Tuesday in the Octave of Easter

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy. He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.

God loves the goodness for He is good. God loves the righteous for He is upright. God loves justice for He is just. God loves kindness for He is kind. God loves the faithful for He is the Way. God loves the trustworthy for He is the Truth. God loves the joyful for He is the Life. In Him is the fullness of existence and redemption. We will never be disappointed if we remain by His side and allow Him to lead us where we need to go and inspire us to do what must be done.

Do we see the goodness of the world God created? How can we magnify that goodness and lead others to a closer relationship with our Creator? How can we embody all the virtues that have their source, center, and summit in our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, the earth is full of your goodness.

Amen.

The Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.

Each and every day we are given chances, great and small, to prove out trustworthiness as Disciples of Christ. However, we always have a choice. We can choose to follow our own ways, to use our time, talents, and treasures for personal gain or gratification. Or we can choose to use them for the glory of God and the good of others. In the end, we cannot serve both God and mammon. We either love ourselves and the world more than God or love God more than anything else.

Are we trustworthy in small matters of faith? If not, then how can we become more trustworthy? How can we open our eyes to the opportunities we are granted to do good in this world rather than evil?

O Lord, we are your servants and no one else's.

Amen.

Thirty-First Saturday of Ordinary Time

“I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Jesus tells his followers to make friends with dishonest wealth so that when it fails them they will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. This message reinforces Jesus’ teaching that we should renounce worldly possessions in favor of heavenly ones. In the end, the dishonest wealth of the world will fail us all. However, if we cannot be honest in our dealings with worldly things, then how can we hope to be trustworthy with the true wealth of Jesus’ Good News? This is why Jesus tells his disciples to make friends of dishonest wealth. He is not telling them to be dishonest in seeking wealth, but rather to learn how to be honest in their worldly dealings so that those dealings do not lead them astray.

Are we trustworthy in worldly things? What about heavenly ones? Are we able to renounce our worldly possessions in favor of our heavenly ones?

O Lord, we only wish to serve you.

Amen.