Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

You are God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ.

We are God’s building. We are His Church and Temple. We are all parts of one dwelling. We all serve a purpose. We are all founded in one faith, one baptism, for one God. We are united in the Body of Christ which is manifested through us. We are builders, too, of faith, hope, and love. We add onto the Church through our thoughts, words, and works and as such we must take our responsibilities seriously. We must be careful to build upon the foundation of Christ and not upon anything else. We must add onto the Church through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We must not damage or distort what God has constructed for us. We must be vigilant in the defense of the Scriptures and the Traditions of the Church, while still being open to growing His Temple in new and sanctifying directions.

Do we take care of God’s Temple within our souls? In what ways do we build up the Church? Are our spiritual foundations rooted in Jesus Christ?

O Lord, we are your building, do with us what you will.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Friday in Ordinary Time

Lord, teach me your statutes. Teach me wisdom and knowledge, for in your commands I trust.

God has given us commandments for a reason. He has provided the Scriptures for a purpose. He has provided us a Church and its Traditions for an end. They are there to teach us wisdom and knowledge. They are there to show us the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They give us an example to follow as Christians so we might bear God into the world around us and produce good fruits. If we ignore or deny any of these, we do great harm to ourselves. We uproot our lives and leave them to wither from apathy and rot from sin. It is only by keeping the commandments, living the Scriptural teachings of Christ, and accepting the Traditions of the Church that we can achieve our full potential as servants of God and become the saints we are called to be. So, let us do so willingly and faithfully and live up to our baptismal vocation to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and others as God loves them.

Do we follow God’s statutes? Are we cultivating lives of holy wisdom and knowledge? How can we become more faithful to God’s commandments, Scriptures, and Church?

O Lord, teach us wisdom and knowledge.

Amen.

Twenty-Fifth Tuesday in Ordinary Time

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. According to the decree for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. In it are set up judgment seats, seats for the house of David.

We should all go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. We should seek out our parishes and spend time in our churches not merely out of obligation, but because we want to be there. Although we might commune with God in many ways, such as prayer, meditation, and spiritual readings, we can only experience the true and full presence of God in the Eucharistic feast and in Adoration. When we partake in the Body and Blood of Jesus, we unite ourselves body and soul to God in a way we cannot achieve on our own. When we dwell in the presence of the monstrance that holds the Body of Christ, we make ourselves present to God in a way we cannot do anywhere else in this world. So, let us go to Mass and to our parishes and take advantage of the presence of God who waits for us there in a special and sanctifying way.

Do we go to church on Sundays? Do we go joyfully? Can we make time to go to church during the week for daily mass and times of Adoration?

O Lord, we give you thanks for your presence in our lives.

Amen.

Nineteenth Tuesday in Ordinary Time

The portion of the Lord is his people. For I will sing the LORD’s renown. Oh, proclaim the greatness of our God! The Rock–how faultless are his deeds, how right all his ways!

We should indeed sing the Lord’s renown for not only what He has done throughout the ages, but also what He has done for us. We are merely specks in the grand scheme of His Divine Plan and yet He has become our Heavenly Father, sacrificed His Beloved Son for us, and given us His Holy Spirit. There is nothing on earth, under the seas, or in the skies that can satisfy us more profoundly and completely than God. He is righteous and good and loving beyond all expectations. He is the rock of our salvation and it is upon Him that we should all build our lives.

Do we understand what it means to be part of God’s Holy Family through the Church? In what ways do we proclaim the greatness of our Heavenly Father? How can we imitate Him and all His righteous ways?

O Lord, we will sign of your renown and greatness all the days of our lives.

Amen.

Seventeenth Friday of Ordinary Time

Sing with joy to God our help. Take up a melody, and sound the timbrel, the pleasant harp and the lyre. Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast.

Feast days like Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, and Corpus Christi are celebrated in memory of important events in the Life of Christ and our Church’s History. They are meant to remind us of our spiritual roots and give us a foretaste of the endless joy that is promised to all of God’s good and faithful servants. Of course, there are many more feast days than we probably realize. There are feasts for the Blessed Virgin, Mary, for various Saints and Martyrs, and even all the angels in Heaven. We would do well to remember these days as we go through our daily lives and join in the feasts that make up or faith. After all, we are part of a Church that exists beyond just the earth, but stretches through Purgatory and into Heaven. So, let us join in the songs of the saints and sing in thanksgiving for Our Heavenly Father, who wants us to feast with Him forever and ever.

Do we keep aware of the feast days of the Church? Do we celebrate them as we should? What can we do to be more in tune with the choir of saints, who has gone before us?

O Lord, we sing with joy to you, our help.

Amen.

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Christ Jesus 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.

We were all created through and for Jesus. We were created through Him because He is the Word of God made flesh and it was from his mouth that we came into being as a race and as individuals. Each and every one of us is a member of His Spiritual Body. And we all have an important role to play in salvation. Some of us are called to be the mind of the Church, others its heart, still others its hands. Some are called to be eyes, others ears, and a few of us are called to be the mouths of God. We are also created for Jesus because all of us are asked by God to think, speak, and do all things for Him. Our time, talents, and treasures are supposed to be put to His Good Use, not ours. When we are united to God in this way, we become manifestations of Him, reflecting His Divine Image for all the world to see and glorify.

How do we embody the image of God? What can we do to be better images of Jesus Christ? What is God calling us to be as part of His Spiritual Body?

O Lord, may your image always be reflected in us.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle

Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Jesus Christ holds us together as Christians and human beings. He is what binds us to be loving and respectful to one another no matter the differences between us. He showed us time after time how he has called all men and women to become his disciples. He reminds us again and again that each of us has a role to play in God’s Divine Plan. We are not all the same, but we do fit together when we choose to be a part of His Spiritual Body, the Church. It is through the teachings and traditions of the Church that we are bound together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit, each in his or her own unique way. So, let us each allow ourselves to be placed where we are needed in the Church so it might be a strong, holy, and united family.

What role is God calling me to take up in His Holy Church? How can we fulfill this vocation with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths? How can we help others to fit into the Body of Christ, too?

O Lord, build us into a living and united temple sacred to you.

Amen.

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, “Get up quickly.” The chains fell from his wrists. The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”

Although we might not be physically imprisoned like Peter, we are at times held captive by our doubts, fears, and sins. We can become chained by these things and paralyzed in our pursuit of holiness. Thankfully, God has given each of us a guardian angel to watch over us and help us when we are weak or in trouble. He has also given us the Good News to inspire us with hope and the Church to unbind us through the sacraments. He has provided us with every means of escape from our selfishness and our worries and our sins. We have only to get up quickly, put on our belts, sandals, and cloaks... and follow Him to release and salvation.

What are the things in our lives that are imprisoning us? Have we sought out God’s help in escaping from these things? Once we are free, what can we do to free others?

O Lord, we are willing to get up quickly and follow you to the ends of the earth.

Amen.

Fifth Wednesday of Easter

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Jerusalem, built as a city with compact unity. To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD.

Like the city of Jerusalem, we are built with compact unity. We are united with God through His Scriptures and the Traditions of the Church He left for us. We are united with His children through the brotherhood of Jesus Christ. We are walled around with the protection of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace. It is with Him that we are fulfilled and in Him that we find our source, center, and summit. With Him on our side, all things are possible. We should rejoice at this thought and be thankful for all God has done to keep us united with Him in body, mind, and spirit. Hopefully, we do the same for those whom we meet.

Are we united with God as we should be? Are we united with our brothers and sisters in Christ? How can we fulfill our calling to be one with our Lord and God?

O Lord, build up the unity of your Church through us.

Amen.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.

God’s words to us through the Scriptures and the Church are spirit and life-giving. They refresh our souls with their grace. They nourish our lives with their wisdom. If we trust in them, we will never be disappointed or misled. The Word Made Flesh came to help us to become living words of God, to prefect us in spirit, and to enlighten us in the Way, the Truth, and the Life we are all called to follow. As Christians, we are given the responsibility to become the Word of God for others and so let us proclaim the Good News in all things, at all times, to all peoples.

Do we listen to the word of God? Are we willing to let His Wisdom guide us? How do we bring God’s word into the world in our own lives?

O Lord, refresh our souls with your Divine Word.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. I rejoiced because they said to me, "We will go up to the house of the LORD." And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem.

When we go to mass or to any gathering of the faithful, we should go rejoicing. We should put aside all our worldly doubts, fears, and anxieties and focus on being with God. Often, we are beset by distractions in our lives and may be tempted to give them our attention, but we should offer all these up to God and use them as stepping stones to mediation and contemplation of God. This transforms what could lead us astray into something that leads us closer to God. So, when we step through the doors of our church, let us leave behind the world and all its empty worries and instead dedicate ourselves to a deeper participation in the mass and all our church's gatherings.

How can we prepare ourselves to go to church? What can we do to transform our worldly worries into spiritual opportunities for deepening our faith? How can we participate more fully in the mass and in the various spiritual gatherings at our church?

O Lord, let us go rejoicing to your house.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr

Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ for the sake of the faith of God's chosen ones and the recognition of religious truth, in the hope of eternal life that God, who does not lie, promised before time began, who indeed at the proper time revealed his word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted by the command of God our savior, to Titus, my true child in our common faith: grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

God doesn’t lie. Every word expressed in the Bible and through the Doctrines of the Church is Truth with a capital T. The words spoken by Christ should be the bedrock of our every thought, word, and work. They are meant to lead us along the Way of Jesus and to a eternal Life with the Holy Trinity in Heaven. The Scriptures and the Church should give us constant hope that one day we will overcome all the obstacles in the way of our faith and become good and faithful servants.

Do we accept the Bible as Truth? What about the doctrines of the Church? How can we allow ourselves to be more fully immersed in the Truth so that we can walk the Way and live the Life of Christ, too?

O Lord, help us to trust in you.

Amen.

Thirtieth Tuesday in Ordinary Time

He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the Church, because we are members of his Body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church. In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband.

We are loved by God as His own flesh. Just as the Son is loved by Him, so are we. He loves each of us through the Holy Spirit as a husband loves his wife. He loved us so much, He sent His Beloved Son to us... to teach us and sacrifice himself for us so we might be united to Him. God has made us part of His Holy Family through Christ and the Church and we in turn should act accordingly. We should put our trust in Him and love Him without reservation. We should seek to do His Will and bring others into our spiritual family. We should be afraid of doing anything that might disappoint God or harm our relationship with Him. After all, we are His children and should glorify, honor, and praise Him with every thought, word, and work of our lives.

Have we united ourselves to God like husband and wife? Have we aligned our thoughts, words, and works with His? How can we become more perfect members of His Body?

O Lord, we love you and wish to be joined to you as one in body, mind, and spirit.

Amen.

Twenty-Fourth Tuesday in Ordinary Time

Now you are Christ's Body, and individually parts of it. Some people God has designated in the Church to be, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. Are all Apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

We are each given unique graces, gifts, and talents by God. We are given these things in order to fulfill His Will, give Him glory, and help those in need. Some of us are called to speak prophetically, announcing the Good News to others and proclaiming the Word. Others are asked by God to undertake mighty deeds to reveal His power to the world and help others. We are also called to healing, assistance, administration, communication, and various other vocations. Not everyone has the same gifts, but we all have the same purpose... to know, love, and serve God and His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. So, let us take what gifts we’ve been given and do with them as God wills so we might build up the Body of Christ.

What graces, gifts, and talents has God given us? How can we put them to good use? What can we do to build up the Body of Christ through our thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, give us the wisdom and will to use the gifts you’ve given us to strengthen the Church and all of God’s children.

Amen.

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

St. Paul gives us an evocative comparison between the relationship of Christ and the Church and a husband and wife. It is an image we all would do well to keep in mind. We are all members of the Body of Christ, of the Church, with Jesus as our Head. He gives us direction and purpose, while we do God’s Will through our thoughts, words, and works. We are Jesus’ hands and feet… his way to interact with the world. This is why we are called to be submissive to him. Not because he wants to rob us of our free will, but because he wants to show us how to fulfill our free will through acts of goodness. He is devoted to us and wants what is best for us and this is why he asks for us to listen to him and follow his lead. He only asks us to do what is right and avoid what is wrong because he loves us and doesn’t want us to distance ourselves from him via sin and selfishness. He wants to be one flesh with us all... united forever.

Are we acting like the spouses of Christ? Are we living up to our responsibilities as members of Christ’s Body? How can we become better followers of Jesus?

O Lord, we wish only to be one flesh, one heart, and one spirit with you.

Amen.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it. He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was meant to unite all people by offering forgiveness to all. For Jesus, it didn’t matter who they were, where they were born, or what religion they believed in before he preached to them. What mattered was they followed the Way, listened to the Truth, and lived the Life of a Christian. By doing so, all his disciples were united to each other in One Body through the sacraments and the one, holy, and apostolic Church. He wished by his death on the cross to bring all people into peace and harmony with each other... a wish we all should share and strive toward as best we can in a flawed and divisive world. Thankfully, with God on our side, we can cast down the walls of prejudice, anger, and selfishness that rise up to keep us apart from one another. For it is when these walls are broken down that we are freed from the prisons of our egos and hatreds.

What are we doing to bring people together in Christ? How can we unite people in our faith? In what ways can we become peace-makers?

O Lord, break down the walls that separate us from you and each other.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, as well as by the Apostles and the presbyters, and they reported what God had done with them. But some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Mosaic law." The Apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.

The particulars of our faith haven't always been set in stone. Many generations of Christians contemplated, discussed, and debated every detail. No one man or woman could have interpreted, comprehended, or proclaimed the completeness of our faith. Instead, the collective wisdom of the Church of believers, guided by the Holy Spirit, let the Wisdom of God think, speak, and work through them to form our faith from our decision to accept the Gentiles to our belief in Jesus as both God and man. None of these were easy decisions, but we believe they were inspired by God and as such they have become part of our traditions and doctrines. We would do well to remember that our faith has 2,000 years worth of thought behind it and we shouldn't be some presumptuous to believe we know better than all the great minds who came before us. Sometimes our faith requires us to believe first and then seek to understand.

Do we put our faith in the teachings and traditions of the Church above our own beliefs? How can we humble ourselves so we can seek understanding of our Church's doctrines? Are we willing to trust that the Holy Spirit is at work in our Church and that in the end everything shall lead to a greater good and a deeper understanding of our faith?

O Lord, we trust in you and your Church on earth.

Amen.

Third Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. When he finished making these offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. He then distributed among all the people, to each man and each woman in the entire multitude of Israel, a loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat, and a raisin cake. With this, all the people left for their homes.

As Christians, our lives are full of sacrifices and blessings. We are all asked to offer our thoughts, words, and works to God for his praise and glory. We are all asked to be blessings to those whom we meet each day. We are all asked to share our time, talents, and treasures with those in need of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace. Together, we partake of one, unifying meal made of the Body and Blood of Christ. Through this feast we are united into one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church. Sacrifice and blessing go hand-in-hand in our faith. Jesus died on the cross to bless us and we should be willing to die to ourselves in order to be a blessing for others.

What offerings do we have to give to the Lord? How can we become a blessing to others? In what ways can we unite with others in our faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, we offer you everything.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

"Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal.

The Church is the Bride of Christ and the wife of the Lamb. This relationship with God is mirrored in Mary, who is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Both Church and Mary have given their fiat to God. They have magnified Him, rejoiced in Him, and proclaimed Him through their thoughts, words, and works. Mary prefigures the Church. She is the model upon which the Church is formed. Her virtues are the virtues of the Church, her sacrifices are the sacrifices of the Church. It is through Mary that the Word was made Flesh and Jesus Christ was brought into the world. It is through the Church that the Eucharistic Feast is celebrated and Jesus Christ is made present to us today. Just as Mary gave her life completely to knowing, loving, and serving God, so too has the Church throughout the ages. Just as Mary was infallible in her faith, so too the doctrines of the Church are infallible, even though individuals within the Church are not. As Mary is the Seat of Wisdom who will never fail us, so too the collected Wisdom of the Church is something that cannot fail. Mary and the Church both guide us toward Christ in their own ways and we would do well to follow their lead.

Do we ask Mary for her help and guidance? Do we seek out the wisdom of the Church when we are in difficulty or doubt? How can we become more like Mary and the Church in our faith lives?

O Lord, guide us through Mary and the Church to your Divine Wisdom.

Amen.

Sixteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, “All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do.” Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words of his.”

God has given us everything we need to fulfill our end of the New Covenant, just as He gave the Israelites what they needed to fulfill the Old Covenant. He has given us the Scriptures to guide us and the Church to shepherd us. He has given us His Beloved Son as a sacrifice and sign of His Covenant with us. In return, He asks for our faith in His commandments and teachings. He asks us to place our trust in Him and not the world or ourselves. He asks us to love Him and others as He loves us. The Passion and Death of Jesus sealed the New Covenant with the Body and Blood of Christ and we in turn seal our end by following the Scriptures and traditions of the Church, especially when we make present Jesus’ sacrifice when we partake in the Blessed Sacrament.

Are we thankful for all God has given us through the New Covenant? Are we living up to our end of the bargain? How can we live more covenantal lives?

O Lord, everything you have said we will heed and do.

Amen.