Tag: hope

“I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking.” | Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 21:12-19)

Jesus said to the crowd: “They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus addresses the persecution that the disciples will face in giving witness to him. Powerlessly, they will be handed over out of hatred to the synagogues and prisons and led before authorities because of his name. Parents, brothers, relatives, and friends will hand them over, and some will be put to death. In Jesus’ time, the persecution of Christians had already begun at the start of his public ministry, and it continues today throughout the world. Yet, Jesus reassures us that giving witness to our faith will mean speaking words handed to us by Christ, given by him a wisdom that persecutors will be powerless to refute. And the result? “Not a hair on your head will be destroyed,” Jesus says. “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

God, help me persevere in giving witness to you and to the bridegroom Christ and to his bride, the Church. “You will be hated by all,” Jesus says, “because of my name.” When I encounter this, even if it is in the form of society’s polite way of dismissing what seems quaint or impotent, let me have courage to speak through the Holy Spirit the wisdom of Christ. Give me the opportunity today and every day to speak boldly to profess my faith in the eternal truth of the person of Jesus Christ.

From the Gospel acclamation: “Remain faithful until death, And I will give you the crown of life.” Lord, give me strength today to speak your name boldly.

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.

“Awesome sights and mighty signs.” | Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 21:5-11)

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here–the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

The words of Daniel in his interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream lay a foundation for today’s Gospel. In interpreting the king’s dream, Daniel says, “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people; rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.” In speaking to people who noted the costly stones and votive offerings adorning the temple, Jesus indicates a day when “there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Before the final fulfillment of God’s kingdom, there will be wars, famines, plagues, and natural disasters. And there will be, as Jesus says, “awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.” Remaining faithful to God, Jesus says, means not being led astray and following the voice of false prophets.

Father in heaven, you sent your Son to destroy death and restore life to all those who hear and follow you. For the times I hear but do not respond to you, strengthen my faith and help me return to you to praise and exalt you above all else. “Give glory and eternal praise to him,” the psalmist sings. Give me the grace to give you glory and praise through my words and actions today, offering you my “prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day.” When I falter, let me recall that you are “above all forever” and the power is yours to grasp me by the hand and fashion me according to your plan to prepare me for eternal life in your kingdom.

From the Gospel acclamation: “Remain faithful until death, And I will give you the crown of life.” Lord, teach me to trust in your ways.

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.

“She has offered her whole livelihood.” | Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 21:1-4)

When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus sees and sets as an example the generosity of the widow. Luke tells us that Jesus sees her put in two small coins, from her poverty putting her whole livelihood into the treasury offering. Having seen others make offerings from their surplus wealth, Jesus notes that the widow has put in more than them. As much as Jesus teaches the importance of almsgiving, he presents the widow as one who approaches the Lord in absolute poverty of spirit. Once she gives all that she has out of love for the Lord, her hands are empty—empty to receive from him every spiritual blessing.

God, help me understand what today’s Gospel teaches me about my relationship with you. By default, I look to my self-reliance and ability to care for myself. As the widow did, help me recognize my dependence on you, not only for material needs but also for spiritual sustenance. You are eternally above all created things. As the psalmist says, “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.” With this recognition comes humility. What do I have to give you that has any value at all? And how can I give myself entirely to you when I struggle to give of myself even from excess? Give me the grace, Lord, to recognize where my poverty of spirit dwells and to give from that same poverty to others who are famished in body and spirit. Empty me, God, of all that would prevent me from receiving and giving away your love.

From the Gospel acclamation: “Stay awake! For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.” Lord, let me keep watch today for the time of your return.

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 Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 25:31-46)

Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'”

In today’s Gospel for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man and the king who will sit upon the throne in the final judgment. There is no doubt in this self-reference that he is the Son of God, Emmanuel, in the person of Christ. In his healing and preaching ministry on earth, this is the one who performed miracles, saying “rise and walk” and “your faith has saved you.” With a word, he restored hearing to the deaf, sight to the blind, cured myriad physical ailments, and drove out demons. At the final judgment, the compassion Jesus modeled as he encountered people of all needs and all walks of life will be brought to bear at the final judgment. Isn’t now the time to long to hear the king say at his coming: “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.”

God, help me see the urgency in imitating Christ today so that I can be ready for his return in glory. As I hear the words hungry, thirsty, stranger, ill, naked, imprisoned, I feel far removed from all of it. These are physical needs that I don’t lack and those around me don’t lack. Yet, it doesn’t take great effort to see in those closest to me spiritual hunger, thirst, isolation, illness, vulnerability, and, confinement. Jesus cured both physical and spiritual ailments. In my imitation of your Son, give me the grace despite my own brokenness to put on Christ for the sake of lifting up my brother or sister and caring for their needs. I have the words and actions of Jesus, the Gospel, and the sacraments of the Church to help me hear the voice of the shepherd and follow him. Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, lead me.

From the Gospel acclamation: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!”

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.

“That the dead will rise even Moses made known.” | Saturday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 20:27-40)

Jesus said to the Sadducees, “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

The Sadducees pose a question to Jesus about marriage and life after the resurrection. Because the Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection, life after death, or angels, the question is meant to challenge Jesus and trap him. Jesus affirms to them that the Lord is the God of the living. As the Lord said to Moses as he looks upon the burning bush, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At the resurrection at the second coming of Christ, Jesus says those who rise can no longer die and neither marry nor are given in marriage and instead are like angels, children of God. Here, remarkably, Jesus addresses every facet of belief the Sadducees hold, relating to them incisive truths about the life of the world to come, not only for them but for every person who has ever lived.

God, help me understand the depth of Jesus’ teaching on death and the resurrection. Here, he is not speaking in parables or symbolically to make a point. He speaks to me just as he speaks to the Sadducees about life after death. Let me not miss the big news here and just take a moment to let it sink in: there is, Jesus says, life after death and I will rise at his return. “Those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age,” Jesus says, “are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.” How clear are these words? How dense would I have to be to believe that someone made this up or over the ages cobbled the words together? If Jesus your Son says this, the only question remaining is to live a life worthy of coming for all eternity into your presence, the God of the living.

From the Gospel acclamation: “Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.” I will rejoice in your salvation, O 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.

“All the people were hanging on his words.” | Memorial of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 19:45-48)

The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words.

When he comes to drive out those who are selling things in the temple area, Jesus says to them: “It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.” The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time see him coming every day to teach in the temple area. To their frustration, they can’t find a way to put him to death. In seeking to put Jesus to death, they find instead that he speaks the words of eternal life to those who hang on his words. How could they kill the one who is hope to the hopeless, the shepherd to lost sheep who guides and guards them? Jesus, the living word of God, is in spiritual battle at his Father’s house.

Father in heaven, help me shut out the distractions of a world clamoring with buying and selling, the voices from the marketplace coming from every device. Drive out every darkness that is not of you, as Jesus drove the merchants from the temple area, and help me find you in quiet moments set aside for the day. As the psalmist says: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.” Strengthen me, Lord, for spiritual battle in this life by my listening for the voice of your Son and following him.

From the responsorial psalm: “You have dominion over all, In your hand are power and might; it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.” Lord, help me today to hang on your words. Saint Andrew and martyrs, 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.

Thanksgiving Day | November 23, 2023

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 17:11-19)

And one of [the lepers], realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus travels through Samaria and Galilee on the way to Jerusalem. The ten lepers he encounters cry out to him from a distance, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” Jesus tells them what to do to cleanse themselves. “Go show yourselves to the priests,” he says. But they are not healed immediately. Instead, as they go on their way they are cleansed, and only one returns to thank Jesus. Although the other nine lepers would have known almost immediately that the words of Jesus healed them, in ordinary experiences God works all things for good over greater spans of time. Consider the past weeks and months of this year. In what ways does a spirit of gratitude call to mind all of our blessings as individuals and as a nation?

God, you are present always amid everyday challenges, and you hear me when I cry out to you in prayer. Today, as you do every day, you give among all good things the gift of time and the encounter of your Son in the faces of others. As we celebrate Thanksgiving, help me be mindful of all you have done to make yourself known as the living God who walks with us day after day. And through the resurrection of your Son, who destroyed death and restored life, you invite us to the great feast in heaven, made present even now in the Eucharistic celebration. Free my heart from anything that would prevent me from falling at your feet in adoration and gratitude.

From the Gospel acclamation: “In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” Father in heaven, help me have a thankful heart for all of your gifts.

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.

“To everyone who has, more will be given.” | Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 19:11-28)

“And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ He replied, ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.'”

In today’s Gospel, as he approaches Jerusalem, Jesus tells those listening to him a parable about faithful servants and a rejected king. In telling the parable, he teaches about the importance of stewardship of God’s gifts, the use of one’s talents, and the reward that awaits the good servant. Those who are faithful in small matters, Jesus tells us, are faithful in large matters, responsible not only for individual growth of faith but for that of others. “Take charge of ten cities,” Jesus says in the parable in the words of the king, to the one who multiplied ten gold coins. Similarly, to the one who multiplied five coins, he said, “Take charge of five cities.” But to the one who hid his coin, unused, the king says, “But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” What are the unique gifts God gives each of us that we can use to draw others to him?

God, help me understand today’s Gospel and what the symbolism in the parable illustrates about you and your kingdom. The words of Jesus at the end of the parable, as the king addresses the ones who reject him, seem harsh and brutal: “bring them here and slay them before me.” Yet, your Son is just and always ready to extend mercy to those who seek him. The condemnation of the king, then, is not Jesus condoning violence and murder but is the result of the confirmed choice of the ones who reject him. Those who reject your Son’s authority and refuse to acknowledge him as their king make a momentous choice that has serious consequences. Lord, show me today the way to use joyfully the gifts you give as a means to tell of the glory of your kingdom.

From the responsorial psalm: “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. But I in justice shall behold your face; on waking, I shall be content in your presence. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.” Saint Cecilia, 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.

“Today salvation has come to this house.” | Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 19:1-10)

But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

While passing through Jericho, Jesus meets Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector. Because of his short stature, Zacchaeus was unable to see Jesus, so he climbed a sycamore to be able to see him pass by. Stopping at the tree, Jesus looks up and says to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” While some people grumbled when they saw that Jesus meant to stay at the house of a sinner, Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus and determined to share half of his possessions with the poor. In response, Jesus proclaims the age-old love God has for his chosen people, that he has come to seek and to save what was lost. Nothing escapes God’s notice; to those who seek God, they find the eyes of the Lord upon them. In God’s mercy, nothing is lost.

God, you sent your Son to save what was lost. In his own words, Jesus fulfills perfectly your will for him to redeem and save all that was lost through original sin. “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus says. Although the house of the soul, the body, is a temporary dwelling, Jesus came to save both for the resurrection to eternal life. Zacchaeus confesses his sins before Jesus and shows contrition in repaying four times over what he has extorted. Lord, as Zacchaeus sought to see Jesus despite obstacles, help me see beyond mine the poor around me in whatever form you present them to me. Help me see your Son in giving witness to his saving love. In that devotion, nothing is lost.

From the Gospel acclamation: “God loved us, and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.” Sustain me, Lord, and uphold me in your mercy. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

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.

“Lord, please let me see.” | Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 18:35-43)

Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.” He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God.

As Jesus approaches Jericho, a blind man sits by the side of the road begging and asks what all of the commotion is about. “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they tell him. Suddenly, he shouts, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” The people try to silence the man, but he cries out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!” When Jesus hears the man, he stops immediately and asks that the man be brought to him. After Jesus restores the man’s sight at the request “Lord, please let me see,” the man follows Jesus and the people who witness all they have seen give praise to God. Jesus gives the gift of faith not only to the man he cured but to the crowd who witnessed his miracle.

God, help me understand your superabundant grace. You have more than enough for one soul, and through the one on whom you pour out your grace, others come to see you and deepen their faith. Like the blind man, I see Jesus passing by through his preaching and healing in the Gospel and in the sacraments of the Church. Let nothing stop me from going to him to cry out, “Lord, please let me see.” Today’s Gospel is a happy ending; nobody accuses Jesus or plots a way to trap him. Help me see in the Gospel an example of the way your grace should work in the lives of others, leaving them free to witness your works and give you praise. Thanks be to God!

From the Gospel acclamation: “I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.” Lord, be the light in my life so that I can see your ways.

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.