Tag: Prayer

“And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” | Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “Love the LORD, all you his faithful ones! The LORD keeps those who are constant, but more than requites those who act proudly. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 6:1-6, 16-18)

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.”

Teaching the disciples about almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, Jesus instructs them to avoid doing these for the sake of being seen. The reward for public display of these practices is the adulation of others—an earthly reward. The kind of reward we ought to seek, Jesus tells us, has nothing to do with appearances for the sake of others but instead is about deepening our relationship with the Father, who sees what is hidden and will repay us. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving we deepen not only our relationship with God but also work toward strengthening humility and compassion while living out our faith in practical ways to contribute to the well-being of others.

God, help me take to heart the words of Jesus, who says not to perform righteous deeds to win the praise of others. You know, Lord, how much I look to others to receive a loving glance but am called to love them as you love them and not for what they can do for me. Give me the grace to work for what sustains me rather than what fails to satisfy. Help me receive your love today so that I can be a means of giving it to others, not for praise but for the sake of your glory.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Give to the one who asks of you.” | Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “At dawn I bring my plea expectantly before you. For you, O God, delight not in wickedness; no evil man remains with you; the arrogant may not stand in your sight. Lord, listen to my groaning.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:38-42)

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

Don’t count the cost. That’s what Jesus seems to be saying, even in response to those who don’t like you, demand much of you, and press you unfairly into service. Instead of following the Old Testament law of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” Jesus instructs the disciples that the way to fight evil and aggression is with love, forgiveness, and a willingness to go the extra mile. Turning the other cheek does not mean being a doormat but instead means to overcome evil with good and hatred with love through the strength of God’s grace and mercy. The gifts God gives are ours to give away.

God, I hear what Jesus is saying, yet all of my being resists showing love, generosity, and forgiveness to those who make aggression and malice their way of communicating their wants and needs. Give me the grace to be selfless in the face of this and respond with mercy and compassion to people who have suffered hatred from others and in turn lash out in kind. Help me give your gifts without counting the cost and go the extra mile without expecting anything in return. Lord, hear my prayer and help me.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“The seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.” | Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praise to your name, Most High, To proclaim your kindness at dawn and your faithfulness throughout the night. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 4:26-34)

Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”

In the Gospel, Jesus echoes the words of the LORD as spoken in the first reading from Ezekiel. “It shall put forth branches and bear fruit, and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind shall dwell beneath it, every winged thing in the shade of its boughs.” So it is with the kingdom of God. The little effort we put forth in bringing about his kingdom is supernaturally fortified and imbued by God himself with love of his people, love that in turn goes out horizontally and veristically for the sake of his glory. God’s kingdom is by its authentic definition, bringing low what is high and lifting up what is low. “And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD . . . , make the withered tree bloom.”

God, help me pause throughout the day and hear the words of Jesus as he describes the mystery of your kingdom. Everywhere outside, I see the wild growth of plants under the summer sun and rain. Tomato plants that were no bigger than my hand now stand at waist level. The tiny seeds I planted just weeks ago now have taken root and begin to blossom. As I hold fast to you, Lord, seeking you in the Church and its sacraments, help me remember to be thankful for all your gifts and faithfulness and to witness to it. Glory to you, Lord. As the psalmist prays: “They that are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Let your “Yes” mean “Yes,” and your “No” mean “No.” | Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “I bless the LORD who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. You are my inheritance, O Lord.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:33-37)

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the Evil One.”

Jesus continues instructing the disciples in the ways of God and not man. The teachings extend and transcend Old Testament laws. The law that refers to making a false oath then says “but make good to the Lord all that you vow.” All that we would swear by, whether heaven or earth, is God’s and God’s alone. Jesus suggests that the words of God are as far apart from human words as heaven is from earth. While we are able to talk of heads and the black or white hair on top of them, our words do nothing to change that. While we are able to say the word heaven, it is God’s throne and not ours to swear by. By letting our yes mean yes and our no mean no, we follow Jesus’ teachings as responsible people who recognize our limits and place our intentions parallel to God’s will, grounding them in his truth.

God, with you at the center I have no need of any other vow to support my intentions; there is only your will to be recognized and accomplished. Free from obstructive conditions I am able to follow your Son, free from sin and safe from all distress I am able to participate fully in the sacraments of the Church. Committed to your will, give me the grace to live without fear of how things will turn out. Grant me the fortitude to say yes or no courageously and desire to have you at my right hand. Mary said it first: “Let it be done to me according to your word.” Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. I long to see your face, O Lord.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:27-32)

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.”

Describing the radical action needed to preserve purity and avoid sin, Jesus goes on to refer to Jewish law in relation to divorce before explaining how to go further and deeper with this issue than external practice. “But I say to you,” Jesus says, “whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Jesus speaks to the sanctity and permanence of marriage, challenging the accepted Jewish law. He teaches the significance of avoidance of lustful desires and upholding God’s standard of marriage as a lifelong commitment. By saying “unless the marriage is unlawful,” Jesus refers to unions that were determined to be invalid in the first place, the basis for Catholic teaching on annulments. In speaking to the disciples, Jesus teaches them about the need for purity, faithfulness, and the preservation of marriage that God has joined together.

God, thank you for the gift of sacramental marriage. A sacred union before you and before the Church, it is meant to last a lifetime as a covenant between a man and woman and a visible sign of your unconditional love and grace working through them. Instituted by Christ, it is a continuous sign of his presence throughout a couple’s lifelong journey toward holiness as witnesses to your love. The same selfless love Christ offered in his suffering and death models for married couples the gift of self in laying down their lives for each other in his name. Pour out your grace, Lord, on sacramental marriage, and make it a means of glorifying your name.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

From the responsorial psalm: “You have crowned the year with your bounty, and your paths overflow with a rich harvest; The untilled meadows overflow with it, and rejoicing clothes the hills. It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:20-26)

Jesus said to his disciples: “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.”

Jesus goes on to tell the disciples the consequences of not settling quickly resulting from the limitations of human righteousness that the Pharisees exhibited. Addressing unforgiveness, Jesus says: “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.” In other words, the bars of unforgiveness that you would have enclose another are the very same bars that you find yourself enclosed in. “Amen, I say to you,” Jesus says, “you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” That is why Jesus tells us first to reconcile with our brothers and sisters before bringing to the altar, to the Eucharistic sacrifice, the gift of self we offer to give glory and praise to God.

God, only you know and have as your being limitless mercy. The day will bring plenty of reconciliations to be worked out, lots of opportunities to work toward forgiveness in some form. Give me the wisdom to know the limits of my ability to forgive; when I stumble, show me the way to become a means of your mercy. Lead me not into the temptation to confine your mercy to my limited understanding but grant me the grace to see your hand at work where it is most needed. Saint Anthony, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:17-19)

Jesus said to his disciples: “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.”

As Jesus speaks to the disciples, he emphasizes continuity with the law and the prophets as the one who comes not to abolish but to fulfill. The words of Jesus do not supersede God’s commandments revealed in the Old Testament, but he opens up to all as the incarnate Word the path to the kingdom of heaven. Until everything the law points to is fulfilled, as Jesus says, “not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law.” Jesus calls us into a genuine commitment to live out God’s commandments daily in our words and actions by following him.

God, help me be attentive today to your commandments. The day has a way of obscuring obedience to your word, or let me be more clear with myself: I tend toward succumbing to the temptation to shut out your will and do things my way and think things my way. I ask you for the grace to identify the threshold of disobedience to your commandments so that with you at my right hand I will not be misled. Let me remember the words of the psalmist today: “You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.” Teach me your paths, God, and guide me in your truth.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Your light must shine before others.” | Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle

From the responsorial psalm: “Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:13-16)

Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Jesus uses the analogies of salt and light to teach the disciples about a basic orientation to have while on earth and in this world. Salt of the earth and light of the world, the followers of Jesus have a task to go out to others in that manner. Inviting us to live our faith openly, Jesus calls us to witness to society the singular flavor and preservation of God’s word and to be a light that penetrates the darkness as we share the good news of Christ’s victory over sin and death.

God, help me be salt and light in the world today. When I face uncertainty about how I am to do your will when dealing with difficult people or situations, give me the wisdom to know how much salt is needed to season a relationship or at what angle light should shine in the darkness to give glory to you. Guide me today, Lord; reveal clearly my place today as salt and light. Saint Barnabas, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Blessed are they . . .” | Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “The LORD will guard you from all evil; he will guard your life. The LORD will guard your coming and your going, both now and forever. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:1-12)

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Every word from today’s readings perfectly express God’s care for his people, guarding their coming and going and blessing us at each way of being in this life. What else is there to do but give thanks to God for the strength and confidence given to the meek, comfort given to those who mourn, and mercy to those who are merciful? And for each place we find ourselves in life, God blesses us abundantly with what we need to receive and in turn give away.

Praise and thanks to you, Lord, for your many blessings

of love, forgiveness, mercy, and peace. Help me strive to live out the beatitudes and trust in the truth of them in word and deed, as Jesus did. Suffering will come; crosses will come every day that obscure vision. Give me purity of heart so I can see you clearly, Lord, and the grace to be merciful because you yourself are mercy. Eternal glory to you, Lord!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Who are my mother and my brothers?” | Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 3:20-35)

His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.” But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Today’s Gospel begins and ends with descriptions of family. So great is the crowd that gathers around Jesus, they make it impossible for him to take time to eat. When his relatives hear of this, they go to remove him from the situation, saying, “He is out of his mind.” At the same time, the scribes claim that he is possessed by Beelzebul. Jesus responds to this by pointing out the inconsistency of the argument. He explains that Satan cannot cast out Satan because a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. He tells them that no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his possessions unless he first binds the strong man, Satan. Jesus himself binds the strong man and frees us from him. As his mother and brothers stand outside asking for him, Jesus looks at the crowd circled around him and says, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Obedience to God’s will—free from the bondage of sin and blame—redefines and expands the meaning of family and is an invitation to unity with brothers and sisters in his undivided kingdom.

God, help me imitate Christ your Son, the New Adam, in recognizing brothers and sisters who do your will as part of my family with Christ as its head. Division is real, and taken in my own hands this is an impossible task. The Gospel passage says that to “those seated in the circle” Jesus said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.” Hear my voice, Lord, when I ask to remain close to Jesus in this earthly existence even as you ready me in it for eternal life. In daily life—in its struggles, its trials—help me see what is unseen for the sake of your glory. “For this momentary light affliction,” Saint Paul says, “is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.” I trust in you, LORD; my soul trusts in your word. Keep me in your care!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.