First Thursday of Advent

Trust in the LORD forever! For the LORD is an eternal Rock.

God is our Rock and if our lives are founded on Him, we shall not lose them. No storm of suffering will topple us. No quake of fear will bring us down. No flood of woes shall wash us away. With God as our cornerstone, we can withstand any trial and stand firm against all temptations. We shall survive all difficulties if we trust in God and let Him lead us to a saintly life. It may not be easy to keep the faith in the midst of sufferings, but reaching the Gates of Heaven is worth every test we must undertake.

Are our lives founded on Our Lord and God? Do we trust Him to support us through every trial? How can we make God the foundation of our every thought, word, and work?

O Lord, we trust in you, Our Rock and Savior.

Amen.

First Wednesday of Advent

On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; The reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken. On that day it will be said: "Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"

In the end, God will destroy death for all those who choose to follow Him. He will release us from the bonds of sin and its fruit of death. He will wipe away our tears of suffering and save us from all the pains and ills of this world. His Saving Grace, will bring joy and happiness to all of us who walked the path of salvation with Him. This freeing and wondrous future is offered to us all. We have only to accept it from God’s open hands and choose the good over the evil, the right over the wrong, justice over injustice… virtue over vice.

Are we allowing God to unveil our eyes so we can see right and wrong clearly?  Do we believe God will save even us, who are sinful? When are we going to accept God’s Grace and Mercy and amend our lives so He can invite us to Heaven with Him?

O Lord, save us!

Amen.

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.

Jesus Christ is our King. This is something we as Christians need to accept. We need to recognize him as our Lord, who has the right to ask us to do whatever is needed to fulfill his will. If he asks for our gifts and talents, then we must give them to him to the best of our abilities. If he asks for our treasures and goods, we must offer them up for his purpose. If he asks for us to suffer mockery and persecution for him, then we must stand at his side ready to receive the blows. If he asks us to die for his glory or the good of others, then we must be able to let go of our lives and give them over to him as a sacrifice. In all things, we must we willing to accept our crosses, whatever they might be... great or small, easy or hard. This is what Jesus did for us, and we should be willing and able to do the same for His Kingdom.

Do we recognize that we were created through and for God and not ourselves? Do we recognize Jesus as the Head of the Church and the master of our lives? What are we doing to seek out our spiritual fulfillment in and with Him?

O Lord, in you we were created and for the magnification of you we were made.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop

Lord, in your great love, answer me. But I am afflicted and in pain; let your saving help, O God, protect me. I will praise the name of God in song, and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.

Despite what we might suffer in this life, we should never lose hope. We should trust in God’s Goodness and Mercy and believe with all our hearts, minds, and strengths that He will save us. He loves us and will answer us at a time and in a way that has the greatest chance of guiding us to Heaven. When we are afflicted and in pain, He is there offering us healing. He wants to protect us, but will not force His protection upon us. He wants us to welcome Him into our lives and sing His praises. So, let us offer Him thanksgiving for all He has done, is doing, and will do for us, now and forever.

Do we seek consolation from God when we are afflicted or in pain? Do we ask for God’s protection from all evil? How can we sing His praises to others, especially those who are suffering themselves?

O Lord, let you saving help protect us.

Amen.

Twenty-Eighth Monday in Ordinary Time

This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.

The Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus is all the sign we should need in order to repent. Through Christ’s Life, we are shown the Way and the Truth that will lead us to the Promised Land. Through His Passion, we are shown what it means to mortify ourselves, accept our crosses, show compassion to others, and love our enemies. Through His Death, we are given an example of what it means to be willing to die for what we believe in. Finally, through His Resurrection, we are shown the promise of to everlasting life for all who proclaim the Good News until their final breath. Indeed, we have a great tome of wisdom set before us in the New Testament, which reveals what God is calling us to be as Christians. So, let us heed the Word of God Made Flesh and live as good and faithful servants to God and all His children.

In what ways do we imitate the compassionate Life of Christ? How do we deal with the sufferings and sacrifices that come with our own passions? How have we prepared ourselves for our death and eventual resurrection? 

O Lord, we seek and follow only the sign of your Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

Amen.

Twenty-Fifth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Blessed be God, who lives forever. Praise him, you children of Israel, before the Gentiles, for though he has scattered you among them, he has shown you his greatness even there.

Even when we are in the midst of trials and difficulties, we should find it in our hearts to praise God. The world might look at our challenges and sufferings and mock us, saying, “Where is your God now?” But we know that even in the darkest of nights, our God is with us. Even when we are scattered and defeated, He is there to pick up the pieces and put us back together even better than before. We might not understand why we suffer or appreciate how our failures and defeats can lead us to better things, but they do if we allow them. Sometimes in order to make a jump, we have to step back from the edge and get a running start. These leaps of faith require great trust in God, but as long as we do believe, we will make it to the other side and once again to see the greatness of God and be able to show it to others.

Do we praise God even in the middle of our trials? How can we learn to trust God enough to go through periods of darkness and suffering without losing faith? How can we help others do the same?

O Lord, you show your greatness to us each and every day.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.

Jesus’ body and blood speak eloquently to all of us of what it means to be a good and faithful servant. It means being willing to give up everything in order to know, love, and serve God and all His children. We might be intimidated by this radical call of self-sacrifice, but it is a vocation none of us can ignore if we want to be a part of God’s Kingdom. We cannot deny what God is asking of us and share in the inheritance He offers us. If we accept His adoption, then we must accept the sufferings that come with becoming His heirs. The only way we can become enrolled in Heaven is to sprinkle ourselves with the blood of sacrifice.

Are we willing to be sprinkled with the blood of suffering and sacrifice in this life so we might join in the feast of the next one? What sacrifices are we being asked to make in order to fulfill God’s Will? What are we doing to prepare ourselves to be God’s good and faithful servants?

O Lord, sprinkle us with your blood.

Amen.

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing. When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing. 

We often do everything possible to avoid shedding tears in this life. We steer clear of trouble whenever possible. We don’t rock the boat. We try to coast through life with the minimum of pain. However, sometimes we are called to make sacrifices so we can reap the rewards. There are moments in our lives when we are faced with a choice between doing with is right and suffering the consequences or choosing to remain silent and let an injustice go unchallenged. Sometimes these moments are easy to recognize. Other are more difficult, but they do occur and we should pray to be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit when those moments arise. If we do this, then one day we shall stand before God and be filled with laughter and joy because we will discover all those moments of sorrow yielded marvelous fruits.

What is God asking us to sow in our lives? How can we grow in a willingness to suffer for the glory of God and the good of others? What can we do to become more aware of the opportunities to bear good fruit in our lives?

O Lord, help us to sow in tears and reap with rejoicing.

Amen.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister in accordance with God’s stewardship given to me to bring to completion for you the word of God, the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past.

We are all called to imitate Christ, not only in the way he lived, but also in the way he suffered for us. If God sees fit to try us greatly in this life, then who are we to complain? Whatever afflictions come our way; we should march joyfully toward them. Many martyrs died praising God with their final breaths. Who are we to think we should escape such trials? We are all asked to fill up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ. Not that Jesus’ passion and death were not perfect, but that we are all called to pick up our crosses and to unite our sufferings with those of Christ. And God, in His Infinite Mercy allows us to add our drop of blood to the sea of sorrows that Jesus suffered for us.

What is God calling us to suffer? How can we accept this suffering with joyful hearts? What are we being asked to sacrifice in order to bring to completion the Word of God?

O Lord, we rejoice in our sufferings for your sake and the sake of your children.

Amen.

Fifteenth Friday of Ordinary Time

I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord. To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people.

We are all asked by God to make sacrifices. Some are asked to suffer and work harder than others. Some are tried greatly. Others are tried lightly. Each is tried and tested according to their abilities and what God needs from them as followers. He never gives us more than we can handle. He always is with us and provides us the graces to overcome every obstacle. All we have to do is trust in Him, to call on Him in our times of need, and do His Will with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

What sacrifices is God asking of us? Are we willing to make them? How can we pay what we owe God in terms of love, loyalty, and trust?

O Lord, we offer you sacrifices of thanksgiving for all you’ve done for us.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Our help is in the name of the Lord. Then would the waters have overwhelmed us; The torrent would have swept over us; over us then would have swept the raging waters. Blessed be the LORD, who did not leave us a prey to their teeth. 

God will never leave us to be destroyed by those who hate us. We might suffer setbacks and trials, but in the end, God will help us to overcome our enemies. He will free us from their hold and lead us to the Promised Land. He will part the turbulent waters that stand in our way and make a path for us to the other side. And if we trust Him, then we shall march through the sea confident in Him, while our foes are washed away. We might wander through the desert for a time, but in the end the Spirit of God will guide us to the land of milk and honey, the land of our salvation.

Do we call on God to help us in our times of need? Or do we forget all He has done for us and try to fix everything ourselves? How can we become more trusting of God in our daily lives?

O Lord, thank you for all your help.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot

Remember the marvels the Lord has done. They had weighed him down with fetters, and he was bound with chains, Till his prediction came to pass and the word of the LORD proved him true.

Even in our troubles, God remains faithful to us. We might suffer for a time, short or long, but always God will deliver us from our difficulties. If we are besieged by temptations, He will protect us from evil. If we are imprisoned by sin, He will offer us the freedom of forgiveness. If we are suffering in some way, He will heal us. If we are blind, He will help us to see. If we are lost, He will help us find our way. If we are falsely accused, He will be our Advocate. If we are mocked or persecuted, He will defend us. We might not always know why we have to pass through dark nights or imprisonments, but God is good and He will release us and help us to prosper in spirit and truth. We just need to remember God does marvelous things for all his good and faithful servants.

Are we weighed down by any worldly fetters or chained by imperfections and sin? Do we ask for God’s aid in freeing us? Do we remember even in our worst moments that God wants to do marvelous things for us?

O Lord, release us from our fetters and chains and help us remember your marvelous deeds.

Amen.

Fourteenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord. Hear, O LORD, a just suit; attend to my outcry; hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.

When we are suffering, God is listening. He is watching over us even in our times of trials. He will not abandon us, but He will not always answer us in the way we seek. He may indeed save us from our trials and tribulations, but if He chooses not to do so, we have no reason to be angry with Him. He is just and merciful, but He also will not hand us life on a silver platter. He will not solve all of our problems. He wants us to learn and grow in our own unique ways. He wants us to discover our unique callings and not force them on us. He hears our outcries, but we should remember that He might not answer us at the time or in the way we expect. Instead, He will help us in ways that will offer us a chance to grow in faith, hope, and love. Let us pray we take these opportunities and accept their challenges so one day Our Heavenly Father might say, “Well done, my good and faithful servants.”

How do we suffer? Do we complain and get angry and get even? Or do we offer everything up to God and accept the sacrifices asked of us without hesitation or moaning?

O Lord, attend to my outcries how you deem best.

Amen.

Thirteenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes. Search me, O LORD, and try me; test my soul and my heart. For your mercy is before my eyes, and I walk in your truth.

Not many of us call out for God to search and try us. There is a part of us that would prefer not to be tested. We would rather avoid trials of our faith, hope, or love. We would prefer to steer clear of the sufferings that come along with such ordeals. However, as Christians we cannot shy away from the sacrifices our faith requires of us. We might not want to suffer, but we accept sometimes we must be willing to go through some pain for the glory of God or the good of others. We are able to make such a submission to God’s Will because He has given us an example of selflessness in Jesus. He has also provided us an Advocate in the Holy Spirit who helps us to walk in the truth no matter what might stand in our way.

What do we think God sees in us when He searches our hearts and tests our souls? Will He find goodness, love, and holy righteousness? If He finds weaknesses, then what can we do to overcome our faults and become stronger Christians?

O Lord, search and test us so we might walk in your truth.

Amen.

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? All who see me scoff at me; they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads: “He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him, let him rescue him, if he loves him.”

There are times in our lives when we feel abandoned. Our family, our friends, our neighbors fail us in some great or small way or persecute us in some manner. They mock us... perhaps for our beliefs or our way of life or any number of things. They scoff at us and shake their heads at us. Sometimes we even feel God has left us, but nothing can be further from the truth. He is always with us and if we rely on Him, He will deliver us from our fears, doubts, worries, and foes. He will rescue us because He loves us even to the point of sacrificing His Only Beloved Son for us on the cross.

How can we fight off the feeling of abandonment? What can we do to remind ourselves that God is with us? Are we willing to place our lives in God’s Hands and rely on His saving grace?

O Lord, rescue us.

Amen.

Fifth Sunday of Lent

For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish,  that I may gain Christ and be found in him,  not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Jesus lived, suffered, died, and resurrected for us. He sacrificed everything to bring us salvation. In the eyes of the world, He lost all that he had. And yet, in the eyes of his faithful, He lost nothing. Instead, he gained everything. Should it be any different for us? No, we must also be willing to lose everything in order to do God’s Will. We must consider the world and all it offers us to be so much rubbish. We must strive to be faithful and righteous in a land that is neither. In the end, the only way for us to attain resurrection from the dead is to be willing to die to our passions, our desires, and ourselves.

Are we willing to accept the loss of all things in order to do God’s Will? How can we nourish our faith in Christ so we might grow in righteousness? What can we do to know, love, and serve God and all His children more faithfully?

O Lord, conform us to your death so we might attain the resurrection.

Amen.

Second Friday of Lent

Remember the marvels the Lord has done. When the LORD called down a famine on the land and ruined the crop that sustained them, He sent a man before them, Joseph, sold as a slave.

We all undergo trials and tribulations in our lives. Some challenges come early in life, others later. We never quite understand why they happen to us or where they will lead us. Often, we ask in protest, “Why me?” And yet if our hearts are open to God’s Will, we discover our sufferings have led us to a better place. We must pass through the famine to get to the feast. We must struggle in slavery before we can taste true freedom. We must see ourselves ruined before we rebuild a better life. These painful moments in our lives are not something to fear or shy away from. They are opportunities to join ourselves with the Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Instead of complaining, we should thank God for the difficulties in our lives and ask Him, “What do you want me to learn from this?”

Can we think of any times when we have suffered in some way and it led us to a person, place, or thing that helped us grow as a Christian? How can we unite our suffering with that of Jesus Christ? What can we do to transform our difficulties and challenges into opportunities to grow in faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, you have done marvelous things for us.

Amen.

Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs

Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare. Had not the LORD been with us—when men rose up against us, then would they have swallowed us alive, When their fury was inflamed against us.

Our souls can be ensnared by many things in this world. They can be ensnared by sin, fears, doubts, anxieties, imperfections, financial worries, health scares, the loss of loved ones, persecutions, and many other trials. However, God will always rescue us from these difficulties if we are willing to accept His help. Even when things seem the worst, He can bring about our triumph. There is no challenge He can’t help us overcome. This doesn’t mean we won’t suffer, like Jesus suffered, but it does mean we will always have the graces we need to overcome every obstacle in our lives.

What things in the world are trying to ensnare us? How can we avoid or overcome these things? What can we do to learn to suffer patiently and trust in God’s ultimate triumph?

O Lord, rescue us from the snares of our enemies.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame. There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

No one who is true to the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Christ will ever be put to shame. Even if we suffer for our faith, lose all our worldly goods, or lose our health, we will never be abandoned by God. If we confess Him with our mouths and believe in Him in our hearts, then we will be saved and prosper in the next life. God will justify and save us if we do His Will without complaint or hesitation. He will enrich us with virtues and grace whenever we call upon Him. He will lead us to eternal life if we know, love, and serve Him and all His children to the best of our abilities.

Do we confess God through our thoughts, words, and works? Do we trust God will not allow us to be put to shame? Do we call on the name of God whenever we are in need?

O Lord, we confess and believe in you and your saving graces.

Amen.

Thirty-Third Friday in Ordinary Time

"Take and swallow it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey." I took the small scroll from the angel's hand and swallowed it. In my mouth it was like sweet honey, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. Then someone said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings."

Proclaiming the word of God promises to be both a sweet and sour experience. It is sweet because it brings with it the hope of victory over sin and death, but it is sour because it also promises suffering. Just as Jesus’ life was sweet and sour, so ours will be, too. The sweetness comes from being good and faithful servants, filled with God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace. It is a sweetness that can only be achieved by doing God’s Will without reservation. However, doing what is right can require a great deal of sacrifice from us. We might have to die for what we believe it. Proclaiming the Good News doesn’t always win us friends. It can cause us to be misunderstood and hated. It can turn friends and family into enemies. It can lead to others betraying us, just as Jesus was betrayed. The task God gives to us can bring much sorrow to our lives, but if we trust in Him, then we will discover the sacrifices we are asked to make will be worth it in the end.

Are we willing to do what must be done to proclaim the Good News in our lives? Are we willing to suffer the sourness that can come from choosing to follow God? How can we grow in spiritual sweetness and become good and faithful people?

O Lord, let us eat of the same bread and drink of the same cup as you did in your life.

Amen.