Second Thursday of Lent

Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. He is like a tree planted near running water, That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers.

If we want to prosper spiritually, then we have to prepare our souls to be good soil for the Word of God. We have to clear away the debris that doesn’t belong. We have to till the dirt so that it welcomes the seeds of faith. We must plant our fields near the running water of hope. We have to tend the vineyards and orchards of our souls with love. We have to protect ourselves from the wickedness and snares of the Devil. We have to uproot the weeds of weakness, imperfection, indifference, and worldliness that try to choke off our growth. If we do all these things, then when the time of harvest comes, our souls will produce good and abundant fruits.

How can we place our hope more firmly in the Lord? What are we doing to prepare the vineyards and orchards of our souls to bear much fruit? How can we protect ourselves for those things that would destroy our faith?

O Lord, work within our souls so they might prosper.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Wednesday in Ordinary Time

What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor. For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field, God's building.

Our faith was planted and watered by others, but in the end, it is God who causes it to grow. Our beliefs can’t be founded on others. We do not belong spiritually to a particular person no matter how much they have helped us in our faith. Our mothers, fathers, friends, priests, and others might have played an important role in our spiritual journey, but we do not belong to them. Instead, their examples should show us we belong to God. In this way, if they fail us in some way it doesn’t affect our relationship with God.

In what ways has our faith grown over the years? How can we make our hearts and minds more fertile ground for spiritual growth? How can we help to grow the faith of others?

O Lord, we are your field help us to grow in faith and yield abundant fruit.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest

With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you. Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin Israel; Carrying your festive tambourines, you shall go forth dancing with the merrymakers. Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; those who plant them shall enjoy the fruits.

Once restored from our sinful lives, we must do everything within our powers to retain our purity of body, mind, and spirit. This isn't always easy in today's world where we are constantly bombarded by words and images that tempt us to sin or revel in evil. However, if we are on guard against the world, then we will remain good and virtuous. We will be merry no matter the trials that come and plant the seeds of faith, hope, and love wherever we go. And in the end, if we are patient and humble, we shall produce good fruit for God and others to
enjoy.

What are we doing to retain our purity of faith, hope, and love? How can we strengthen these virtues? In what ways can we tend the vineyards of our souls and the souls of others so they bear good fruit?

O Lord, your love sustains and nourishes us so that we can produce good fruits.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.' They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.  What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?" They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times."

We might see the murderous tenants and wonder how they could do what they did, but in some ways whenever we sin we throw Jesus out of the vineyards of our souls and when we commit a mortal sin we kill our relationship with Jesus. We might not beat him or nail him to the cross with our own hands, but we join his persecutors in crucifying him at least spiritually. This is why it is so important for us to avoid sin and to remember who we are ultimately answerable to in our lives. Nothing we do is hidden. There is no sin we can hide from God and He knows exactly when and why we throw Him out of our lives and add to his sufferings on the cross. And so, let us not be like the wretched men who crucified our Lord, but rather let us be like the good and faithful servants who give God the good fruits of our lives at the proper times. Then, and only then, can we become co-heirs with Christ and inherit the Heavenly Kingdom.

In what ways do we disrespect God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? How can we live more faithful lives to the Holy Trinity? What can we do to welcome Jesus into the vineyards of our souls and allow him to show us how to bear good fruits?

O Lord, we give you the produce of our lives. Do with them what you will.

Amen.

Twentieth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ So they went off.  And he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’

No matter when we come to Jesus, we will be welcomed. Some of us may have labored in the vineyard of souls since we first understood what it meant to know, love, and serve God and His children. Some of us may have just begun to do God's Will after many years of idleness. Others of us might struggle our entire lives with conforming our wills to God. However, in the eyes of God, all that really matters is that we accept His invitation to follow Him into the vineyard and do the work He assigns us. If we do this, then no matter when or how we came to work for God, we will be rewarded with eternal life. This is not to say that we can act immorally for all of our lives and then at the last moment seek forgiveness for our sins as a get out of jail free card. This will never work. The only way we can be fruitfully employed by God is to seek Him with truly contrite hearts and then do His Will in good conscience. Then and only then can we consider ourselves co-workers in the vineyard of souls and heirs to the kingdom.

Are we seeking to be employed in the vineyard of souls? What sins and imperfections do we need to overcome in order to do God's Will more perfectly? Are we serving God and others because it is the right thing to do or because we expect something in return?

O Lord, lead us into your vineyard and give us a just wage for all the works we do therein.

Amen.

Fourteenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest."

We are all called to be laborers in the vineyard of souls. We do this best when we imitate Jesus by teaching the faith to others, proclaiming the Gospel with our words and works, and taking pity on those in most need of God’s Love and Mercy. Doing all of these things means being willing to sacrifice our time, talents, and treasures to know, love, and serve God and His children. If we are willing to do this, then we will be able to cultivate and nourish the souls of others on the Work of God and our acts of charity and mercy. We should do everything we can to improve the harvest of souls and help others bear good fruit. This is what Jesus did in his life, and it is what we are called to do in ours.

In what ways do our lives teach others about the faith, proclaim the Good News, and cure people of what troubles them? What can we do to become better laborers in the vineyard of souls? How can we help others to bear good fruits?

O Lord, we have heard your call for laborers and will help you with the harvest of souls.

Amen.

The Fifth Wednesday of Easter

I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

Jesus should be the source, center, and summit of our lives. It is from him that we are given the graces, which sustain us through good and bad. It is in him that we find the truths that our lives should be founded upon. It is through him that we find our ultimate purpose and fulfillment. It is when we are most closely connected to Christ that we bear fruitful thoughts, words, and works. We can do nothing separated from him. When we sin we weaken our roots and wither spiritually. If the sin is terrible enough, we can even sever our ties to God and be left with no foundation, no strength, and no fruits. If we do fall into temptation and sin, we should seek to re-graft ourselves to God through the sacrament of reconciliation. When we strive to remain in Jesus and let his words remain in us, we glorify God through our every action, bear much fruit, and become his good and faithful disciples.

Are our lives as connected to Christ as they should be? Do our every thought, word, and work find their source, center, and summit in God? What can we do to bear more spiritual fruit for God and His children?

O Lord, we glorify you. Give us the grace to bear much fruit and become your disciples.

Amen.

First Saturday of Advent

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Then he summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.  Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

Jesus reminds us that without cost we have received his love, mercy, and grace and in order to be his disciples, we are to give these to others without cost. God’s love for us is unconditional. His mercy is inexhaustible. His grace is ever present. In the same way, we should be loving, merciful, and full of grace toward all whom we meet. We are all called to be laborers for the harvest of souls and although we might not have miraculous powers, we can be instruments of God’s Will in everything we do. We can go into the world and proclaim the kingdom through our humble words and self-sacrificing works. God has given each of us the powers we need to be Godbearers in this world. We have only to accept the mantle and do everything within our power to be good and faithful servants to God and all His children.

Are we willing to labor for the kingdom of God? Do our thoughts, words, and works proclaim the Good News? Do we give ourselves to others without counting the cost?

O Lord, you have given us everything. Let us give everything to others in the same spirit of generosity.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, “They will respect my son.” But those tenants said to one another, “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.”

God the Father sent His beloved Son into the world for us. We are the produce that Jesus comes to claim from the vineyard and there are many in the world who want to keep us from him. He died trying to bring us to His Father and after his Passion, Death, and Resurrection, God sends forth the Holy Spirit to continue Jesus’ work in the world. Jesus may have been rejected, but he has become the cornerstone of our faith and we are called to imitate him through the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. It is through the Holy Spirit that we become the new tenants of the vineyard of the Lord. We are in charge of tending the vineyard of souls and pressing the wine of love, mercy, and grace for our Father. We must beware of the desire to claim this work as our own as the evil tenants before us did. We should be more than willing to offer all our produce to God and keep nothing for ourselves.

Have we thanked Jesus for his sacrifice? How have we undertaken the task of tending the vineyard of souls? Are we humble enough to allow God to take the produce of our good works and use them how He deems fit?

O Lord, we are tenants in your vineyard. Help us to respect and serve you and not ourselves.

Amen.