The Right Perspective

Readings for Friday October 29, 2010

First Reading: Philippians 1:1-11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 111
Gospel: Luke 14:1-6


On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?” But they kept silent; so he took the man and, after he had healed him, dismissed him. Then he said to them “Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?” But they were unable to answer his question. (Lk 14:1-6)

How great are the works of the Lord! Creation of the heavens and the earth, delivering Israel out of Egypt, turning water into wine, feeding 5,000 men with a few loafs and some fish, His glory and resurrection; the list could go on and on about all of His great works! Throughout the bible we are told of the great works of the Lord, and each of us could tell of the great works that He has done in our lives as well. Today's readings show us one of His greatest works in our lives ... giving us the right perspective. Since the beginning God has provided for us; and all that He has asked from the beginning is for our love and loyalty. But as is our nature since the fall, we rebel, find ourselves in terrible situations and come crawling back to God; and how does God respond? He takes us back with open arms, and He tries to give us the same perspective that He has always tried to give us: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Jesus tells us that this is the greatest of all commandments.

In today's gospel, Jesus reduces everyone around Him to silence by giving them a new perspective. He challenges their old way of thinking, into a new way of thinking, and thinking that puts God and others first. This new perspective provides freedom from the law of man, and freedom through Christ Jesus. This challenging of a new perspective is kind of what happens in our lives when God or someone else challenges us in a way that we are living or a direction we are headed; this is God's way of giving us a new perspective for our lives, and reminding us of our mission, which is to get to heaven. God puts things on our hearts, or events in our lives, or people around us to help us to refocus on Him. He uses these things to make sure that we are seeing things as we should, and that with every decision, there are thoughts of God's will.

To really have a good perspective on our lives, then we need to be seeking the Father's will. Saint Paul understood this need for the right perspective when he told the church at Philippi; "And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ ..." (Phil. 1:9-10)

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day. We praise you for the many gifts in our lives and we ask for your forgiveness for all the times that we turn away from you. Lord, be on our hearts and minds at all times so that we may make every decision with thoughts of you and your will for us. Lord, increase our faith so that we may follow you no matter what. We pray for all those who are seeking you. We pray for all those who are suffering from addictions, may you deliver them from these dangerous habits that lead them away from you. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saying Yes to God

Readings for Thursday October 28, 2010

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

First Reading: Ephesians 2:19-22
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19
Gospel: Luke 6:12-16


Brothers and sisters: You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Eph. 2:19-22)

This is the message that we are sent today from Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Before I came home to the Church, I am still bewildered that like most protestants, I never questioned what the early church was like. What did the apostles do after the ascension? What did they do during the services of the early church? When was the new testament written? It is questions like this that I had never even thought of, I guess that like most Christians I just kind of took it all for granted.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles of the Church, men who literally followed and knew Jesus as He was on earth. I cannot begin to imagine what this was like. I am sure that these men had questions racing through their heads constantly. We have so much to be thankful for to the Apostles; for their passing along the faith, for their helping to build the foundation for the Church today; but most of all we should be thankful for their saying "yes" to God. Not only did their saying yes help to provide the foundation for our faith, but it is their example of saying yes to God (and no to themselves) that gives us a powerful example of what it means to follow Christ. Following Christ means surrendering our lives to Him, picking up our crosses and following where ever He leads us to. Simon and Jude, while there is not much said in the scriptures about them, their titles as apostles speak loudly about who they were as servants of God.

May we have the faith and courage to say yes to God in our lives. Saints Simon and Jude, pray for us.

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day. Lord, we thank you for the examples of your apostles and for the foundation that you have set for our faith. Lord we praise you for the lives that we are called to and pray that through you we can continue to persevere. Lord, guide us and protect us on this journey. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Responsibility of Spouses

Readings for Tuesday October 26, 2010

First Reading: Ephesians 5:21-33 or 5:2a, 25-32
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128
Gospel: Luke 13:18-21


In the Sacrament of marriage, man and woman form the one flesh union. It is also in this Sacrament, that man and woman both have awesome responsibilities. Both husband and wife are called to live out this responsibility for Christ. It is not so that husband and wife are burdened or bothered with the other, but rather so that they can grow in love. Wives are meant to be subordinate to their husbands so that they can learn to love them better, so that they can grow in that marital love. Husbands are called to sacrifice for their wives so that they too can grow in their marital love. This is not to burden them, but rather to help the couple grow in a love that can only be found by following God's plan for marriage.

Today, reflect on Paul's words to the Ephesians about the responsibility of spouses. If you are married, ask yourself, how can I become the spouse that God created me to be? How can I live out these responsibilities better in my own marriage? IF you are not married, ask yourself, what things can I do to support marriages today?

Brothers and sisters: Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the Church, he himself the savior of the Body. As the Church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the Church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the Church, because we are members of his Body.

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. (Eph. 5:21-33)

This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church. In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband.



Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, we pray for marriages around the world, that spouses may seek to please you by living out their great responsibilities according to your will. Lord, you had aperfect plan for marriage from the beginning, help us to be the spouses that your created us to be. Help us to grow in this great love, and may the love of spouses affect many genereations to come. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Love and Thanksgiving

Readings for Monday October 25, 2010

First Reading: Ephesians 4:32 - 5:8
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1
Gospel: Luke 13:10-17


Brothers and sisters: Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. (Eph. 4:32)

How do you respond to misfortunes and adversity? With resentment? With self pity? With apathy? We all respond many different ways, but how many of us respond with thanksgiving? How many of us respond with love? Many of us have moments in our life that are joyous as well as times that are very trying; and sometimes there are moments that are a combination of the two. Today's first reading reminds us that we do not need to not respond with anger, jealously, self-pity, or resentment ... but rather we should be responding with love, thanksgiving, and humiliation. This is certainly not an easy task, but remember, as Christians are always called to more. Christ always responded to others with love and compassion, and by God's grace we too can imitate Christ in our own lives.

For today, let us reflect on the following passage from Saint Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

"Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones, no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead, thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God." (Eph 5:1-5)

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day and for the gift of our lives. Lord, increase our faith so that no matter what you bring us we can always respond with love and thanksgiving. Lord we pray for all of us on our journey to you, may we all keep focused and continue to grow deeper in love with you. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Paying the Debt

Readings for Friday October 22, 2010

First Reading: Ephesians 4:1-6

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24

Gospel: Luke 12:54-59

Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponenet before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. (Lk 12:57-59)

Debt. This is a word that haunts most of us everyday. It seems as though we are always owing something to someone. Some to our mortgage, some to our credit card, some to our bills ... it seems as though we are always owing something. And we should not dare be late in paying our debts due to the fact that those that we owe will certainly come after us for our lateness and inability or refusal to pay. The consequences of not paying our debts can be very grave, this can have a negative impact in our lives. Not only are our reputations tarnished, but our credit score drops, our interest rates may change, we can even lose the things that we are paying on.

There is a great debt that we must constantly be striving to pay for, that is the debt for our lives. Jesus payed the ultimate price for our lives ... He paid for our lives with His. We need to remember this always and be eternally grateful and forever in His debt. We need to remember to constantly be striving to serve Him and surrender to Him for the great price that He paid for us. In the gospel today, Jesus speaks about before being taken to the judge, and how we should settle our debt peacefully with our opponent along the way; so that way we are not to pay the negative penalties for our refusal to pay. If we settle the matter along the way then we can avoid these negative consequences. This gospel today reminds us to settle our debts while we are on our journey in this life. Saint Paul tells us today to "live in a manner worthy of the call that your have received." God calls us to live according to a higher purpose, not for our own selfish purposes, but for His glory and for His right and good purposes.

Lord, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Father above, we thank you for the gift of our lives and of all that we are given. We praise you for your glory. Lord give us the strength to serve you with all that we are and to not hold anything back from you. You are our God and we are your servants. We pray for all those seeking you and all those struggling in their journey. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Earth Is Full of the Goodness of God

Readings for Thursday October 21, 2010

First Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33
Gospel: Luke 12:49-53

Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” (Lk. 12:49-53)

I remember a conversation with a co-worker a few years ago. She told me about her sister who had passed away from cancer. She told me how she just didn't understand how this could happen to her sister because her sister was such a religious person. She explained how her sister was so kind and involved in her local church. It seems that when tragedy of any sort befalls a person of faith, it is hard for others and us to understand. Many people think that once you have a conversion and begin to follow the Lord that you live a life of ease, and that nothing tragic will ever happen to you.

In today's gospel Jesus tells us that He has come "to set the earth on fire!" Our lives of faith, not only bring us a life of joy and peace in the Lord, but it also brings us into many confrontations and even division amongst those who do not believe. In fact, many times that division can even be among those who we are the closest with. Many of us know the pain that comes with feeling divided amongst family and friends. While it is certainly not an easy situation, this is what we are called to ... not a life of ease, but a life of faith. Jesus makes it very clear that we are to follow our Heavenly Father above only, and by following Him, we can earn our eternal life in heaven.

Today's psalm reminds us that the earth is full of the goodness of God! It is through Him that we are given life and all that we are blessed with. Saint Paul tells us to know the love of Christ, so that we can "be filled with the fullness of God." The fullness of God, I can only imagine how much different my life would be if I opened myself up to God every minute of every day in order to be completely filled with Him. I pray that we all can have the courage and strength to surrender to Him and constantly seek to know the love of Christ, so that we too may be filled with the fullness of God, for God is good all the time.

The earth is full of the goodness of God!

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day. We praise your name and give you glory for all that we are and all that we do. Lord Jesus we thank you for your great sacrifice for our lives, may we have the strength to sacrifice for you in our lives. We pray for all the youth and families out there seeking holiness, may they be brought closer to you. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Don't Forget God's Plan

Readings for Wednesday October 20, 2010

First Reading: Ephesians 3:2-12
Responsorial Psalm: Isaiah 12
Gospel: Luke 12:39-48


Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” (Lk 12:41-48)

I always enjoyed the diligence of the the dwarfs from the famous fairytale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. They really took such a positive attitude towards their work (except for grumpy, he wasn't exactly the most positive dwarf). But they always went out doing very hard labor and singing along the way in perfect harmony. Now how many of us do that on our way to the office? I know that I do not exactly skip along the way to my desk. But I imagine if more of us went about our work with the positive attitude and diligence, then we would actually find joy from our work and not think of it as such a burden.

In today's gospel we are are challenged on the work we are doing in our faith journey. We are told of two servants, one who does the work of his master, and is thereby rewarded. The other abuses his lack of supervision, and when the master returns finds the servant abusing his role, he is punished severely. This parable teaches us that it is not enough to just show up to do the work of God, but we need to stay active while working. We do not know when the master will come, but we should be ready at all times from when he does.

What sort of work should we be doing? Are we spending enough time in prayer? Are we giving enough of our money to the church? Are we giving enough of ourselves to others? Are we at the right place of employment? God has a plan for us, and He has things that He calls each of us to do. The point is to ask God, He will always show you the way and the plan that He has for you. It is during these times of discernment that we must have great patience and trust in our Lord. Saint Paul tells us today that we have "access through faith in him," and it is through this access that we can have "boldness of speech and confidence."

Many times in our lives, we get so consumed with our own plans, we tend to forget about the plans of God and the plans of those close to us. God's plan is for us to join Him one day in heaven ... but if at the time we are called we are not working, then we will not be granted the eternal blessing of our heavenly father, instead we will be like the servant who abused his role and was greatly punished.

So who's plan are you following ... yours or Gods?

Hi ho, hi ho, its off to work we go!

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day and the gift of our lives. We praise you for your glory and we pray for your will to be done in our lives. God, you are the make of all that is good, and we ray for that goodness in our lives. Help us to cast off the things of this world that try to hold us back from you. Lord, you are our God let us follow no others in our lives. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.