Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop

My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance.

Jesus continually shows his compassion for others throughout the gospels. He cares about both their physical and spiritual well-being because he knows he needs to address both our body and a soul through his words and works. He marries his preaching to his actions and cares for the entire person.

In what ways are we compassionate toward others? How do we anticipate and address their needs? What can we do to feed our own bodies and souls?

O Lord, take pity on us and feed us with your Bread of Life.

Amen.

Fifth Friday of Ordinary Time

He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)

Christ’s healing of this deaf man reveals an intimacy of action toward him. Jesus brings this man away from everyone else, touches his ear and tongue, and calls out to heaven on his behalf, revealing how much God loves each one of His children. He takes a personal stake in our lives and is willing to heal us of all of our imperfections and sins if only we will go with him and leave the world and its crowds behind. He will open us to his Word and if we accept it we will be able to speak plainly the Gospel through our actions. We have a wonderful savoir in Jesus and we should be ever thankful for his tenderness toward us in the midst of our afflictions.

What deafens us to the call of the Word of God? What keeps us from preaching the Good News to those who are around us? Have we ever meditated upon our personal relationship with Jesus and how it reveals His love for us each and every day?

O Lord, let us be open to your Word.

Amen.

Fifth Thursday of Ordinary Time

“Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps.” Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.”

Jesus came into the world to save all of us, both Jew and Gentile, and this gospel helps drive home this point. God does not deny his children the food of love, mercy, and grace. He offers to feed us all no matter who we are or what our sins might be. All we need to do is be contrite and accept what he is constantly offering us: salvation! The boldness of the woman in this story reminds us that as long as we seek God out in faith He will answer our prayers.

Are we bold in our seeking of salvation? Are we willing to beg Jesus Christ to forgive us our sins so he can save us from the fires of Hell? Do we have the necessary humility to approach God not just for what we want, but more importantly for what we need to be faithful heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven?

O Lord, give us the scraps of your love, mercy, and grace and we shall be sustained through all our earthly trials.

Amen.

Fifth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.

Jesus constantly reminds his followers their actions determine what kind of person they are, not any outside influences. We might blame our parents, our background, our environment, or any other number of things, but these scapegoats do not force us to sin. They may offer us the opportunity to sin, but in the end we are the ones who take the bait or refuse it. Our wills choose between good or evil in great and small things and we should be on constant guard against those things that lead us into temptation and sin. We also must be careful about what we allow to come out of our thoughts, words, and works. What we do can be the occasion for someone else to sin and woe to us when we lead others into evil.

What are the thoughts, words, or works in our lives which defile us? When we sin do we own up to our failings or do we blame something or someone else? What can we do to clean up our acts and remain good and faithful servants of Christ?

O Lord, cleanse our bodies, minds, and souls so all we do will be cleansed from the stain of sin.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.

We often talk a good game about doing God’s Will, but when it comes to actually doing the right thing we can sometimes convince ourselves to do the wrong thing because it seems more socially acceptable or avoids conflict with others. We can also convince ourselves we are morally superior to others and act holier-than-thou toward them because of their sinful lives. However, we must always keep in mind that we are sinners too and should not judge lest we be judged by the same measure.

Do we honor God with our lips only, or also with our hearts? Have we acted superior to others? If so, then how can we make amends to them and love them as Jesus loved the sinner, but hated the sin?

O Lord, help us to honor you with our hearts and seek not to judge others.

Amen.

Fifth Monday of Ordinary Time

Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.

Those who came to Jesus to be healed believed in his power because they saw it or heard of it. On the other hand, we do not have firsthand knowledge of Jesus and so our belief in him is founded upon our faith in Christ and a trust in the message of the His Gospels. We seek out Jesus just like those first petitioners for not just physical healing, but also for our spiritual health. We beg him to heal us and others through our prayers and our acts of mercy and trust that his love will renew us. We reach out to him as the crowds of old did, but we understand that his touch will not just save our bodies, but also our souls. In addition, we realize Jesus’ Good News is not just a passive transmission, but an active transaction which demands that we bear the Word of God to others.

What are the sins and imperfections we need healed? Are we not only willing to reach out to God for His Mercy, but willing to do the same for those around us? Do our works speak of our belief in the Gospels or do we speak of our belief without the good works to back them up?

O Lord, we reach out to touch you. May your healing power flow into and through us to others.

Amen.

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.”

Jesus recognizes when it is time to move on and challenges us to do the same. We have a habit of finding a comfort zone and staying there whether it is a place, a job, or a daily routine, but sometimes these comforts can keep us from doing God’s Will. Jesus could have stayed, healed more people, and lived comfortably in the town where he preformed his miracles. However, he understood through prayer and reflection that he was not called to remain in one place. He had a wider mission and trusted God would provide for him along the way he was walking. So too we must be willing to put aside our good for something better and not fall into the trap of confusing comfort with the happiness which comes from living the Christ-like life.

Are we truly happy with who we are and where we are at in life? Would we be willing to leave our comfort zone if God called us to do something greater, even if it meant risking everything we hold dear? What is the purpose of our lives?

O Lord, we do not seek to be comfortable, but rather to be purposeful as you were in your Most Holy Life.

Amen.