come from? Perhaps it was stolen! Give it back to its owners; we have no right to eat stolen food!” She said to me, “It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages.” Yet I would not believe her, and told her to give it back to its owners. I became very angry with her over this.  So she retorted: “Where are your charitable deeds now? Where are your virtuous acts? See! Your true character is finally showing itself!”

How quickly we can fall from grace! Tobit, who does so much good for others goes blind and spends years being taken care of by others. Just as he was charitable, so others are treating him with charity. And yet, he becomes suspicious of his wife and instead of dwelling on all the good she has done him, he casts doubt upon her character. He has become like those who mocked him, but worse. He has moved past indifference to envy and self-righteousness. How many of us fall into the same traps and temptations. We see evils in other’s charitable deeds. We see what others have and think they have no right to it. We can build up a treasure house of good works, but spoil them all by casting dispersions on others or not trusting them when they have give us reason to trust.

Have we ever blamed someone for something or thought ill of them and been proven wrong? Have we blinded ourselves with envy and pride? How can we cure our blindness and see others through loving eyes?

O Lord, open our eyes so that we might be charitable in thought, word, and deed.

Amen.

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything. He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us. For ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’

In many ways we are blind and our blindness causes us to stumble into temptation, to fall into sin, and to overlook opportunities to do good. We might mean well, we might want to do good, we might hope for something better, but do not come to terms with our weaknesses. Perhaps we enjoy our little blind spots, our earthly pleasures, and don’t want to give them up. We think they are harmless, but no sin is harmless. Whether mortal or venial, they all wound ourselves and our relationship with God and His children. However, God does not leave us alone in our blindness. He is always with us, giving us life, breath, and everything good. He even gives us insights into ourselves through our consciences, showing us our weaknesses not because He wants to shame us, but because He loves us and wants us to do better. He wants us to be the best versions of ourselves. We cannot do that if we are worldly and love our sins more than Him. When we sin we are shadows of ourselves, we are empty, unfulfilled, but when we are holy, following the commandments, teachings, and inspirations of God... we truly live, moving in the Spirit, and thriving as good and faithful servants.

What are our spiritual blind spots? How can we address these areas of weakness and with the help of God overcome our temptations and sin no more? How can we become more faithful offspring in all we think, say, and do?

O Lord, in you we find our life, our purpose, and our being.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter

That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast.

In moments of crisis, we can be tempted to despair of or run away from our problems. We flee from suffering and disappointment just as the disciples did. We become blind to God’s presence in our lives and believe He has abandoned us. However, God will never abandon us. He is always with us, ready to open the Scriptures and reveal the wondrous graces of the Eucharistic Feast. He offers us comfort, wisdom, and love in order to give us everything we need to follow in Jesus Christ’s footsteps and travel the narrow path to Paradise. By remembering these things we will discover the Way to God to be able to point our feet in the right direction.

What can we do to gain the courage we need to stand with God during times of trial? Are we open to receiving the truths of the Scriptures and the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist? Are we willing to let God lead us where we need to be and not necessarily where I want to be?

O Lord, place our feet on the path to salvation.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday in Lent

“Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?” His parents answered and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue.

There will be times in our lives when we will be challenged to either stand up for the truth and be punished for doing so or remain silent and save our skins. This is the choice the blind man and his parents were faced with and it is the same one we must confront in various ways in our lives. The parents chose to pass the buck onto their son. They were afraid of acknowledging Jesus ever after he healed their son. They should have been happy for the miracle of their son’s cure, but they let worldly concerns strangle their joy and muzzle their praise. The formerly blind man on the other hand is not afraid of speaking the truth. He does so several times and because of this he is tossed out of the synagogue. However, this apparent loss is really a gain. Jesus finds him and reveals himself to be the Son of Man. The man’s faith has saved him. He has chosen the light of Christ over the darkness of the world.

Are we willing to suffer in order to proclaim the truth? Are we willing to be persecuted for our faith? How can we conquer our fears and live in the light of the Good News?

O Lord, cure our blindness so we might see your guiding light.

Amen.

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.’ My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me. I asked, ‘What shall I do, sir?’ The Lord answered me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything appointed for you to do.’

All of us persecute God in one way or another. Some of us persecute Him through indifference and laziness. Others persecute Him through sinful actions. Still others persecute Him by denying Him or His teachings and choosing our own way above His Will. No matter how we persecute God, we all are constantly being called to see the light, hear the voice of God, and do whatever He tells us to do. And like Paul, we must get off the ground, dust ourselves off, and allow Him to lead us where we need to be and inspire us to do everything He has appointed us to do. We cannot do this if we remain blind and deaf to God. But if we open our eyes and ears to Him, then we shall be converted from persecutors of God to witnesses to His Love and Mercy.

In what ways are we persecuting God? How can we stop these persecutions? How can we become better witnesses to God’s Good News?

O Lord, what shall we do?

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.

Sixteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted and I heal them. “But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

We are either open to God or closed to Him. We either see Him in the world around us or we deny He is there. We either hear His Good News proclaimed by the Church or we deafen ourselves to it by focusing our minds on worldly things. Our hearts are either ready to receive God in all things or willing to deny Him for our own selfish reasons. We either understand that we have much to learn from God and His Church or we decide that we know what is right and wrong like Adam and Eve. We either seek to be healed of our afflictions or we allow ourselves to be devoured by them. God gives us every chance to listen and understand His Divine Word, it us up to us to be open to seeing, hearing, and understanding it and then putting it into practice in our lives.

Are we blind and deaf to the parables that are constantly revealed to us in our own lives? Are our hearts and minds open to what God is trying to teach us? How can we receive God's Divine Word into our lives and live it out with all our strengths?

O Lord, bless our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts so they might be open to your teachings and truths.

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.

Thirty-Third Monday of Ordinary Time

“Son of David, have pity on me!” Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.” He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.

The blind man addresses Jesus as the Son of David, a reference to his role as the Messiah. In response to the blind man’s request, Jesus heals him. This act of compassion leads the blind man to follow Jesus and give glory to God. It is the type of response that reminds us that whenever we have our prayers answered or succeed in life, we should always give God the thanks and praise He deserves for His role in our goods and successes. We, like the blind man, are afflicted with blindness, too. The darkness of sin covers our good judgment like a blindfold and we can wander for a very long time without knowing where we are going or remembering that there is a light out there trying to show us the way. However, we must cry out to Jesus to have pity on us and heal us of our sinful afflictions just as the blind man did so long ago. We can do this through the sacrament of reconciliation and after Jesus has opened our eyes to God’s goodness once again, we should follow Christ and give glory to God from that day forward and forevermore.

What are the things in our lives that are blinding us and keeping us from following Christ? Do we seek Jesus’ help in overcoming our interior darkness so that we can see God’s goodness once again? Do we seek reconciliation with God whenever we fall?

O Lord, grant us the sight of faith so that we might follow you where we need to go and give glory to God.

Amen.

Twenty-Third Friday of Ordinary Time

Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher.

We have a tendency to absorb the traits of those whom we spend the most time with in our lives, whether that is family, friends, mentors, spiritual directors, or God. Whomever we listen to the most is who we will be like in our thoughts, speech, and actions. Jesus reminds us today that they become our teachers. Hopefully, we choose to listen to good people and to God, but sometimes we allow evil to speak to us through our families, friends, the television shows we watch, etc. When we hear these evil counsels, we must be willing to rebuke them and turn our attention to God for guidance. He will teach us how to see and if we allow Him to open our eyes, we will not lose our way and fall into the pit. Instead, we will see the goodness of God and in turn, we will be able to pass along our knowledge of Him to those who listen to us.

Who do we listen to in our lives? Do we keep our ears open to God’s counsel? Who are we becoming like?

O Lord, be our teacher so that we might one day be like you.

Amen.