Second Sunday of Advent

Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.

We should be eager to live virtuous lives... to do good and avoid evil. We should be eager to rid ourselves of our imperfections and resist all temptations. We should be eager to be at peace with God and ourselves and not caught up in the chaos of the world around us. Throughout each day we will be tested by distractions, doubts, sufferings, obstacles, and all manner of trials, but as long as we choose what is right over what is wrong and put our trust in God, then we shall find inner tranquility. The world might race around us and people might run here or there, but we shall remain where we need to be... centered in Christ. Earthly things may try to divert our attention from God and from good deeds, but we shall remain focused on the Way, Truth, and Life Jesus has shown us. It is not easy to live spotless lives and to be at peace, but as long as we seek reconciliation with God, we shall be given both... and much more: eternal life.

Are we eager to live out our faith? Are we willing to deny ourselves worldly things in order to remain unblemished? How can we better base our lives on the calm and steady rock that is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?

O Lord, purify us in the fires of your love and mercy and grant us your peace.

Amen.

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.

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator. 

We all have parts of our lives that need to be put to death in order to live like Christ. Some of us fight against immorality, others impurity, still others with passions and evil desires. We all have our areas of idolatry where something other than God takes center stage in our hearts and minds. We need to stop lying to others and ourselves and take off these old, sinful selves and put on the yoke of Christ. It is only by doing this that we can be renewed in faith, hope, and charity. It is the only way we can come to know, love, and serve God and His children as they deserve. It is the only path that will lead us to become true reflections of the Holy and Divine Image that resides within each of us.

What do we need to put to death in our lives? How can we rid ourselves of all those things that tarnish the image of God within us? What should we do to take off our sinful selves and put on Christ?

O Lord, help us to put to death our sins and imperfections.

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.

Friday in the Octave of Easter

The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let those who fear the LORD say, “His mercy endures forever.”

It is probably difficult for us as Christians to understand how the people of Jesus’ time could reject, scourge, and crucify such a loving and good person. However, when we think about our own lives it becomes much clearer just how people can turn their backs on Jesus. We reject him every time we choose selfishness over selflessness. We reject him every time we take the easy road of sin instead of the hard path of holiness. We reject him when we judge others rather than love and forgive them. We reject him when we feel superior to others instead of being humble and merciful. Those who rejected and crucified Jesus weren’t very different from us and some of them even became Christians after he rose from the dead. Thankfully, just because we turn our backs on Jesus from time to time doesn’t doom us to destruction. It simply means that like Paul we have to cast aside our old sinful ways and embrace God’s Divine Mercy, which endures forever.

In what ways have we rejected God in our lives? What part of ourselves is built upon the unstable sands of the world and which are built on God? How is God’s Mercy at work in our lives?

O Lord, we fear disappointing you, but if we do, then please be merciful to us.

Amen.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second man, from heaven. As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly, and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.

We are both earthly and heavenly creatures. We have the potential for good and evil that Adam, our first ancestor had. We also have the opportunity to cultivate Christ’s heavenly virtues in our every thought, word, and work. We are our best selves when we choose the goods of earth and heaven over the evils of worldliness. But God won’t force us to be good as He is Good. He won’t take away our free will. He wants us to know, love, and serve Him of our own accord. He wants us to choose eternity in Heaven with Him over the here and now desires we have on the earth. This isn’t to say God doesn’t want us to enjoy the earth, after all He created it and it was good. But that should be something that flows naturally from the course of events as we follow Him and His commandments and not the goal of life itself.

Are we using our earthly selves to do good instead of evil? How are we allowing the heavenly to influence our thoughts, words, and works? What can we do to bear the image of God to the whole world?

O Lord, you made us earthly and heavenly. Help us to understand how to be faithful in both.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; serve the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful song.

Serving the Lord can be difficult at times. With all the anxieties and worries of the world we can sometimes forget our call to service or put it on the back burner. Health, finances, relationships can all get in the way of our vocations. Thankfully, the greatest vocation is to love God and one another and no matter what is going on in our lives, we should always have time for great and small acts of love. It is through these works of charity and mercy that we truly proclaim the Good News. It is through them that we sing to God with joy, bringing gladness to the people around us.

How can we serve God more faithfully? What can we do to make more time for God and others in our lives? How can we spread gladness and joy to the people around us?

O Lord, we hope to know, love, and serve you with gladness.

Amen.

Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs

Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare. Had not the LORD been with us—when men rose up against us, then would they have swallowed us alive, When their fury was inflamed against us.

Our souls can be ensnared by many things in this world. They can be ensnared by sin, fears, doubts, anxieties, imperfections, financial worries, health scares, the loss of loved ones, persecutions, and many other trials. However, God will always rescue us from these difficulties if we are willing to accept His help. Even when things seem the worst, He can bring about our triumph. There is no challenge He can’t help us overcome. This doesn’t mean we won’t suffer, like Jesus suffered, but it does mean we will always have the graces we need to overcome every obstacle in our lives.

What things in the world are trying to ensnare us? How can we avoid or overcome these things? What can we do to learn to suffer patiently and trust in God’s ultimate triumph?

O Lord, rescue us from the snares of our enemies.

Amen.

Twenty-Seventh Thursday in Ordinary Time

I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard? Are you so stupid? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so many things in vain?-- if indeed it was in vain. Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you and works mighty deeds among you do so from works of the law or from faith in what you heard?

There is a vast difference between faith and works. We can have faith, but without works to back it up, we are like a clashing cymbal. We can have works, but without faith, we gain no spiritual growth. We need both in order to live as true Christians. Now, this may seem at odds with what Paul tells the Galatians, but we need to keep in mind Paul is talking about the works of the Mosaic law, not the works of Christian service. The Pharisees followed the obligations of the law, but lacked in understanding that the law was not the end of their relationship with God, but the means to it. Just because we fulfill our obligations to go to Mass, abstain from meat during Lent, help others, etc. doesn’t mean we have grown in faith. We can do seemingly good things without good intent. We might just be going through the motions, but without any emotional or spiritual investment. Faith needs to be at the heart of our works so we might grow in hope and love. This is how we must live as Christians if we want to embody the Holy Spirit and gain a place in the Heavenly Kingdom.

Is our faith the driving force behind our acts of hope and love? How can we grow spiritually through our works, great and small? How can we guard against becoming children of the flesh as opposed to children of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, send us the faith we desire so we might work good deeds for you and all your children.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest

Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays. The sun rises and the sun goes down; then it presses on to the place where it rises. Blowing now toward the south, then toward the north, the wind turns again and again, resuming its rounds. All rivers go to the sea, yet never does the sea become full.

The world will move on without us. To think otherwise is to ignore the truth that what we do with our lives is but a drop in an ocean of time and activity. Everything we have in this life will pass away, except our relationship with God. And so, our time, talents, and treasures should be focused on knowing, loving, and serving God and His children to the best of our abilities. The sun will rise and set when we are gone and the only lasting impression we will make is the one we make with God. We will either be his good and faithful servants and enjoy eternal life or we will reject Him and become outcasts, grinding and gnashing our teeth. The world might give us the illusion of success and wealth, but if these aren't spiritual in nature, then they will come to nothing in the end.

Are we spending our lives on vanities and things that will not stand the test of time? Are we willing to labor for God and His children rather than for the fleeting successes and pleasures of this world? How can we make a lasting impression on God through our thoughts, words, and works?

O Lord, strip us of our vanities and clothe us in the graces that come from serving you.

Amen.

Twenty-Third Wednesday in Ordinary Time

I tell you, brothers, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.

As Christians, we need a certain level of detachment from the world around us. This separation comes not out of a feeling of indifference, but rather the realization that the world is passing away and any attachments we have to it will one day be dissolved. The only lasting attachments we can ever make are those with our Lord and God and this is what we should focus on in this world. Paul isn’t telling us not to get married, or weep, or rejoice, or buy goods, or use things. Rather, he is warning us against becoming too attached to people, places, and things. They come and go, while our relationship with God will determine our existence forevermore.

Are we appropriately detached from the people, places, and things in our lives? What can we do to forge a lasting relationship with God? How can we make Him and only Him, the source, center, and summit of our lives?

O Lord, help us to detach ourselves from worldly things and fasten our hearts to you.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Tuesday in Ordinary Time

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms.

If we are worldly in our thoughts, words, and works, we will never understand our faith. We will be deaf to the Word of God, blind to the sacraments, and unable to feel the Holy Spirit within us. However, if we open our minds and hearts to the Holy Spirit, then a whole new world will unfold before us. We shall be able to see the world around us in spiritual terms. We will be able to see how to increase our faith, hope, and love. We shall come to understand how to lead holy and humble lives. We shall be better able to walk the Way, hear the Truth, and live the Life of Christ. Moreover, we shall be able to help others to do the same by providing them an example of what it means to be good and faithful Christians.

Are there worldly things that are keeping us from seeing the world as Jesus does? How can we make the Holy Spirit more welcome in our hearts? What can we do to be more open to God's inspirations?

O Lord, grant us your Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Tenth Friday in Ordinary Time

Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by." A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire—but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, "Elijah, why are you here?"

God’s Voice is very rarely above a whispering wind. He Speaks to us softly, subtly, and sometimes He speaks to us through silence. He is not a dictator handing down edicts that we must follow or else. He wants us to make good choices on our own. It is more meaningful if we choose right over wrong out of our own choices. Sometimes we can’t hear God in our lives. We are too busy or pay attention to the wrong things, but God is always with us, whispering His Love, Inspiration, and Teachings into our ears. We have only to listen to Him carefully and earnestly and He will reveal to us what we are called to do.

Are we listening to God’s whispers? Are we allowing them to guide us to become better people? How can we learn to tune out the noise of the world and focus more on God’s Love, Inspiration, and Teachings?

O Lord, let us hear your whisperings.

Amen.

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal. For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven.

The things in this world are indeed transitory… temporary. It might not feel that way as we live in the midst of our transition, but this is the truth. Whatever difficulties we face in this life are as nothing before the vast, great, and wonderful future God has promised us if we follow Him. The momentary afflictions of this world may weigh us down while we are on earth, but in the end, they will have no weight at all in the next life. Whatever goods we have here on earth will pale and vanish in comparison to the beauty and spiritual richness we will enjoy in Heaven. God’s Eternal Love will infuse everything in the afterlife and this alone will be enough for us forever and ever.

Do we recognize that this world is only transitory? How can we place more worth on our happiness in the afterlife than the pleasures of this world? Are we doing everything in our powers to prepare ourselves a dwelling place in Heaven?

O Lord, let us not be discouraged by the world, but trust in you and our eventual eternity in Heave with you.

Amen.

Seventh Tuesday of Ordinary Time

You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Adulterers! Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Our passions are not necessarily evil, but they can lead us to evil if they are bound to worldly things. Instead, our passions should be based upon knowing, loving, and serving God and His children. However, if we don’t ask for what is good for us or ask for the wrong things, we can be led astray. We can confuse a worldly want for a need and misalign our lives with things that can led to temptation, sin, and vice. If we love worldly things more than God, then we turn our backs on the one who loves us most and make ourselves into His enemies. Thankfully, we can avoid this fate by asking for spiritual goods to fulfill our spiritual passions. As long as we choose to be a lover of God, then we shall receive the grace we need to overcome all the obstacles the world puts in our way.

Are our passions leading us astray or toward God? How can we place our spiritual passions above our worldly ones? How can we become more faithful lovers of God at all times and in all ways?

O Lord, we ask for you to make us faithful lovers of you above all.

Amen.

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

After the ascension of Jesus to Heaven, the apostles return to the upper room and pray with Mary. In a similar way, we are also called to pray with our Heavenly Mother each and every day. We are asked to make a special place for God in our lives where we can spend time with Him and allow Him to enter into us so He can express Himself through our thoughts, words, and works. We cannot do that if we don’t make time to pray and make space for God in our hearts by cleansing them of earthly desires and worldly things.

Have we prepared a place in our hearts to receive the Holy Spirit? Are we ridding ourselves of those worldly things that keep us from welcoming God into our hearts? Is prayer a central aspect of our daily lives?

O Lord, we pray that you come and dwell within us.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter

He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world. The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Those who say, "I know him," but do not keep his commandments are liars, and the truth is not in them. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.

It isn’t always easy to keep God’s commandments. The world constantly bombards us with temptations, distractions, and all many of earthly goods that can lead us astray. We have to be constantly on guard against all that would lead us away from God and to ruin. Thankfully, God has given us many graces from the Church to the sacraments to our fellow believers. All of these things can give us the support we need to withstand the assaults of the Devil and his minions. And if we are weakened and do fall, we thankfully have the sacrament of reconciliation to flee to... and seek forgiveness for our sins. Then, we can start anew and strive to keep God’s commandments more faithfully so we might be perfected in, through, by, and with Jesus.

Are we keeping God’s commandments? How can we strengthen our resolve to remain firmly committed to our faith? What can we do to ensure the truth is with and in us?

O Lord, perfect us in you.

Amen.

Second Friday of Easter

“For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him. After recalling the Apostles, they had them flogged, ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus.

If our endeavors are of human origin, they will destroy themselves. Nothing worldly lasts forever. However, if our actions come from God, then they will succeed. They will magnify the Lord and bear good fruits. Even if we suffer greatly to do God’s Will, our blood, sweat, and tears will be worth it to see God’s Divine Plan put into action. This is why we should always seek to do God’s Will in all things. It is through Him, with Him, and in Him that we are fulfilled in this life. It is through Him, with, Him, and in Him that we find our joy. And so, we proclaim the Good News to all whom will listen because the Good News has saved us and we want it to save others and bring glory to God.

Do we place our every thought, word, and work into the hands of God? Are we willing to suffer greatly in order to do God’s Will in all things? How can we teach and proclaim Jesus Christ through our daily lives?

O Lord, we rejoice in doing your Divine Will.

Amen.

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the LORD, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy. If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods, I tell you now that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy.

The choice before us is clear: life with God or death with sin. We can either give our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths to God or to the world. There is no middle ground... no sitting on the fence. If we are lukewarm in our faith, give into our temptations, or allow ourselves to be lead astray, then we have chosen the world and will have to face the consequences. If, however, we obey the commandments of the Lord and follow the teachings of His Good News, we will be blessed by Him. We shall go forth, grow in the faith, and live in peace and prosperity. Perhaps not as the world sees success, but rather a spiritual success that leads us to know, love, a serve God and others more perfectly and fruitfully.

Are we choosing life or death? How can we live more faithfully the Good News? How can we love God, walk in His ways, and keep His commandments, statutes, and decrees?

O Lord, we choose life and prosperity with you.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep your covenant of mercy with your servants who are faithful to you with their whole heart.

Being faithful to God with our whole hearts isn’t easy. The world constantly tempts us to give a piece of our heart to earthly things. It might be a person, a place, a thing, an action, a hobby, or some other pursuit. Not that any of these things are bad in and of themselves, but if they aren’t loved in light of our relationship with God, then they can become a distraction from spiritual things. They can even lead to sin. Thankfully, God understands our difficulties and so he constantly pours out His Love and Mercy upon us, refreshing us and sustaining us so that we can continue on our journey to heaven. There is no father like our Father. No paradise like the Paradise of Heaven. There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the heavenly things that await us if we choose to know, love, and serve God to the best of our abilities... striving to do so with our whole hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

Do our hearts dwell on worldly or heavenly things? How can we become more faithful to God and the New Covenant He has created with us? Do we seek God’s help in leading holy lives?

O Lord, there is no God like you, the King of Love, Mercy, and Grace.

Amen.