When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said: "I am God the Almighty. Walk in my presence and be blameless." God also said to Abraham: "On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you that you must keep: every male among you shall be circumcised."
Our covenant with God asks us to do a lot for God. We have to walk in His Divine Presence wherever we go. We must be blameless. We must circumcise our hearts, minds, and spirits. We need to follow His commandments and do everything for His sake so we can glorify Him and not ourselves. The covenant appears to be very demanding, but the thing we must keep in mind is that the covenant is a two-way street. It also makes a great demand on God. It asks Him to forgive us our trespasses and sins. It asks Him to remain with us forever. It asks Him to take us into His Heavenly Home and prepare a place for us. It asks Him to share eternal life with us. The promises we make to God seem a small price to pay for such amazing gifts.
Are we following the New Covenant as faithfully as we should? Do we realize how much more we gain through our relationship with God, then we lose through our sacrifices for His sake? How can we walk in God’s presence always and be blameless in His sight?
O Lord, help us to keep our covenant as faithfully as possible.
Amen.
Friday, June 30, 2017
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Mass during the Day
Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, “Get up quickly.” The chains fell from his wrists. The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.” So he followed him out, not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real; he thought he was seeing a vision.
There are times in our lives when we feel trapped or are tempted to despair, but if we place our trust in God, then no matter what happens we will be able to remain hopeful. However, hope also depends upon us answering God’s call when it comes and doing what God is asking of us without delay. God’s requests come through other people or from the inner voice of our conscience. It is important for us to listen to God in these moments and to respond quickly. When God asks us to follow Him, we should go willingly and without hesitation. This can be done best by building up the habit of acting upon the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and allowing God to lead us where we need to be when we need to be there.
Are there any areas of our lives where we feel trapped or tempted to despair? How can we cultivate the habit of trusting in God? What can we do to better listen to and act upon the inspirations of the Holy Spirit?
O Lord, give us a spirit of hope and trust in you.
Amen.
There are times in our lives when we feel trapped or are tempted to despair, but if we place our trust in God, then no matter what happens we will be able to remain hopeful. However, hope also depends upon us answering God’s call when it comes and doing what God is asking of us without delay. God’s requests come through other people or from the inner voice of our conscience. It is important for us to listen to God in these moments and to respond quickly. When God asks us to follow Him, we should go willingly and without hesitation. This can be done best by building up the habit of acting upon the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and allowing God to lead us where we need to be when we need to be there.
Are there any areas of our lives where we feel trapped or tempted to despair? How can we cultivate the habit of trusting in God? What can we do to better listen to and act upon the inspirations of the Holy Spirit?
O Lord, give us a spirit of hope and trust in you.
Amen.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr
“See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir.” Then the word of the LORD came to him: “No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir.” He took him outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.
There are moments in our lives when we might be tempted to complain about God not doing something for us. We might run out of patience and wonder if God will ever give us what we’ve prayed for. However, we need to remember God works on His own timetable... and orders all things for our betterment. He may not give us what we want when we want it for any number of reasons. Perhaps we might not truly need what we’ve asked for. Perhaps we wouldn’t appreciate the gift at the time. Perhaps we aren’t ready for it just yet. Perhaps receiving the gift would lead us astray. There are any number of God reasons for God to delay or deny the answers to our prayers. However, we should realize without a doubt that God always has our best interests at heart. He wants us to prosper and our graces and gifts to increase. He wants us to grow in faith, hope, and love by putting our trust in Him and acting with righteousness.
What are some of the things we have asked God for that we have not received? Can we understand or at least accept God’s decision to delay or deny our requests? How can we put our faith in God just as Abram did?
O Lord, grant us the patience we need to await the answers to our prayers and the humility to accept whatever you deem best for us.
Amen.
There are moments in our lives when we might be tempted to complain about God not doing something for us. We might run out of patience and wonder if God will ever give us what we’ve prayed for. However, we need to remember God works on His own timetable... and orders all things for our betterment. He may not give us what we want when we want it for any number of reasons. Perhaps we might not truly need what we’ve asked for. Perhaps we wouldn’t appreciate the gift at the time. Perhaps we aren’t ready for it just yet. Perhaps receiving the gift would lead us astray. There are any number of God reasons for God to delay or deny the answers to our prayers. However, we should realize without a doubt that God always has our best interests at heart. He wants us to prosper and our graces and gifts to increase. He wants us to grow in faith, hope, and love by putting our trust in Him and acting with righteousness.
What are some of the things we have asked God for that we have not received? Can we understand or at least accept God’s decision to delay or deny our requests? How can we put our faith in God just as Abram did?
O Lord, grant us the patience we need to await the answers to our prayers and the humility to accept whatever you deem best for us.
Amen.
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Twelfth Tuesday of Ordinary Time
“Look about you, and from where you are, gaze to the north and south, east and west; all the land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever. I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth; if anyone could count the dust of the earth, your descendants too might be counted. Set forth and walk about in the land, through its length and breadth, for to you I will give it.” Abram moved his tents and went on to settle near the terebinth of Mamre, which is at Hebron. There he built an altar to the LORD.
God gives us every opportunity to thrive in this world. He gives us gifts and graces that allow us to fulfill our unique role in His Divine Plan. His blessings cannot be counted... they are more numerous than the dust of the earth. He has prepared a place for us in this world that will lead to prosperity. Perhaps not in human terms of wealth and fame, but in heavenly terms of spiritual rewards and glory. And in return for all of this, He only asks us to know, love, and serve Him and His children as He knows, loves, and serves us. It is when we imitate Him that we are most uniquely ourselves. It is when we think, speak, and do His Will that we make our hearts into living altars to His Love, Goodness, and Mercy.
Have we looked around and really appreciated all God has given us? How have we given thanks for all the gifts and graces we have? In what ways can we make ourselves into living sacrifices to God?
O Lord, make our hearts into altars to you.
Amen.
God gives us every opportunity to thrive in this world. He gives us gifts and graces that allow us to fulfill our unique role in His Divine Plan. His blessings cannot be counted... they are more numerous than the dust of the earth. He has prepared a place for us in this world that will lead to prosperity. Perhaps not in human terms of wealth and fame, but in heavenly terms of spiritual rewards and glory. And in return for all of this, He only asks us to know, love, and serve Him and His children as He knows, loves, and serves us. It is when we imitate Him that we are most uniquely ourselves. It is when we think, speak, and do His Will that we make our hearts into living altars to His Love, Goodness, and Mercy.
Have we looked around and really appreciated all God has given us? How have we given thanks for all the gifts and graces we have? In what ways can we make ourselves into living sacrifices to God?
O Lord, make our hearts into altars to you.
Amen.
Monday, June 26, 2017
Twelfth Monday of Ordinary Time
The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel, pitching his tent with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. He built an altar there to the LORD and invoked the LORD by name. Then Abram journeyed on by stages to the Negeb.
We should be building altars to God within our hearts just as Abram built altars in his own life. We should remember what God has done for us. We should remember to invoke God’s name in thanksgiving as well as supplication. And just like Abram, we shall continue our journey towards heaven in stages. The conversion of our hearts, minds, and souls usually happens in small steps along the narrow path, each step leading us closer to God and further along the way to holiness. Sometimes God may give us opportunities to grow in our faith and love by leaps and bounds, but other times we shall struggle inch-by-inch toward heaven with only hope keeping us going. However, as long as we keep our eyes on God and our thoughts, words, and works moving forward toward God, then we shall be given every grace we need to enter the Heavenly Kingdom through the narrow gate of Christ.
Have we made a spiritual altar within our hearts? In what ways do we give thanks to God for all He has done for us? How can we take the next step in our faith journey?
O Lord, may our hearts be an altar to you and our thoughts, words, and works a sacrifice of thanksgiving to you.
Amen.
We should be building altars to God within our hearts just as Abram built altars in his own life. We should remember what God has done for us. We should remember to invoke God’s name in thanksgiving as well as supplication. And just like Abram, we shall continue our journey towards heaven in stages. The conversion of our hearts, minds, and souls usually happens in small steps along the narrow path, each step leading us closer to God and further along the way to holiness. Sometimes God may give us opportunities to grow in our faith and love by leaps and bounds, but other times we shall struggle inch-by-inch toward heaven with only hope keeping us going. However, as long as we keep our eyes on God and our thoughts, words, and works moving forward toward God, then we shall be given every grace we need to enter the Heavenly Kingdom through the narrow gate of Christ.
Have we made a spiritual altar within our hearts? In what ways do we give thanks to God for all He has done for us? How can we take the next step in our faith journey?
O Lord, may our hearts be an altar to you and our thoughts, words, and works a sacrifice of thanksgiving to you.
Amen.
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fear no one. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
There is nothing in heaven or on earth that we should fear more than God. As such, the proclamation of the Good News and of God’s Love for the world is more important than anything else. We should speak the truth everywhere we go. We should not be afraid to be confronted by others for our beliefs. We should only be afraid of being led astray by the Evil One and brought to destruction in Hell.
Are we truly afraid of disappointing God? How can we do a better job of proclaiming God’s Good News? What can we do to protect ourselves from the temptations and destructive sins which are born from the Evil One?
O Lord, let us fear nothing more than disappointing you.
Amen.
There is nothing in heaven or on earth that we should fear more than God. As such, the proclamation of the Good News and of God’s Love for the world is more important than anything else. We should speak the truth everywhere we go. We should not be afraid to be confronted by others for our beliefs. We should only be afraid of being led astray by the Evil One and brought to destruction in Hell.
Are we truly afraid of disappointing God? How can we do a better job of proclaiming God’s Good News? What can we do to protect ourselves from the temptations and destructive sins which are born from the Evil One?
O Lord, let us fear nothing more than disappointing you.
Amen.
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory.
We are called from birth to be instruments of God’s Will. We are called to sharpen our minds, wills, spirits, and even our bodies so we can do what God asks us to do. He wants us to polish these things so that we can be intelligent, disciplined, loving, and mortified. Why? Because with intelligence, we gain understanding of the truths of our faith. With discipline, we learn to tame our passions, keep the commandments, fast, and pray each and every day. With love, we become selfless and sacrificial people, who give alms, act with charity and mercy, and do good works. With mortification, we learn to control our physical appetites so we become healthier and more effective tools for God. Taken together, all these things give us the graces and gifts we need to be good and faithful servants, revealing God’s Glory through everything we think, say, and do.
How can we sharpen our minds so we can grow in faith? How can we sharpen our wills and spirits so we might choose to live wisely and well and love with all our hearts? How can we sharpen our bodies so they are healthy and used in ways that increase our faith, hope, and love?
O Lord, may our lives reveal your glory.
Amen.
We are called from birth to be instruments of God’s Will. We are called to sharpen our minds, wills, spirits, and even our bodies so we can do what God asks us to do. He wants us to polish these things so that we can be intelligent, disciplined, loving, and mortified. Why? Because with intelligence, we gain understanding of the truths of our faith. With discipline, we learn to tame our passions, keep the commandments, fast, and pray each and every day. With love, we become selfless and sacrificial people, who give alms, act with charity and mercy, and do good works. With mortification, we learn to control our physical appetites so we become healthier and more effective tools for God. Taken together, all these things give us the graces and gifts we need to be good and faithful servants, revealing God’s Glory through everything we think, say, and do.
How can we sharpen our minds so we can grow in faith? How can we sharpen our wills and spirits so we might choose to live wisely and well and love with all our hearts? How can we sharpen our bodies so they are healthy and used in ways that increase our faith, hope, and love?
O Lord, may our lives reveal your glory.
Amen.
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