Twenty-Second Monday of Ordinary Time

For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words.

All of us experience death in our lives, whether it is someone we are close to (such as a family member, friend, or co-worker) or someone we only know in passing. No matter who it is, or how their death happened, it reminds us that there are no guarantees about how long our lives will be. Some of us will live to a ripe old age, others will pass in our youth. Some of us will be prepared for death’s coming, knowing our time here on earth is drawing to a close. More than a few of us will be taken at a time and place we never expected. Part of life as a human being is dying. Even Jesus died and we can learn a lot about both how to live and die from watching how Jesus did both. Jesus loved life and lived every moment to its fullest, but he wasn’t afraid to risk his life when the time came for him to take up his ministry. He was willing to die to himself so others might live and we see this most clearly in his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. He did not have to die, but he chose to die because he wanted to show us passing from this life isn’t to be feared. Rather, for his good and faithful followers, it is simply a doorway to an everlasting life with God Our Father, Our Teacher, and Our Advocate.

Who in our lives has died? How have we dealt with their deaths or consoled others who have lost loved ones? What can we do to ready ourselves for our own deaths?

O Lord, we want only to die with you so we might rise with you on the last day.

Amen.

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."

It can be so tempting to avoid sufferings and difficulties at all costs. However, our faith isn’t one of avoidance. Our hope isn’t to steer clear of trials and tribulations so we can live a long and peaceful life in this world. Our love isn’t based on doing good to those who do good to us or caring for others only when it is convenient. No, our faith is one of acceptance of the sorrows that come with consecrating ourselves to God. Our hope is to live a life grounded in God so when we die we will find a seat that the Eternal Banquet. Our love is one that opens our hearts to so wide we choose to know, love, and serve Him in spite of the sword which will pierce our hearts. Our faith, hope, and love give us the strength to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, engage the world with a spirit of confidence in God, and bear our crosses without compliant.

What temptations do we suffer from when it comes to Jesus’ call to pick up our crosses and follow him? How can we increase our faith, hope, and love so we have the spiritual strength to walk the ways of our own spiritual passions? Are we willing to engage the world with full confidence that God will lead us where we need to be?

O Lord, help us to think as you do.

Amen.

Twenty-First Saturday of Ordinary Time

Nevertheless we urge you, brothers and sisters, to progress even more, and to aspire to live a tranquil life, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.

In a world that is so busy, it is especially difficult to live a tranquil life. There are so many distractions and temptations around us. We can get sidetracked quite easily if we aren’t self-disciplined. Also, there are so many ways to be connected with other people that it can become very difficult to mind our own affairs. There is a constant temptation to talk with others continually, which if not carefully controlled can lead to gossip, bad-mouthing, nosiness, and all sorts of sins against others. In addition, all these diversions from TV to computers to cell phones can keep us from doing the work God is calling us to do. If we are persistently distracted from our responsibilities and relationships with others, we lose sight of what is important in life. We get nothing useful or important done. We put off what is necessary and good for what is unnecessary or evil. This is why it is so important to build up good habits and virtues and keep them strong by making them a core part of our daily lives.

How can we live more tranquil lives? What can we do to avoid the distractions that derail our good thoughts, words, and works? How can we do a better job of minding our own business and doing the work God has prepared for us?

O Lord, help us to progress in faith, hope, and love and aspire to live tranquil lives.

Amen.

Twenty-First Friday of Ordinary Time

Brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God—and as you are conducting yourselves—you do so even more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

In order to follow Jesus, we need to control ourselves. We need to have not only a well-informed conscience, but also the willpower to do good and avoid evil. We can have all the wisdom in the world, but if we don’t have the strength of character to choose what is right over what is wrong, then what good is our knowledge? Self-discipline is something we must work at constantly, strengthening it like a spiritual muscle. We cannot let ourselves become lax or we lose ground and weaken in our resolve and become more and more vulnerable to temptation and sin. The best way to build up our willpower is to recognize how living in accord with God’s commandments increases our ability to love not only God and others, but ourselves. This is because when we have control over ourselves in body, mind, and spirit, we love with our whole being.

Do we have control over ourselves? How can we become more disciplined in body, mind, and spirit? What can we do to build up our willpower in all things?

O Lord, we want only to conduct ourselves in a way pleasing to you.

Amen.

Twenty-First Thursday of Ordinary Time

Now may God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.

We are constantly setting an example for others in everything we say and do. If we speak harshly or gossip, others will hear us and know us as hypocrites. If we always slack off, avoid what is right, or sin, then others will see what we do and know us to be wicked. If we set a bad example for others, then who are we to complain when others do evil to us? Worse yet, if our sins cause others to follow us into evil, then we shall be held accountable. So when we speak, our words should be formed and spoken in love. When we act, our actions should have their source, center, and summit in God’s Charity and Mercy. We should desire to be role-models for all whom we meet, leading them toward God’s good works and away from sin and evil deeds. We should seek to strengthen the faith, hope, and love of others, not weaken it so when we pass on God will know us to be true believers... blameless in holiness.

Are we role-models of faith, hope, and love? How can we increase and abound in love for one another and for all? What can we do to strengthen the hearts of others so they might be blameless in their holiness?

O Lord, help us to lead others to holiness.

Amen.

Twenty-First Wednesday of Ordinary Time

As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children, exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his Kingdom and glory. And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe.

We all have influence over other people in great and small ways. Paul recognized this and put his every word and work into making a good impression on those he served. He didn’t do this for selfish reasons of self-glorification, but rather for the glory of God and the good of others. He wanted to set a good example of conduct for those he served. He encouraged his spiritual children to become better people worthy of God and His Kingdom. He wanted them to grow in faith, hope, and charity and give their lives over to the Good News so that God could be made manifest in the world through them.

How do we exhort and encourage others on their own spiritual journey? What do we do to make a good impression on others so they might know we are Christians by our love? How do we spread the Word of God to the world around us?

O Lord, let us be like fathers and mothers to those who are in need of spiritual guidance.

Amen.

Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist

But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, that is how we speak, not as trying to please men, but rather God, who judges our hearts. Nor, indeed, did we ever appear with flattering speech, as you know, or with a pretext for greed--God is witness--nor did we seek praise from men, either from you or from others, although we were able to impose our weight as Apostles of Christ. Rather, we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children. With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us.

When we bring the Gospel to others, the best way to do so is not through trying to please or flatter them or to force or demean them, but rather to be truthful, gentle, and loving. This is why the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Spiritual Mother, is such an important role model for us to emulate. She shows us throughout the Gospel through word and deed how to magnify the Lord and proclaim His Greatness in all things. She does this through sharing herself with others. First, with her fiat to our Heavenly Father and her openness to the Holy Spirit with whom she conceived Jesus. Second, through the visitation of Elizabeth, whom she cares for. Third, with Joseph, whom she shares a life full of blessings and sorrows. Fourth, with Jesus, her Son and out Lord with whom she shared everything from conception to Passion to death to Resurrection. Last but not least, she shares herself with all God’s children by accepting God’s call to be our Spiritual Mother, who knows, loves, and serves us most perfectly in Heaven and desires nothing more than for us to fulfill God’s Will and join her in Heaven. So let us all be givers of our selves just as Jesus, Paul, and Mary gave themselves for us.

How can we become more effective preachers of the Gospel of God? In what ways can we share ourselves with our fellow children of God? Are we gentle in our approach to bringing the Good News into the lives of others?

O Lord, help us to share not only your Gospel, but also ourselves with all those we are asked to evangelize.

Amen.