Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time - With the Eyeglasses of Faith

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Introductory Prayer: You are true goodness and life, Lord. Closeness to you brings peace and joy. You deserve all of my trust and my love. Thank you for the gift of life, my family and above all of my faith. I’m grateful too, for the gift of the Church which you founded on the Apostles.

Petition: Lord, help me to be simple and straightforward in my faith.

1. Simplicity Is Bliss: The tax collectors were considered traitors of the Jewish people since they were working for the Romans, the “oppressors” of God’s chosen people. The ordinary Jew would not even converse with one such as this. But Jesus says to him, “Follow me.” Matthew got up and followed him immediately, no questions asked, no conditions. What beautiful simplicity! He didn’t know that Christ was going to make him one of the Twelve. In a certain sense we might say that he signed a blank check and gave it to Jesus. Matthew doesn’t sit down to calculate, he only accepts. He then goes a step further: He invites Jesus to his house for dinner. A Jew generally invited only his true and closest friends and relatives to dinner. It was a sign of intimacy, friendship and love. Matthew goes overboard and lays out the red carpet for Christ in his life.

2. Complicated Calculations: In contrast to Matthew’s straightforwardness, we see the Pharisees’ “righteousness.” Jesus’ dining with a sinner like Matthew is a scandal for them. They really have to confront this Rabbi about his “shameful conduct.” The problem is that they haven’t understood the first thing about the Messiah. Their very point of departure is flawed. They are looking at Christ (and God) from a very rational perspective when the only valid outlook is faith and love. This happens frequently in our lives as we begin to judge events, circumstances and others without faith and charity. Before we realize it, we may have rejected and possibly even defamed our neighbor, a civil authority, or a priest or bishop. We are not looking at things from a supernatural vantage point but rather from our merely human standards.

3. Back to the Basics: Christ puts everything back into perspective. “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Once again Jesus invites us to elevate our thoughts to a supernatural plain. Why did God become man? We repeat it frequently, at least every Sunday in the Creed: “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven.…” It is important to examine the degree to which I see and judge everything in my life through the prism of faith. A true believer, a real apostle, must form this “sixth sense” in all of his daily dealings. We form this habit through prayer, our frequent and intimate contact with God. We need to ask God for the gift of faith, which gives us a new perspective on life.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I want to be a simple person, one who accepts you and your demands without calculations and complications. Free me from all impediments and grant me your grace so that I might become a convinced, faithful and intrepid apostle of your kingdom, as was St Matthew.

Resolution: In prayerful dialogue with God, I will examine at least three moments or events of my day. (This I can do even at home, in the car or waiting in line, etc.)

Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time - Fathoming Christ’s Mercy

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

 

Introductory Prayer: 

Lord, I come to you in this meditation ready to do whatever it is you ask. Left to myself I often take the easy and convenient path, yet I know the way of a Christian is through the narrow gate. In you I find the reason to abandon the easy path for a more perfect mission of love. I’m ready to learn the meaning of your command: “Follow me.”

 

Petition:  Lord, grant me a deeper experience of your mercy.

 

1. Crippled by Control:
   
   For St. Jerome, physical paralysis is an image of man’s inability to return to God by his own efforts. It is man’s inability to create his own salvation, to set the terms by which he can say he has made peace with God. The paralysis is meant to speak more to the Pharisees about their souls than to the cripple who bears it. Christ saw stagnation in the Pharisees’ hearts. They wanted to put God in a box, where their relationship with him could neatly accommodate their status and comforts.
   We, like the Pharisees, like our routine. We like to coast in our spiritual life and dislike having to adjust to God’s asking for more faith, trust or charity. For saintly souls, Christ is ever new; they are always being asked for more, and new experiences of Christ fill them as a result. Their love never goes stale since they refuse to control what God can do with them.
   
2. The Only Real Problem Is Sin:
   
   The paralytic and his companions arrive concerned only about his physical condition. This is not, however, what is first on Christ’s priority list. What is first, rather, is the man’s state of soul. For God the problem of life is not about problems. Problems are merely the pretexts he sends us to heal and develop our relationship with him: “Your sins are forgiven.” The problem of life is all about holiness and about removing the chief obstacle to holiness: sin. Deep down, the only things that can hurt us are the obstacles of sin and an egoistic lifestyle.
   
3. Awaiting God’s Replies:
   
   The pause between “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven you” and the cure of the paralysis initially may have caused disappointment in those unfamiliar with Christ’s way of working. In that wait our response to God comes, and our part in the plan of salvation plays out. Instant gratification of a child’s wants spoils the meaning of his parents’ gift of loving support. To arrive to Christian maturity, we must form the virtues of faith and trust. To seek cures must be sought more as part of God’s will than as our own self-centered relief effort.
   This takes time. Yet even in that pause, in the dark night of faith, something is happening. While miracles are on the way, we are changing. The command to rise seems only to confirm or make visible something that has already occurred in the paralytic’s soul: through faith and trust, Christ reigns over his soul.

 

Conversation with Christ:

Lord, I know that in you alone I shall rise, because only you can conquer sin in me. For my part, like St. Paul, I have sought to fight the good fight, strengthened by your grace and mercy. Help me to accept every difficulty as a new chance to purify my heart and sanctify my soul.

 

Resolution: 

Today I will remember to avoid rash and judgmental thoughts of others. As I do so I will keep in my heart the merciful dispositions of Christ’s heart.

Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time - Casting out Evil

When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. The demons pleaded with him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.” And he said to them, “Go then!” They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned. The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are present within me. I want to live this day close to you and see everything through the prism of faith. I want to put my trust and confidence in you. You will grant me all the graces I need today. All I have to do is ask. I want to love you with all my heart, especially in charity; giving myself to everyone I meet today so that I can communicate your love to them.

Petition: Lord, help me defeat the evil of sin in my life.

1. Sin Keeps Us Away from God: We learn in the catechism that mortal sin takes sanctifying grace away from our soul and cuts us off from God. Today’s Gospel illustrates that separation, as the two possessed men keep their distance from Christ and want him to leave them alone. Our sin, whether mortal or venial, pushes God away from our lives. It is like telling him that we do not need him, that we do not want him in our lives. Have I willfully accepted sin in my life, thereby shunning God? Even in the slightest way?

2. Sin Hurts Our Relationships with Others: Clearly the evil of the possessed men has hurt their relationship with their fellow men. They can no longer be a part of their community, but have to live apart from society. Every sin, in a way, is a “social sin” because it has social consequences. Even our most personal sins – in our thoughts – injure the Mystical Body of the Church, and so have an effect on others. Those sins that others see are even greater, because they cause scandal and could lead others into sin. Christ is inviting us to reject sin. Let us join him and cast out the devil from our daily lives.

3. Sin Harms Us, Too: The evil that we do is harmful above all to ourselves. The demoniacs often gashed and cut themselves. The physical injury to their bodies signifies a deeper spiritual affliction. Our souls are made for God, and so separation from him is truly heart-wrenching. Sin avoids presenting its ugly face, but after we have committed it, our conscience begins to bother us. Then we realize that our wrong choice has separated us from the One we are drawn to by nature. We feel the pain of separation and of that rupture which divides us interiorly.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, help me to cast out sin from my life. I need your help, since I cannot do it on my own. Just like the demoniacs who longed to be freed from their torment, I also long to defeat sin in my life. So often I am overpowered by my passions or the temptations of the devil. Grant me the strength I need, Lord.

Resolution: I will promise Christ that today I will reject one specific sin or imperfection that I usually fall into.

Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time - Letting Jesus Sleep

As Jesus got into the boat, his disciples followed him. A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him up, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. They were amazed, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

Introductory Prayer : Lord, I come to you in this meditation ready to do whatever it is you ask. Left to myself I often take the easy and convenient path, yet I know the way of a Christian is through the narrow gate. In you I find the reason to abandon the easy path for a more perfect mission of love. I’m ready to learn the meaning of your command: “Follow me.”

Petition : Lord, grant me the grace of a mature faith.

God’s Silence, Man’s Faith: We can imagine ourselves in the place of the apostles, in this poor boat tossed by the turbulent waves. The situation instantly speaks to our worst of fears; yet Jesus sleeps. Our temptation is to wake him…and too many souls do so through complaining incessantly, despairing attitudes, withdrawing from prayer, or unloading anger on others. When in a moment of trial we find life is no longer under our complete control, the option of meltdown is always at hand. But we mustn’t take that route; instead we must contemplate the power that emanates from the sleeping Christ. Trials are intended by God to draw us closer to him and increase our dependence on him. We have to live from faith; otherwise all that reigns is fear, insecurity and bitterness. The “Silence of Christ” is powerful. To pass over its meaning lightly is to abandon some of the deepest lessons of Christ’s heart. The “Silence of Christ” must teach us.
 

The “Silence of Christ” Speaks to Our Faith: What is Christ’s sleep like? As a young mother, Mary watched Jesus sleep many times. Archbishop Martinez writes: “Jesus was exceedingly beautiful when he spoke the words of eternal life, accomplished wonders, looked with love, pardoned with mercy and caressed with tenderness. But I would like to have seen him while he was sleeping because I could have contemplated him to my heart’s content, without the fascination of his gaze distracting me, without the perfection of his beauty and the glory of his splendor dazzling my eyes and enrapturing my soul. The beauty of Jesus awake is far too great for my smallness. Who could support it? I felt it more suited to me veiled by sleep, as the glory of the sun is more adapted to my eyes when I look at it through a translucent lens” (When Jesus Sleeps, p.15). May I trust the power of Christ just as much when he chooses not to act as when he does.

God’s Eternal Pedagogy: Water, a boat, the apostles and Christ… this scene repeats itself over and over again in the Gospel. Water is a symbol of the experiences of life taken on a human level; the boat is the experience of faith on a supernatural level -- it is our life with Christ. Christ’s message is that we can never let our experiences of life overwhelm our experience of faith.

We have to live not from the surface level of impressions of the moment, but from the deep channel of faith that reveals the action of God, the wisdom of his Providence and the ultimate destiny of eternity. Faith is what reveals Christ’s presence in our boat; faith is what makes us believe that every wave and wind gust are blessed invitations to confide in the One who rules all. Faith is what permits God to console our hearts, calm our fears and preserve our joy in the midst of problems and difficulties that may take months or years to run their course.

Conversation with Christ: 

Lord, I know belief makes me vulnerable. But I know that I will not know your love if I do not believe that you can make me happier than I can be by myself. If I do not face the enemies of my soul and my mission and abandon myself to your grace, I will not know your victory.
 

Resolution: Today I will take a problem and, with complete trust and confidence in him, leave it totally in God’s hands.

Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle - “My Lord and My God!”

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of faith I received with baptism. I believe all that you have revealed, though I recognize that my faith is still small. I now submerge my weak faith in your overflowing goodness and mercy, and I trust in you completely. I love you, my Lord and my God, with all my mind, heart, soul and strength.

Petition: Lord, increase my faith.

1. “I Will Not Believe.” Lord, I live in a culture where I have to know everything. If there are no facts, if I lack evidence, then I refuse to believe. At times, Lord, even with facts and evidence in front of me, I still refuse to believe. I know, Lord, that faith calls for man “to commit his entire self to God” ( Dei Verbum 5). Thomas refuses to do this when the apostles share the exciting news: “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). But their news does not correspond to what Thomas knows. He knows that you died. Maybe he went to the tomb on Saturday. He would have seen the guards stationed there and would have imagined that there was no way to take you from the tomb. Do I come up with convincing reasons not to believe? If I do, how can I answer better through faith?

2. “Do Not Be Unbelieving, But Believe.” Lord, Thomas looks at you in the Upper Room as you say this. I recall the words: “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32). You invite Thomas to take that step of faith: to leave behind what he knows and to accept your Resurrection. He had seen you raise Lazarus, and now you invite him to believe that you yourself are forever alive. You are God, both living and true. There in the Upper Room, you invite me, as you did Thomas, to believe that you are alive in my life. Lord, I want you to have a strong presence in my life.

3. “Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen, and Have Believed.” Lord, I cannot make it to heaven without faith. Your words to Thomas allude to what lies in store for me if I believe until death. I was not alive when you walked on the earth, but in the light of what you say to Thomas, I have all the more reason to exercise my faith and pray as Thomas did: “My Lord and my God.” You desire my faith, Lord, just as you desired Thomas’. How great you are, Lord! “Faith is first and foremost a personal adherence of man to God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 150). I want to adhere to you, my Lord and my God.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I believe that you want to be a great part of my life. You want to be the Lord of it. My faith is so little. Help me to increase my faith. Give it what it needs to grow.

Resolution: Today during the day I will read numbers 150-152 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church about faith, so as to work to increase my faith in God.

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Being Worthy of Me

Jesus said to his apostles: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet´s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple--truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord I seek the grace to act with a heart free of selfishness. Grant me the fortitude to seek out a more perfect death to myself. In this prayer, ennoble my heart to accept all you ask of me. Help me to leave behind all other desires. 

Petition: Lord grant me a heart that is truly worthy of your presence.

1. Those Who Find Their Life Will Lose It, and Those Who Lose Their Life for My Sake Will Find It. The choice Christ offers is clear and stark. There is no middle ground. It is life or death for me. Moses was just as clear to the Israelites: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving to him; for that means life to you and length of days, that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them" (Deuteronomy 30:19-20). Life with Christ demands a total surrender that is not nuanced with conditions, human calculations or personal preferences. There are many who have determined that they are giving enough to God, but are still empty of him. They give, but they are not given. They only cheat themselves of a living experience of Christ and a love for his kingdom that would fill their heart and strengthen their spirit. I must labor to never let my decision for Christ decay into self-serving postures. 

2. “…Is Not Worthy of Me.” Just as the High Priest of the Old Covenant could only enter the Holy of Holies in the Temple with the blood of sacrifice sprinkled before him, I am worthy to enter the divine presence only with sacrifice: Christ’s. When the soldier withdraws his lance from Christ’s side, the deflated heart of Our Lord teaches a lesson that the world has never seen: the heart of a Christian is preserved by giving itself away; it is expanded when it has been completely emptied. The unstoppable fire of Christ’s charity breaks forth from his wounded heart. Christ wants to enter into my heart, yet nothing makes us more worthy of him than our conscious effort to accept pains and sufferings for love of him. Self-denial, detachment, taking the harder path… these will not destroy us; they will vivify us. 

3. “Whoever Receives You, Receives Me.” Just as our choice to accept Christ’s Cross means life for us, so too will be our choice to receive those he sends us to preach, teach, heal and guide. Just as Christ humiliates himself on the Cross to reach our weaknesses, so too does he humble himself to communicate his presence to us through weak men. Listening to his Church, guided by his Vicar and the bishops in communion with him, will be life for our souls because Christ will not fail to reach us through them. 

Dialogue with Christ: Lord I know that my disordered passions and weaknesses lead me away from you. Help me to re-order my life. With your Sacred Heart as my light, I know I need not fear the loss of anything on this earth as long as I have preserved you in my life and mission.

Resolution: I will offer a special sacrifice in an area where I am often too indulgent.

Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time - The Healing Power of Confession

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, "Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean." He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, "I will do it. Be made clean." His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them."

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in you and in your love. I trust in you as the way for me to live. I hope in the power of your cross to free me from all that is not you. I love you and want my love to be more real so that I may imitate your pure and total love.

Petition: Lord, help me to turn from my sins. 

1. Lord, If You Wish, You Can Make Me Clean: Whenever we come to the sacrament of confession, we want the words of this humble leper to be on our lips: “Jesus, you can heal me from that which ails me, from my sin.” This leper’s act of faith is comparable to the Good Thief’s faith. While nailed to the cross next to Our Lord he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” In each case they see with eyes of faith beyond what the eyes of their body tell them. When we come to confess our sins with eyes of faith, we want to look beyond the priest to Jesus, the one who not only forgives our sins but heals our souls. 

2. He Stretched Out His Hand, and Touched Him: The Pharisees once asked the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9:11). Jesus is not afraid of my leprosy; he is not afraid of my sin. His love is simply more powerful than any person’s sin, no matter how grave. He is not afraid to be associated with sinners or to touch lepers. It was this same love that moved the Word to become “flesh and dwell among us” (John 1:14). By taking our human nature to himself he “stretched out his hand and touched us.” When we give Jesus our sins he nails them to the cross -- and it is precisely at the cross that we discover two things: the true nature of our sin and the infinite love the prompts Jesus to touch us.

3. I Do Will It. Be Made Clean: Jesus wants the leper to be healed; he likewise wants you and me to be healed, clean, whole. Through the hands of the priest, Jesus stretches out his own hand and bids us to be clean so that we may not remain in our sins. Sin knocks at the door of our lives, but thanks to Jesus we do not have to continue in it. When Jesus heals us, he also gives us the strength (grace) to stay healthy. He heals us so that we may freely walk with him and imitate him in our lives. But do I want to leave aside all my sin? What former leper would ever wish to return to his leprosy? Ultimately it is the heart that must be made clean by way of constant prayer, the sacraments and a genuine effort to do what we know is pleasing to God. 

Conversation with Christ: Jesus, you know when I sit and when I stand. Before a word is on my lips you know the whole of it; with all my ways you are familiar (cf. Psalm 139). Help me to live in the light, correspond to your grace, and experience the healing joy that comes from friendship with you. 

Resolution: This week I will go to confession, taking time to prepare myself well. 

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles - The Most Important Question

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Introductory Prayer: Lord, you know how much I need you and depend on you for everything. You know my weakness and my faults. I put all my confidence in your love and mercy in my daily actions. I trust in your power, your promise and your grace.   Petition: Lord, let me acknowledge you with my words and actions. Opinion Polls and Private Certitudes: People give all sorts of answers to the question of who Jesus is. No figure in history has provoked more comment or more debate than Jesus Christ. And it is fair to say that in every case, how we answer the question of who Christ is determines how we live our lives: the values and moral convictions we will have, the hope we have for the life to come, the charity and service we live now in our daily lives. All of this is inspired by the stance we take on the person of Jesus. “Who do you say that I am?” is a question that necessarily involves a commitment on our part. The answer to this question requires a change in our attitudes and behavior. The Life-changing Moment: For Peter, this was a moment of true openness to the grace of the Holy Spirit. He grasped in a moment that Christ was no mere prophet or enlightened teacher of moral truths, but something much more. He was the Christ, that is, the Savior. And not only Messiah, he was the Son of the Living God—Jesus was equal to God in all things. This profession of faith would change Peter’s life from that moment on. In the Creed, we profess the same faith as Peter did. Every time we receive the Eucharist, we join our response to that of Peter: We believe you are the Son of God, and there is no salvation by any other name. What changes does this faith require of me? Can I continue to be the same as before? A New Name and a New Mission: Peter’s profession of faith was no simple intellectual response to a question. It was the taking of a position, a definitive stance before God and before the world. Peter embraced the truth about Christ, and in return, Christ entrusted him with the care of the Church. He would be “Rock,” the foundation of his Church, and Christ offered him the guarantee that the Church would persevere forever. When we profess our faith, Christ gives us a task also. We are made “apostles” and sent out as “ambassadors of Christ” to the world. Our stance before this truth has consequences: We must be consistent with our faith each day. Conversation with Christ: Lord, teach me not only to acknowledge you with my mind, but to embrace the truth that you are the Son of the Living God with all my life, words, and actions. Let the conviction I have become a way of life, so that I can give witness to you before all men. Resolution: I will examine my life and evaluate what sort of witness I give to my faith that Christ is the Son of the Living God.

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr - "By Their Fruits You Will Know Them."

Jesus said to his disciples: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep´s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them."

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I place myself in your presence. I have set aside this moment for you, so that you can speak to me and I can listen to your words. Speak to my heart! I believe that you are present, with all the graces I need right now, in the current circumstances of my life. I hope in you, Lord, because I know I cannot place my hope in the things of the world. I love you, Lord, and I know how much you love me.

Petition: Lord God, may my life be filled with good fruit. 

1. The Fruits of the Cross

“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.” In the apse of the ancient Church of St. Clement in Rome there is a mosaic of the Cross in the form of a tree. Hanging from its branches are some fruits that come from the Cross: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity. When embraced with love, the Cross becomes the most fertile of trees. Here one finds the sweet and mature harvest of the love of God, which has the power to transform the rotten fruit of egotism into charity, of anguish into joy, anxiety into peace, anger into patience, brutality into kindness, avarice into generosity, violence into gentleness, infidelity into faithfulness, disregard into modesty, willfulness into self-control, and impurity into chastity.

2. Finding Good Fruit

“Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?” No matter how hard a thorn bush or thistle tries, it will never grow grapes or figs. Good fruit does not depend on nice intentions, kind words, or generous promises but on the quality of the tree itself. The only tree in the garden where we can expect to find true and lasting fruit is the wood of our cross united with Christ’s—everything else ultimately turns into thistles and thorns.

3. A Fruitful Life

“By their fruits you will know them.” As lush fruit is the sign of a healthy tree, good works are a sign of a noble heart. True faith leads to a genuine compassion for others. This is the polar opposite of the false prophets our Lord warns against in today’s Gospel. They appear as sheep disguised with pleasant words and empty promises, but inside are ravenous wolves that have no real concern other than feeding their own egotism and pride. A true faith, however, is one rich with the fruit that comes from Christ: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, visiting the imprisoned, burying the dead—the corporal works mercy are a sign of a true disciple of Christ. Counseling the doubtful, instructing the ignorant, admonishing sinners, comforting the afflicted, forgiving offenses, bearing wrongs patiently, praying for the dead—these are all spiritual fruits from the tree of the Gospel. “By their fruits you will know them.”

Dialogue with Christ: “DISCIPLE: O Lord, open my heart to Your commandments. Give me the grace to understand your will, and with great reverence and consideration remember all your blessings, so that from now on I may be able to thank you for them worthily” (Thomas à Kempis, Imitation of Christ, Book III, Chapter 22).

Resolution: Today I will try to fulfill one of the corporal works of mercy.

Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time - Difficult Path

Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces. Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets. Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few."

Introductory Prayer: I believe in the power of prayer, Lord. This time spent with you is the most important time of my day. Let me be confident of your presence and your love, in order to take full advantage of these privileged moments.

Petition: Lord, help me appreciate better the beauty of the Christian faith.

1. Our True Values: We take great care to guard what is most valuable to us, right? The truth is, we often take great risks with what is most precious. We say we value life and limb, but think nothing of speeding in heavy traffic. We say we want to get to heaven, but we dabble in sin, even serious sin, almost daily. We surf racy Web sites. We cut down people in office gossip. We close our hearts to the needy. We habitually vote for politicians who defend abortion. We take sin oh-so-lightly. Likewise, we might let the holy things of our faith languish. We might neglect the sacrament of reconciliation. We receive Communion unworthily. We stay silent when a relative brags about using contraception. We do nothing when a child withdraws into the world of Internet for five hours a day. Is there something about which I should be speaking up?

2. Do unto Others: To decide what to do in any given situation, we can ask ourselves how we would like to be treated. "For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you" (Luke 6:38). The respect we have for ourselves is often reflected in the respect we show others. Rudeness, indifference and irritability toward others bespeak a problem in us. The Golden Rule isn´t just for others; it is also to guard our own dignity. Are there people toward whom I am routinely uncharitable? Do I realize that this lack of charity can hurt my character more than it hurts their feelings?

3. The Broad Road and the Narrow Gate: Modernity is like a 24/7 convenience store. We can get anything, anytime. We can end up thinking that everything about life should be easy, be it marriage, self-discipline or even our salvation. The illusion of ease shouldn´t fool us. Working toward our salvation is hard work. Original sin left a deep mark on all of us. Struggling toward salvation takes prayer, sacrifice and constant vigilance. Do I sense that the living of my faith in today´s world is easy? If so, I´m probably not living it well. Where have I avoided the narrow road of holiness? Am I too attached to food, clothes or the opinions of others?

Conversation with Christ: Help me to see, Lord, that my real dignity lies in treating others well, and in renouncing my disordered passions. Let me shake off mediocrity in my spiritual life and make the most of the time you give me.

Resolution: Today, I will make a special sacrifice for a loved one.

Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time - Unjust Judges

Jesus said to his disciples: "Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother´s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ´Let me remove that splinter from your eye,´ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother´s eye."

Introductory Prayer: I believe in the power of prayer, Lord. This time spent with you is the most important time of my day. Let me be confident of your presence and your love, in order to take full advantage of these privileged moments.

Petition: Lord, help me to rid myself of judgmental attitudes.

1. Judge Not: Judging others is sometimes our favorite pastime. It is so easy to pick out the faults of others -- to see their defects. It can make us feel superior. Yet, focusing on the faults of others can often distract us from our own failings. We tend to see in others the very faults of which we ourselves are guilty. That is why a husband who spends endless hours on Internet might complain about the amount of time his wife spends at the shopping mall. What do I complain about the most? Could I be guilty of the same fault?

2. Silence Out of Human Respect: Our Lord doesn´t dissuade us from trying to help others to improve. In fact, fraternal correction can be a form of charity if -- big if -- done charitably (see Matthew 18:15). Indeed, instructing the uninformed is a spiritual work of mercy. Unfortunately, for the sake of being "cool," we often keep quiet as others wallow in sin. Christ isn´t inviting us to be indifferent in the face of a loved one´s faults. The opposite of love is not hatred, but indifference. Am I afraid to guide those whom the Lord has entrusted to my care? Do I remain quiet in order to "keep the peace"? On Judgment Day we will have to answer for our sins of omission (see Luke 19:20-24).

3. Eliminating Our Mediocrity: We are all called to holiness. Life is but a brief opportunity to grow in holiness before we step into eternity. What we do here dictates the state of our eternal reward or punishment. That is why we have to be on guard against growing accustomed to our faults. God doesn´t want us to be mediocre. He wants us to struggle against our weaknesses. Am I actively trying to get rid of a vice? The best way to drive out a bad habit is to form a good habit. Am I eating too much? Then form the habit of smaller desserts. Am I short-tempered with my spouse? Then do a special act of charity for him or her each day.

Conversation with Christ: Life is short, Lord, and I need to grasp the importance of each day as an opportunity to grow in holiness. Let me put more effort into criticizing myself rather than others. Help me to see truthfully where my worst faults lie.

Resolution:  I will say something nice to the last person I criticized or spoke badly about.

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time - On Judgment Day

"So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I place myself in your presence. I have set aside this moment for you so that you can speak to me and I can listen to your words. Speak to my heart! I believe that you are present, with all the graces I need right now, in the current circumstances of my life. I hope in you, Lord, because I know I cannot place my hope in the things of the world. I love you, Lord, and I know how much you love me.

Petition: Lord God, root out all superficiality from my life; help me to realize that my judgment is coming soon.

1. Not Joking Around

We’ve all heard jokes about this doctor or that lawyer who died and went to meet St. Peter in heaven. While they are whimsical and fun, it’s fitting to take time for serious reflection on what this moment will actually be like for each one of us—not just the doctors and lawyers. Today’s Gospel gives us ample material for reflection. Christ tells us that at our judgment everything covered up will be uncovered, every secret whispered will be made known: In brief, everything we have said or done will be brought to light before him. I think this moment of truth is comparable to the time as a boy I spilled red Kool-Aid on the white living room couch. I thought I had escaped due punishment by flipping the cushion over to the opposite side, until I later watched with alarm as my all-knowing and all-cleaning mom went there to tidy up. The moral here is that no smirch or stain will be hidden from Christ on judgment day; everything we have done will bear discussion with him. “What we do belongs to what we are; and what we are is what becomes of us.” (Henry Van Dyke, Ships and Havens, Chapter 2)

2. On Judgment Day

Let’s take a few moments, then, for serious reflection on what will eventually happen to each one of us. At the moment of our death our soul will separate from our body; our body will go to the grave, and our soul will go on to judgment. “It is established that a man dies only once, and afterwards there is a judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). The material under discussion at our judgment will be what we have or haven’t done during the time God has allotted for each one of us to live. What we have done for Christ and our brothers and sisters will live on for eternity; what we have done out of egotism will not. As our Lord says to us in today’s Gospel, “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.”

3. Spe Salvi

In his recent encyclical letter Spe Salvi, Pope Benedict writes, “At the moment of judgment we experience and we absorb the overwhelming power of his love over all the evil in the world and in ourselves” (No. 47). Our judgment will be first and foremost an encounter with the overwhelming love of Christ. He who will judge us has already died for us, so great was his love! We are indeed worth far more to him than mere sparrows. By living out our friendship with Jesus in the today of our lives, we have nothing to fear in the tomorrow of our judgment. “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Dialogue with Christ: “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let the perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.” (Requiem aeternam) Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. (Ave, Maria)

Resolution: Today I will say a prayer for the souls in Purgatory.

Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist - What´s in a Name?

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called John."

But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.

Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

Introductory Prayer:

Lord, I make this effort at prayer for the sake of my soul and the souls of my loved ones. I believe that you died for us and want us to be with you forever in heaven.

Petition:

Grant me new respect, Lord, for parents.

 

1. 
   

   Bundle of Joy:

   
   
   The arrival of a new baby has been a source of joy throughout the ages. Babies are God´s way of saying the world should go on. Each new child reflects a facet of the infinite beauty and mystery of God. And by teaching us patience and selflessness, the little ones help us grow in holiness. In their childlike simplicity they teach us to remain simple. Their neediness can, and should, soften our hearts. They don´t even have to be our own children; we can feel an obligation to help all kids, since their lives enrich all of us. What have I done lately to help the little ones, born and unborn? Is there a crisis-pregnancy center that could use help? Have I spoken well of parents who are open to large families?

2. 
   

   God´s Choice:

   
   
   For the ancient Jews a name captured, even defined, a person´s identity. So for Elizabeth to name her son "John" was significant. It showed her recognition of God´s great plan for the child. John was in the Almighty´s special care from the start. Even today, each and every child is loved by God and has a destiny in the heavenly Father´s plan. Each has a vocation, a calling, in the Church. Do I appreciate the role that little ones have in God´s plans? Do I respect their dignity? Or do I try to impose my prejudices on them? They are tomorrow´s adults. How will I want them to remember my example?


3. 
   

   Loosened Lips:

   
   
   Zechariah had doubted God and was struck mute. He regains his speech only after publicly accepting God´s plan and allowing his newborn son to take the name John. We, too, might have a bit of Zechariah in us. We resist God, only to hit a dead end. Bad friendships, habits of serious sin, rising despair – all of these can eat away at us. Yet, repentance is slow to come. Why? "We think that evil is basically good," said Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI (December 8, 2005). "We think that we need it, at least a little, in order to experience the fullness of being. … If we look, however, at the world that surrounds us we can see that this is not so; in other words, that evil is always poisonous, does not uplift human beings, but degrades and humiliates them." Am I resisting God´s plans?

Conversation with Christ:

Lord, you have put family members and other loved ones in my life for a reason. I´m to help them get to heaven, and they are to help me do the same. Remind me of this truth, and help me in a special way not to interfere with the plans you have for the children in my life.

Resolution:

I will pray a decade of the rosary that all my family members reach heaven.

Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus - The Yoke of Christ

At that time Jesus answered: “I give praise to you, 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 the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him. 

“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.”

Introductory Prayer

O God, you are meek and humble of heart, your example continues to inspire men and women, like St. Francis, to dedicate their lives to the salvation of souls. They are humble hearts who imitate your heart by bending their backs beneath the load of the cross that they accept because they love you. Lord Jesus, help me to let go of myself, to love you to the end.

Petition for the Meditation

The grace of accepting the cross in my life with love.

Points for Meditation

1) Poverty 

St. Francis is mostly remembered because of his love for Lady Poverty. It was poverty, in the words of Pope Pius XII, “that lightens the burden of the journey, gives wings to the feet, and inflames the heart with the zeal to set ablaze the whole earth with that fire the Redeemer brought to earth.” Poverty is smiled upon by many, sometimes despised by men, looked for by very few. But as Pope Pius teaches it sets us free from the bonds of the earth. Poverty is lived in different ways according to the specific vocation that God has given to each one. Parent can’t practice the poverty of a hermit, nor should they. Yet it is a virtue for us all. What we need to do to make progress in our spiritual life is to detach ourselves from all material things. Money cannot be our idol, nor can comfort, nor fame, nor other material goods. They are means, they are creatures that God permits us to use for his greater glory and our salvation. Above all, poverty cuts us free from our attachment to our plans, ideas, remarks and decisions. This is a poverty we are all called to. When I give my opinions center stage to the point that they become dogmas in my heart, I have fallen down before them and given them worship. They are no longer means to an end; they have become the very goal of my existence. And it is in these moments that bitterness becomes present in my heart. This can happen to us all in many different ways. That is why we need to practice interior poverty, not just material poverty. Our heart’s treasure must be Christ and all things that are his.

2) My yoke is easy

What is the yoke of Christ? To be bound by the bonds of Christ. It is the weight of the cross, suffering and pain that come with following Christ. St. Francis had to bear the stigmata on his body as a sign of his Christian vocation. We are called to bear the internal stigmata, the invisible stigmata on our souls with patience and humility. This stigmata is the cross that Christ lays on our shoulders as a condition to be his followers. At times we rebel against the cross. It hurts; we shrink from it because we are afraid. We forget that the cross comes to us from the One who loves us more than we could ever love ourselves. We forget that it is our Creator and Redeemer who offers us the cross.

When we accept the cross with humility and love, perhaps a little fearful, it is not long before we experience just how true the words of the Lord are, “it is easy.” Yes, the cross becomes “easy” because it is love not self-interest that moves us. It is no longer a burden that crushes us. By the grace of God it becomes a source of life and of joy. Through the yoke of Christ, obedience to his holy will, dedication to the pursuit of holiness, a life of charity, we begin to be free for the first time. The more we embrace the cross the easier it is to carry. This is so because we have Christ supporting us along the way. Then the words, the “Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want, ..., fresh and green are the meadows where he gives me rest” take on their true meaning in our lives. To accept the yoke of Christ is to walk in the will of God. And in our lives we begin to experience God’s goodness, his kindness, and his unfailing love. The yoke of Christ, the bondage of faith, is the freedom of the children of God. For those who accept Christ are living in the truth. They are free. They are also living in his love, which is the abundance of life that he promised he would give us. 

Dialogue with Christ

Lord, at times it is not easy to embrace the values that you spell out for me in the Gospel. I so often want to arrange things my way. I like to decide how virtues ought to be lived and what is a fair cross for me objectively to carry. Hidden in these attitudes there lies a lack of faith and love. They reflect a confidence that is so feeble that the cross stands for all that is unbearable. But Lord, you know that I want to take up your cross. You don’t have to explain anything. You don’t have to justify anything. Just let me know and love you more and more. Let my life – like St. Francis’s – bear fruit for the whole Church. That will be enough.

Resolution

Renew my commitment to take up my cross in my daily life. What is it that God wants from me, here and now? I accept it with generosity and confidence.

Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time - Master, Teach Us to Pray

Jesus said to his disciples: "In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This is how you are to pray: 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. If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I am aware that you know what is best for me, and that is why I believe in you. You are more interested in my spiritual well-being than I am, and that is why I trust in you. You always give me your loving forgiveness in spite of my sins, and that is why I love you.

Petition: Lord, teach me how to pray.

1. Prayer is the Fruit of Silence: Some people like to talk. They demand to be listened to, but they don’t have the same interest in listening. However, you usually can’t listen if you aren’t used to silence. St. Theresa of Calcutta once wrote that prayer is the fruit of silence. Jesus wants us to understand that prayer is more about listening than about talking. When you are with someone who knows much about a topic that interests you, you limit yourself to asking questions and dedicate yourself to listening. Jesus is the revealer of God the Father. That means our main interest in prayer should be asking Jesus, our Lord, about his Father and then dedicating ourselves to listening.

2. God is Our Loving Father: Jesus tells us that God the Father knows what we need before we ask him. Still, we should ask, because in asking we become aware that we have needs that only God our Father can grant us. We learn to ask God what we most need for our salvation. That is why Jesus taught us the “Our Father.” Praying the “Our Father” reminds us that he is the father of all, and therefore every human person is truly our brother. In praying the “Our Father,” we essentially ask for three things: that God have the first place in our lives, that he give us our material and spiritual sustenance, and that he grant us his forgiveness.

3. Forgive in Order to Be Forgiven: Jesus emphasizes the importance of forgiveness. As the First Letter of John reminds us, we are all sinners (cf. 1:8). One of the essential characteristics of Christian life is seeking to encounter Christ’s loving mercy. We can really experience it only when we put it into practice ourselves. We can admire a person who parachutes off a plane, but we won’t understand the experience until we skydive ourselves. We grasp the true meaning of mercy when we forgive others. Our mercy will not be the same as Christ’s: He never sinned, and therefore he forgives us even though we don’t deserve it. If Christ has forgiven us, how can we dare not to forgive others?

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I thank you for teaching me to pray to the Father. I don’t always pray as much as I should. Please help me to pray more and better. Please help me to want with all my heart to give God the first place in my life, preferring his will to mine. Help me to treat others as I would like them to treat me, forgiving them when they offend me.

Resolution: I will dedicate a specific time to prayer each day.