Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.

It sounds so easy for Peter, Andrew, James, and John to leave everything behind and follow Jesus, but how many of us would do the same? We have so many responsibilities, doubts, fears, and distractions that it’s almost impossible to think of leaving them all behind and starting over with Christ. However, sometimes in our lives God calls us to move out of our comfort zones and leave everything we known in order to do His Will. We can always deny Jesus by claiming we already do this or that, or have too much on our plates, or make some other excuse to keep ourselves from being led to where we do not want to go. These moments of selfishness tempt us away from God’s Divine Plan. We must recognize that in order to be true disciples of Christ, we need to be willing to follow him away from everything we know and hold dear. We must be willing to sacrifice ourselves. Otherwise we will never reach our full potential as Christians and we will be the lesser for it.

What is keeping us from following Jesus? Are we willing to sacrifice ourselves for God and His children? How are we preparing ourselves to be fishers of men?

O Lord, give us the grace to leave everything and follow you.

Amen.

First Sunday of Advent

There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.

If we live our lives in accordance with Jesus’ teachings, we will have nothing to fear at the end of our lives or at the end of time. We will be able to stand erect and raise our head, confident in our redemption. What a wonderful gift God has given us in Jesus and his Good News. He has shown us the way to our salvation. It is by becoming more Christ-like that we will be able to prepare ourselves for the trials and tribulations of life and be able to come out of them with hearts forged in the fires of suffering and tempered with love and mercy. We do not need to be afraid of the end because it shall also be the beginning of our lives with God in Heaven as long as we have lived a good life.

Are we afraid of the end of our lives or the end times? If so, then why are we fearful and what can we do to change our fears into hopes? Are we willing to have our hearts tested, purified, and cleansed through whatever means God chooses?

O Lord, may we stand erect and raise our heads as we wait in hope for your coming.

Amen.

One Year Anniversary!!!

It's hard to believe I've been posting spiritual reflections for a whole year, but it's true!

Thanks to everyone who has visited this blog and followed along as I've walked this journey of spiritual reflection. I look forward to reading and reflecting on the gospel of Mark with you, just as we read the gospel of Luke this past year.*

I hope you will continue to enjoy my reflections and grow in faith, hope, and love as you reflect with me on the Good News.

*For those who don't know, each year's readings focus on a particular gospel: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John is used for special occasions, such as the Easter season. This way Catholics essentially read the entire New Testament every three years.

Thirty-Forth Saturday of Ordinary Time

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”

There are many ways in which we become drowsy of heart. We can become slothful through our choice of how we live our lives. Some of us carouse or drink, others are caught up in the anxieties of daily life. Many of us choose entertainment and worldly distractions over knowing, loving, and serving God and His children. It is so easy to waste our time on meaningless things and never realize how many opportunities to know, love, and serve God and others are lost because we were too preoccupied with our own pleasures. If we wish to follow Christ, then we must be vigilant in our faith and pray for the strength to do God’s Will in all things. We are on this earth because we are called to be Christ-like, but we cannot do that if we lose ourselves in the diversions of this world.

What are the things in our lives that distract us from doing God’s Will? How can we build up the habit of vigilance in our spiritual lives? Are we living our lives as if Jesus is before us?

O Lord, help us to be vigilant and to pray for your strength in the midst of out trials and temptations.

Amen.

Thirty-Forth Friday of Ordinary Time

Jesus told his disciples a parable. “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

After Jesus predicted the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the gentiles, he tells his disciples this parable because he wants them to know that although much suffering will be coming to Jerusalem his disciples should not misunderstand it and despair. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the words of his gospel will never perish because they are the truth and never changing. Each of us is called to found our faith upon Jesus’ message of love, mercy, and grace. Unlike worldly things and people, the truths of Christ will not pass away. They will not fail us. They will last now and forever. We can learn a lot from Jesus’ words. We have only to open ourselves to them, study them, and let them work through us from this day forth.

Are we afraid of suffering or the end of our lives? Is our faith firmly founded upon our beliefs in Jesus’ Good News? Do we allow God to work through us in imitation of Jesus Christ?

O Lord, your words will never pass away. Let them remain in our hearts, always.

Amen.

Thanksgiving Day

And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.  He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?  Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

As Christians, we should take time to be thankful for all the blessings we’ve had in our lives not just on Thanksgiving, but every day. Our thoughts, words, and works ought to be like the Samaritan’s by glorifying and thanking God for all He has done for us. In a manner of speaking, we should live lives of constant Thanks-living, recognizing every good we have has its source in God. By fostering such an attitude of gratitude, we are reminded that all our triumphs and joys come from God and it is to Him that all glory should be given for whatever successes we experience. He should be the center and summit of our lives, just as much as He is the source of them. Only by cultivating thankful and humble hearts can we hope to receive the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Do we take time every day to be thankful to God? What are we thankful for today? How can we cultivate an attitude of gratitude in our lives?

O Lord, we glorify you and thank you for all you have done for us.

Amen.

Thirty-Forth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

“They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

We will be hated because of Jesus’ name. It’s a hard message to understand, but as we go throughout life, we experience various persecutions because of our faith. We might not be led off to prison or put to death for our beliefs, but we shall see the face of persecution in others. They might be our family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, or strangers, but we will know them by the hatred behind their words and works. We will be tempted to respond in kind, but when faced with these temptations, we should remember Jesus’ example and choose perseverance over revenge. Just as he forgave those who trespassed against him and put him to death, so too we must forgive those who trespass against us. One way we can do this is by following the advice of today’s gospel: to let God respond through us. We can do this by not being reactionary in our speech and actions. It is easy to be caught up in the heat of the moment and say or do something in defense of ourselves that we will regret later. Instead, we should prepare no defense, offer up our thoughts to God and seek His inspiration as to how we should respond. Sometimes taking those extra few moments to bring God into our response will be enough to keep us from seeking revenge on those who persecute us and instead transform the negative experience of maltreatment into a positive one of merciful forgiveness.

Who are the people who mistreat or persecute us? Do we respond to them out of love or hatred? How can we foster a spirit of mercy in the face of our persecutors?

O Lord, grant us your wisdom and perseverance.

Amen.