Twenty-Fourth Tuesday in Ordinary Time

I will walk with blameless heart. Of mercy and judgment I will sing; to you, O LORD, I will sing praise. I will persevere in the way of integrity; when will you come to me?

In order for us to have integrity, our every word and work must be aligned with the commandments of God the Father, the teachings of Jesus, and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Before we speak or act, we must ask ourselves, “Is what we are about to do good or holy?” If we can’t answer yes to this question, then we should try to figure out what we could say or do instead that would give glory to God or help others. We should seize every opportunity to know, love, and serve to the best of our abilities. We should strive to preserve our states of grace whenever we are in them and if we are in need of cleansing, then we should seek out confession and make ourselves right with God. We cannot be blameless of heart if we do not seek to be holy in all things great and small. Even our leisure should be a living prayer to our Creator who gave us the chance to not only work in this world, but also rest in it. But our rest should not be meaningless or without thanksgiving. So, let us take time before everything we do and sing praise to the God who has made us and given us the chance to be good and faithful servants.

Is our faith integrated into our daily lives? How can we live in a more perfect union with God? What can we do to make our every word and work into a prayer to the glory or God?

O Lord, help us to live lives of integrity, united with you.

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.

Twenty-Ninth Saturday in Ordinary Time

Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole Body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the Body's growth and builds itself up in love.

Our lives should be spent growing into Christ. We are not perfect like him, but we should strive to be the best versions of ourselves. We might not be the good and faithful servants we are called to be, but we should make every effort to become so. Jesus Christ is our head and our goal. He inspires us through the Holy Spirit and leads us closer to his Heavenly Father so we might become worthy members of His Body. He unites us through love, mercy, and grace and supports us in our hope to become holy. He helps us to fulfill our purpose and build ourselves up. Without Christ in our lives, we have no purpose or function. Our bodies, minds, and hearts wither from abuse, disuse, and indifference. But with Christ, we can become what we were meant to be... the children of God and heirs to His Kingdom.

In what ways are we growing into Jesus? Are there things in our lives that are blocking our growth? How can we become more faithfully united to the Body of Christ and the Will of God?

O Lord, bring about our growth as members of the Body of Christ and build us up in love.

Amen.

Twenty-Ninth Friday in Ordinary Time

I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace; one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Paul urges us all to live in a manner worthy of the call of Christ. It is a calling that emphasizes our oneness in Christ. We are called to be united to our Heavenly Father through the Body and Blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The act of joining our hearts, minds, and spirits to God requires us to trust in Him, to be humble enough to submit our will to His, and to strive to preserve our unity. We are called to faith, hope, and love. We are called to be gentle and patient and bear with one another. We are called to live out our baptismal vocation and imitate Jesus Christ. We are called to be willing to be a prisoner for the Lord and put His Will before ours.

Are we willing to suffer and be imprisoned in order to follow God’s Will? How can we learn to bear with others in patience and mildness? What can we do in our lives to be more united with God and all His children?

O Lord, we wish only to answer the call you’ve given us to be united with you and your children in faith, hope, and love.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi

Oh, would that my words were written down! Would that they were inscribed in a record: That with an iron chisel and with lead they were cut in the rock forever! But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust; Whom I myself shall see: my own eyes, not another's, shall behold him, And from my flesh I shall see God; my inmost being is consumed with longing.

If we are faithful to God, even in times of trouble and suffering, then He will be our Vindicator. He will give us every grace we need to overcome our trials and be victorious in our spiritual lives. Even though we might lose all our worldly goods and companions, if we remain true to Him, then we shall see Him in Heaven for the rest of eternity. Our very being should be consumed with longing for this union with Him. Our every thought, word, and work should have God as their source, center, and summit in God. They should all be leading us closer and closer to eternal life with Him.

Are our lives consumed with longing to be with God forever and ever? How can we be more faithful to God in times of trial as well as times of plenty? In what ways can we live our lives so our every thought, word, and work will lead us closer to eternal life?

O Lord, make our hearts into tablets inscribed with your Living Word.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

It requires a great deal of faith, hope, and love to remain united to God and to His children. There are so many things in the world that seek to divide us... gender, race, ideology, income, health, and lifestyles... just to name a few. Sometimes we are drawn away from each other by these various differences. We come to see our point of view as the best and are tempted to act holier than thou. However, this sort of attitude comes from the vice of pride and can lead us to destruction just as easily as the other extreme, which is to think we are the worst of people with no hope for a better life. This is why it is so important to cultivate a spirit of humility. So, we trust in God’s Plan no matter how good or bad our current lives might seem. We also must strive to be gentle and patient with one another through love so no matter how we might feel we will always be united together through the Holy Spirit. The goal of our lives is not worldly success, but rather unity in one Lord, one faith, and one baptism so one day we will be blessed to spend the rest of eternity with our one Heavenly Father.

Are we united with God as we ought to be? How can we become better united with others, especially those whom are most difficult for us to love? What can we do to bring people together in our faith?

O Lord, we wish to be united in you now and forevermore.

Amen.

Ninth Thursday in Ordinary Time

If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

As a follower of Christ, we have to be willing to die to ourselves. We need to be able to detach our minds, hearts, souls, and strengths from all worldly people, places, and things. God, and God alone, must be our foundation stone. We must live for Him... to know, love, and serve Him with all our being. The world will throw all sorts of distractions in our way and it is up to us to step over these stumbling blocks and continue upon the narrow way to Heaven. We might not always succeed, but as long as we sincerely try to live with Him in all things, then He shall remain faithful to us and help us to grow in virtue and holiness.

What are some things we need to die to in this life? How can we learn to die to these things and live more perfectly in Jesus Christ? In what ways can we foster the spirit of detachment we need in order to live in the world, but not be consumed by it.

O Lord, help us to detach ourselves from the world and unite ourselves to you.

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.

The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.

Walking the Way of Jesus, living his Life, and following his Truth are not always easy to do. In fact, they are very hard, but if we want to be truly perfect and holy, then we have to keep the Word of God and His teachings even when it is most difficult to do so. If we fail to do so, then we become liars and hypocrites. Christ’s footsteps will lead us along many paths and not all of them will be trouble-free. Some of the ways we will walk will demand sacrifices from us. Others will test our virtues. There will be obstacles we will need to overcome at great cost to ourselves. If we really want to know Christ, then we must we willing to walk beside him on the road to Calvary, suffer for him, die for him, and hand over our spirits to him to do with as God wills.

Are we willing to walk the Way of Christ no matter the suffering that might come from doing so? How can we more faithfully keep all of God’s commandments?  How can we be more perfectly united to God... our Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

O Lord, help us to walk just as you walked.

Amen.

Thirty-First Tuesday of Ordinary Time

We, though many, are one Body in Christ and individually parts of one another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them: if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others, with diligence; if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

We all have roles to play in life. We each have gifts and talents that we’ve been given by God in order to accomplish His Divine Will on earth. We reflect different aspects of the Body of Christ through our thoughts, words, and works. We make manifest God through our actions, great and small. Whether it is proclaiming the Good News, ministering to the needs of others, teaching, or acting with charity and mercy towards others… we all are called to be God-bearers and do our best to make Him known, loved, and served.

Are we acting in accordance with our belief that we are all part of the one body in Christ? Are we putting our gifts and talents to good and holy use? What can we do to manifest God into every situation, great or small?

O Lord, make us into good and fruitful members of your one, Body.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

God wants us to be one with Him and all His children. He wants us to be united in our one faith through one baptism, living in a manner worthy of the call to be Christ-like. He wants us to be united in our humility before Him and gentleness with each other. He wants us to be united in patience and love and strive to live in peace with one another. It is through the One Body of Christ and the One Holy Spirit that we are united with our One Heavenly Father and our spiritual brothers and sisters. It is through our confession of one faith, our experience of one baptism, and our shared communion with God and each other that we are united in one Holy Family. And it is in this unity we find our fulfillment not only as unique individuals, but as one living Body of Christ.

Are we united to God and others in our faith lives? How can we become more unified with our faith community? What can we do in our lives to bring people together in the one Body and Spirit of our God?

O Lord, unite us.

Amen.

Fifth Thursday of Lent

I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.” God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

Our relationship with God is covenantal. It is a solemn agreement to accept God as our Heavenly Father, Sibling Savior, and Holy Spirit and to know, love, and serve Him and His children with all our being. In return for this, God promises to love us as His sons and daughters and protect us from evil. He promises to teach us the truth, show us the way, and lead us to life everlasting. He promises to enkindle the fires of our hearts, to inspire us, and lead us to holiness. We are His children and He is our Heavenly Father. We are His brothers and sisters and He is our Sibling Savior. We are His spiritual spouses and He is our Holy Spirit. Together we can do all things. Together we can move mountains and give light to the whole world.

Have we accepted God as our Heavenly Father, Sibling Savior, and Spiritual Spouse? How can we keep God’s covenant ever in our hearts and minds? What can we do to show God that we want to be united to Him through the New Covenant?

O Lord, we shall keep your covenant throughout our lives.

Amen.

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

Our faith is bookended by the two comings of Christ. At the beginning is Jesus’ incarnation, which we celebrate at Christmas. It was the moment in time when God came down from heaven and became one of us. At the end of time, Jesus will come a second time, but instead of the focus being on him entering our world, it will be upon us entering into salvation. The second coming is what we pray for during mass and it is what we hope for with all our hearts, because the second coming will unite us with God in a joyful feast that will last forever and ever. Our faith is one of past, present, and future. It looks to the past for guidance from the Word Made Flesh. It is grounded in the present in the celebration of the Mass and the sacraments. And it gazes into the future with anticipation of the second coming and the fulfillment of our destiny to be ruled by Christ our King and Savior.

What can we learn from Jesus’ life that will help us to live holier lives? How can we celebrate God’s love for us today, tomorrow, and all the days that remain to us? Do we pray with all our hearts for the second coming of Jesus and look forward to what it will be like to remain in the presence of God forever and ever?

O Lord, take away our sins and bring salvation to us.

Amen.

The Baptism of the Lord

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

Jesus’ baptism unites him with us. It is through it that Christ identifies himself with sinners and takes the next step in the story of salvation. And like him, when we are baptized, we are prepared for our ministry through the Holy Spirit and proclaimed the children of God. Of course, we might not feel worthy of what we are being asked to do in this life, but God often asks us to move out of our comfort zone in order to serve Him. He asks us to set aside our feelings of inadequacy and do His Will because it is part of His Plan for the salvation of souls. This leap of faith can be great or small, but no matter what it is, we will need to jump or miss out on a chance to show God that we love Him more than life itself.

How do we unite ourselves to Jesus? How can we overcome our sense of unworthiness and do God’s Will in spite of our anxieties? In what ways do our lives fulfill all righteousness and further God’s Plan for the salvation of souls?

O Lord, may our lives be spent fulfilling our baptismal promises and lead to the salvation of souls.

Amen.

The Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

Many families are divided. The world encourages us to pick it over faith and many people make that choice. They decide to pursue their own earthly interests and set aside everything else including their parents, siblings, and friends. In this way, our faith can cost us many relationships. It can put strains on our family bonds, but God reminds us in this moment that He did not come to bring unity to the world, but rather division. It is a division that will make clear to Him where we stand… with Him or against Him. There is no middle ground in this. We are either all the way His or all the way the worlds. We are either willing to leave everything behind and follow Him or we put our families, friends, passions, or desires first.

Who or what comes first in our lives? Are we willing to be divided from those we love, but disagree with on faith? How can we more faithfully choose to live united with God above all else?

O Lord, may we always be united with you.

Amen.