Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: To Be Lifted Up

No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, my weak nature still rebels at the thought of humiliation, sacrifice and hardships of many types. I still seek self-centered triumphs not rooted in love. I am energetic only for easy victories, loosing all resolve when the cost is high. Only by meditating on your most holy cross can I bolster my fighting spirit to accept totally all that I find hard and painful in my mission. Your cross will teach me that only through embracing the cross will my life’s most precious victories be granted. 

Petition: Grant me Lord, the grace to be captivated by the power and mercy that flows from your blessed cross. 

1. In order to be lifted up, I must be brought low “To be crucified, humanly speaking, is to be disgraced and humiliated. But from God’s point of view it means being lifted up, indeed, to be lifted up by means of the cross. Christ is the Lord and he becomes Lord of everything and everyone in this elevation by means of the cross. It is in this way that we look upon the cross, with the eyes of faith, instructed by the word of God, guided by the power of God. Here then is the mystery of the triumph of the cross.” (Pope John Paul II, Homily, Sept. 14, 1987, Phoenix, Arizona USA). Contemplate the mystery of God’s wisdom at work in the Son, and see how he longs to repeat it in me. I must accept with an open heart being “brought low” in every hard moment, knowing that only in trials can love be brought to perfection, only in suffering can God’s power be made more transparent to the world. 

2. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent The Israelites had to look up to the seraph mounted on a pole to be healed from the effects of their sins. (cfr Number 21, 4-9) This looking up was the act of faith Yahweh required to tie them to an event in the future that was foretold in the cross-like symbol. We must “look up” to be raised up by the cross. “Who could believe what we have heard and to whom has the power of Yahweh been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:23). No human logic – no matter how sophisticated – will reveal to me the mystery and the depth of the victory that flows from the cross of Christ. Only faith will unleash its power in my soul. Only by approaching the person of Christ with a total embrace of this salvific act, looking up to this Lord wounded out of love for me, can I be healed of all my resentments, vain calculations, doubts and bitter complaints before all that costs me in life. 

3. God so loved the world The world is in a frenzy for having created a culture of counterfeit love. Only by preaching Christ crucified, only by living from the sign of what God has done for each one personally, in all of its unforgettable and brutal objectivity, can we redeem the meaning of the human heart and leave no room for misunderstanding. Do we know, really know what God has done? Love for God and in God is neither an emotion nor a sentiment, neither a convenience nor power play. His love is built on the total and unconditional gift of himself through his Son. We are redeemed in many ways through the cross, but perhaps the most compelling part of this act, is the response in kind God provokes in every believer who experiences what God in a scourged and tortured human body is doing for him: caritas Christi urget nos—the love of Christ compels us.  

Dialogue with Christ: Lord, I am compelled before the long and painful hours you spent on the cross for me to accept more joyfully my struggles in life. I will work to stop all envy and self-pity and now return gratitude to you for my hardships. You so loved the world that you sent your only Son, and you have so loved me that you sent me my crosses so that I could experience your Son’s victory more completely every day. I cast away all fear and mistrust and live with the confidence and hope that flows from the triumphant cross. 

Resolution: I will embrace some difficulty today out of love for Christ crucified.

Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church "The Quiet Healer - ember of faith"

The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many people followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope."

Introductory Prayer: 

God our Father, you gave us your Son to make us your children. I believe, and I am hoping to be raised to full maturity in him through the school of the Gospel. Thank you for your unconditional love. I offer you my love in return, knowing you welcome it as a parent does a small child.

Petition: 

Jesus, like you, make my heart attentive to the needs of others.

1. When Jesus Realized This, He Withdrew from That Place:
   
   
   There is a great lesson for us here: It is not yet his "hour," so Jesus does not force the issue. Jesus does not taunt the Pharisees or provoke an unnecessary clash. Whenever Jesus challenges a person it is in order to lead that person to a deeper self-reflection and ultimately to a conversion of heart and of life. He did this on several occasions with the same Scribes and Pharisees. Yet this is not the time to engage them intellectually; their hearts are closed and they are unwilling to listen. When at times we find ourselves in a disagreement (perhaps even with a loved one), once the emotions are roused and it becomes clear that one or both parties are not ready for the truth, the prudent, loving and humble thing to do is withdraw from the situation until the moment our hearts are more open to listening.

2. The Master Physician:
   
   
   Matthew´s comment in this section of the Gospel is quite revealing: "Many people followed him, and he cured them all." We must not imagine that all of the healings were physical. So "meek and humble" is Jesus that every person felt he could approach him. If a bruised reed comes to Jesus – a person battered by life, trials and his own sin – his first and only inclination is to heal that soul. Even to this very day Jesus continually takes what is broken and makes it whole. He is the master physician who binds up wounds so that the person may be healed. In light of this attitude we recognize the contrast between the Pharisees, who seek to kill, and Jesus, who continues to give life to all who come to him.

3. A Ember of Faith:
   
   
   All Jesus needs is the slightest ember of faith and hope to change a person´s life. For instance, we cannot force a person to love us or to trust us. Likewise, God himself respects the very freedom he entrusted to us. Nonetheless, our Lord does give the human person a searching mind and heart. That is why we can say that the human person is religious by nature from the beginning. Atheists are not born; they are made by their choices. Within the human soul God already provides us with the ember of faith, hope and love. Once we are baptized, that kindling can become an unquenchable fire. Yet it can also be extinguished if we carelessly expose it to the winds and waves of unbridled selfishness, secularism, skepticism and systematic doubt . No matter how far we think we may have drifted, if we will simply turn to Jesus, we will find that he is already looking at us.

Conversation with Christ: 

Lord Jesus, you see and know what I am to become if I will keep close to you in faith, hope and love. Deepen within me the desire to remain united to you in prayer so as to imitate you in love. Help me become with you what I can never become without you. Mother Most Pure, make my heart only for Jesus.

Resolution: 

Today I will contact someone who needs to be encouraged and listened to.

Monday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time "Lord, Say the Word…"

When Jesus had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, "He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us." And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ´Go,´ and he goes; and to another, ´Come here,´ and he comes; and to my slave, ´Do this,´ and he does it." When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

Introductory Prayer:  Lord Jesus, I believe that you came into this world to redeem sinners. I hope in you and in your power to transform my soul, by your grace, from sinfulness to holiness. Lord, I love you and offer you the longings of my heart to put you truly first in my life. I want to love you with all my mind, heart, soul and strength.

Petition: Lord Jesus, grant me the gift of a deeper faith.

1. The Centurion  Frequently the people to whom God has given the most recognize him the least. For that reason, he extends the gift of faith to other men and women, especially the simple and humble of heart. The centurion exemplifies this dynamic of God´s grace in our lives. We should strive to be like him: simple, humble, and confident in the powerful action of Jesus in our daily lives.

2. Lord, I Am Not Worthy to Receive You  These words manifest the centurion’s humility. They should also manifest our humility and faith in Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, since they are the words we pray at every Mass just before receiving our Lord in Holy Communion. When we receive the Blessed Sacrament, we truly receive Christ — body, blood, soul and divinity. Our faith is the key to opening up our hearts to Christ’s healing grace.

3. Not Even in Israel Have I Found Such Faith  Don’t we want Jesus to say these words to us? Isn’t it much better than hearing those other words of Christ: “When the Son of Man returns will there be any faith on earth?” (see Luke 18:8). Christ calls us to be a fresh well of faith, hope and love so that even if he does not find it anywhere else, he can always be consoled by our undying faith. 

Conversation with Christ:  Lord Jesus, I want to repeat these words of the centurion. I do believe in you and in your Real Presence in the Eucharist. In my times of doubt or weakness of faith, I will call out to you, “Only say the word and I shall be healed.” 

Resolution:  I resolve to pray these words with all my heart today at Mass, in a visit to the Eucharist or in a spiritual communion.

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time "A Call to Conversion"

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." So to them he addressed this parable. "What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ´Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.´ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. "Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ´Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.´ In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Then he said, "A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ´Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.´ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ´How many of my father´s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."´ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ´Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.´ But his father ordered his servants, ´Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.´ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ´Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.´ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ´Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.´ He said to him, ´My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.´"

Introductory prayer: Heavenly Father, help me approach you with love and trust in this time of prayer. Do not allow my past sins and weaknesses to keep me from coming to you.

Petition:In speaking this parable, Lord Jesus, you inspire faith and trust. Banish from me any sense of mistrust and fear of returning to the Father. Put in my heart a deep longing and holy nostalgia for the Father’s house.

1. Chasing an Illusion.

Jesus exposes sin in all its malice and ugliness. Temptation and sin are a lie. Only God can give the happiness and sense of satisfaction that the human person deeply longs for. Sin promises happiness and satisfaction but only leaves degradation and hunger. The parable of the prodigal son illustrates what God himself complained to the prophet Jeremiah centuries before, “They have abandoned me, the font of living water, and built for themselves broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” What the devil and temptation falsely promise, and then betray, God gives quietly and almost unexpectedly to those who love him. The real feast begins when the boy returns to the Father.

2. The Heart of God.

Had Jesus not revealed, and with such force, the fatherly mercy of God, we would have longed for it, without being able to firmly hope for it. The details of this Gospel passage are telling. Jesus defends sinners from their accusers. The father is the first to see his son return. He receives him with joy and love. A sinner who approaches God feels only comfort, strength, forgiveness and a call to love. Discouragement, despair, pessimism... these do not come from God. With God, salvation is always possible.

3. The Righteous Complex.

The Pharisees and the older son do not share in Christ and the father´s outlook on sinners. They have “served” God and “never disobeyed” any of his commands. Yet their hearts are far from God, who for them is not a loving father, only a taskmaster who owes them a wage. Those whose lives have never been marked by the “big sins” always have to be on the lookout for the “big egos” and the subtle pride that makes us see God with silent resentment rather than loving confidence and joy.

Dialogue with Christ:Christ my Lord, I want to thank you for these parables where you reveal the infinite mercy of God. Help me to let go of those false plans I sometimes fabricate for myself and look for my happiness in seeking and fulfilling your will above all things.

Resolution: I will foster a sense of joy and enthusiasm in my duties today so as to cultivate a filial relationship with the Lord.

Saturday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time "Solid Foundations"

Jesus said to his disciples: "A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thorn bushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. "Why do you call me, ´Lord, Lord,´ but not do what I command? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed."

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus I believe that the commands you give derive from your love for me and your desire for my happiness. Help me to trust you even when I don’t understand everything. I believe that there is no one who loves me as you do, and no one is more worthy of my love than you. Assist me in this prayer to know you better and to love you more.

Petition: Lord, grant me the graces to be authentic in my self–giving. Help me to live the Gospel as the guide for my life and always follow you as my ideal.

1. Known bBy Its Fruits. Today´s Gospel passage follows on yesterday’s where we find a very significant question urging us not to be presumptuous and hypocritical: "Why do you notice the splinter in your brother´s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?" (Luke 6:41). How easy it is to notice other people´s defects and sins, but not see our own! How can we tell if our eye is clear or if a wooden beam impedes it? The test is in our actions. As Jesus tells us: "Every good tree is known by its own fruit." The fruit represents our actions and words.  From these we know the quality of the tree. In fact, good people bring forth good things from their heart and bad people bring forth evil. Jesus here echoes the ancient saying of Sirach: "The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had; so too does a man´s speech disclose the bent of his mind" (Sirach 27:6).

2. Christ-centered. “Building your individual and community edifice on rock means endeavoring to grow always in the sublime knowledge of Christ. It means looking to him to shape your lives according to his message, and so, firmly rooted in faith and charity, to be equipped for looking after Christ´s interests at every moment. In this way you will be able to acquire that interior strength which defies rain, floods, and wind. You will build the kingdom of God in today’s society, especially among the youth …, so in need of lived certainties –– certainties derived from an unshakeable faith and trust in Christ. Christ, dead and risen again, who is the principle of new life for us, is always at our side as a guarantee of victory amidst adversity” (Homily of Pope John Paul II, June 28, 1979).

3. Digging Deep. It is costly to dig deep. Just the quantity of earth to be moved can be daunting. Add to this the cost of removing the rocks and roots likely to be found, and it begins to be more appealing to build a house directly on the surface. Yet to build a structure that will last, we need to sink good foundations. This is a principle also applicable to our spiritual life. If we hope to have a life of virtue that will stand the storms and the test of time, we need to be willing to work patiently and with a plan, going deep. 

Dialogue with Christ: You are my rock, Lord Jesus. In you I always find security amid the storms of life. You are my shelter from all the attacks of the enemy. Keep me well-rooted in prayer and the sacraments so that I may bear good fruit for your kingdom. Never let me be satisfied with less than the plan you have for me. Don’t let me be taken in by the flashy but shallow temptations the world has to offer. Help me to stay always faithful to you.

Resolution: I will read today from a good book about Christ and strive to know him better.

Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time "Leading Others to Heaven"

He also told them a parable: "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor´s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ´Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,´ when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor´s eye.

Introductory Prayer: God the Father, thank you for the gift of creation, including my own life. God the Son, thank you for redeeming me at the price of your own Body and Blood. God the Holy Spirit, thank you for being the sweet guest of my soul, enlightening my mind, strengthening my spirit and kindling the fire of your love in my heart.

Petition: Lord, help me to grow in humility. 

1. Blind Guides: Jesus poses a rhetorical question to the crowd: “Can a blind person guide a blind person?” It is obvious that a guide needs to see. If we are talking about guiding people to the kingdom of God, then Jesus is the way. He is the one who has come from his Father; he knows the way. First, we can reflect on his importance and centrality to our journey to heaven. Second, we can also think about ourselves as guides for others. There should be a certain hesitancy, which is not reluctance, when we consider the task of leading others to God. We should be humble and remain very close to the Church that Christ founded to continue his mission on earth. 

2. Disciples: Christ’s next statement emphasizes that while the disciple is not above his teacher, he can learn as much as the teacher. The disciple of Jesus can learn from him the steps which lead to salvation and eternal life. Christ not only founded the Church to continue his teaching, but he also endowed her with the gift of his Spirit to preserve her from error. Our confidence in teaching others should derive from the knowledge that we are in union with the Church and seek to follow her teachings. Learning is a lifelong process, but religious instruction often ceases with First Communion or Confirmation, and many adults have only the religious formation of a child. What are we doing to become fully qualified in our knowledge of the faith? 

3. Hypocrites: Evangelization begins with us. It does seem that we are much quicker to detect faults in others than to notice them in ourselves. We can even be really irritated by another person’s faults, even though we ourselves possess them in greater measure than does the person about whom we are complaining. The proud person complains loudly of the conceit and arrogance he sees in his neighbor, but he is blind to his own vice. We need to consider our own condition first – humbly –, and then we need to work on truly becoming more Christ-like. The more we allow God’s grace to transform our lives, the more we can help others. 

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I am very proud. I so easily get wrapped up in myself, my perspective, my needs and my wants. I put myself before others. Help me to see the faults in myself that you want me to start working on. Give me the courage to address them before I start looking at others. 

Resolution: I will identify two or three practical things I can do this week to grow in the virtue of humility.

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary "Who Am I That My Lord Should Come to Me? – Humble Like Mary"

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord I thank you for the gift of faith. I believe only because so many others believed before me – and often at what great price! As I begin this prayer I review my genealogy of faith remembering all those who have passed on the faith to me. I strive to be a link in the faith chain for many other souls.

Petition: Dear Jesus, help me to be humble like the Blessed Virgin Mary.

1. God Is With Us: Today’s Gospel narrates for us the great mystery of the Incarnation. Why would God choose to become one of us? In his lineage appear the good and the bad, the faithful and the weak, the useful and useless. Why does God choose to take what is faulty, inferior, and make it his own? Why does he purify, restore, elevate, and cure what we are and what we offer him? Why? Why does he take upon himself my lineage, my personal history –– both the good and the bad –– and shape it into salvation history, for myself and for others? Why does he continue to do this? When will it be enough? God has said and will always be able to say, “What more could I have done for my people?”

2. Blessed Are You, and Blessed Is the Fruit of Your Womb: Joachim and Anna, the parents of Mary, were in a marriage apparently “going nowhere”: It was sterile. Tradition has it that Joachim was scorned by a bystander when presenting his offerings, because God had left him without offspring. Feeling deeply offended and downhearted, he followed his flocks of sheep into the wilderness and didn’t return to his wife for a long time. In the desert, he supposedly was informed by a supernatural appearance that a child would be born to him. When Joachim returned to his wife in Bethesda, inspired with new hope, she became pregnant and gave birth to Mary, who was born without sin. God takes what is useless and creates his masterpiece, the Immaculate Conception. Indeed, he raises up the lowly. What plans does he have for my life? Where do I fit into salvation history?

3. Let It Be Done According to Your Word: Having been told by her parents of the special circumstances of her birth, Mary grew of age “treasuring these things in her heart” (Cf. Luke 2:51). It is understandable that the pious girl Mary wanted to devote herself entirely to God, and perhaps, in her early years, took a vow of continence. Her simple and total dedication to God indeed made her his “highly favored daughter.” But God had other plans for her: He would ask her to bear his Son. Once again, God takes what is freely offered him and molds it into what he desires. He takes what is good and beautiful and makes it exceedingly so for the salvation of many. God humbly inserts himself into my boring and defective human lineage.

 Conversation with Christ: Lord, help me to remember today all the good things you have given me and my family. Let me see your work and your providence. I know that you come to my aid in hundreds of different ways. Help me to become more like Mary, and to ponder over all these things in my heart. 

Resolution: I will look at my vocation with faith and new hope, confident that God is comfortable in inserting himself in the most common of circumstances. I will try to see his hand in at least one event of my day today.