March 5, 2014: Ash Wednesday

Read It:

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Reflect on It: In today's gospel, we hear about prayer, fasting and almsgiving. What's most important with these three things in the reading is the thought that they are to be done in secret and in private. Typically, for me, Ash Wednesday feels like the hardest day of the year. Times when I would never be hungry, I feel like I'm famished or it feels like the LONGEST day known to man kind. It doesn't seem to make sense. So, I get a little whiny about how much this sacrifice costs me: my comfort. Today, we're called to get uncomfortable as we journey with Jesus. Our Hearts are ready oh God, our hearts are ready.

Pray about It: My Heart is ready and willing Father. Let me carry my cross and die with you this Lent.

Live it! Challenge: Whenever you feel like prayer, fasting or almsgiving is too much today, offer the prayers for someone who doesn't know God.

Read More

December 25, 2013! Merry Christmas!!!

Read It:

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
"Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

 

CHRIST IS BORN TODAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID! REJOICE!

Read More

December 24, 2013

Read It:
Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Reflect on It: Jesus is coming to be the light in the darkness. To guide our feet into the way of peace. Are you ready?

Pray About it: Sweet Jesus, I am ready, Come Emmanuel.

Live It! Challenge: Go to mass for Christmas!

Read More

December 23, 2013

Read It:
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."


Reflect on It: There's so much goodness in this gospel, but what I want to focus on is the part that says" "her neighbors and relatives heard... and they rejoiced with her". I think the concept of rejoicing with other is often lost on us. The Lord showed Elizabeth great mercy and her relatives and friends rejoiced in that. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. Share a little joy today with someone else.

Pray about It: Lord, your coming is so close. Help me to rejoice in it the way that I should.

Live It! Challenge: Rejoice in the goodness that the Lord is giving to someone else in your life.

Read More

December 22, 2013: Fourth Sunday of Advent!!!

Read It:

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 conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.

Reflect on It: God with us! This is what Emmanuel means, Jesus, the Lord is with us. God with us...are you ready for him to come to the world in just a few days.

Pray about It:
Father, my heart is ready for your son! Amen.

Live It! Challenge: Today, help prepare your home for Christmas. Make some space for the Christ Child.

Read More

December 21, 2013

Read It:
Mary set out in those days
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."

Reflect on It: "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled". Mary believed what was spoken to her. In a few days, we will have the opportunity to believe that which is spoken to us. The birth of the Christ Child and the fact that this birth will change the world. The Lord is coming. Get ready.

Pray about It: Sweet Jesus, help me to be ready for your coming in just a few days. Help me to be a person that believes in your Word and let that word be good enough for me. Amen.

Live It! Challenge: What is something that the Lord has spoken to you? Do you believe it? Spend some time reflecting on this today.

Read More

December 20, 2013

Read It:
In the sixth month,
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: As you can see, this is the same Gospel from Sunday. It's important to notice that we are still called to preparation for our Lord. We still have a last leg of the race to run. Let's finish off Advent strong. We are waiting in joyful hope and anticipation for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. How are we called to say yes to him in a profound way this week?

Pray About It: Sweet Jesus, you are coming on Sunday, help my heart to be ready.

Live It! Challenge: Get your soul clean by going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Reconcile yourself to God through this sacrament. There are extra opportunities for confession at parishes across the diocese.

Read More