Why?

Readings for Wednesday November 19, 2008

First Reading:  Revelation 4:1-11

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 150 

Gospel:  Luke 19:11-28

Do you ever find yourself just asking the question "why" a lot?  I am sure that we all ask this question many times in our life, and especially when it comes to God, we find ourselves asking "why?"  Why did God choose to give us two arms instead of four?  Why did God make the sky blue?  Why did my neighbor who does not act faithfully win the lottery, while all I got were more bills?  Why was the master in today's gospel so unkind to the fearful servant and to the people that he now ruled?  

I find that many people in life seem to want to reject faith all because they do not understand God, and because they do not have an answer for the "why's."  Well, as much as I wish I did, I do not have an answer for you in regards to why things are the way that they are.  I cannot even begin to attempt to understand God's ways, I realize that I am simply to small and unable to do so.  I cannot tell you exactly why Jesus tells us in today's gospel that "to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."  I realize that this may seem kind of harsh and while we do not fully understand the rationale behind this, we must trust that it is what is right.  

I realize that we all have two choices:  1)  We can go our entire lives always questioning God and His ways, or 2) We can just trust Him completely and realize that His ways are perfect.  Many times we think that we know the whole situation, but in reality we only know fragments of information.  God knows all, and His ways are perfect, even if we don't see it at first.  

Today, may our faith be strengthened so that we can trust more.  Let us be like the the servants who did question their master or his intentions, but did as instructed.  For when we do this, our reward will be a glorious place in heaven, and we too may be blessed enough to see what Saint John saw.  

Father above, we thank you for your love and mercy.  Bless our days, so that we might serve you with all that we are.  Lord, forgive us for questioning you and your ways.  Lord hep us to always trust in you no matter what.  Lord we pray for all those who are seeking you and all those who have fallen away from the faith.  We ask this all through your name.  Amen.  

  

Climbing Trees

Readings for Tuesday November 18, 2008

First Reading: Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 15
Gospel: Luke 19:1-10


Have you ever seen your boss climbing a tree? What about Bill Gates, ever seen him at the top of a crab apple tree? We typically do not see too many wealthy or high up executives climbing trees ... come to think of it, we don't see too many adults in trees either. But today we are told of a man of power and money who at just the chance to see Jesus Christ climbed up into a tree. Why does Zacchaeus need to be up in a tree anyways? Doesn't he have everything that he needs? Why does he just need to catch a glimpse of the Savior? Because Zacchaeus knows that there is something missing in his life, he knows that Jesus does not promise a great worldly life, but an everlasting one in heaven. Zacchaeus knows this and he is determined to do whatever it takes to get a look at God.

Zacchaeus teaches us today about determination and humbling yourself for God. I pray that we can all be as active as Zacchaeus was in searching for Christ in our lives and surrendering all that we have to Him.

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day. Lord, strengthen us and increase our faith so that we might stand strong against the evil one and the pressures from this world. Lord let us always follow you and do what is right and what is asked of us. Lord God, we pray for all those actively searching for you, that they might come to know the peace and joy that comes from knowing you. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.

We serve a merciful God

Readings for Monday November 17, 2008

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, religious

First Reading:  Revelation 1:1-4, 2:1-5

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 1 

Gospel:  Luke 18:35-43

Throughout history, our Lord Jesus has brought healing to many people in the world.  During His time on earth, we read about many of His miracles performed, such as today's gospel reading in regards to the blind man who is given sight.  The blind man in today's gospel, even before his healing actually had better sight than most of us who have sight do sometimes.  For when he heard that Jesus was there, he saw through his eyes of faith and was relentless in asking for Christ's help.  When Jesus asked the blind man what he wanted, it was granted out of love and mercy by our Lord.  These sorts of works are written about throughout the gospels, and we even have evidence of Christ's works of mercy after His death and resurrection.  The lives of the saints are filled with these sorts of miracles and cures.  

While Jesus brings us hope in physical and mental curing, there is one sort of healing that He gives us that is the most important of all ... and that is of spiritual healing.  We serve such a merciful God, and He knows how much we need to have a healthy soul in order to serve Him.  Sin causes our soul's to get become dirty and grimy and broken, it is through repenting and going to reconciliation that we are able to be spiritually healed.  This is why in the book of Revelation today, Saint John makes the case for the importance of repenting.  When we do wrong, it is essential for us to say that we are sorry to God and ask for His mercy.  

While we may be physically or mentally hurting, none of these healings will matter unless we are willing to work on our heart  and soul.  For it is our relationship with God (our spirituality) that is what will get us to heaven, not our superb intellect or physical ability.  We must always look to seek out God first in or lives and to take care of what is truly important.  For we must remember that our lives here on earth are only a temporary residence, and there is a far greater life ahead that the Lord has prepared ... if we are willing to follow Him.  

Praise the Lord that we serve a merciful God!

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day, we praise you for your love and mercy.  Lord help us to follow you without growing weary and without hesitation.  Lord we pray for all those seeking you in their lives, and for those wishing to go deeper with you.  We ask this all through Christ our Lord.  Amen.       

Readings for Saturday November 15, 2008

First Reading:  3 John 5-8

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 112 

Gospel:  Luke 18:1-8

Walk this way

Readings for Friday November 14, 2008

First Reading:  2 John 4-9

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 119

Gospel:  Luke 17:26-37

If you read the title of today's post ("Walk this Way"), I assure you that I am not going to be blogging about the famous Aerosmith song.  In today's first reading from Saint John, we are told of how we should walk.  He says "For this is love, that we walk according to His commandments; this is the commandment, which you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk." (2 Jn 6)  To walk in love ... what comes to mind when you hear a phrase such as this?  One of my thoughts was; with every step I take in my life, that each one should be going towards God in love and thanksgiving.  I also thought, that like walking, each step is important, and each step should be filled with complete love and self giving.  Think about each time we help someone, or go to mass, read the word, or go to work ... each step in all of our actions should be filled with the love of Christ.  This is the way in which we should walk, in the ways of the Lord.  

In walking with the Lord, we must not be concerned with ourselves.  Jesus reminds us in the gospel today, that "Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it."  (Lk 17:33)  Let us always look to the Lord first, and then to others in our journey.  May the Lord strengthen us all on along our way, and let us walk upright and confident in our Lord Jesus Christ.  

Blessed are they who follow the Law of the Lord!   

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day.  We thank you for all the blessings in which you have given us.  Lord, continue to pour out your mercy on us, and forgive us of our sins.  Lord, be with us as we strive to do your will and walk with you.  Lord, we pray for all those who are not headed toward you, but are sliding farther away.  May they be brought back to your love and mercy.  We ask this all through Christ our Lord.  Amen.  

Accept no substitutes

Readings for Thursday November 13, 2008

Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, virgin

First Reading:  Philemon 7-20

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 146

Gospel:  Luke 17:20-25

When going grocery shopping, I just simply love the "off brands."  Not only do they save you a lot of money, but they also taste just as good.  Who needs "honey nut Cheerios" when you can have "honey nut toasted oats?"  Who needs the fancy packaging of "wonder bread" when you can choose from a wide assortment of the "Kroger brand breads?"  Who needs "poptarts" when you can have "toaster treats?"  

While "off brands"might work out great for our food or household items, we must accept no substitutes for our faith and who we choose to follow.  Jesus warns us today about how the disciples will not see His coming in His glory, but that they need to be wary because others will say "Look, look, there He is!" or "Look, look, He is over there!"  Jesus is warning them and us to not be fooled into following a false promise and a lie.  There will be many distractions and many people trying to veer us off the path that God has laid for us.  We must be strong in our faith, ad pray for the strength and the will to stay the course, to not veer, and to be steadfast in our journey.  If we follow Christ first, and only Christ, then we will be blessed enough to see Him in His glory in heaven.       

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day.  Help give us the strength this day Lord to follow you with a strong faith and hope, loving you first and all others that you put into our lives.  Lord God, we pray for all those struggling in their faith journey and all those seeking you in their lives.  We ask this all through Christ our Lord.  Amen.  

Attitude of Gratitude

Readings for Wednesday November 12, 2008

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, bishop and martyr

First Reading:  Titus 3:1-7

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 23

Gospel:  Luke 17:  11-19

I absolutely love the story in today's gospel.  I have always admired the gratefulness of the leper who returns to give thanks to Christ.  So many times we ask God for help, but when our prayers are answered, do we stop and give the credit to our creator?  How often do we just go about what we are doing without stopping to give thanks to our God who loves us and has great mercy on us.  The leper in today's story had what I like to call an "attitude of gratitude."  He had his priorities right in stopping what he was doing and giving thanks to God.  He shows us how we need to recognize the hand of God in our lives and be thankful for that work.  

Think today about the moment when you decided to live your life for God.  When did you decide that you wanted to say "yes" to Him always?  Saint Paul talks about how we once lived foolish and disobedient lives.  But when Christ appeared and called each of us, it was not from our great personality or charm, but it was from God's mercy.  Because of His great mercy, we are given life.  The Lord does not wish for us to live in sin and live lives that will only lead us to an eternal life of pain and suffering, He wishes for us to have eternal life and to join Him in Heaven where we can be in the presence of the glory of God.  For this reason alone, we should be eternally grateful to God.   

Do you thank God every day for the blessings that He bestows upon you?  Let us all reflect today upon how we can have an "attitude of gratitude" daily towards our Lord.   

Father above, we thank you for the gift of our lives.  We praise you for all that we have and all that we are.  Lord increase our faith so that we might be more grateful and see all blessings that you put into our lives daily.  Lord, thank you for for our lives, let us always give you the glory for all that we do.  We ask this all through Christ our Lord.  Amen.