God's Attentiveness

October 16, 2020 Friday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Hedwig, Religious—Optional Memorial Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin—Optional Memorial

“Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.”  Luke 12:6-7 “Do not be afraid.”  These words are often repeated in the holy Scriptures.  In this passage, Jesus says we should not be afraid because of the fact that the Father in Heaven is attentive to every last detail of our lives.  Nothing has escaped the notice of God.  If God is attentive to the sparrows, He is even more attentive to us.  That should give us a certain sense of peace and confidence. Of course, one reason that this can still be difficult to believe is that there are many times when it feels like God is quite distant and inattentive to our lives.  It’s important to remember that whenever we have this feeling, it’s only a feeling and not reality.  Reality is that God is infinitely more attentive to the details of our lives than we could ever realize.  In fact, He’s far more attentive to us than we are attentive to ourselves!  And not only is He attentive to every detail, He is deeply concerned about every detail. So why might it feel like God is distant at times?  There could be many reasons for this but we should be certain that there is always a reason.  Perhaps we are not listening to Him and not praying as we should and thus we are missing His attentiveness and guidance.  Perhaps He has chosen to remain silent in a matter as a way of drawing us closer to Himself.  Perhaps His silence is actually a very clear sign of His presence and His will.   Reflect, today, upon the fact that regardless of how we may feel at times we must be certain of the truth of this passage above.  “You are worth more than many sparrows.”  God has even counted the hairs on your head.  And every part of your life is fully present to Him.  Allow these truths to give you consolation and hope knowing that this attentive God is also a God of perfect love and mercy and will provide for you all that you need in life. Lord, I know You love me and are aware of every feeling, thought and experience I have in life.  You are aware of every problem and concern I have.  Help me to continually turn to You in all things knowing of Your perfect love and guidance.  Jesus, I trust in You.

The Key to Knowledge

October 15, 2020 Thursday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor—Memorial

“Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.”  Luke 11:52 In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues to chastise the Pharisees and the scholars of the law.  In this passage above, He chastises them because they “have taken away the key of knowledge” and have actively tried to keep others from the knowledge God wants them to have.  This is a strong accusation and reveals that the Pharisees and scholars of the law were actively hurting the faith of God’s people. As we’ve seen over the past few days in the Scriptures, Jesus rebuked the scholars of the law and the Pharisees severely for this.  And His rebuke was not only for their sake, it is also for our sake so that we know not to follow false prophets such as these and all who are interested only in themselves and their reputation rather than the truth. This Gospel passage is not only a condemnation of this sin, more importantly it raises a deep and beautiful concept.  It’s the concept of “the key of knowledge.”  What is the key of knowledge?  The key of knowledge is faith, and faith can come only by listening to the voice of God.  The key to knowledge is to let God speak to you and to reveal to you His deepest and most beautiful truths.  These truths can only be received and believed through prayer and through direct communication with God.   The saints are the best examples of those who have penetrated the deep mysteries of God’s life.  Through their life of prayer and faith they came to know God on a profound level.  Many of these great saints have left us beautiful writings and a powerful witness of the hidden but revealed mysteries of the inner life of God. Reflect, today, upon whether or not you have taken the “key of knowledge” and opened the mysteries of God through your life of faith and prayer.  Recommit yourself to seeking God in your daily personal prayer and to seek all that He desires to reveal to you. Lord, help me to seek You through a life of daily prayer.  In that life of prayer, draw me into a deep relationship with You, revealing to me all that You are and all that life is about.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Laws That Bind or Free

Laws That Bind or Free
October 13, 2020

Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time 

Father Daniel Ray, LC 

Luke 11:37-41 

After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal. The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.” 

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are present here as I turn to you in prayer. I trust and have confidence in your desire to give me every grace I need to receive today. Thank you for your love, thank you for your immense generosity toward me. I give you my life and my love in return. 

Petition: Lord, grant me this grace of conversion. 

Law for the Law’s Sake: The Mosaic Law was intended to free them for worship, delivering them from slavery to pagan gods and from slavery to sin. When the Law (and the added customs and regulations) became an end in itself, it was truncated and severed from the One to whom it was meant to lead. Today in the Catholic Church there are enough laws, customs and regulations to make even the most rigorous Pharisee proud. The danger is that we can fall into one of two traps. First, we can adhere to them with such vigor that we lose sight of the One they are freeing us to worship. We don’t allow our hearts and minds to be educated and formed by them; we just follow them blindly. We wind up cleaning the outside of the cup and stopping there, without going on to see God’s love and let it purify our hearts. 

The Second Trap: The second trap we can fall into is at the other extreme: to give ourselves an easy pass by presuming that “if my heart is in the right place, I don’t need to worry about all these rules and such.” With a lax attitude we permit ourselves to ease up on fulfilling these laws which in truth will free us. “I know today is Sunday and I should go to Mass, but it’s vacation! God knows I’m a good person.” Yet it is in the Sunday Mass that we receive the many graces necessary toward our being that “good person”. The commandment to keep the Sabbath holy, as with any of the Ten Commandments and customs of the Church, is there to lead us to God. These free us from our often confused, subjective conclusions about how we should worship God and live our lives. 

Cleaning the Cup: “Charity covers a multitude of sin” (1 Peter 4:8). The law of love is the most important of all the commandments of the Lord. In Chapter 12 of the Gospel of Mark, Christ responds to a scribe’s question about the first of all the commandments: “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Love of God and neighbor is both the source and the summit of the Law of the Old Covenant and of the New. Living these two greatest commandments purifies and cleanses our hearts—the inside of the cup. So, when Christ says to give alms, he is telling the Pharisees to love their neighbors. Then their hearts will be clean. 

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I want my heart always to be focused on you. I need your guidance, for I can’t do it alone. I need you to teach me how to love you, how to worship and serve you. The laws you give me free me and guide me toward you. Help me to see your hand leading me ever closer to you. 

Resolution: If there is a rule or custom of the Church that I don’t understand or don’t practice, I will read up on it to come to understand better how it frees me and guides me in my relationship with Christ. 

Woe To You!

October 14, 2020 Wednesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Callistus I, Pope and Martyr—Optional Memorial

“Woe to you! You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.” Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply, “Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.” And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”  Luke 11:44-46 What an interesting and somewhat surprising exchange between Jesus and this scholar of the law.  Here, Jesus is severely chastising the Pharisees and one of the scholars of the law tries to correct Jesus for being offensive.  And what does Jesus do?  He doesn’t back down or apologize for offending him; rather, He turns His severe rebuke to the scholar of the law.  That must have surprised him! What’s interesting is that the scholar of the law points out that Jesus is “insulting” them.  And he points it out as if Jesus were committing a sin and in need of a rebuke.  So was Jesus insulting the Pharisees and scholar of the law?  Yes, He probably was.  Was that a sin on Jesus’ part?  Obviously not.  Jesus does not sin. The mystery we face here is that sometimes the truth is “insulting,” so to speak.  It’s insulting to a person’s pride.  What’s most interesting is that when someone is insulted, they need to first realize that they are insulted because of their pride, not because of what the other person said or did.  Even if someone was overly harsh, feeling insulted is a result of pride.  If one were truly humble, then a rebuke would actually be welcomed as a helpful form of correction.  Sadly, the scholar of the law appears to lack the necessary humility to let Jesus’ rebuke sink in and free him from his sin. Reflect, today, upon whether or not you are humble enough to receive correction from another.  If someone points out your sin do you get offended?  Or do you take it as a useful correction and allow it to help you grow in holiness? Lord, please give me true humility.  Help me to never be offended when corrected by others.  May I receive others’ corrections as graces to help me on my way to holiness.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Cleansing Your Heart

October 13, 2020 Tuesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools!”  Luke 11:39-40a Jesus was continually critical of the Pharisees for being caught up with their external appearance and ignoring the sacredness of their souls.  It appears that Pharisee after Pharisee fell into this same trap.  Their pride led them to become obsessed with their external appearance of righteousness.  Sadly, their external appearance was only a mask over the “plunder and evil” that consumed them from within.  For that reason Jesus calls them “fools.” This head on challenge from our Lord was clearly an act of love in that He deeply desired that they looked at that which was within so as to cleanse their hearts and souls of all evil.  It appears that, in the case of the Pharisees, they needed to be called out directly for their evil.  This was the only way they would have a chance of repenting. The same can be true for all of us at times.  Each one of us can struggle with being far more concerned about our public image than about the sanctity of our souls.  But what is more important?  What’s important is that which God sees within.  God sees our intentions and all that is deep within our consciences.  He sees our motivations, our virtues, our sins, our attachments, and everything hidden from the eyes of others.  We, too, are invited to see that which Jesus sees.  We are invited to look at our souls in the light of truth.   Do you see your soul?  Do you examine your conscience each and every day?  You should examine your conscience by looking within and seeing what God sees through times of prayer and honest introspection.  Perhaps the Pharisees regularly fooled themselves into thinking all was well in their souls.  If you do the same at times, you also may need to learn from the strong words of Jesus. Reflect, today, upon your soul.  Do not be afraid to look at it in the light of truth and to see your life as God sees it.  This is the first and most important step in becoming truly holy.  And it’s not only the way to cleanse our souls, it’s also the necessary step in allowing our external life to shine brightly with the light of God’s grace. Lord, I want to become holy.  I want to be cleansed through and through.  Help me to see my soul as You see it and to allow Your grace and mercy to cleanse me in the ways that I need to be cleansed.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Seeking Signs

October 12, 2020 Monday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.”  Luke 11:29 Do you ever wish that God would give you a sign from Heaven as a way of giving you some definitive guidance or direction in life?  Do you look for signs from God and rely upon them?   If God were to give us some clear sign in life revealing His will, we should take it as a gift and be grateful for it.  But receiving a sign from God is different than seeking a sign from God.  In the passage above, Jesus strongly condemns those coming and seeking signs.  Why is this the case?  Why does Jesus speak strongly against seeking signs?  In large part because He wants us to seek Him through the gift of faith. Jesus states that no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah.  The “sign of Jonah” refers to Jesus’ Crucifixion, death, three days in the tomb and Resurrection.  Jonah was three days in the belly of the whale.  Jesus was telling them that He would be three days in the tomb.   But the key is that Jesus’ death and Resurrection IS the sign that will be given.  We should seek nothing other than this central mystery of our faith.  Every question, problem, concern, confusion, etc., can be answered and dealt with if we simply enter into the great mystery of our redemption by entering into the life, death and Resurrection of Christ.  Seeking a sign other than this would be wrong in that it would be a way of saying that the death and Resurrection of Jesus is not enough. Reflect, today, upon the greatest “sign” God has ever given.  And if you find yourself struggling with questions in life, turn your eyes to this one definitive sign.  Turn your eyes to the central mystery of our faith: the life, death and Resurrection of Christ.  It is there that every question can be answered and every grace is given.  We need nothing more than this. Lord, Your life, death and Resurrection is all I need to know in life.  Your perfect sacrifice gives me every answer and pours forth every grace.  May I always turn to You as the sign I need every day.  Jesus, I trust in You.

TO THE FLOWERS OF HEIDELBERG

Go to my country, go foreign flowers,

Planted by the traveler on his way,
And there beneath that sky of blue
That over my beloved towers,
Speak for this traveler to say
What faith in his homeland he breathes to you.

(Rizal in this paragraph poetically requests the flowers of Heidelberg to speak of him in the Philippines)

Go and say.... Say that when the dawn
First brew your calyx open there
Beside the River Necker chill,
You saw him standing by you, very still,
Reflecting on the primrose flush you wear.

Say that when the morning light
Her toll of perfume from you wrung,
While playfully she whispered, "How I love you!"
He too murmured here above you
Tender love songs in his native tongue.

That when the rising sun the height
Of Koenigsthul in early morn first spies,
And with its tepid light
Is pouring life in valley, wood, and grove,
He greets the sun as it begins to rise,
Which in his native land is blazing straight above.

(These three paragraphs mentions the times of day starting from dawn and the break of sunlight. He beautifully asked the flowers to bear witness to his undying concern for his motherland when at dawn he sings to the flowers native songs in exchange of their gift of natural perfume. And in the morning under the soft light of the early sun he reflects still of his motherland where the same sun now is at its highest... as if he is connected with his motherland through the sun)

And tell them of that day he staid
And plucked you from the border of the path,
Amid the ruins of the feudal castle,
By the River Neckar, and in the sylvan shade,

Tell them what he told you
As tenderly he took
Your pliant leaves and pressed them in a book,
Where now its well-worn pages close enfold you.

(Rizal poetically describes his plan for the flowers to carry his message to his motherland. He plucks them and preserves them in his book)

Carry, carry, flowers of Rhine,
Love to every love of mine,
Peace to my country and her fertile loam,
Virtue to her women, courage to her men,
Salute those darling ones again,
Who formed the sacred circle of our home.

(His first message to the country is peace, virtue to women, courage to men)

And when you reach that shore,
Each kiss I press upon you now,
Deposit on the pinions of the wind,
And those I love and honor and adore
Will feel my kisses carried to their brow.

(He poetically describes his will that his kisses on the flower may be carried by the wind to his loved ones)

Ah, flowers, you may fare through,
Conserving still, perhaps, your native hue;
Yet, far from Fatherland, heroic loam
To which you owe your life,
The perfume will be gone from you;
For aroma is your soul; it cannot roam
Beyond the skies which saw it born, nor e'er forget.

(Here is the paradox: Rizal used the flowers of Heidelberg as his symbol of his love for his motherland. The beauty of the flowers is comparable to the way he looks at our country that anyone who will see the flower may get in touch with Rizal's concern for his motherland. Though noble this may seem to be, Rizal in the last stanza reflected on its utter futility since the flower will no longer be the same when it reaches the country. Its beauty and perfume, which should reflect Rizal's intentions for the country, will long be gone. Why? For it is far from its fatherland.)

Rizal wrote this when he was at Germany. In France and Germany, Rizal was well known and respected. But he may have realized what good will their respect do to his country. What good will this do to the Philippines if he is serving foreign lands and not his own. His verses had a single symbol--The flowers of Heidelberg. But it symbolizes two realities. First, the flowers' beauty symbolizes Rizal's love for his country, and second, the flowers' reduced quality refers to Rizal's useless presence in another country. Later he decided to return to the country despite repeated warning from his friends and relatives.

Responding to the Gospel

October 11, 2020 Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Readings for Today

“Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.  The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.”  Matthew 22:5-6 This passage comes from the Parable of the Wedding Feast.  It reveals two unfortunate responses to the Gospel.  First, there are those who ignore the invitation.  Second, there are those who respond to the proclamation of the Gospel with hostility.   If you commit yourself to the proclamation of the Gospel, and have dedicated your whole soul to this mission, you will most likely encounter both of these reactions.  The King is an image of God, and we are called to be His messengers.  We are sent by the Father to go and gather others into the wedding feast.  This is a glorious mission in that we are privileged to invite people to enter into eternal joy and happiness!  But rather than being filled with great excitement at this invitation, many we encounter will be indifferent and go about their day uninterested in what we share with them.  Others, especially when it comes to various moral teachings of the Gospel, will react with hostility.   The rejection of the Gospel, be it indifferentism or a more hostile rejection, is an act of incredible irrationality.  The truth is that the message of the Gospel, which is ultimately an invitation to share in the Wedding Feast of God, is an invitation to receive the fullness of life.  It’s an invitation to share in the very life of God.  What a gift!  Yet there are those who fail to accept this gift from God because it is a total abandonment to the mind and will of God in every way.  It requires humility and honesty, conversion and selfless living. Reflect, today, upon two things.  First, reflect upon your own reaction to the Gospel.  Do you react to all that God speaks to you with complete openness and zeal?  Second, reflect upon the ways that you are called by God to bring His message to the world.  Commit yourself to doing so with great zeal, regardless of the reaction of others.  If you fulfill these two responsibilities, you and many others will be blessed to share in the Wedding Feast of the Great King. Lord, I give to You my whole life.  May I always be open to You in every way, seeking to receive every word sent forth from Your merciful heart.  May I also seek to be used by You so as to bring the invitation of Your mercy to a world in need.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Are You Blessed?

October 10, 2020 Saturday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”  Luke 11:27-28 Do you hear the Word of God?  And if you do hear it, do you observe it?  If so, then you can consider yourself among those truly blessed by our Lord. Interestingly, the woman speaking to Jesus in this passage was honoring His mother by saying she was blessed to have carried and fed Him.  But Jesus honors His mother to an even greater degree by stating what He does.  He honors her and calls her blessed because she, more than anyone else, hears the Word of God and observes it perfectly. Hearing and doing are two very different things.  Both of them take much commitment in the spiritual life.  First of all, hearing the Word of God is not simply an audible hearing or a reading of the Bible.  “Hearing” in this case means that God has communicated to our souls.  It means we are engaging a Person, Jesus Himself, and we are letting Him communicate to us whatever He desires to communicate. Though it can be challenging to hear Jesus speak and to internalize what He says, it is even more challenging to then let His Word change us to the point that we live what He has spoken.  So often we can have very good intentions but fail to follow through with action by living the Word of God. Reflect, today, upon both hearing and observing.  Start with hearing and reflect upon whether or not you daily allow yourself to be engaged by Jesus.  From there, reflect upon whether you are living what you know He has spoken.  Recommit yourself to this process and you will find that you, too, are truly blessed! Lord, may I hear you speak to me.  May I meet You in my soul and receive Your sacred Word.  May I also put that Word into action in my life so as to experience the blessings You have in store for me.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Overcoming Sin

October 9, 2020 Friday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint John Henry Newman (England and Wales Memorial) Saint Denis, Bishop and Companions, Martyrs—Optional Memorial Saint John Leonardi, Priest—Optional Memorial

“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”  Luke 11:24-26 This passage reveals the danger of habitual sin.  Perhaps you’ve found that you have struggled with a particular sin in your life.  This sin has been committed over and over again.  Eventually you resolve to confess it and overcome it.  After confessing it you are overjoyed, but find that within a day you are right back to that same sin.   This common struggle people go through can be a cause of much frustration.  The Scripture above speaks about this struggle from a spiritual point of view, the point of view of demonic temptation.  When we target a sin to overcome and turn away from the temptation of the evil one, the demons come at us with even greater force and do not give up the battle for our souls that easily.  As a result, some eventually give in to sin and choose not to try any longer to overcome it.  That would be a mistake. One key spiritual principle to understand from this passage is that the more attached we are to a particular sin, the deeper our resolve must be to overcome it.  And overcoming sin can be quite painful and difficult.  Overcoming sin requires deep spiritual purification and a complete submission of our mind and will to God.  Without this resolve and purifying surrender, the temptations we face from the evil one will be very difficult to overcome. Reflect, today, upon how deep your resolve is to overcome sin.  When temptations come your way, are you wholeheartedly committed to overcoming them?  Seek to deepen your resolve so that the temptations of the evil one do not take hold of you. Lord, I surrender my life into Your hands without reserve.  I beg You to strengthen me in time of temptation and to keep me free from sin.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Luke 11:5-13   Persistence will be enough

The Persistence of Memory, Painting by Salvador Dali (1904–1989), Painted in 1931, Oil on canvas © 2020 Salvador Dalí, Museum of Modern Art, New York Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say, “My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him”; and the man answers from inside the house, “Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up to give it you.” I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it him for friendship’s sake, persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants. ‘So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. What father among you would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion if he asked for an egg? If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’   READ MORE     Reflection on the Painting Our reading today talks about persistence. Jesus says ‘persistence will be enough’. I think all of us in our spiritual lives have struggled at times with the problem of unanswered prayers. It can sometimes discourage us and even push some to quit praying altogether. It can then even be painful when we hear stories of how God answered the prayers of others, but for us it just doesn’t seem to work… or at least we think that it doesn’t seem to work. Jesus is saying in today’s reading: persist! If we keep asking, seeking, discerning, and knocking, we will receive plenty, but it might not be what we ask for, or in the timeframe we ask for: God has his own plan for us, and what prayer will do is align our will to His Will.  The painting by Salvador Dali, The Persistence of Memory, is probably one of his best known paintings. The watches look like melting cheese, or as Dali put it: ‘The camembert of time. Here time must lose all meaning’. When we pray we often think too much in terms of time and what we want right here, right now. God’s time is eternal and therefore we are called to be patient, but yet persistent.  The orange clock at the bottom left of the painting is covered in ants, symbol of decay. Another insect that is present in the painting is a fly, which sits on the watch that is next to the orange watch. The fly even appears to be casting a small human shadow as the sun hits it.  As Dali’s watches depict, time is fluid, especially in light of God, who is beyond space and time… by Patrick van der Vorst  it

The Christian Who Doesn’t Pray Treats God like a Servant

Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Father James Swanson, LC

Luke 11:5-13

Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.” And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the master of the universe, and yet you wish to listen to me and guide me. You know all things past, present and future, and yet you respect my freedom to choose you. Holy Trinity, you are completely happy and fulfilled on your own, and yet you have generously brought us into existence. You are our fulfillment. Thank you for the gift of yourself. I offer the littleness of myself in return, knowing you are pleased with what I have to give.

Petition: Lord, through this meditation, grant me the grace of a greater dependence on you.

1. God Wants Us to Ask: Sometimes we think that since God knows all things, we need not ask him for anything. We need only wait until God will give us what we need. Nothing could be further from the truth. In this passage, Jesus doesn’t say not to worry; instead he says that our Heavenly Father will gladly and lovingly provide whatever we need, provided we ask for it. One reason that God has arranged things this way is because if our needs were automatically provided for, a great number of us would not even realize there is a God, or we would easily forget him. There are affluent societies in which the people’s material needs are taken care of easily. Does such a situation remind the people of God, his power, or his love? When we ask God to provide for our needs, we implicitly recognize his existence and authority in our lives. God wants us to do this.
2. Petitions in Prayer Increase My Faith: But there are even more important reasons God wants us to ask. It is in asking that our faith grows. The more I ask, the more I come into a personal relationship with God. If I never had to turn to him for my needs, I would never realize how much he wants to be a part of my life. But when I have to ask, especially if I have to put some time and effort into it, then, when my needs are satisfied, it will be very clear that God did it. It will be clear that it wasn’t me, or luck, or anything else, but God. Don’t be afraid to ask. Develop your faith by doing so.
3. When I Don’t Ask for What I Need, I Treat God as My Servant: When we expect God to give us all we need without asking, are we not placing the whole burden of our salvation on him and nothing on ourselves? Are we not in a sense being lazy? “You know what I need, Lord. Just give it to me, take care of it, while I focus on my own interests.” Not only is this laziness, it is pride, treating God like a servant whose role is to provide whatever I need. We forget he is God. Certainly, God is generous and loving, willing to give us everything that is good for us; but he is still God, and he deserves our respect, adoration, and especially our gratitude.

Conversation with Christ: Dear Jesus, so often I expect you to take care of me without my having to ask. Help me to live my dependence on you through the practice of asking you for my needs. Increase my faith through my prayer so that I see my real dependence on you and how much you do for me.

Resolution: What do I most need today? I will ask God for it early and often.

 

Ask, Seek, Knock

October 8, 2020 Thursday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Luke 11:9-10 Sometimes this Scripture passage can be misunderstood.  Some may think it means that we should pray, pray more and pray harder and eventually God will answer our prayers.  Some may think that this means that God does not answer prayer if we fail to pray hard enough.  And some may think that whatever we pray for will be given to us if we just keep asking.  We need some important clarifications on these points. We certainly should pray hard and often.  But one key question to understand is this:  What should I pray for?  This is key because God will not give us what we pray for, no matter how long and hard we pray for it, if it is not part of His glorious and perfect will.  For example, if someone is sick and dying and it is part of the permissive will of God to allow that person to die, then all the prayer in the world will not change things.  Instead, prayer in this case should be offered so as to invite God into this difficult situation so as to make it a beautiful and holy death.  So it’s not a matter of begging God until we convince Him to do what we want, as a child may do to a parent.  Rather, we must pray for one thing and one thing only…we must pray for the will of God to be done.  Prayer is not offered to change God’s mind, it’s to transform us, strengthen us and enable us to embrace all that God calls us to do.   Reflect, today, upon how you pray.  Do you seek only the will of God in all things and pray deeply for that?  Do you knock at the heart of Christ seeking His holy and perfect plan?  Do you ask for His grace to enable you and others to fully embrace all that He has in mind for you.  Pray hard and expect that prayer to change your life. Lord, help me to daily seek You and to increase my life of faith through prayer.  May my prayer help me to receive Your holy and perfect will into my life.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Praying the Lord's Prayer

October 7, 2020 Wednesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Our Lady of the Rosary—Memorial

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”  Luke 11:1 The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray.  In response, He taught them the “Our Father” prayer.  There is much that can be said about this prayer.  This prayer contains all we need to know about prayer.  It is a catechetical lesson about prayer itself and contains seven petitions to the Father.  Let’s look at the first three of these as found in Chapter 11 of My Catholic Worship! Hallowed be Thy Name:  “Hallowed” means to be holy.  As we pray this part of the prayer we are not praying that God’s name will become holy, for His name already is holy.  Rather, we pray that this holiness of God will be recognized by us and all people.  We pray that there will be a deep reverence of God’s name and that we will always treat God with the proper honor, devotion, love and awe to which we are called. It’s especially important to point out how often God’s name is used in vain.  That is a strange phenomenon.  Have you ever wondered why, when people get angry, they would curse God’s name?  It’s strange.  And, in fact, it’s demonic.  Anger, in those moments, invites us to act in a contrary way to this prayer and to the proper use of God’s name. God Himself is holy, holy, holy.  He is thrice holy!  In other words, He is the Holiest!  Living with this fundamental disposition of heart is key to a good Christian life and to a good life of prayer.  Perhaps a good practice would be to regularly honor God’s name.  For example, what a wonderful habit it would be to regularly say, “Sweet and precious Jesus, I love You.”  Or, “Glorious and merciful God, I adore You.”  Adding adjectives like these before we mention God is a good habit to get into as a way of fulfilling this first petition of the Lord’s Prayer. Another good practice would be to always refer to the “Blood of Christ” we consume at Mass as the “Precious Blood.”  Or the Host as the “Sacred Host.”  There are many who fall into the trap of just referring to it as the “wine” or the “bread.”  This is most likely not malicious or even sinful, but it’s much better to enter into the practice and habit of honoring and revering anything that is associated with God, especially the Most Holy Eucharist! Thy Kingdom Come: This petition of the Lord’s Prayer is a way of acknowledging two things.  First, we acknowledge the fact that Jesus will, one day, return in all His glory and establish His permanent and visible Kingdom.  This will be the time of the Final Judgment when the current Heaven and Earth will pass away and the new order will be established.  So, praying this petition is a faith-filled acknowledgment of this fact.  It’s our way of saying we not only believe this will happen, we also look forward to it and pray for it.  Secondly, we must realize that the Kingdom of God is already here among us.  For now, it’s an invisible Kingdom.  It’s a spiritual reality that must become an all-consuming and present reality in our world.  To pray that God’s “Kingdom come” means we desire that He first take greater possession of our souls.  The Kingdom of God must be within us.  He must reign on the throne of our hearts and we must allow Him.  Therefore, this must be our constant prayer.  We also pray that the Kingdom of God become present in our world.  God wants to transform the social, political and cultural order right now.  So we must pray and work for that.  Our prayer for the Kingdom to come is also a way for us to commit ourselves to God to allow Him to use us for this very purpose.  It’s a prayer of faith and courage.  Faith because we believe He can use us, and courage because the evil one and world will not like it.  As the Kingdom of God is established in this world through us, we will meet with opposition.  But that’s ok and should be expected.  And this petition is, in part, to help us with this mission. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven: Praying for the Kingdom of God to come means, also, that we seek to live the will of the Father.  This is done as we enter into union with Christ Jesus.  He fulfilled the will of His Father with perfection.  His human life is the perfect model of the will of God and it is also the means by which we live the will of God. This petition is a way of committing ourselves to live in union with Christ Jesus.  We take our will and entrust it to Christ so that His will lives in us.  By doing this we begin to be filled with all virtue.  We will also be filled with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit which are necessary for living the will of the Father.  For example, the Gift of Knowledge is a gift by which we come to know what God wants of us in particular situations in life.  So praying this petition is a way of asking God to fill us with knowledge of His will.  But we also need the courage and strength necessary to then live out that will.  So this petition also prays for those Gifts of the Holy Spirit that enable us to live out what God reveals as His divine plan for our lives.  It is, of course, also an intercession for all people.  In this petition we pray that all will come to live in unity and harmony with God’s perfect plan. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Resting at the Feet of Jesus

October 6, 2020 Tuesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Bruno, Priest—Optional Memorial Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, Virgin—USA Optional Memorial

Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”  Luke 10:40-42 At first this seems unfair.  Martha is working hard at preparing the meal, while Mary is just sitting there at the feet of Jesus.  So, Martha complains to Jesus. But interestingly, Jesus somewhat humbles Martha instead of Mary.  Of course, He does it in a kind and gentle way. The truth is that both Martha and Mary were fulfilling their unique roles at that moment.  Martha was doing Jesus a great service by serving Him through the preparation of their meal.  This is what she was called to do and the service would have been an act of love.  Mary, on the other hand, was fulfilling her role.  She was called, at that moment, to simply sit at the feet of Jesus and be present to Him.   These two women have traditionally represented two vocations in the Church, as well as two callings we are all called to have.  Martha represents the active life and Mary represents the contemplative life.  The active life is that life most live on a daily basis, be it through the service of family or others in the world.  The contemplative life is a vocation to which some are called through the cloistered life, in that they leave the busy world and dedicate most of their day to prayer and solitude. Truthfully, you are called to both of these vocations.  Even if your life is one filled with work, you are still called regularly to choose “the better part.”  At times, Jesus calls you to imitate Mary in that He wants you to daily stop your work and dedicate some time to Him and Him alone.  Not everyone is able to go spend time before the Blessed Sacrament each day in silent prayer, but some are.  However, you should seek to find at least some time of silence and solitude every day so as to sit at the feet of Jesus in prayer. Reflect, today, upon your own call to prayer.  Do you pray?  Do you pray every day?  If this is lacking, then reflect upon the image of Mary being there at the feet of Jesus and know that Jesus wants the same from you. Lord, help me to hear You calling me to stop what I’m doing and to simply rest in Your divine presence.  May I find those moments every day in which I can be refreshed in Your presence.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Bringing Mercy

October 5, 2020 Monday of the Twenty-Seventh Week of Ordinary Time Readings for Today Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest—USA Optional Memorial

“Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”  Luke 10:36-37 Here we have the conclusion to the familiar story of the Good Samaritan.  First, robbers beat him and left him for dead.  Then a priest walked by and ignored him.  And then a Levite walked by also ignoring him.  Finally, the Samaritan walked by and took care of him with great generosity. Interestingly, when Jesus asked the disciples which of these three acted as a neighbor, they didn’t respond “the Samaritan.”  Rather, they responded, “The one who treated him with mercy.”  Mercy was the key focus. It is so easy to be judgmental and harsh with one another.  If you read the newspapers or listen to the news commentators you can’t help but hear continual judgment and condemnation.  Our fallen human nature seems to thrive on being critical of others.  And when we are not critical, we are often tempted to act like the priest and Levite in this story.  We are tempted to turn a blind eye to those in need.  The key must be to always show mercy and show it in superabundance.  Reflect, today, upon the call God gives you to show mercy.  Mercy, in order to be true mercy, must hurt.  It must “hurt” in the sense that it requires you to let go of your pride, selfishness and anger and choose to show love instead.  You choose to show love to the point that it hurts.  But that hurt is a true source of healing in that it cleanses you of your sin.  Saint Mother Teresa is quoted as saying, “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”  Mercy is the kind of love that may hurt at first, but in the end leaves only love. Lord, do make me an instrument of Your love and mercy.  Help me to especially show mercy when it is hard in life and when I do not feel like it.  May those moments be graced moments when You transform me into Your gift of love.  Jesus, I trust in You.

The Reality of Evil Intent

October 4, 2020 Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Readings for Today

“Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’  They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.”  Matthew 21:37-39 This passage from the Parable of the Tenants is shocking.  If it were to have happened in real life, the father who sent his son to the vineyard to collect the produce would have been shocked beyond belief at the fact that the evil tenants killed even his son.  Of course, had he known this would have happened, he would never have sent his son into this evil situation. This passage, in part, reveals the difference between rational thinking and irrational thinking.  The father sent his son because he presumed that the tenants would be rational.  He presumed a basic respect would be offered, but instead came face to face with evil.   Being confronted with extreme irrationality, which is grounded in evil, can be shocking, despairing, frightening and confusing.  But it’s important that we not fall into any of these.  Instead, we must strive to be prudent enough to discern evil when we encounter it.  Had the father in this story been more discerning of the evil he was dealing with, he would not have sent his son.   So it is with us.  At times, we must be ready to name evil for what it is rather than attempt to confront it with rationality.  Evil is not rational.  It can not be reasoned with or negotiated with.  It simply must be opposed and opposed with much force.  That’s why Jesus concludes this parable saying, “What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?”  They answered him, “He will put those wretched men to a wretched death”  (Matthew 21:40-41).   Reflect, today, upon any situation in which you find yourself where you come face to face with evil.  Learn from this parable that there are many times in life where rationality wins out.  But there are some times when the powerful wrath of God is the only answer.  When evil is “pure” it must be confronted in a direct way with the strength and wisdom of the Holy Spirit.  Seek to discern between the two and don’t be afraid to name evil for what it is when it is present. Lord, give me wisdom and discernment.  Help me to seek rational resolutions with those who are open.  Give me also the courage I need to be strong and forceful with Your grace when it is Your will.  I give my life to You, dear Lord, use me as You will.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Holiness Of Life

October 3, 2020 Saturday of the Twenty-Sixth Week of Ordinary Time Readings for Today

The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”  Luke 10:17-20 Wow, that would have been impressive.  The seventy-two had power over demons when they called on the name of the Lord Jesus.  This was a power they had that amazed them more than anything. Most likely if we saw someone actually possessed by a demon and we went over and demanded the demon leave in the name of Jesus, and the demon left, we’d also be impressed.  Though this is an uncommon experience in the strictest sense.  There are a few things to say about it. First, yes, it is impressive and, yes, Jesus has full authority over the evil one.  Therefore, the seventy-two should have been overjoyed at seeing His power at work through them. Second, we should be aware of the fact that even though we may not encounter people who are fully possessed, we do encounter the workings of the evil one on a daily basis.  So one thing this Scripture should tell us is that we need to trust in the power of Jesus to act through us as evil is combated.  We must confidently pray that our world be delivered from the evil one and we must have full faith that the power of Christ will work through our prayer. Third, though combating evil directly is essential, Jesus takes this occasion to point out that there is something far more important.  He says that we should primarily rejoice because our “names are written in Heaven.”  In other words, power over the evil one is not the end goal.  Heaven is.  Growth in holiness and virtue are the primary goals we must have in life. Reflect, today, upon your duty to rebuke the evil one and his works in Jesus’ name.  But reflect even more upon your calling to holiness of life and growth in virtue.  These, more than anything else, are the pathway to Heaven! Lord, help me to have confidence in Your power to overcome the evil one and his works.  But more importantly, help me to continually turn my eyes to You and Heaven, making holiness of life my primary goal.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Guardian Angels

Friday, October 2, 2020 Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels Readings for Today

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”  Matthew 18:10 We honor, today, our glorious Guardian Angels!  They are treasures and helpers beyond what we could imagine.   A few days ago we honored the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.  In that reflection we looked at the hierarchy of celestial beings created by God.  Though the Guardian Angels are on the bottom of that list, they are no less glorious and magnificent than the host of other celestial beings.   Guardian Angels are traditionally said to have been created for the sole purpose of serving us in our needs.  Yes, God could have chosen to care for us directly without the use of angels, but He didn’t.  He chose to create angels as mediators of His grace and care.   It’s fair to say that our Guardian Angels love us with a perfect love.  They know us, care for us and desire deeply that we become holy.  Their primary purpose is to get us to Heaven and to draw us into the heights of sanctity.  How do they do this? They do it by mediating God’s grace to us.  The word “angel” means messenger.  Thus, our angels play a central role in communicating to us the will and mind of God.  They can speak all that God wants to say to us.  They are also protectors in that they bring grace from God to particular situations in life to fight against evil and to help us do good.   Reflect, today, upon the gift of your own guardian angel.  This celestial being was created for the sole purpose of caring for you and getting you to Heaven.  Speak to your angel, today.  Rely upon your angel’s intercession and allow this holy angel to communicate to you God’s abundant grace.   Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.  Angels of God, pray for me.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Sent Forth

October 1, 2020 Thursday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor—Memorial

Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”  Luke 10:1-2 The world is in great need of the love and mercy of Christ.  It’s like a dry and barren land waiting to soak up the gentle rain.  You are that rain and our Lord wants to send you forth to bring His grace to the world. It’s important that all Christians understand that they are indeed being sent forth by the Lord to others.  This Scripture above reveals that the world is like a field of abundant fruit waiting to be picked.  Too often it sits there, withering on the vines, with no one to harvest it.  That’s where you come in. How ready and willing are you to be used by God for His mission and purpose?  You may often feel as though the work of evangelizing and harvesting good fruit for the Kingdom of God is the job for someone else.  It’s so easy to think, “What can I do?” The answer is quite easy.  You can turn your attention to the Lord and let Him send you.  Only He knows the mission He has picked for you and only He knows what He wants you to harvest.  Your responsibility is to be attentive.  Listen, be open, be ready and be willing.  When you sense Him calling you and sending you, do not hesitate.  Say “Yes” to His gentle promptings. This is accomplished first and foremost through prayer.  This passage says, “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”  In other words, pray that the Lord sends many zealous souls, including yourself, into the world to attend to the many hearts that are in need.   Reflect, today, upon your willingness to be sent by Christ.  Give yourself to His service and wait to be sent.  When He does speak to you and send you on your way, go without haste and allow yourself to be amazed at all that God wants to do through you. Lord, I give myself to Your service.  I lay my life down at Your feet and commit to the mission You have in store for me.  I thank You, Lord, for loving me enough that I may be used by You.  Use me as You will, dear Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.