Monday 23rd week

The Birthday of the. Blessed Virgin Mary

Because  Mary was destined to be the Mother of God’s only begotten Son,

She was holy and blameless in God’s sight. 

She was full of love. 

St. Paul however tells us in his letter to the Ephesians 

that each one of us is called to be holy and blameless in God’s sight. 

To be Full of Love. Eph. 1:4-5.

The birth of Mary therefore is not only a day to remember her holiness

but also a reminder that we too  were created 

be holy and blameless;

And full of Love as well. 

23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Discipleship Lk. 14:25-33

St. Teresa of Avila was riding in her carriage one day,

When it hit a hole in the road and turned over,

And she fell out of the carriage into a mud puddle. 

And she looked up to Heaven and said;

“If this is how you treat your friends,

No wonder you have so few!”

Being a disciple of Jesus is not for the faint of heart. 

St. Francis Had to walk away from his father and his business,

To follow Jesus. 

St. Peter had to carry his cross,

To the Vatican hill in Rome

And be crucified upside down;

Or Like the man in the parable,

Many people start out following Jesus,

And lay a foundation of prayer and penance and fasting,

But the foundation is as far as they get and never complete their spiritual house. 

Or the king who goes to war without enough troops;

Many people fail to realize the spiritual battles they will face in the spiritual life and are unprepared. 

Are we disciples of Jesus?

Or do we follow Him from a distance. 

Not wanting to get too close;

Or pay the price;

Because there is a Cost to discipleship. 

For when the Lord calls us;

He bids us to come and die with Him; 

Friday 22nd Week of Ordinary Time

 

Fasting Lk 5:33-39

At weddings there is no fasting only feasting. 

Before every wedding however there is a lot to be done. 

Jesus is the Bridegroom and the Church is the Bride. 

On the Last Day, Jesus will come for His Bride

And there will be endless Feasting at the Heavenly Banquet. 

But until that day,

There is much to be done to prepare for the Heavenly Wedding Banquet. 

And one of the best ways to prepare is by fasting. 

Fasting helps us prepare our souls,

By limiting the desires of the flesh. 

So that our souls hunger for the Lord 

Thursday 22nd Week of Ordinary Time

 They left everything Lk. 5:1-11

The disciples left everything

Their boats, their nets and their father 

And followed Jesus. 

What do we still hold onto that keeps us from following Jesus?

What possessions?

What attitudes ?

What sins?

If Jesus called us to come and follow Him,

Would we drop everything,

Or would we hesitate?

Wednesday 22nd Week of Ordinary Time

 Intercession Lk. 4:38-44

To intercede means to ask one person to help another.

Simon’s mother in law had a fever so Simon “interceded with him about her.” Lk. 4:39

And at sunset people brought all kinds of sick people to Jesus, interceding for them too. Lk 4:40

Who in our lives can we intercede for?

Who in our lives can we approach Jesus and ask for His healing and help?

Sometimes people are unable to come to Jesus,

For whatever reason;

Emotional, psychological; lack of Faith;

And like Simon, 

We intercede for them

And bring them to Jesus,

When they cannot come themselves. 

Tuesday 22nd Week of Ordinary Time

The Devil knows. Lk. 4:31-37

Jesus approached a man who had an unclean spirit,

And from the man a demon cried out proclaiming that Jesus was the Holy One of God. 

Why is it that demons seem to know who Jesus is and so many people do not or have their doubts?

Demons have intelligence beyond human beings. 

So they knew that Jesus was the Holy One of God. 

While Human beings walk by Faith. 

We believe that Jesus is the Holy One of God. 

Everyday therefore we must ask God to increase our Faith,

So that too can proclaim Jesus to be the Holy One of God. 

Monday 22nd Week of Ordinary Time

 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Lk. 4:16-30

There is the Spirit of the Lord and the spirit of the world. 

Which one is upon us. 

If the Spirit of the Lord is upon us we bring glad tidings to the poor. 

We proclaim liberty to captives;

Liberty to those who are imprisoned in loneliness, depression;

Or addictions or sins. 

We give sight to the blind who have lost their way and those who are burdened by life’s demands we help free them. 

Or is the Spirit of the world upon us?

A spirit of anxiety. 

Do we complain to others;

Do we point out the faults of others thus imprisoning them. 

Do we put burdens on other people’s shoulders?

There is a difference between the Spirit of the Lord and the spirit of the world. 

Which one is upon us?