Readings for Tuesday December 8, 2009
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
First Reading: Genesis 3:9-15
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98
Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
Brothers and sisters: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. (Eph 1:3-6, 11-12)
Brothers and Sisters, today we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother and Queen. In today's readings we see God's plan for Mary unfold, from the fall of our first parents Adam and Eve to the Annunciation, where Mary said her great yes to the Lord. We see that even from the beginning that God had a plan for us and that no matter what wrong our original parents did, the Lord had a plan for us to still have a way to Him. We read today from Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus, that from the beginning of time, God had a plan for our salvation, and for each one of us. From this letter, we should realize that each of us has a purpose in this life, that purpose is to love the Father with all our heart and to do His will in our lives. For we can only find fulfillment and happiness when we have conformed our will to His.
In Paul's letter, we realize that each of us has a purpose, and so did our Blessed Mother. Mary was given the grace by God to be born without sin so that she could fulfill her purpose of bringing the savior of all of us into this world. Her purpose was to love Him, and care for Him, and to be His greatest disciple while on earth. Yet, even having done all those things, God still has a purpose for Mary, and to this day her purpose is to lead each one of us to her son, Jesus.
Mary was called by God to be the mother of Christ, this was His plan from the beginning. On the cross, Jesus gave her to all of us to be our mother as well.
During this season of Advent, may we all ask for the blessed mother's intercessions and to be lead even closer to her son.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, to the Son, to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be a world without end. Amen.
12.08.2009
12.07.2009
Healing begins with Forgiveness
Readings for Monday December 7, 2009
First Reading: Isaiah 35:1-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 85
Gospel: Luke 5:17-26
But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”– he said to the one who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.” (Lk 5:19-26)
In today's gospel, we read of the healing of the paralytic. There is so much that we can take out of this story, the pharisees disbelief in Christ's power, the perseverance of the friends, the sheer miracles that Jesus performs; but the thing that I find the most interesting is how before Jesus heals the man, He forgives him of his sins first. When reading this, it got me thinking about something, is it important that we are first forgiven before healing can take place? I think that most things have a natural order, and I think that it only makes since that before we being healing from a life of sin, that we must be forgiven first.
If we want to heal from any sort of emotional or spiritual hurt or pain, the first step is either to forgive or be forgiven. If there is no forgiveness, then healing cannot take place. Forgiveness is such a powerful gift, one that is freely given by God to man. Jesus came into this world to not only heal and teach us, but to give us freedom from sin through mercy and forgiveness. But if we fail to realize why Jesus came into this world and to recognize that He truly does forgive us for all of our sins; then if we fail to realize these two important things, then healing cannot begin.
Ask yourself today, is there something that I am sorry for that I need to say I'm sorry and ask for God's forgiveness? Is there someone in my life that I have been hurt by that I am having trouble forgiving? Jesus is our perfect model, if He can forgive, then all of us can and should forgive; it is the only way that healing can begin for anybody. If you are having trouble finding the grace to forgive, ask God for the strength.
Healing begins with forgiveness.
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, thank you for all that you give and all that you bless us with each and every day. Lord, you are so good to us, help us to live a life that honors and glorifies you. We pray for the wisdom to know and carry out your will. We pray for all those in need of conversion in their hearts. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 35:1-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 85
Gospel: Luke 5:17-26
But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”– he said to the one who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.” (Lk 5:19-26)
In today's gospel, we read of the healing of the paralytic. There is so much that we can take out of this story, the pharisees disbelief in Christ's power, the perseverance of the friends, the sheer miracles that Jesus performs; but the thing that I find the most interesting is how before Jesus heals the man, He forgives him of his sins first. When reading this, it got me thinking about something, is it important that we are first forgiven before healing can take place? I think that most things have a natural order, and I think that it only makes since that before we being healing from a life of sin, that we must be forgiven first.
If we want to heal from any sort of emotional or spiritual hurt or pain, the first step is either to forgive or be forgiven. If there is no forgiveness, then healing cannot take place. Forgiveness is such a powerful gift, one that is freely given by God to man. Jesus came into this world to not only heal and teach us, but to give us freedom from sin through mercy and forgiveness. But if we fail to realize why Jesus came into this world and to recognize that He truly does forgive us for all of our sins; then if we fail to realize these two important things, then healing cannot begin.
Ask yourself today, is there something that I am sorry for that I need to say I'm sorry and ask for God's forgiveness? Is there someone in my life that I have been hurt by that I am having trouble forgiving? Jesus is our perfect model, if He can forgive, then all of us can and should forgive; it is the only way that healing can begin for anybody. If you are having trouble finding the grace to forgive, ask God for the strength.
Healing begins with forgiveness.
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, thank you for all that you give and all that you bless us with each and every day. Lord, you are so good to us, help us to live a life that honors and glorifies you. We pray for the wisdom to know and carry out your will. We pray for all those in need of conversion in their hearts. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
12.04.2009
Why?
Readings for Friday December 4, 2009
First Reading: Isaiah 29:17-24
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27
Gospel: Matthew 9:27-31
As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out, “Son of David, have pity on us!” When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread word of him through all that land. (Mt 9:27-31)
Today we read about the healing of the two blind men who called out to Jesus asking for pity. Most of us have read and heard this story before, and many of us would agree that this was one of the many miracles that Jesus performed during His earthly life. Instead of taking the traditional route and talking about what a great miracle this was and the awesome healing power of God, I would like to pose a question in regards to this scenario: Why did Jesus heal these two men?
Often times we look at what has happened, and we don't even think about the why. In this story we are not told of the blind men's background, so we are not sure if they did anything to deserve this. Although we do not know, we can assume that nothing that we can do here on earth is ever deserving of such a miracle. Why else would Christ cure these two men? Perhaps He was showing off? That is also doubtful, especially since Jesus is God and He models perfect humility; and He also told these two men not to tell anybody. So if it wasn't anything they did or to show boat, then what was it? My guess is that it was because of two reasons ... love and mercy.
Jesus does not have to do anything for us, He does so out of love and mercy. He is God, and God is love, so therefore His why is because of love. He wishes to pour out that love to us, His children, who have done nothing to deserve this love, but because He is rich and abundant in love He chooses to have mercy on each of us. All He asks from us is to have faith and believe.
Jesus works wonders in our lives each and every day out of love. This same love is the reason why He died on the cross for our sake.
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, we thank you and praise you so much for the great gifts in our lives. Lord, help us during this life. We need you so much, and we cannot do this without you. Lord, increase our faith so that we may never stray from you. Keep us humble and wise, knowing what your will for us is. Thank you for all that you give and all that you do. We do not deserve all of your love and mercy, but each day you pour it out on us, help us to never forget this. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 29:17-24
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27
Gospel: Matthew 9:27-31
As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out, “Son of David, have pity on us!” When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread word of him through all that land. (Mt 9:27-31)
Today we read about the healing of the two blind men who called out to Jesus asking for pity. Most of us have read and heard this story before, and many of us would agree that this was one of the many miracles that Jesus performed during His earthly life. Instead of taking the traditional route and talking about what a great miracle this was and the awesome healing power of God, I would like to pose a question in regards to this scenario: Why did Jesus heal these two men?
Often times we look at what has happened, and we don't even think about the why. In this story we are not told of the blind men's background, so we are not sure if they did anything to deserve this. Although we do not know, we can assume that nothing that we can do here on earth is ever deserving of such a miracle. Why else would Christ cure these two men? Perhaps He was showing off? That is also doubtful, especially since Jesus is God and He models perfect humility; and He also told these two men not to tell anybody. So if it wasn't anything they did or to show boat, then what was it? My guess is that it was because of two reasons ... love and mercy.
Jesus does not have to do anything for us, He does so out of love and mercy. He is God, and God is love, so therefore His why is because of love. He wishes to pour out that love to us, His children, who have done nothing to deserve this love, but because He is rich and abundant in love He chooses to have mercy on each of us. All He asks from us is to have faith and believe.
Jesus works wonders in our lives each and every day out of love. This same love is the reason why He died on the cross for our sake.
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, we thank you and praise you so much for the great gifts in our lives. Lord, help us during this life. We need you so much, and we cannot do this without you. Lord, increase our faith so that we may never stray from you. Keep us humble and wise, knowing what your will for us is. Thank you for all that you give and all that you do. We do not deserve all of your love and mercy, but each day you pour it out on us, help us to never forget this. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
12.03.2009
Solid Rock
Readings for December 3, 2009
Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, priest
First Reading: Isaiah 26:1-6
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118
Gospel: Matthew 7:21, 24-27
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” (Mt 7:24-27)
In today's gospel, Jesus likens those who hear His words and acts on them to two men who built their homes on different foundations. The wise man built his home on solid rock, and when that house was tested it was able to stand the challenges that it faced. The foolish man however built his house on sand, that when that house faced hardship, it blew away. Now I am no construction worker or anything, but even I have enough sense to know that you do not build a house on the sand. While we may not build ourselves physically on anything that is unstable, but what about spiritually? Are we building our spiritual lives on unstable things?
The foolish man who built his house on the sand, probably was not thinking about his future. He was probably only thinking about getting a beach front property. He was not thinking if what he was building his physical dwelling on would be able to stand any hardships and if that house would even last. We do the same thing in our spiritual lives, we place a lot of focus and trust in earthly things; things which are not stable. Sometimes we build ourselves up on our work, our positions, other people, money, prestige, our own beliefs, etc. But each of these things are not stable, and can quickly be blown away. The one thing that is always a sure thing in this world is Christ. It is Christ and His truth that we should build our spiritual lives off of. If we do this, then we can live a life of joy and peace knowing that no matter what hardships come into our life, we can weather those, because we are built upon a solid rock.
The prophet Isaiah today reminds us of the stability found only in the Lord: "Trust in the Lord forever! For the Lord is an eternal Rock." The Lord has been and always will be a stable foundation from which we should build our lives off of. He is the one thing that will never let us down or never abandon us, all praise and honor be to Him!
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, you are our rock and our salvation; may we always live a life that is worthy of your calling. Lord, help us not to be distracted from the world, help us to stay focused on you and your will for our lives. We pray for all those who are building their house in the sand, may they find their peace and joy in you. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, priest
First Reading: Isaiah 26:1-6
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118
Gospel: Matthew 7:21, 24-27
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” (Mt 7:24-27)
In today's gospel, Jesus likens those who hear His words and acts on them to two men who built their homes on different foundations. The wise man built his home on solid rock, and when that house was tested it was able to stand the challenges that it faced. The foolish man however built his house on sand, that when that house faced hardship, it blew away. Now I am no construction worker or anything, but even I have enough sense to know that you do not build a house on the sand. While we may not build ourselves physically on anything that is unstable, but what about spiritually? Are we building our spiritual lives on unstable things?
The foolish man who built his house on the sand, probably was not thinking about his future. He was probably only thinking about getting a beach front property. He was not thinking if what he was building his physical dwelling on would be able to stand any hardships and if that house would even last. We do the same thing in our spiritual lives, we place a lot of focus and trust in earthly things; things which are not stable. Sometimes we build ourselves up on our work, our positions, other people, money, prestige, our own beliefs, etc. But each of these things are not stable, and can quickly be blown away. The one thing that is always a sure thing in this world is Christ. It is Christ and His truth that we should build our spiritual lives off of. If we do this, then we can live a life of joy and peace knowing that no matter what hardships come into our life, we can weather those, because we are built upon a solid rock.
The prophet Isaiah today reminds us of the stability found only in the Lord: "Trust in the Lord forever! For the Lord is an eternal Rock." The Lord has been and always will be a stable foundation from which we should build our lives off of. He is the one thing that will never let us down or never abandon us, all praise and honor be to Him!
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, you are our rock and our salvation; may we always live a life that is worthy of your calling. Lord, help us not to be distracted from the world, help us to stay focused on you and your will for our lives. We pray for all those who are building their house in the sand, may they find their peace and joy in you. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
12.02.2009
There will be a day
Readings for Wednesday December 2, 2009
First Reading: Isaiah 25:6-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23
Gospel: Matthew 15:29-37
On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples A feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines. On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, The web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; The reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the Lord has spoken. On that day it will be said: “Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!” For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain. (Is 25:6-10)
As I read this passage from Isaiah today, I am reminded of a song by Jeremy Camp. The song is called "There will be a day", and the main chorus goes like this:
First Reading: Isaiah 25:6-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23
Gospel: Matthew 15:29-37
On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples A feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines. On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, The web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; The reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the Lord has spoken. On that day it will be said: “Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!” For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain. (Is 25:6-10)
As I read this passage from Isaiah today, I am reminded of a song by Jeremy Camp. The song is called "There will be a day", and the main chorus goes like this:
There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more,
we'll see Jesus face to face
But until that day, we'll hold on to you always
This is a beautiful song about the hope that is brought through from Christ. Just as Isaiah brought hope to the people of Israel during their difficult times, we too must remember the words of Isaiah during our most challenging and darkest times. No matter how difficult things may get for us, we must remember that it is only temporary, and if we are will to hang in their with God until the end, then when we finally reach heaven, all the pain, the despair, the troubles will all be gone. Jesus came into this world for us, so that we might have life everlasting, and in an often unsure world, Christ is the one thing that we can always count on.
During this season of Advent, let us all reflect on what Jesus came here to do ... lead us to something better.
Father above, we thank you and give you praise for this day. Lord, thank you for all that you have given us and thank you for leading us to you in an eternal life in heaven. We are not deserving of all that you give us, but you choose to have mercy on us and to love us unconditionally anyways. We pray for all those in need of conversion, and may during this Advent season we all have a deeper love and understanding of you and our faith. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more,
we'll see Jesus face to face
But until that day, we'll hold on to you always
This is a beautiful song about the hope that is brought through from Christ. Just as Isaiah brought hope to the people of Israel during their difficult times, we too must remember the words of Isaiah during our most challenging and darkest times. No matter how difficult things may get for us, we must remember that it is only temporary, and if we are will to hang in their with God until the end, then when we finally reach heaven, all the pain, the despair, the troubles will all be gone. Jesus came into this world for us, so that we might have life everlasting, and in an often unsure world, Christ is the one thing that we can always count on.
During this season of Advent, let us all reflect on what Jesus came here to do ... lead us to something better.
Father above, we thank you and give you praise for this day. Lord, thank you for all that you have given us and thank you for leading us to you in an eternal life in heaven. We are not deserving of all that you give us, but you choose to have mercy on us and to love us unconditionally anyways. We pray for all those in need of conversion, and may during this Advent season we all have a deeper love and understanding of you and our faith. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
12.01.2009
Lions eating hay?
Readings for Tuesday December 1, 2009
First Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72
Gospel: Luke 10:21-24
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; The calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea. On that day, The root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, The Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious. (Is 11:6-10)
Cows and bears as neighbors, kids playing by cobra's dens, lions eating hay like the ox ... kind of sounds like animal planet meets the twilight zone. And exactly what would cause such a drastic change in behavior of these animals? In today's passage from Isaiah we read about the stump of Jesse; and Jesse as we know is king David's father. We also know that Jesus is from the line of David, so today's passage from Isaiah is giving us great insight into the types of change that Jesus is going to bring into our world.
During this season of Advent, we reflect and prepare for the Lord's coming into this world as an infant. When Jesus came, and even still to this day He is changing things in our world, but the truth is that we haven't seen anything yet. There is still much more to come, even things that we think are impossible (such as a wolf and lamb hanging out). One day the root of Jesse will come back into this world and call all those who belong to the kingdom. And as crazy as some of these passages may sound, we would all do well to believe in Him and in His great power and glory.
Things like the calf and young lion browsing together may seem impossible, but one thing that we always need to remember that is with God, nothing is impossible.
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Thank you for all that you have blessed us with in our lives, Lord forgive us for the many times which we have taken these things for granted. Lord, help us during this advent season to prepare for you, may we rid ourselves of the things of this world and seek nothing more than your will. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72
Gospel: Luke 10:21-24
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; The calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea. On that day, The root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, The Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious. (Is 11:6-10)
Cows and bears as neighbors, kids playing by cobra's dens, lions eating hay like the ox ... kind of sounds like animal planet meets the twilight zone. And exactly what would cause such a drastic change in behavior of these animals? In today's passage from Isaiah we read about the stump of Jesse; and Jesse as we know is king David's father. We also know that Jesus is from the line of David, so today's passage from Isaiah is giving us great insight into the types of change that Jesus is going to bring into our world.
During this season of Advent, we reflect and prepare for the Lord's coming into this world as an infant. When Jesus came, and even still to this day He is changing things in our world, but the truth is that we haven't seen anything yet. There is still much more to come, even things that we think are impossible (such as a wolf and lamb hanging out). One day the root of Jesse will come back into this world and call all those who belong to the kingdom. And as crazy as some of these passages may sound, we would all do well to believe in Him and in His great power and glory.
Things like the calf and young lion browsing together may seem impossible, but one thing that we always need to remember that is with God, nothing is impossible.
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Thank you for all that you have blessed us with in our lives, Lord forgive us for the many times which we have taken these things for granted. Lord, help us during this advent season to prepare for you, may we rid ourselves of the things of this world and seek nothing more than your will. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
11.30.2009
Blessed are those who hear!
Readings for Monday November 30, 2009
Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle
First Reading: Romans 10:9-18
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19
Gospel: Matthew 4:18-22
As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. (Mt 4:18-22)
In today's gospel, we read about the calling of the first disciples, among those was Andrew. Today specifically we celebrate his feast day and honor him for his love and dedication of the Lord. I think that after reading about Andrew and the other apostles that were called, we should find great comfort in our own calling to the Lord. Many times we feel inadequate in the things that we feel the Lord is calling us to. But we must remember that when Jesus called those first disciples, He wasn't looking in the schools and the palaces for the most educated or most experiences men. Jesus called His first disciples while walking along the beach. He called fishermen and tax collectors. Jesus wasn't looking for the world's best and brightest (and this is obvious in His choices), He was looking for those who would hear His voice and listen.
Saint Paul tells us today that; "Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ." (Rom 10:17) Saint Andrew and the other Apostles were picked because they heard the voice of Christ and listened; they had faith in Him who came into this world for us. When called for His purpose, they went; even if they didn't fully understand at the time, they still went with Him. We can say what we want about the disciples in their early years of following Christ, but it takes a lot of faith to leave everything and everyone you know behind to follow Him. Saint Andrew and the other apostles in today's gospel are excellent examples of surrendering the things of this world and following the Lord, may we all be blessed with same type of courage in our own lives.
If faith comes from what is heard, then blessed are those who hear our Lord Jesus Christ!
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, help us to hear you and to know you more. Lord, as we go along in this season of advent, help us to gain a better understanding of this time and of your coming into this world for us. Lord, may we grow in faith, hope and love of you during this time. We pray for all those in need of conversion, may the season of advent draw them closer to your love and your truth. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle
First Reading: Romans 10:9-18
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19
Gospel: Matthew 4:18-22
As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. (Mt 4:18-22)
In today's gospel, we read about the calling of the first disciples, among those was Andrew. Today specifically we celebrate his feast day and honor him for his love and dedication of the Lord. I think that after reading about Andrew and the other apostles that were called, we should find great comfort in our own calling to the Lord. Many times we feel inadequate in the things that we feel the Lord is calling us to. But we must remember that when Jesus called those first disciples, He wasn't looking in the schools and the palaces for the most educated or most experiences men. Jesus called His first disciples while walking along the beach. He called fishermen and tax collectors. Jesus wasn't looking for the world's best and brightest (and this is obvious in His choices), He was looking for those who would hear His voice and listen.
Saint Paul tells us today that; "Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ." (Rom 10:17) Saint Andrew and the other Apostles were picked because they heard the voice of Christ and listened; they had faith in Him who came into this world for us. When called for His purpose, they went; even if they didn't fully understand at the time, they still went with Him. We can say what we want about the disciples in their early years of following Christ, but it takes a lot of faith to leave everything and everyone you know behind to follow Him. Saint Andrew and the other apostles in today's gospel are excellent examples of surrendering the things of this world and following the Lord, may we all be blessed with same type of courage in our own lives.
If faith comes from what is heard, then blessed are those who hear our Lord Jesus Christ!
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, help us to hear you and to know you more. Lord, as we go along in this season of advent, help us to gain a better understanding of this time and of your coming into this world for us. Lord, may we grow in faith, hope and love of you during this time. We pray for all those in need of conversion, may the season of advent draw them closer to your love and your truth. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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