Sunday of the Third Week of Advent

Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus responds to the disciples of John the Baptist who ask him if he is the one to come, the Messiah. In Jesus’ response, there is what is heralded in each of the other readings and the Responsorial Psalm. Of the coming of God, Isaiah says, “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.” Similarly, the psalmists says, “The LORD gives sight to the blind; the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.” And in the second reading from James, he encourages his brothers and sisters to wait patiently as a farmer waits for “the precious fruit of the earth” because “the coming of the Lord is at hand.” What does that mean to me that God’s kingdom is amid the ordinariness of each day and certainly amid the extraordinary joyful expectation of this day, Gaudete Sunday?

God, help me take this in and understand it. The kingdom of heaven is coming, and the kingdom of heaven is here now. As Jesus tells the crowds: “among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” In Jesus’ coming, I have what no one before him had. Although no one was greater than the forerunner John, the least in the kingdom, in Jesus’ coming, is greater than John. Even today, Lord, you feed the least in your kingdom with the Eucharist and the sacraments, with us until you come again in glory. Be here with me today during the Mass, in receiving the Eucharist, and present in me through the Holy Spirit.

God of all, you heal us in mind, body, and spirit through the saving power of your Son. Help me see and hear you today so that I can do your will to give you glory.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://youtu.be/2W-KSOPWWBY

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The angel Gabriel said to Mary: “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

On today’s Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Gospel according to Luke describes a profound moment in human history, where Mary says yes to God. It is the quietest of meetings, Gabriel and Mary face to face. Is it possible that Gabriel knew of Mary’s immaculate conception, observing her life from the time she was born? Born without original sin, at the Annunciation, Mary was able to say yes wholeheartedly and without the same brokenness of spirit that we all confront because of sin. Mary’s yes undid that other conversation between an angel and a woman, the serpent and Eve, that took place in the Garden of Eden. Mary’s question—“How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”—shows that for her it was not a question of whether God could make the incarnation happen but how it would happen. What would it take for me to give the same wholehearted response to God as Mary does?

Lord, as Gabriel tells Mary that Jesus will rule over the house of Jacob forever and that of his Kingdom there will be no end and that nothing is impossible for you, wouldn’t it have been understandable for Mary to question this? Wouldn’t any one of us say, “Wait; stop right there. I will bear a son whose kingdom will never end? I need a minute.” Instead, Mary simply says, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Almighty God, grant me the grace of complete confidence in your power and glory.

Thank you, God, for the Blessed Virgin Mary’s yes. Her fiat—“May it be done to me according to your word.”— is the royal road to the Incarnate Word, Jesus your Son. Lord, let me know and do your will for the praise of your glory. Blessed Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://youtu.be/2W-KSOPWWBY

Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Jesus said to the crowds: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites those who hear him to come to him for rest, to take his yoke upon them and learn from him. Jesus doesn’t say he will remove the burden. What, then, does he mean by asking us to take his yoke upon him? Traditionally, a yoke is a heavy beam placed between animals such as oxen to allow them to pull a load together. Jesus offers rest by sharing his yoke with us, to lighten the load, to learn from him to be meek and humble of heart. The yoke Jesus offers is easy; in it, there is no escape from daily burdens but room to come to know who it is that walks beside us. On the feast of Saint Ambrose, a Doctor of the Church, let me remember to be attentive to the word of God in the work I do today and bring Christ into the most burdensome moments. Saint Ambrose, pray for us!

My instinct is to try to escape the yoke of daily routines bring and to lay my burdens down and rest. God, help guide me with the wisdom to know that these inescapable burdens are an opportunity to learn that you are beside me and to rest in the peace of your presence. Give me the grace today to strive in that hope with the yoke you offer me.

Lord, thank you for the gift of the burdens of this day that you give me to draw me closer to you, to have me work beside you. Stay with me! In the words of Saint Ambrose, “Let us take refuge from this world. You can do this in spirit, even if you are kept here in the body. You can at the same time be here and present to the Lord.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent

Jesus said to his disciples, “In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells his disciples the parable of the lost sheep. He asks their opinion of whether a shepherd would leave his ninety-nine sheep to go in search of the one gone astray. And if he finds it, Jesus says, “he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.” He says this to teach the disciples about the extraordinary love of the Father for his beloved children. Rather than pity the ones who are lost, I have to think about the times that I have gone astray and waited for God to come in power to save me. As the Gospel acclamation says: “The day of the Lord is near; Behold, he comes to save us.” As we celebrate the feast of Saint Nicholas today, I’m reminded of his generosity through his life of service to the needy, the sick, and the suffering. Is Santa real, I have to ask myself? As long as we celebrate the life of Saint Nicholas among the communion of saints, yes, Santa is real.

Help me understand, Lord, the words of the Our Father in daily life: “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” Life passes quickly, and the strength and resolve of youth is transitory. Isaiah’s beautiful words in the first reading calls this to mind: “All flesh is grass, and all their glory like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower wilts, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it. So then, the people is the grass. Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, the word of our God stands forever.” Keep me in your care, God, and close to your word—to the word made flesh.

Jesus, Good Shepherd, help me stay close to you today. I know I will go astray. As Saint Paul says, “For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want.” Through your grace, keep me from the temptation that leads to sin and let me instead see and do your will. And when I fail, come find me and bring me back to you.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

https://youtu.be/wAxUK1Kn64E

Readings

Monday of the Second Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–he said to the one who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

In today’s reading, as Jesus is teaching the Pharisees and scribes, the friends of a man who was paralyzed lowered him through the roof because they couldn’t make their way through the crowd. As soon as Jesus sees the man, he says to him: “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” The scribes and Pharisees see this as blasphemy because only God can forgive sins. But Jesus says to them: “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?” And immediately the man stood up and walked. As the Son of God, Jesus speaks reality into existence. He said to the man “Rise and walk,” and he rose and walked. The same goes for sins. As he speaks, so it is done. Sins are forgiven.

God, help me understand the power and authority you gave to your Son to release me from sin. As the Gospel Acclamation says, “Behold the king will come, the Lord of the earth, and he himself will lift the yoke of our captivity.” Sin and death bind and enslave, but through your Son they no longer have the last word because he destroyed death and canceled sin, restoring us to communion with you. And just as the crowd recognizes in the last words of today’s Gospel, I can also take in and respond to with joy: “We have seen incredible things today.”

Lord, give me the grace to carry that joy with me throughout the day. As Jesus the Divine Physician spoke healing and forgiveness into reality out of great love and mercy, I can choose to recognize that as the events of today unfold. As Padre Pio prayed in his prayer after Holy Communion: “Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

Sunday of the Second Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “"”You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, “‘We have Abraham as our father.’”

In today’s Gospel reading, John the Baptist was preaching the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven, the coming of Christ. Matthew says that people from the whole region around the Jordan were coming to John to be baptized. John, known as the forerunner of Christ, chastises the Pharisees and Sadducees to repentance, to make a complete turnaround: “For I tell you,” John says to them, “God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.” Some commentaries on this passage suggest that the stones and dust of the earth are the dust from which God created man and woman. Their reliance on Abraham as their father, then, is not to replace the coming of the Son of God. What are the tenuous beliefs I hold onto that keep me from an authentic relationship with God?

Help me see clearly, Lord, my own overreliance in what is not you—adherence to beliefs that fail to lead to you. I want to understand that the Pharisees and Sadducees are not so remote in world history that they are irrelevant. Help me learn from them that pride in my own particular path to holiness is a dead end, is sin, the chaff that you separate from the wheat. As John says of you, Lord: “Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Guide me in keeping with Christ so that with one voice with one another I may glorify you.

Jesus, as I receive you in the Eucharist today, let me give glory to your name. Be with me so that I can keep today holy. As the first reading beautifully describes the Kingdom of Heaven, fill me with the gift of your presence: “There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://youtu.be/2W-KSOPWWBY

Saturday of the First Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

In the Gospel for today, we celebrate the memorial of Saint Francis Xavier. On this last day of the first week of Advent, Matthew describes Jesus’ entry into towns and villages as he proclaimed the Kingdom of heaven and cured every disease and illness. “At the sight of the crowds,” Matthew tells us, “his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.” Who is this whose heart is moved with pity? It is the same God in the Responsorial Psalm who tells the number of the stars and calls each of us by name. It is the same God in the first reading who guides us from behind and whose voice we hear say: “‘This is the way; walk in it,’ when you would turn to the right or to the left.” Then, Jesus asks of me what he asks of the Twelve: cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and drive out demons.

God, help me understand you are not some ideology or philosophy to comprehend and apply to daily life. You are the creator of the universe; you are Christ the Son; you are the Holy Spirit. And you are asking me, whose name you know, to proclaim that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. How is it possible that I am able to do all you ask of me, especially the impossible? When I think of curing the sick and driving out demons, I bring it down to size. Be loving, help give healing to brokenness, welcome the ones who feel alienated, and go to Confession and invite others. But there is more to that. You really did give Peter and the Twelve the authority to raise the dead and cure the sick. Let me not underestimate the power you entrust me with that comes through faith in you. As that other great Francis, Saint Francis of Assisi, said: “First do what is necessary. Then do what is possible. And before you know it you are doing the impossible.”

Lord, let me quietly take in the love you have for me. The authority you first gave to the Twelve by your authority as Lord of all you also give to me. It’s humbling to hold in my being that you love me as a laborer sent out to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of heaven. Stay with me today, stay behind me, guiding which way to go to accomplish your will.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://youtu.be/2W-KSOPWWBY

Friday of the First Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”

The two blind men who approached Jesus first cried out to him and then followed him. The passage doesn’t say that the blind men asked Jesus anything. Jesus simply knows their needs: “Do you believe that I can do this?” Just as God spoke creation into existence, Jesus says “let it be done” and it is done. He tells the blind men that it is done according to their faith. Countless times every day, I make plans in my head as if I could speak them into fulfillment, as if by my own interior light I see ahead in the dark. How far am I willing to say of each plan “let it be done” according to God’s will?

God, let me stop and consider the power behind the words of your Son: “Let it be done.” In coming to Jesus, the blind men poured out their hearts to him, saying, “Son of David, have pity on us!” The extent of what I might accomplish today, Lord, can be summed up in two words: God willing. What can I hope to accomplish today without believing that you work with me and through me to do your will? Lord, touch my eyes today with your presence and give me the grace to remember to come to you in trust, and let me hear you say: “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”

Jesus, open my eyes of faith today to your presence in the Blessed Sacrament and in the Masses said throughout the world at every minute of the day. I know you delight in me and love me. Help me realize that when I fall short. Take pity on me when I fail to love you and all those I encounter today as I should. Advent is here, and you are coming. Open my eyes to that joyful expectation. I know you are near!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://youtu.be/2W-KSOPWWBY

Thursday of the First Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

The words of Jesus from today’s Gospel strike the ear with his repetition of “Lord” and the warning of utter ruin that follows from building on a foundation of anything other than doing the will of the Father. When I hear Jesus saying, “Lord, Lord,” I feel accused. Lord, shouldn’t I call out to you at all times? The Gospel acclamation says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call him while he is near.” Jesus issues a kind of challenge in his words by directing us to the will of the Father.

God, help me understand the will of the Father, as I hear Jesus inviting me to remain authentic in my relationship with him: “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.” Lord, you are, as Isaiah says, the eternal Rock. Thank you for the life, death, and resurrection of your Son, for his words that encourage me to lay down my own will and know and do yours instead.

Father in heaven, when I am restless and distracted today, quiet my soul. Teach me your will, and let me not be discouraged by failure to accomplish it but resolved all the more to trust in your mercy and grace. Let me have childlike hope in you, in your guidance. When I call out to you, let it be from a longing that only your love for me can fulfill. Prepare me through your gift of this day to enter your kingdom.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

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.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites two pairs of brothers to follow him. He first finds Peter and Andrew, in the midst of their daily work, casting their net into the sea. Next he sees James and John and calls them as they are mending their nets. Only God knows why Jesus chose these first apostles over others. What is clear is that he chose them from their very livelihood—at work in the world—inviting them to work anew with their nets to draw people from the world into the kingdom of God. It’s hard for me to imagine what God sees in me that makes me suited to witness to his truth. What does he see in me as he looks at me as he did Peter, Andrew, James, and John? Why is it that Jesus calls two at a time, brothers at that? The way of faith—is it meant to be done in solitude or in fellowship?

God, help me comprehend what it means to say yes when Jesus says to me in the unfolding of the day: “Come after me.” It raises fears that I am not all you believe me to be. You know how the day and its responsibilities overtake me to the point that I sometimes forget you. The lyrics from the song “Lord, When You Came to the Seashore” remind me that God is not looking for the smartest or most powerful; he’s looking for me, whom he loved first: “Lord, when you came to the seashore / You weren’t seeking the wise or the wealthy, / But only asking that I might follow.” Let me have the grace, God, to hear your Son throughout the day and respond to his call.

Lord, I want to hear your voice today. This is your day. As in the Our Father, we pray that your will be done, I pray that you take my desire and longing to see you and make it suitable to accomplish your Divine Will. As the Morning Offering calls us to do, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day. Give me the grace to hear your voice and follow.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://youtu.be/y1uTNd4zbmg

Tuesday of the First Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

After saying these words, Jesus turned to his disciples and told them in private that they are blessed to see what prophets and kings desired to see and hear but did not see and hear. What is the it that Jesus refers to? The Gospel acclamation explicitly says what it is: “Behold, our Lord shall come with power; he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.” Enlightenment for his servants; servants see what the wise and the learned hoped to see and hear. When I consider myself wise, how often have I shut my eyes and closed my ears to the wisdom of God right in front of me? To be childlike in faith, is it to see what is hidden in plain sight? Jesus, reveal the Father to me.

God, help me understand who it is you sent into the world to be seen and heard. You have given everything you have to your Son, and through you I come to know him, and through what he reveals I come to know you. Holy Spirit, help me know the Father and the Son so that I can seek you out and find your dwelling, where as the first reading from Isaiah says, “There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea.”

God, you hear my sighs; you see my restlessness and know that I want you near. For you, nothing is impossible. Help me through your grace recover childlike wonder—the blessedness of seeing you as you are—as I come into your presence; help me throughout the day remember to come into your presence.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://youtu.be/y1uTNd4zbmg

Monday of the First Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.”

As the centurion approaches Jesus in today’s reading, he appeals to Jesus to help his servant, who, as the centurion says, “is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” Jesus offers to go to him and cure him, but the centurion tells him: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” Jesus is amazed at his faith and heals his servant. I notice how the centurion refers to Jesus as Lord. The term comes from the Greek word kyrie, meaning “supreme in authority.” By calling Jesus “Lord,” the centurion acknowledges that Jesus, not the emperor, has supreme authority. Jesus describes the faith of the centurion as nothing he has seen in all of Israel. It is his Father, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who has the power and authority to draw all to him.

God, help me follow the example of faith of the centurion. At every Mass, we repeat his words: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” I want to comprehend that such power and authority as the centurion had over others in no way prevented him from recognizing his helplessness in a desperate situation, where he sought the good of the other.

Jesus, let me rest in you today as if I were before you, present in the Blessed Sacrament, even amid the day’s clamor. Let me give my cares to you freely so that I can know the joy of anticipation of your birth. Through your grace, keep me attentive to your word so that I can know and do your will. Like the centurion, let me be unafraid to appeal to you for help, whatever the need.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

First Sunday of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Today, the first Sunday of Advent, the Gospel reading from Matthew depicts Jesus telling the disciples about the Second Coming of Christ. Jesus compares that time to the time of Noah, where people were carrying on with everyday concerns: eating, drinking, and marrying. Jesus urges us to remain vigilant for the day when he returns. On this first day of Advent, what can I do to prepare for the arrival of Christmas, the First Coming of Christ, when Jesus becomes through his birth the Word Incarnate, God with us?

God, help me take to heart the significance of this day and of this season and where it leads me. I want to learn how to become closer to you, Lord, and devote more of my time to you. Give me the grace to see you and your work throughout the day and be grateful for your abiding presence day after day.

Thank you, Lord, for this time of expectancy, the time to await the coming of your Son, a child born of Mary in Bethlehem. The pathway to joy you make clear; embrace me with your mercy and help me stay on it so that I can say as the psalmist says: “Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.”

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://youtu.be/2W-KSOPWWBY

Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

Jesus said to his disciples: “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.”

The Gospel acclamation echoes what Jesus says in today’s Gospel reading: “Be vigilant at all times and pray that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.” At the very end of the liturgical year, Jesus tells us that being drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and daily anxiety occludes the word of God in our lives. Jesus warns us not to be caught off guard, to stay awake and pray to avoid the tribulations of each day that take our focus away from God.

God, help me understand that moments of this day will come when I tend toward lulling myself into a kind of sleep—whether through pleasure, self-reassurance, overindulgence, or anxiety. The list goes on. Grant me the grace today to stay alert, to be vigilant through prayer and awareness of your presence. Help me to know and do your will.

Lord, you sent an angel to John to tell him through his visions that you are coming soon and that your words are trustworthy and true. “Blessed be my rock! Exalted be God, my savior!” Show me your love and mercy; help me raise my head to face my redemption.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://youtu.be/VYNGcSXvoLE

Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

A READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

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.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus shares a simple parable with his disciples. In his description of the change of seasons from spring to summer, he sets up a comparison of the coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus, who is consubstantial with the Father, through him all things were made, created the natural order for the good of his children; in the same way, the supernatural order, the new creation is a place of continual praise and glory: “Heaven and earth will pass away,” Jesus says, “but my words will not pass away.” If Jesus connects the natural and supernatural worlds in the broadest way—all of the seasons, all of nature—how does he bring me from my natural, earthly existence into eternal life? How do I recognize that the Kingdom of God is coming and that it is already here?

Thank you, God, for the gift of faith, strengthened through the Eucharist and the sacraments. Help me see, as you see, the connectedness of your creation and the solid foundation of truth on which it stands: “My words will not pass away.”

Father in heaven, you are love and mercy itself. Let my being rest in you, the source of all grace, trusting in this life in what will not pass away and enjoying it forever in the life to come.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://youtu.be/Dd7YbWyPcQo

Thanksgiving Day

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

As they were going they were cleansed. 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.

These words from today’s Gospel reading stand out as a beautiful example of gratitude. The ten lepers first cried out to Jesus as he entered a village: “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” They reached out for Jesus’ help, and he answered their prayers immediately. But only one, realizing he had been healed, returned to Jesus to thank him and glorify God. Jesus asks him about the other nine who did not return and ultimately says to him: “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Father in heaven, thank you for a new day. Thank you for the example of the healed leper who returned to Jesus to give thanks. I want to comprehend that all I have is your gift; my whole being is your gift. How do I remember that, even when things don’t go as I think they should go, or when suffering or hardship seems to diminish the gift your your presence?

Lord, give me the grace to be grateful for your blessings. Let me be a means of peace today on this day of thanksgiving. Stay at the table with me as we share our blessings together. I ask you, Lord, to trust in your mercy so that I too can be merciful. Thanks be to God!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W-KSOPWWBY

Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

Jesus said to the crowd: “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 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.”

Today’s Gospel follows yesterday’s reading, where Jesus speaks to the crowd about the signs of the end times. As he describes the coming persecution, he says that because of his name we will be hated by all but “not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By perseverance you will secure your lives.”

God, help me recognize what it means to be led to give testimony, not likely before kings and governors but before those close to me—my family, my children, my friends, and acquaintances and strangers. Let me be mindful of you, Lord Jesus, when I am afraid to be bold in proclaiming what I believe—that you are the Son of God sent by the Father as a ransom for many through your life, death, and resurrection.

Thank you, God, for the gift of your presence! Grant me peace today through the knowledge that you are with me every moment of this day, and let me not be afraid to remain faithful to you until death so to gain the crown of life.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://youtu.be/Dd7YbWyPcQo

Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here–the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

Today’s Gospel reading from Luke follows immediately where yesterday’s reading left off, where Jesus observed the widow who contributed two small coins to the treasury. The placement of the two readings together come back to the theme of earthly wealth compared to the true wealth of dependence on God. Jesus seems to say, “Don’t you see the ruins that this temple will soon become?” And today he says not to be deceived by others who come in his name. Life is short; a day, a lifetime, passes quickly. Where do I place my faith?

God, help me see beyond passing things and keep my gaze fixed on you in this short life. I want to see you through the lives of others I encounter and in the opportunities you present to me. Nothing lasts but you. Through your grace help me remember you in moments when I stand among the rubble of something that seemed to my mind unassailable. I don’t know or understand well enough, Lord, that your love for me is not deception; you alone are unassailable. As Saint Thérèse says: “Jesus is on fire with love for us. Look at his adorable face! Look at his eyes lifeless and lowered! Look at his wounds. Look at Jesus in his face. There you will see how he loves us.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Saint Cecilia, pray for us!

Readings

Memorial of The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”

Jesus’ words from today’s Gospel reading reflect the compassion he felt toward the poor. But by saying the widow put in more than all the rest, Jesus seems to come to a conclusion that doesn’t make sense, at least according to conventional logic. Although the contributions of wealthy people amounted to more than the two small coins of the widow, her true wealth was her dependence on God and trust in his providence. More than that, Jesus beautifully expresses what happens when we are able to turn basic economics on its head and give Christ, King of the Universe, control of our livelihood. The Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary commemorates when Mary’s parents, Saints Joachim and Anne, brought Mary to the temple to be offered to God. By offering Mary, they too gave their whole livelihood.

God, help me understand what it means to detach from material possessions and learn what true wealth is, not as the world understands it but according to your divine order. In the first reading, John hears a sound like harps and a new song being sung: “They were singing what seemed to be a new hymn before the throne, before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn this hymn except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been ransomed from the earth.” I don’t know what it’s like to give as the widow gave, not from surplus wealth but from an offering; teach me, Lord, with the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to let go of the fear of detachment and to offer myself freely to you.

How quieted is my soul, Lord, when I am able to say to you as Mary said to the archangel Gabriel: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word.” Take my works, joys, and sufferings of this day as an offering to you!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.

Readings

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, marks the end of the Church year, and next Sunday is the start of Advent. It seems strange that the Gospel reading relates to the Passion of Christ, deep into his suffering as he hangs on the cross. In the reading from today, he responds to the good thief when another mocks him. In a contradiction that would seem as evident today as in the past, the criminal asks Jesus why he doesn’t save himself if he is the Christ. The other recognizes the injustice he has done and acknowledges that Jesus is the anointed one, the Son of David: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

God, thank you for your mercy! Considering the words of the good thief and Jesus’ response to him, help me understand today that there will always be the skepticism that produces injustice and malice. Others though, through fear of God, and acknowledgment of Christ as King help show us the way to his kingdom. God, you owe me nothing, and there is nothing I can do to deserve your mercy. Yet, mercy flows from you—body and blood, soul and divinity—as you hang on the cross. Today as I live my life may I recognize you as first and foremost. As Saint Paul says in the second reading: “He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent.” And on the day of my death, may I recognize you as Christ the King and hear your voice as you welcome me into Paradise.

Thank you, Lord, for your kingship. Only Christ, the Son of God, can say from the cross, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Jesus, remember me, and the promise of your mercy.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W-KSOPWWBY

Saturday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

“The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.”

This Gospel reading should sound familiar because it is from a recent Sunday Mass. Through Jesus’ response to the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection, he expresses a hint of what the life to come will be like. We will be like angels, Jesus says, and those who are deemed worthy can no longer die because they are children of God, the ones who will rise. Marrying and marriage doesn’t take place, Jesus says. After Jesus answered the question the Sadducees meant to trap Jesus with, Luke says that they call Jesus teacher and no longer dared to ask him anything. What I hear from today’s reading is “They can no longer die.”

God, help me understand you, who are a God of the living. In this life, a sacramental marriage is meant to bring us closer to you. A husband takes a wife and a wife a husband, man and woman, to bring each other to sainthood. Along the way it is not easy, and there are many deaths before being deemed worthy to rise to new life. “That the dead will rise,” Jesus says, “even Moses made known.” In this life, Lord, supply me with the grace to die bravely to anything that prevents me from attaching to you so to rise to new life.

Lord, you sent your Son to us, the Incarnate Word. Thank you for your gifts, the gift of this day and the grace to know and do your will. I want to be made worthy of the promises of Christ and with the saints and angels declare your glory: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://youtu.be/R1BuL-WCYSQ

Friday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the Gospel according to Luke

Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, “It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus drives out from the temple area all who were selling things, those who would deceive others in a temple made into a marketplace. The sellers were there for financial gain, not worship. When Jesus drives out of the temple those who made it into a marketplace, he is acting on truth he has spoken. Jesus is just in his judgment. Today, how does Jesus purify sacred spaces by driving out what doesn’t belong? In my own life, how does Jesus drive out from me, a temple of the Holy Spirit, the four substitutes for God, according to Saint Thomas Aquinas—honor, power, pleasure, wealth?

God, help me understand that Jesus made enemies by proclaiming the truth and judging justly. He drove out what didn’t belong in the temple area. Although the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders tried to find a way to put him to death, they couldn’t stop Jesus because people clung to the truths he was teaching them. Help me, Lord, learn wisdom from you to boldly proclaim the truth. As the refrain from today’s Psalm goes, “How sweet to my taste is your promise!”

When I am overwhelmed with tasks today, Lord, drive out self-possessing anxiety and let me remember “your will be done,” not mine. Grant me the grace to remember to return to you, who will drive out of me what doesn’t belong. In the words of Saint Paul: “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

Jesus weeps as he draws near Jerusalem, realizing its destruction was imminent. Commentary on this passage notes that Jesus weeps this way in only one other instance—for the death of his friend Lazarus. Here is Emmanuel among his people, who do not recognize him and suffer division because of that.

God, help me understand that what Jesus says standing outside Jerusalem, he says to me in a personal way. Father in heaven, you sent your son out of love for each person. How is it that the enemies of the day—the enemies within me and the enemies without—hem me in and overtake me? God, give me the gift of wisdom to recognize that you are present, to recognize the moments of the day when you make your visitation. It is harder for me to acknowledge and confront the enemies within than the enemies that abound of “one holy catholic and apostolic Church,” who “smash you to the ground and your children within you.” How peace will come out of what seems impossible, only God knows. As Jesus says in the Gospel according to Matthew: “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your presence. I know you love your children and never turn away. Help me remember to turn to you today to see you through the eyes of faith. Saint Elizabeth, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

Source of content: mycatholic.life

Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

“‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ He replied, ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’”

The Gospel reading from today is difficult to hear if not read in light of how God is to be worshiped. In the reading from the Book of Revelation, John describes the four evangelists before God’s throne, exclaiming: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.” The Parable of the Talents calls attention not to financial shortcomings or levels of worldly success but to devotion to God throughout life. In the parable, the king represents Jesus, present on earth as the Son of God and who will be present again as Christ the King when he returns in glory for the final judgment. In the parable, the king tells his servants: “Engage in trade with these [gold coins] until I return.” The question Jesus presents in the parable might be put this way when, at the end of this life, we meet the one who was, and who is, and who is to come: “What have you done with the coins, the gifts, I have given you?”

I might answer, God, by saying I have done little—not enough. Whatever I have done to bring forth the Kingdom of God, it was not my work but yours. What Jesus says in the parable is something I could ask myself every day, knowing the outcome of each scenario. To the servant who earns ten more coins, the king says, “Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.” To the servant who returns the single coin, the king calls him a wicked servant. Bless me, Lord, with the wisdom of thinking little of what I can on my own; instead, let me love you by allowing you to act in and through me to accomplish marvelous works—your own Divine Will. God, you know that although I often stop short and gain little with the gifts you have given me, I would rather be like the servant who is faithful in small matters and hear you say, “Well done, good servant!” Help me strive to be faithful.

God, you give me every good you yourself have created. You meet me where I am and love me as I am. Help me through your grace gain the wisdom and strength I need to accomplish all that I am able with the gifts you have given me. Teach me your ways in this life so that in the life to come, I will exclaim with my whole heart: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

Source of content: mycatholic.life

Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

And Jesus said to [Zacchaeus], “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

The Gospel reading from today, which we heard recently during the Sunday Mass, tells the story of Jesus’ encounter with the wealthy chief tax collector Zacchaeus. As Jesus announces to Zacchaeus that today he will stay at his house, some people in the crowd surrounding Jesus grumble about him spending time in the house of a sinner. But after coming down to receive Jesus with joy, the passage says that “Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.’” How does this resonate with my own life? Have there been times when I see someone rejoicing in their relationship with the Lord, yet I respond with harsh judgment?

God, help me understand this Gospel reading in respect to my own life. The first reading says what might be said of Zacchaeus or anyone of relative wealth and social status: “For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Even as Zacchaeus heard the grumbling of the people, he was overjoyed at standing before Jesus face to face. What Jesus says to Zacchaeus as he repents in person in the past, Jesus says to all of us who repent and return to him: “Today salvation has come to this house. . . . For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” Thank you, Lord, for the Eucharist, which brings your Son (body and blood, soul and divinity) to us today and every day in the Masses celebrated throughout the world.

I am yours, God; help me remain in you today and every day. I can proclaim this with boldness only because I depend on your grace to remain in your word. Come today, Lord, to stay at my house when I hear your voice. You say, “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlg7GtenQGo