Twentieth Monday in Ordinary Time

Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people. They did not exterminate the peoples, as the LORD had commanded them, But mingled with the nations and learned their works.

God may have created us in this world, but He does not want us to be enthralled with it. He made us for Himself and does not want anything or anyone else taking us away from Him. He wants our undivided attention and gives us every grace we need to resist the temptations of the world around us. He set us apart from the world through our baptism and if we want any part in His Kingdom, then we must honor His wishes by living lives detached from earthly things. We must rid ourselves of all those things that compete with God for our attention. We must disentangle ourselves from worldly doubts, fears, worries, and possessions. And instead, we should pick up the life of Christ, put it on, and walk with God always at our side.

What do we need to exterminate from our lives? What worldly things must we disentangle ourselves from so we might attach ourselves more perfectly to Christ? How can we cultivate a spirit of holy detachment from the world?

O Lord, you created us to be wholly yours, let it be so always.

Amen.

Thirteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living. Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does. Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men.

The world will often taunt us, “Where is your God?” The worldly will mock and persecute us and call us fools for trusting in a God we cannot see. They will trust in their gods of wealth, fame, success, and pleasure and wonder why we could be so blind as to follow a ghost. However, if we are able to resist their onslaught of ignorance and attacks of malice, we will walk in God’s Presence through our darkest of hours and soon see the light on the other side. Their idols might offer them moments of self-gratification, but they will ultimately leave them empty with no lasting fruits. Our God on the other hand will see us through suffering and persecution to an eternal life that is blessed beyond imagination. So, when we are asked by the world, “Where is your God?” We can say, “He is with us and we are with Him.”

Do we resist the temptation to rely on ourselves or worldly things more than God? How can we be more mindful of God’s Divine Presence in our lives? What can we do to walk more perfectly in the Presence of the Lord?

O Lord, we are with you.

Amen.

Thirteenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes. Search me, O LORD, and try me; test my soul and my heart. For your mercy is before my eyes, and I walk in your truth.

Not many of us call out for God to search and try us. There is a part of us that would prefer not to be tested. We would rather avoid trials of our faith, hope, or love. We would prefer to steer clear of the sufferings that come along with such ordeals. However, as Christians we cannot shy away from the sacrifices our faith requires of us. We might not want to suffer, but we accept sometimes we must be willing to go through some pain for the glory of God or the good of others. We are able to make such a submission to God’s Will because He has given us an example of selflessness in Jesus. He has also provided us an Advocate in the Holy Spirit who helps us to walk in the truth no matter what might stand in our way.

What do we think God sees in us when He searches our hearts and tests our souls? Will He find goodness, love, and holy righteousness? If He finds weaknesses, then what can we do to overcome our faults and become stronger Christians?

O Lord, search and test us so we might walk in your truth.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop

See how the Lord blesses those who fear him. Blessed are you who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways! For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.

In life, we must choose whom we are going to disappoint. We cannot find favor with everyone. We cannot please one and all. We either love God and do everything in our power to glory, honor, and praise Him or we love the world and go our own way. The roads to salvation and destruction may occasionally cross from time to time, but they ultimately diverge. And we must make a decision as to which path to follow. The wide and easy way to sin and death or the narrow and difficult trail to holiness and resurrection. We cannot walk the line between good and evil. We either seek to be good or we are evil. Yes, we might falter and fail, we are sinners after all. But if we have chosen God over the world, then we will ask for forgiveness with contrite hearts, do penance, and continue to strive toward holiness.

Do we fear disappointing God? Are we willing to walk His ways even if it means suffering and sacrifice? How can we grow in God’s blessings, good fruits, and favor?

O Lord, guide us along your ways.

Amen.

Sixteenth Monday in Ordinary Time

With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow before God most high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriad streams of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my crime, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.

God requires only three things from us: to do what is right by following His commandments, to love goodness by becoming Christ-like in thought, word, and work, and to walk humbly with Him in faith. The world tries to distract us from doing these things. Our own pride can cause us to disregard these pillars of our spiritual lives. However, there is no replacement for these. No offerings can make up for our sins if we do not do what is right, love goodness, and walk humbly with our God. Our penances, mortification, alms, sacrifices, prayers, and good works will gain us nothing if they are done for the wrong reasons or in the wrong spirit. So, let us make sure our souls are properly aligned with the commandments of our Heavenly Father, the teachings of Christ, and the inspirations Holy Spirit.

Are we doing what is right and avoiding evil? How can we cultivate a deeper and more fruitful love of goodness? What actions can we take to ensure we are walking humbly with God and not away from Him?

O Lord, give us the minds to know what is right, the hearts to love goodness, and the wills to walk humbly with you, now and forever.

Amen.

Third Thursday of Lent

This is what I commanded my people: Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper. But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed. They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts and turned their backs, not their faces, to me.

There are many ways we turn our backs on God. We give into temptations and sin. We let an opportunity to do good pass us by. We let the world distract us from what is really important. We let how others treat us harden our hearts and make us less charitable and merciful. We fail to know, love, and serve God and His children with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. However, if we open our ears and listen to God’s Voice through our consciences, then we shall come face-to-face with God and be His people. We shall walk in His Ways and prosper spiritually. If we obey Our Heavenly Father’s commandments, Jesus’s teachings, and the Holy Spirit’s inspirations, then we shall grow in faith, hope, and love. We shall be good and holy servants.

Do we set aside time each day to listen to God? How can we walk more perfectly in the way of Christ? How can we avoid turning our backs on God?

O Lord, we are listening.

Amen.

First Saturday of Lent

Today you are making this agreement with the LORD: he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees, and to hearken to his voice. And today the LORD is making this agreement with you: you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you; and provided you keep all his commandments, he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory above all other nations he has made, and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God, as he promised.

Every Christian has entered into an agreement with God through our baptism. We have promised to worship Him and Him alone, to walk in His ways, obey his commandments, and listen to His inspirations. In return, God promises to hold a special place for us as His people. He will guide us through life, raise us from the dead, and grant us eternal life with Him in Heaven. All we have to do is live out our baptismal promises, doing His Will in all things by our own choice.

Are we living up to our agreement with God? Have we been harkening to His voice and following His commandments? Do we realize how blessed we are to be His people?

O Lord, help us to live up to our calling to be a sacred people dedicated to you.

Amen.

First Saturday of Advent

No longer will your Teacher hide himself, but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher, While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears: "This is the way; walk in it," when you would turn to the right or to the left. He will give rain for the seed that you sow in the ground, And the wheat that the soil produces will be rich and abundant.

God guides us in many ways. He gives the His Holy Spirit to inspire us to holiness. He gives us our consciences to remind us of right and wrong. He gives us models in the faith through, Jesus, Mary, and the saints. He shows us the way to live as good and faithful servants. He gives us guidance through the Scriptures and the traditions and teachings of the Church. He gives us the sacraments to sustain us. He pours out His Love, Mercy, and Grace so our souls might flourish in the faith and we might produce good fruits through our thoughts, words, and works.

Are we accepting of God’s guidance and help? What way does God want us to walk? How can we be more open to the outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, show us the way we are called to walk in this life.

Amen.