Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek. The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.”

Jesus became a priest and victim for us. He became man so he might know and sympathize with us. He became a living sacrament of God’s Love to the world. He became our teacher. He became our brother. He became our servant and king. He did all these things to love us more perfectly. He did it to unite himself with us through His Body and Blood. He did it to triumph over sin and death. He did it to lead us to eternal life with him forever.

How can we imitate the selflessness of Jesus? What is God asking us to become for Him? What can we do to love God more perfectly?

O Lord, thank you for all you’ve done for us.

Amen.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another, the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another, faith by the same Spirit; to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another, mighty deeds; to another, prophecy; to another, discernment of spirits; to another, varieties of tongues; to another, interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.

We all manifest the Spirit in different ways. This is because we all have a unique role to play in God’s Divine Plan. He has given us gifts and talents that make us perfect instruments of His Divine Grace. However, we must accept these gifts and use them to the best of our abilities. The world will try to distract us from using our God-given gifts. The Devil will try to twist our talents for his own ends. It is up to us to use our consciences to guide our thoughts, words, and works so they lead to God’s greater glory and the good of all His children.

What gifts and talents do we have from God? How can we use them to proclaim the Good News and help others? How can we encourage others to do the same?

O Lord, help us to manifest your Spirit through our every word and work.

Amen.

First Saturday in Ordinary Time

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.

If we want to have a good life, then we need to be open to God’s Word and Spirit. We have to be willing to live in accordance to the Scriptures and the traditions of the Church. We know and think imperfectly, but we can depend upon the Wisdom of God to overcome our failings. If we trust God, He will lead us to the best possible lives. He will give us wisdom and love and life. He will refresh our souls when they are thirsty and feed our spirits when they are hungry. He will prepare a banquet for us and lead us to life everlasting. All we have to do is listen to the Divine Word and act like Christ in all things.

Do we accept God’s Word and Spirit into our lives? Do we allow Him to refresh our souls and give us wisdom? Do we trust that God’s Plan will lead to our good, even if it requires great sacrifices?

O Lord, give us your wisdom and refresh our souls.

Amen.

First Friday in Ordinary Time

Do not forget the works of the Lord! What we have heard and know, and what our fathers have declared to us, we will declare to the generation to come The glorious deeds of the LORD and his strength.

The world is a distracting place. It can make us forget all sorts of things. Our responsibilities, our loved ones, even our God. It’s so easy to overlook God in a world full of people, places, and things that are crying out, “Look at us!” We can go from moments of devotion to moments of distraction in the blink of an eye. But this is part of the struggle we all have as Christians. It isn’t easy to constantly recall the debts and gratitude we owe God for all He has done for us. However, we must try our best and when we do remember God, we must throw ourselves entirely into declaring His glorious deeds and strength through our thoughts, words, and works. For if we do not remind the world of God, then we have failed in our duty as a Christian to be a light to all the nations.

What distractions are vying for our attention? How can we bring God to the forefront of our lives? What can we do to proclaim God to all the world?

O Lord, let us never forget the works you have done for us.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Anthony, Abbot

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.

God is our Shepherd and Guide. He calls out to us for our own protection and to lead us to greener pastures. He wants us to grow in faith, hope, and love so we might become good and faithful children and produce good for all. When we are weak, He will carry us. When we are confused, He will call out to us. When we are lost, He will seek us out. He will never abandon us, He will always do everything in His power to lead us safely home to Him and Heaven. So, the least we can do is to listen for His voice in our hearts and do whatever He tells us.

Are our hearts hardened by the world or open to the inspirations of our Heavenly Father? Do we bow down and worship God as He deserves? Do we thank Him for shepherding us and guiding us to life everlasting?

O Lord, keep our hearts from being hardened by the world and our own weaknesses.

Amen.

First Wednesday in Ordinary Time

The Lord remembers his covenant forever. Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds.

As members of the Body of Christ, we are supposed to live our lives in such a way as to give glory and thanks to God and to invoke His Name wherever we go. We are supposed to make Him known among the nations, sing His praises, and proclaim His wondrous deeds. We can’t do any of these things if we don’t imitate Jesus Christ in our thoughts, words, and works. When people meet us, they should know we are Christians by our love, mercy, and caring. Just as God remembers His covenant with us forever, so we must remember our role in that covenant... as good and faithful servants willing to sacrifices ourselves and our goods for the glory of God and the good of others.

Do we remember God’s covenant with us each and every day? How do we make God known in our lives? What do we do to proclaim His wondrous deeds?

O Lord, help us to make you known among all the nations.

Amen.

First Tuesday in Ordinary Time

You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands. O LORD, our Lord, how glorious is your name over all the earth! What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him?

It is hard to imagine why God loves us so much. We have so little to offer Him other than our good works, sacrifices, and love. Compare these to the wondrous works, the ultimate sacrifice, and the unending love He has give us. And yet, God is mindful of us. He cares for us. He loves us. In fact, He is so in love with us that He made us in His Image. He has sacrificed His Beloved Son for us. He has given us His Spirit. Everything He is, He has given us even though we can never truly repay Him. He has given everything to us as a gift because He wants us to succeed in becoming holy people, who love Him and reflect His Image to all the world.

Do we appreciate all that God has done, is doing, and will do for us? What are we being called to do in response to God’s gracious gifts? How can we become more faithful, hopeful, and loving children to our caring Lord?

O Lord, we glorify your name over all the earth.

Amen.