March 31, 2012

Read It:

Many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees
and told them what Jesus had done.
So the chief priests and the Pharisees
convened the Sanhedrin and said,
"What are we going to do?
This man is performing many signs.
If we leave him alone, all will believe in him,
and the Romans will come
and take away both our land and our nation."
But one of them, Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year, said to them,
"You know nothing,
nor do you consider that it is better for you
that one man should die instead of the people,
so that the whole nation may not perish."
He did not say this on his own,
but since he was high priest for that year,
he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation,
but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.
So from that day on they planned to kill him.

So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews,
but he left for the region near the desert,
to a town called Ephraim,
and there he remained with his disciples.

Now the Passover of the Jews was near,
and many went up from the country to Jerusalem
before Passover to purify themselves.
They looked for Jesus and said to one another
as they were in the temple area, "What do you think?
That he will not come to the feast?"

Reflect on It: In this Saturday, before the start of Holy Week, we see the descent of Jesus. At this point, he is not walking around in public, and is preparing to take on the passion for our sins and eternal life. Jesus was going to die for the nation and to gather into one the dispersed children of God. They were ready to kill him. His time had come!

Pray About It: Lord, let me walk with you this Holy Week!


Live It! Challenge: Pray about how you can more fully enter into Holy Week.

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March 30, 2012

Today, I am choosing the Psalm as the reading!

Read It:
In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
The breakers of death surged round about me,
the destroying floods overwhelmed me;
The cords of the nether world enmeshed me,
the snares of death overtook me.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
In my distress I called upon the LORD
and cried out to my God;
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

Reflect on It: In our distress, we call upon the Lord and he hears us. Never doubt that in the day of distress, he hears our call. This is not always the easiest, but he does here them and answers them in the way he sees fit.


Pray about It: Lord, hear my voice when I call upon you. Amen!

Live It! Challenge: This is the second to Last Friday of Lent, today offer something in sacrifice for God.

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March 29, 2012

Read It:

Jesus said to the Jews:
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever keeps my word will never see death."
So the Jews said to him,
"Now we are sure that you are possessed.
Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say,
'Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.'
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?
Or the prophets, who died?
Who do you make yourself out to be?"
Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing;
but it is my Father who glorifies me,
of whom you say, 'He is our God.'
You do not know him, but I know him.
And if I should say that I do not know him,
I would be like you a liar.
But I do know him and I keep his word.
Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day;
he saw it and was glad."
So the Jews said to him,
"You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?"
Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
before Abraham came to be, I AM."
So they picked up stones to throw at him;
but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

Reflect about It: I AM is powerful! I AM is the name God gave himself when he showed himself to Moses. I AM is the name of God. This is so powerful. This assertion by Jesus that he has been around since I AM, this is a big deal. He's calling himself God. I AM wants to be a part of your life. The Lord of the Universe gives us a name to call him, I AM. Today, call upon I AM to be with you!

Pray about It: Lord, help me always call out to you in my time of need! I AM, I love you.

Live It! Challenge: Spend 5 minutes in prayer mediating up the name of I AM.

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March 28, 2012

Read It:
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,
"If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham
and have never been enslaved to anyone.
How can you say, 'You will become free'?"
Jesus answered them, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
A slave does not remain in a household forever,
but a son always remains.
So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
I know that you are descendants of Abraham.
But you are trying to kill me,
because my word has no room among you.
I tell you what I have seen in the Father's presence;
then do what you have heard from the Father."

They answered and said to him, "Our father is Abraham."
Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children,
you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.
You are doing the works of your father!"
So they said to him, "We were not born of fornication.
We have one Father, God."
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and am here;
I did not come on my own, but he sent me."

Reflect on It: Here we see that no one is believing Jesus again. They do not want to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God. He says, "If God were your father, you would love me". Do we truly love him? The way we show love is through actions. I know that there some days where I'm not praying or where I hardly mention the name of God. Today, show your love for him through your actions.


Pray about It: Lord Jesus, help me to follow you always and to show you  my love through action!

Live It! Challenge:
Get your soul clean at confession tonight from 6:30-8:00 pm.

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March 27, 2012

Read It:
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"I am going away and you will look for me,
but you will die in your sin.
Where I am going you cannot come."
So the Jews said,
"He is not going to kill himself, is he,
because he said, 'Where I am going you cannot come'?"
He said to them, "You belong to what is below,
I belong to what is above.
You belong to this world,
but I do not belong to this world.
That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.
For if you do not believe that I AM,
you will die in your sins."
So they said to him, "Who are you?"
Jesus said to them, "What I told you from the beginning.
I have much to say about you in condemnation.
But the one who sent me is true,
and what I heard from him I tell the world."
They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father.
So Jesus said to them,
"When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM,
and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me.
The one who sent me is with me.
He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him."
Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

Reflect on It: Jesus does not belong to this world. We are made for eternity. While we are part of this world, we are called to live with him in eternity. Jesus always did what was pleasing the the father and we are called to do the same. Today, my our lives be pleasing to him who is holy.

Pray about It: Lord, let my life be an offering to you. Let me always do what is pleasing to you.

Live It! Challenge: Today, spend 10 minutes in prayer, offering him praise.

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March 26

Solemnity of the Annuniciation

Read It:

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.

Reflect on It: Today we celebrate the feast of the Annunciation, when Mary said "yes" to becoming the mother of her Lord and our Savior! Mary spent her life learning about God and His Law (the Torah) and this prepared her to make her fiat (her Yes to God). Like Mary, we must continually strive to know God and His Word so that when God invites us to participate in His redeeming work, we can, like Mary, make our own fiat and say Yes!
The angel Gabriel reminds us that nothing is impossible with God; He can do the unlikely and improbably (like Elizabeth getting pregnant after so many years of barrenness) AND the impossible (the virgin Mary getting pregnant). Keep that in mind when it feels like God is asking you to do the impossible - He can still make it happen, He just wants you to say "Yes!" to helping!

Irene wrote this blog post. We're repeating it from last year because it's so good!

Pray About It: Help me to say "yes" Lord to whatever you ask of me. I love you. Amen!

Live It! Challenge: Today, we celebrate in the midst of Lent. Lenten fasts do not have to be observed, so today's challenge is to celebrate our Sweet Lady, Mary!

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Sunday, March 25

Read It:
Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast
came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."
Philip went and told Andrew;
then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
Jesus answered them,
"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.

"I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
'Father, save me from this hour?'
But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name."
Then a voice came from heaven,
"I have glorified it and will glorify it again."
The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder;
but others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
Jesus answered and said,
"This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.
Now is the time of judgment on this world;
now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself."
He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

Reflect on It: We are all drawn to God. We are made for life in eternity with him.We have to serve him and follow him through that service. We are oriented towards a life with Christ in eternity, today, let us strive to be those men and women who are with him in eternity.

Pray About It: Lord, help me to be with you in eternity. I long for heaven; help me to live like I do. Help Heaven to be my focus. Amen.

Live It! Challenge: Today, make an effort to hang out with one of your parents, even if it's just for a few minutes.

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Saturday, March 24

Read It:Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said,
"This is truly the Prophet."
Others said, "This is the Christ."
But others said, "The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?
Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David's family
and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"
So a division occurred in the crowd because of him.
Some of them even wanted to arrest him,
but no one laid hands on him.

So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees,
who asked them, "Why did you not bring him?"
The guards answered, "Never before has anyone spoken like this man."
So the Pharisees answered them, "Have you also been deceived?
Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?
But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed."
Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them,
"Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him
and finds out what he is doing?"
They answered and said to him,
"You are not from Galilee also, are you?
Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee."

Then each went to his own house.

Read It: Again, there's some conspiring to "catch" Jesus. It's ALMOST funny to see how this is all going down leading up to Jesus' entry into Jerusalem for the crucifixion. Everyone is trying to figure out how to catch him, while Jesus isn't hiding who he was. Jesus was unapologetic in who he was...totally sent from the Father above. Are we hiding who we are out of fear?

Pray about It: Lord, help me to be me today in a profound way. Amen.

Live It! Challenge: Identify one gift you want to use more fully. Use it today.

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Friday, March 23

Read It:

Jesus moved about within Galilee;
he did not wish to travel in Judea,
because the Jews were trying to kill him.
But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.

But when his brothers had gone up to the feast,
he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.

Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said,
"Is he not the one they are trying to kill?
And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.
Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?
But we know where he is from.
When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."
So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said,
"You know me and also know where I am from.
Yet I did not come on my own,
but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."
So they tried to arrest him,
but no one laid a hand upon him,
because his hour had not yet come.

Reflect on It: "His hour had not yet come". Even then people knew they couldn't arrest Jesus because the hour had not yet come. There's an appointed time for everything under Heaven and it was not quite Jesus' time. I often want things in my own time in my own particular way. Today, let's be men and women of faith who know God's timing is right, even when it's hard for us to believe that.

Pray About It: Sweet Jesus, I know everything comes in your time. Help me to accept it. Amen.

Live It! Challenge: Reread the gospel above and really meditate on it.

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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Read It:
Jesus said to the Jews:
"If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true.
But there is another who testifies on my behalf,
and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true.
You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.
I do not accept human testimony,
but I say this so that you may be saved.
He was a burning and shining lamp,
and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.
But I have testimony greater than John's.
The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,
these works that I perform testify on my behalf
that the Father has sent me.
Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf.
But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
and you do not have his word remaining in you,
because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent.
You search the Scriptures,
because you think you have eternal life through them;
even they testify on my behalf.
But you do not want to come to me to have life.

"I do not accept human praise;
moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you.
I came in the name of my Father,
but you do not accept me;
yet if another comes in his own name,
you will accept him.
How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another
and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?
Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father:
the one who will accuse you is Moses,
in whom you have placed your hope.
For if you had believed Moses,
you would have believed me,
because he wrote about me.
But if you do not believe his writings,
how will you believe my words?"

Reflect on It: In the Gospel today, Jesus rebukes the Jews, saying, you do not believe in my words, yet you search in vain for God. They are looking God in the face and they do not believe him. It's no wonder that we search in vain for God. We search and look everywhere but right in front of us in Scripture and in the Eucharist.

Pray About It: Lord, I want to come to know and love you more. Help me to seek you out in Scripture and the Eucharist.

Live It! Challenge: Today, read the beginning of the passion narratives in the Gospel of St. Matthew. The passion narrative begins at Chapter 21.

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March 21, 2012

Read It:
Jesus answered the Jews:
"My Father is at work until now, so I am at work."
For this reason they tried all the more to kill him,
because he not only broke the sabbath
but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God.


Jesus answered and said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own,
but only what he sees the Father doing;
for what he does, the Son will do also.
For the Father loves the Son
and shows him everything that he himself does,
and he will show him greater works than these,
so that you may be amazed.
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life,
so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes.
Nor does the Father judge anyone,
but he has given all judgment to the Son,
so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.
Whoever does not honor the Son
does not honor the Father who sent him.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word
and believes in the one who sent me
has eternal life and will not come to condemnation,
but has passed from death to life.
Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,
and those who hear will live.
For just as the Father has life in himself,
so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself.
And he gave him power to exercise judgment,
because he is the Son of Man.
Do not be amazed at this,
because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs
will hear his voice and will come out,
those who have done good deeds
to the resurrection of life,
but those who have done wicked deeds
to the resurrection of condemnation.

"I cannot do anything on my own;
I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just,
because I do not seek my own will
but the will of the one who sent me."


Reflect on It: Jesus gives glory to God in everything that he does. While he is the son of God and both fully God and fully man, he gives all glory and honor to the Father. He is totally directed to the will of the father. This is the example we should follow, giving all the Glory to God.  Jesus was totally attuned to what the Father's will was. Are we? I know I struggle to listen clearly to what the Father wants. I assume that I won't be happy if I know what he really wants. The truth is the opposite. What the Father wants is for us to have life to the fullest. In that fullness, we will have true happiness. Today, let's listen to the will of the Father in our lives.



Pray About It: Sweet Jesus, give me your heart to desire whatever it is that the Lord wants for me.Lord, let every part of my life sing your praises. I love you, help me to always give you the glory.


Live It! Challenge: Go to confession again this week. Every parish in the diocese of Arlington and the Archdiocese of Washington is open from 6:30-8:00 pm.

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March 20

Read It:
There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate
a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.
In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled.
One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him lying there
and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him,
"Do you want to be well?"
The sick man answered him,
"Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool
when the water is stirred up;
while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me."
Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk."
Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Now that day was a sabbath.
So the Jews said to the man who was cured,
"It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat."
He answered them, "The man who made me well told me,
'Take up your mat and walk.'"
They asked him,
"Who is the man who told you, 'Take it up and walk?'"
The man who was healed did not know who it was,
for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.
After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him,
"Look, you are well; do not sin any more,
so that nothing worse may happen to you."
The man went and told the Jews
that Jesus was the one who had made him well.
Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus
because he did this on a sabbath.

Reflect on It: Today, we see that the sick man is made well. Jesus asks the man, "Do you want to be well?". The man, bravely responds that he does want to be made well, although not in so many words. The Lord of the universe asks us if we want to be made well. Do we really want to be made well? I think sometimes we carry the crutch of being broken, of wanting to wallow in the fact that we are broken or have a heavy cross. Day in and day out, this man tried to be made well and kept getting push out of the way. Jesus simply asked if he wanted to be made well and because of that faith, he was. Today, let us be people who believe that we can in fact be made well if we just believe.

Pray about It: Lord, I want to be made well. Help me to believe you can do that. Amen.


Live It! Challenge: Identify one area of brokenness that needs to be made well within you ask for Our Lady to take it to her son and to make you well.

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March 19, 2012

Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Truly,  today is a day of celebration in the midst of Lent.

Read It:
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Now 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."
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.

Reflect on It: Joseph was a good an holy man. In the midst of a season of penance and sorrow, we celebrate him today. Having the virtue of humility, he paves the way for us of what we should be like: docile to the Spirit, humble, full of love for others. He could have embarassed Mary, but instead he listened to the Lord and took care of her forever. Pray today that you are like St. Joseph in his undending love for his spouse.

Pray about It: Sweet Jesus, your earthly father Joseph was a good man, gentle and strong, full of love for your mother. Help me to be small and humble like him today.

Live It! Challenge: Today is a Solemnity during the Lenten Season. It is truly a cause to celebrate, so today, celebrate!

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March 18, 2012

Read It:

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
"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.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

Reflect on It: Before you bust out with doing the Tebow, take heart in today's Gospel. We are people called to be in the light. Jesus is the light of the world. The Easter Vigil begins in darkness and then the light of the world breaks through. God gave us his son out of love. We can have eternal life because of his sacrifice. Today, be a person who lives in the light.

 

Pray about It: Sweet Jesus, you are the light of the world. Help me to reflect that light to everyone I see today. I love you! Amen.

 

Live It! Challenge: When you're at mass this morning and genuflecting (We did it before Tebow did...), think about who it is that you are bowing before.

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March 17, 2012

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Read It:
Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
"Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity -
greedy, dishonest, adulterous - or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week,
and I pay tithes on my whole income.'
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Reflect on It: I know that more often than not, I am like the Pharisee, who says, "Look Jesus, I'm praying...Look at me! I'm awesome." We are called to be like the tax collector who says, Be merciful to me Oh God. Today, we are called to be mindful of the mercy of the Lord. We are owed nothing in this world, although our culture would tell us differently. God is good to us and merciful. What if we got what we truly deserved? Today, let's be truly mindful of the mercy of God.

Pray About It: Lord, have mercy on me a sinner. Amen!

Live It! Challenge: Today, spend 10 minutes in prayer really asking the Lord to be merciful to you.

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Friday, March 16

Read It:
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
"Which is the first of all the commandments?"
Jesus replied, "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."
The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
"You are not far from the Kingdom of God."
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Reflect on It: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength". When we love the Lord like this, there really isn't any other way that we could be living with out him. We are called to Love God like this. One of the four Eucharistic prayers for mass says: "in you we live and move and have our being". I love this line of the Eucharistic prayer and I think today's Gospel lends itself well to the this prayer. If we love the Lord with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength, then in him, we will live and move and have our being. Without Christ, we can do nothing.

Pray About It: Lord, help me to love with you everything that I am and everything that I have, with my whole heart.

Live It! Challenge: Today, do something kind of your parent or a sibling.

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March 15

Read It:
Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute,
and when the demon had gone out,
the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed.
Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons."
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
"Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself,
how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters."

Reflect on It: Today, are you for or against God. We want to be numbered amongst those in the Kingdom of God. Let's be men and women who are just that...with God.


Pray about It: Lord, help me to choose you daily, I love you. Amen.

Live It! Challenge: Read the readings for this Sunday's mass. They are available here...

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/031812.cfm

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Read It:
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven".

Reflect on It: Today, we are called to obey and respect the commandments. Jesus comes to fulfill the law. Follow the 10 commandments and you'll be good to go and will be with him in paradise.

Pray about It: Help me Sweet Jesus to follow the boundaries you set up for me, not because I have to, but because I love you. Amen.

Live It! Challenge: Get yourself to confession at any parish in the diocese from 6:30-8 pm.

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March 13, 2012

Read It:

Peter approached Jesus and asked him,
"Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive him?
As many as seven times?"
Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting,
a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
Since he had no way of paying it back,
his master ordered him to be sold,
along with his wife, his children, and all his property,
in payment of the debt.
At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,
'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.'
Moved with compassion the master of that servant
let him go and forgave him the loan.
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a much smaller amount.
He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,
'Pay back what you owe.'
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,
'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
But he refused.
Instead, he had him put in prison
until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,
they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master
and reported the whole affair.
His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant!
I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,
as I had pity on you?'
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers
until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you,
unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart."

Reflect on It: Today, we see our lesson in humility again. If God has forgiven us, we too are called to forgive our brothers and sisters in Christ. We have to be people of forgiveness and mercy, even when that's hard. Today, let's people who forgive and love with a pure heart.

Pray about It: Lord, help me to forgive the way I want to be forgiven.

Reflect on It: Today, make a good examination of conscience in preparation for confession tomorrow.

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March 12, 2012

Read It:
Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?As the hind longs for the running waters,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Reflect on It: We are thirsting for God in an intense way! God made us for himself and written on our hearts is the need for him. If we want to be hold the face of God, it's simple. We find the face of God at Church, in the Blessed Sacrament. Quench your thirst, go visit Him who our heart longs for.

Pray about It: Lord, I need you. Help me to be close to you today. Amen.

Live It! Challenge: Today, go pray in front of the tabernacle for 15 minutes and behold the face of God. Boom!

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March 11, 2012

Read It:

 

Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
"Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
"What sign can you show us for doing this?"
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
The Jews said,
"This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?"
But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.

While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
many began to believe in his name
when they saw the signs he was doing.
But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all,
and did not need anyone to testify about human nature.
He himself understood it well.

Reflect on It: Today, we see that Jesus is mad that such a mockery has been made about his house. How do we make a mockery of our place where we worship? Sometimes, our hearts are so restless and we stop paying attention to what is happening at mass. Are we making a mockery of mass because of our attitudes? I think today is a lesson in humility.

Pray about It: Sweet Jesus, please help me to never make a mockery of your sacrifice and to honor you through paying attention at mass. I love you Lord.

Live It! Challenge: Really pay attention and pray through mass today!

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March 10, 2012

Read It:
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 Jesus addressed this parable.
"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.'"

Reflect on It: The Story of the Prodigal Son is one that gets to me every time. I think often, we feel like we are the good son who stays around and loves the Lord. While this might be the case, whenever we sin, we squander our inheritance and starve. The Father, who in this story, represents our Heavenly Father welcomes his son back with a party and giving him the best he could ever need or want. This what happens when we return to the father with all of our heart! He slaughters the fattened calf for us. He doesn't count how long we've been away, just that we come back, so today, come back to him with all your heart.

Pray About It: Lord, I long to be reunited to you. Please help me to never sin again. Amen.

Live It! Challenge: Go to confession today.

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March 9, 2012

Read It:
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
"Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
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.
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
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times."
Jesus said to them, Did you never read in the Scriptures:

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?

Therefore, I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit."
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,
they knew that he was speaking about them.
And although they were attempting to arrest him,
they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

Reflect on It: The Kingdom of God will be given to those that produce fruits. You are here for a purpose! You are good and you matter! Today, we see our call to live a life that bears fruit for the kingdom of God. Do you live your life like you're going to heaven. Are you encouraging others to do the same? We have to walk in the HOPE and the knowledge that we can get to Heaven and that we desire Heaven. When we desire Heaven, an eternity with Christ, the King, we behave differently and others are guided by our desire to get to Heaven.

Pray about It: Lord, I want to be with you forever. Help me hope in your resurrection and to know that I can be with you in Heaven. Help this to be the desire of my heart as it is the desire of your heart. I love you!


Live It! Challenge: What is one thing you need to change so that you can get to Heaven? Change it!

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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Read It:

Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied, 'My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.'
He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father's house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said,
'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.'"

 

Reflect on It: What you do in life echoes in eternity! In the gospel, we see that he rich man god his due while on earth and Lazarus, who suffered greatly while on earth, was seated next to Abraham in heaven. The rich man, who did not care for Lazarus at all while on earth, went to hell and was tormented. It's important to see here that what we do in life echoes in eternity. We have to live the life now that we want forever. Do we choose Christ daily? God loves us enough to give us free will. To decide if we want to follow him. Our job is to make sure that what we do honors him. May we be people who get to spend eternity with Jesus and not like the rich man!

 

 

Pray about It: Lord, I desire you. Help me to choose you daily. I love you.

Live It! Challenge: Today, consider one way in which you can live more closely united to Christ.

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March 7, 2012

Read It:

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,
he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves,
and said to them on the way,
"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests
and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death,
and hand him over to the Gentiles
to be mocked and scourged and crucified,
and he will be raised on the third day."

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her, "What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left,
this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Reflect on It: I'm sure you can see a running theme here in the last few readings. We keep hearing about humility and being sacrificial and having a servant's heart. Dying to oneself is a theme in Lent. Jesus, the Lord of the Universe didn't come to be served, he came to server others. If we're not serving, we're not living. Who can you serve today?

Pray about It: Lord, help me to have a heart that desires to serve my brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to be small and humble and full of your grace.


Live It! Challenge: Today, pray for the ability to have a heart more like Christ's and list three ways you can serve another person at school or at your work place.

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March 6, 2012

Read It:

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
"The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people's shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'
As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called 'Master';
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Reflect on It: Today's gospel is about being meek and humble. The Pharisees did things so that they would be seen and lauded. Today's gospel is a call for us to be small and hidden. We are called to give of ourselves tirelessly and to not count the cost. This is hard for me. I don't mean to be a person who lauds what I do in front of others, but I know that I don't always do those things for the glory of God or make any attempt to keep it secret. Our Lady is the champion of being hidden. She never took the glory away from God, but she gave and gave and gave. Today, let's let Mary be our model of meekness.

Pray about It: Father, you gave us an example of meekness in Our Lady. Help us to be pure of heart and to be small and hidden like her.

Live It! Challenge: Today, do a job you hate and don't talk about it. Pray that it goes unnoticed.

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Monday, March 5

Read It:
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

"Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you."

Reflect on It: The measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you....I know that sometimes, I need this reminder. I am often a tough judge of character, thinking that people have to prove themselves to me. How selfish! This is not the measure to which I want to be judged. We are called to be people who are forgiving and merciful and who recognize the brokenness within each one of us. Sometimes, we forget how truly fragile the human spirit is, how weak we are. We walk around like we have all the answers and others do not. I want to be measured by how I love, which means I must love. Measure my life in love.

Pray about It: Lord, you were merciful to sinners. Help me, a sinner to be merciful to my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Live It! Challenge: Today, do something kind for someone else.

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Sunday, March 4: The Second Sunday of Lent

Read It:
Jesus took Peter, James, and John
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Rabbi, it is good that we are here!
Let us make three tents:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;
from the cloud came a voice,
"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone
but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Reflect on It:
Today's Gospel is that of the Transfiguration. Peter, James and John go to the top of a mountain with Jesus and while they were there, Elijah, Moses and Jesus (who was transfigured) appears to them. In this moment, they were scared and not sure of what was happening. It was in this moment, that they heard God's voice super clearly and they were never again the same. What is God calling you to today? Is he asking you to listen to him?

Pray about It: Holy Spirit, through your power Jesus was transfigured before James, Peter and John. Help my life to be radiant with your glory. I want to live only for you. Amen.

Live it! Challenge: Today, spend some time after mass asking the Lord what he's calling you to.

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Saturday, March 3, 2012

Read It:Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies,
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Reflect on It: Today, we see a radical call from Jesus to love your enemy. This is so hard. It's hard to love the person that insults us, or to love the person that drives us crazy. It's really hard to love the person who makes our lives miserable. Jesus though, loved everyone, especially his enemies. Love doesn't mean tolerance or acceptance, or that you become a door mat, love simply means you choose the higher road.

Pray about It: Lord, help me to love those who hate me. Let me love them the way that you love them.

Live It! Challenge: Identify someone in your life who is your enemy. Pray for them and choose to love them today.

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Friday, March 2, 2012

Read It:

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I tell you,
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven."

"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."

Reflect on It: Today's Gospel brings us a tough challenge. It suggests that we can not come to the altar with gifts, with grudges on our heart. It encourages us to reconcile ourselves with those that we have offended or those who have offended us before we bring gifts to the Lord. Each of us has someone that we need to forgive and someone that we need to seek forgiveness from. This Lent, let your gifts mean something and seek reconciliation with your brother or sister in Christ.

Pray About It: Lord, give me the courage to reconcile with the person to whom I need to be reconciled.

Live It! Challenge: Go and reconcile your grievances with someone today.

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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Read It:

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Ask and it will be given to you;
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.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.

"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets."

Reflect on It: BOLDNESS! Today's reading calls us to be bold in our prayers to the Lord. Ask for the things we desire, ask with a heart full of hope. He wants to give us everything and often, we don't believe that. God grants those things that we are bold about. Are we willing to trust and believe that he can give them to us?

Pray about It: Lord, help me to be bold with you and to trust that you will give me the things I desire most deeply in my heart. I love you and hope in you.

Live It! Challenge: Today, BOLDLY ask the Lord for something on your heart. Make it big, who cares...go crazy. Write down the deepest desires of your heart and then ask the Lord for them!

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