Saturday 31st Week of Ordinary Time

 

Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows for the Souls in Purgatory

     O Most Blessed Virgin Mary, my Mother, I turn to you in supplication and by that sword which pierced your sorrowful heart at beholding your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, suffer on the cross, I pray and ask thee to help the holy souls in Purgatory and particularly those for whom I now pray N.N.

     O Mother of Sorrows, Queen of Martyrs, for the love of your Divine Son whose Precious Blood was shed for us, help us who are in danger not only of falling into Purgatory, but of losing our souls for ever in hell, with your powerful intercession.

     O Mary our Mother, Mother of Grace, Mother of Mercy, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. O Eternal Father through the most Precious Blood of Jesus and through the Sorrows of Mary have pity upon the holy souls in purgatory. Amen.

Friday 31st Week of Ordinary Time

 

St. Charles Borromeo Nov. 4

Charles Borromeo was a Cardinal of the Church who lived during the time of the Reformation In which the world and the Church were torn by war and division.

And Charles led the Counter Reformation in the Church.

One might think that this is a noble thing to do.

But He faced resistance from his own family members and priests and religious.

The most difficult reform however is not that of other people,

But of ourselves.

Habits die hard as do sins.

Sometimes we are our own worst enemies.

St. Charles Borromeo reminds us that if we want to reform the Church we must first reform ourselves.

Thursday 31st Week of Ordinary Time

 

Find lost things Lk. 15:1-10

Do you ever misplace things?

Keys, Phone, remote control!!!

And how happy you are when you find it.

These are just things!

When God finds one lost soul;

All of Heaven rejoices!

Because that one soul is irreplaceable;

No one and nothing can take its place.

So when even one soul is lost,

Jesus goes in search of it until He finds it.

For each one of us is unique and irreplaceable

In the eyes of Jesus.

All Souls

 

Why pray for the dead?

Some people may ask you why do you pray for the dead?

The answer is simple.

Love!

Because we love them!

Love is stronger than death, Song of Songs 8:6

And not even death can separate us from them.

Our prayers for them,

Are our words of love that we whisper in God’s ear for them.

just as we loved them and prayed for them while they were on this earth,

We never stop doing it just because they died.

Death is not going to change that.

Nothing is going to ever change that!

And so through our prayers we continue to love them

For water cannot quench the fires of love;

Nor floods drown it. Song of Songs 8:7

For Love is stronger than even death.

And that is why we pray for those who have died.

Because we love them

Feast of All Saints

 

Today we celebrate All Saints,

And as we reflect upon all of the saints and the amazing things they did,

Sometimes the first thought that comes to our mind is,

“I could never do that.”

Or “I am too old for for that.”

Saints became Saints not because they had special gifts and talents that no one else had but because they said “Yes” to God.

And after they said “Yes.”

God gave them all the gifts and talents they needed.

And age makes no difference because God is eternal.

To God, a Day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day.

So God is not concerned with time or age or ability.

He has that all figured out.

All we have to do is say “Yes”

That however, is harder than one thinks.

Because we all have a list of excuses when God calls us.

Saints are people who never make excuses.

Who never count the cost or the time.

For God will pay them back for their sacrifices here,

with the riches of His Kingdom

And their short time on earth,

With Eternity in Heaven

Monday 31st Week of Ordinary Time

 

The Path of Humility

In a world where being Number One in sports, or business is what everyone is striving for;

Christians are the odd man out.

Because Christians are to regard others as more important than themselves. Phil. 2:4

They are to look out not for their own interests but those of others.

This is because they know that they will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Lk. 14:14

31st Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Zacchaeus and Jesus

With the naked eye it looked as if Zacchaeus had everything.

He had a good job.

As a tax collector he never worried about a roof over his head

or where his next meal was coming from.

He was not however just any tax collector he was the “chief” tax collector.

At the top of his field.

And in addition to a good job he was very wealthy.

And people who are wealthy have lots of things

And people who want to hang around him.

So why did he want to see Jesus?

Maybe he didn’t have everything after all!

Maybe he wanted forgiveness for the way he misspent his wealth

Maybe he wanted acceptance because being a tax collector he was not well liked.

Maybe he wanted affirmation. Because Being small in stature he might have felt insecure.

Zacchaeus was hoping Jesus would fill what was lacking in his life.

We all have something lacking in our life.

And nothing in this world seems to really fill it.

It is amazing what people are willing to do to earn a dollar, or lose 10lbs or win the game or get the A on the report card.

To try and fill what is lacking in their life.

Yet Only one Person can fill what is lacking in our lives.

What are we willing to do to see Jesus?

Zacchaeus climbed a tree.

St. Francis gave everything he had to the poor.

Mother Teresa reached out to the Untouchables.

If we really want to see Jesus;

To know Him and hear His voice.

Maybe we need to go the extra yard.

And Climb that tree.

And then maybe Jesus will say to us,

Come down, I want to stay with you tonight!

Thursday 30th Week of Ordinary Time

 The Devil Made me do it! Eph. 6:10-20

Do not be fooled!

Our ultimate struggle is not with the things of this world.

With politics and success or losing weight or being popular.

As St. Paul says,

Our ultimate struggle is with the powers of darkness.

Put on the armor of God with Faith as your Shield;

Truth as you helmet

And love as your breast plate.

And the flaming arrows of the evil one will not pierce your heart or soul.

Wednesday 30th Week of Ordinary Time

The Narrow Gate

Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. Lk. 13 : 23-24

Why is the gate to Heaven so narrow.

Because you can only take one thing with you through the gate.

And that is love

We have to let go of everything else.

Our pride and envy;

Our anger and our grudges;

Our selfishness and our prejudice.

If we hope to pass through the narrow gate into Heaven.

The rich cannot buy their way into Heaven.

The powerful cannot force their way into Heaven.

The selfish cannot carry their possessions into Heaven for the gate is too narrow.

There is room only for the love in our hearts

To pass through the narrow gate.

Everything else must be left behind.

Tuesday 30th Week of Ordinary Time

 

I have Mustard seeds!

The Kingdom of God is like a Mustard Seed that when full grown

Becomes like a large bush and the birds of the sky dwells in its branches.

Pope Benedict once said,

“I have a handful of Mustard Seeds, and I am not afraid to use them!”

We too have Mustard Seeds.

They are the words we speak,

And the actions we do.

In the Name of Jesus.

And We must never be afraid to plant them.

So that the Kingdom of God can take root throughout the world.

Monday 30th week of Ordinary Time

 Be Imitators of God. Eph. 4:33

What are you plans for today?

Whatever they may be,

Do not forget to be kind to one another;

Compassionate and forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.

God Bless

30th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

The Prayer of the Tax collector Lk. 18:9-14

Did you ever notice that people who gossip never gossip about themselves?

This is because they only notice the faults of others and not their own.

This is because their vision is always turned “outward” at others

And never “inward” towards themselves.

They are like the Pharisee who says,

“O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity.”

At the beginning of Mass however we look at ourselves.

We beat our breast and say……

“I confess to Almighty God that I have greatly sinned.”

For We are all tax collectors!

And that’s okay.

Because In the Gospel, Jesus welcomes tax collectors and sinners.

He never wags his finger or says “I told you so!”

He always forgives them and offers them a new beginning.

The only people Jesus ever gets angry with are the Pharisees.

Because they are Hypocrites.

They are quick to tell others what is wrong with them,

But never notice their own faults.

They are Blind Guides;

Unable to lead others because they cannot see themselves!

The Pharisees saw what was wrong with the world,

And wanted to change it.

They failed however to understand that

Change only comes when we look at ourselves.

See our own sins and mistakes

And say ‘O God be merciful to ME a sinner.”

29th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

If you are beautiful or handsome.

If you are rich and powerful.

If you are strong and athletic.

Then you have the ability to oftentimes get what you want.

That’s how this world works.

We’ve all seen it.

But what if you are poor and homeless?

What if you are elderly and alone?

What if you are sick or dying?

What if you are disabled or disfigured?

What are the chances of getting what you want?

There was a Widow who was seeking a decision from the judge. Lk. 18:1-8

She had nothing.

No family.

No power or clout.

No money.

No social standing.

Nothing except perseverance!

When we come before God what do we have?

Do our good looks impress Him?

No one is more Beautiful than God.

Do our riches make Him want to be our friend?

Everything in the Universe belongs to God.

Does our power and clout influence Him?

God is all powerful

When we come before God in prayer

we are like the Widow;

We come with nothing.

Nothing that God needs or wants.

All we have is our perseverance.

Thorough our perseverance we show God that we are Real!

Those who pretend do not persevere against all odds.

Through Our perseverance we show God that we are Faithful!

Those who do not believe eventually walk away.

What catches God's Eye?

What touches His Heart?

What moves Him to Act?

It is not beauty, or power, or money or intellect.

But perseverance.

A Faith that perseveres against all odds.

For that is REAL FAITH!

But When the Son of Man comes will He find such Faith on earth?

Friday 28th Week of Ordinary Time

 

Pope Callistus

Pope Callistus went from embezzling

to being a slave

to being imprisoned to the mines in Sardina

to Pope.

Quite a journey.

At the time,

There were those who taught that after Baptism,

If a person sinned, they could not be readmitted to Communion.

Callistus however taught that sinners could be readmitted to Communion if they repented.

Callistus had tasted the Mercy of God in Communion

And wanted to make sure that everyone else did too!

And so we should offer that Mercy to all we meet,

For who knows what they will become if we do!

Thursday 28th Week of Ordinary Time

 

Before the Foundation of the world Eph. !:1-10

Look at the world around us.

The sky and the sea;

The fields and the mountains;

The birds and the fish;

Before the foundation of all that was made;

God planned for each of us to be holy and blameless in His sight;

To be full of love.

Our destiny is not to be rich or famous

But to be holy and blameless.

We are to be as full of love,

As this world is full of life.

Wednesday 28th Week of Ordinary Time

 

Flesh and Spirit Gal. 5:18-25

St. Paul pointed out the differences between living a life of the flesh and one of the spirit.

Those live lives of the flesh

Are immoral, impure;

Filled with hatred, jealousy, anger and selfishness.

While those who live by the Spirit

Live lives of Love, Joy, Peace, and Patience;

Faithfulness,gentleness and self control.

We are made up of flesh and spirit.

We may live “in” the Flesh but we must live” by” the Spirit.

Tuesday 28th Week of Ordinary Time

 

Feast of Pope John XXIII

Pope John XXIII was Pope at a time when the Church and Society were in great change.

The Second Vatican Council had begun and the Civil rights movement was just beginning

And all of it would lead to the tumultuous 1960’s.

And in the face of such change and upheaval,

Pope John would say,

“See everything, overlook a great deal, correct a little.”

There is really very little that one person, even a Pope can do.

So in the face of the changes taking place in our world,

Pope John gives us the same advice,

“See everything, overlook a great deal, and correct a little.”

And leave the rest to God!

Monday 28th week of Ordinary Time

 

Give them a sign Lk. 11:29-32

The Pharisees asked Jesus to give them a sign

To prove that He was the Son of God.

What if someone asked you for a sign,

To prove that you are a Christian.

Would your word be enough;

If not,

Would your actions prove beyond a doubt

That you are?

God Bless

28th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 Mass

Once in awhile you might hear someone say’

“I don’t get anything out of Mass.”

We do not come to Mass to “Get”

But to “Give!”

God has already given us so much.

God has given us our life.

Our very breath comes from God.

And God continues to give us life everyday.

God gives us everything we see around us.

The blue sky, green fields;

Birds and animals;

Oceans and rivers and mountains.

Everything we see God gave us.

And God continues to give us life and everything and everyone around us everyday!

And God gave us His only Son.

Whose death and resurrection has opened the Gates of Paradise for us

So we come to Mass not to “Get”

But to “Give”

To give Thanks.

Thanks for all that we have already been Given.

That is what “Eucharist” means. “To give Thanks”.

Considering alll that we have been given already and are being given now and will be given in Heaven

Is “Thank you” once a week for 45 minutes really enough?

We can never really Thank God enough for all that He has given us.

And we come to Mass because Jesus told us too!

He said “Do this in Memory of Me!”

You can’t do this at home.

For on the altar heaven comes down to earth.

The Holy Spirit descends upon the bread and wine

And through the words of the priest who stands in the person of Christ

They become the Body and Blood of Christ.

So in the face of all that God has given us already,

God continues to give to us the greatest gift of all

Himself!

His very Body and Blood!

So that our humanity can share in his divinity and live forever.

We get plenty; more than enough; more than we deserve.

And so we come to Mass to say “Thank You.”

For all that we have received;

All that we are being given now.

And all that we will receive in Heaven.