First Sunday of Advent

I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God has bestowed on us many graces throughout our lives. We might not notice them. We may take them for granted. Or we may even turn our backs on them, but they are always within our reach. All we have to do is accept them, use them wisely and well, and give God thanks for all His help. If we welcome God’s Grace into our hearts, then He will enrich us in every way with virtues, holiness, works of charity and mercy, and spiritual rewards. He will make us into saints fashioned in the likeness of Jesus, our Lord and King.

What graces has God given us? Do we give Him glory, praise, and thanksgiving for all He has done for us? How can we more perfectly put to use the physical, mental, and spiritual graces God has provided us?

O Lord, keep us firm in our faith to the end.

Amen.

Twenty-Fifth Saturday in Ordinary Time

The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock. The LORD shall ransom Jacob, he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion, they shall come streaming to the LORD’s blessings.

God died for us through His Beloved Son to ransom us from sin and death. He sacrificed Himself for us, even though we are sinners and sometimes turn our backs on Him. He offered Himself once and for all. And the only thing we have to do is accept this truth and live our lives in accordance with God’s commandments. If we do this, then God will not only guard us from our foes, but raise us to Heaven as His beloved children and heirs to His Kingdom. He shall protect us from the wickedness and snares of the Devil and all his minions. He shall pour out His grace and blessings upon us and make us into a holy people, full of love, mercy, and joy.

Do we call upon our Shepherd to guard us from temptations and evil? Do we give thanks to God for ransoming us from sin and death? How can we make God’s Goodness known to all whom we meet?

O Lord, we thank you for ransoming us from sin and death.

Amen.

Sixteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

The Lord gave them bread from heaven. They tempted God in their hearts by demanding the food they craved. Yes, they spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the desert?”

Nothing is impossible for God. No matter how dire our situation might seem, He always will be able to save us, if we let Him. There are many who complain that God doesn’t do enough for them or asks too much of them. However, when we consider what God has given us, we should have no other response, but “What is your will, O Lord?” God has given everyone the Bread of Life through Jesus Christ and no matter what temptations might come that try to convince us God owes us anything else, He doesn’t. Everything He provides us is a gift and we should appreciate and respect that truth. And we do this best by loving God with all our minds, hearts, souls, and strengths and trusting He will lead us through the desert of this life and into the Promised Land of the next.

When we are going through a spiritual dry spell, do we seek out the nourishment of the Blessed Sacrament? How can we avoid becoming complainers and instead trust in God’s Divine Plan? How often do we stop and ask God what He wants us to think, say, or do?

O Lord, thank you for the Bread of Life.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory. I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior. He is my God, I praise him; the God of my father, I extol him.

God doesn’t need us to give Him glory. He already is glorious beyond anything we can add. However, the glory we give to God is entirely for our benefit as it reminds us who our lives should be dedicated to. We sing God’s praises, not because He needs them, but because they put us in the right state of mind to know, love, and serve Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. God is and always will be triumphant over evil. He doesn’t need us to win the day, but when our virtues triumph over our vices, He is glad for us. He is our strength and courage when we ask for them. He is our salvation when we need it most. He is our God and Father and will always be with us and that is why we extol Him.

In what ways can we give glory to God and praise Him? Do we depend upon Him for our strength and courage? How can we thank Him for being such a good and loving savior?

O Lord, we sing to you and pray that you will help us to be triumphant over all evil.

Amen.

Eleventh Saturday of Ordinary Time

Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

God is constantly providing us with the chance to taste and see how good He is. He does this every day through the sacrifice of the Mass where we can share in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. He has given us the other sacraments as blessings, too. Baptism gives us the purifying waters that wash clean and nourish our souls. Reconciliation allows us to root out the evils and imperfections inside us so more of God’s Grace can enter into our hearts and feed our spirits. Confirmation renews our baptismal promises and lets the Holy Spirit supply us with all the inspirations and guidance we need to grow as Christians. The Anointing of the Sick helps to heal us, if not physically, at least spiritually, so we can be strong for whatever trials and difficulties come our way during illness or injury. The other sacraments of Marriage and Ordination prepare us to serve others and help them prosper in faith, hope, and love, either as spouse or as priest or deacon. So, let us taste and see the goodness of the Lord through these sacraments and all the ways God reaches into our lives as the caretaker of the vines of our faith.

Do we make good and frequent use of the sacraments? When we do, do we prepare ourselves appropriately? How can we thank God for all the good things He has done for us?

O Lord, help us to taste and see your goodness and to bear good fruits.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious

From all their distress God rescues the just. I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad.

God will rescue us if we are just and good. He will not abandon us in our times of need. Nor will He forget what we have done for Him and His children. He will bless us with every grace we need to become the best Christians we can be. He will guide us through the Holy Spirit to lives of imitation of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. He will protect us from evil and save us from the fires of Hell. He will listen to us and give us what is best for us.

Do we thank God for all He has done to rescue us from sin and evil? Do we bless and praise Him as we should? What can we do to let our souls glory in the Lord?

O Lord, rescue us from our distress.

Amen.

Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds.

There are many things in this world that can distract us from seeking the Lord. Pride can keep us from doing God’s Will above our own. Envy can poison our relationships with others. Anger can cause us to seek revenge instead of mercy and forgiveness. Greed can distract us from spiritual goods in favor of material ones. Lust can lead us to abuse and use ourselves and others for pleasure. Gluttony can cause us to gorge ourselves on things that are not of God. Sloth can lure us into a spiritual sleep where indifference and apathy overcome our call to service to others. With all these vices constantly calling out to us, it can be hard to hear the voice of the Lord. However, if we seek Him out each day in prayer and meditation upon the mysteries of our faith, then we will know God and be able to proclaim His wondrous deeds to all the nations.

Do we spend our days seeking the Lord or worldly things? Are we living our lives in such a way as to give thanks to God? How do we proclaim His wondrous deeds among the nations?

O Lord, help our hearts to always seek you.

Amen.

Fifth Thursday of Lent

The Lord remembers his covenant forever. Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.

There are many reasons to look at the Lord and seek to serve Him constantly. He is our Heavenly Father, who created us and now protects us for evil. He is our Beloved Brother, who showed us the Way, the Truth, and the Life and wants only to lead us to salvation. He is our Holy Advocate, who inspires us to do the right thing and helps us be the best versions of ourselves. He is true to His Word and has adopted us as His children. He loves us. He is merciful toward us. He pours out His graces upon us. He has wrought wondrous deeds for us, but He has also wrought small miracles in our lives that we won’t really know about until they are revealed in the next life. He has given us every guidance along the way so we might not be lost to the world, but walk the narrow path to heaven. Let us hope we will devotedly follow Him so that one day we will be called His good and faithful servants.

Are we serving God constantly in all our thoughts, our words, and our works? Do we seek Him as we ought? How can we recall and give thanks for all His wondrous deeds?

O Lord, we look to you in your strength and strive to serve you constantly.

Amen.