Category: Daily Reflection

God is Love

Our call to love is reiterated again for us today in the First Letter of John: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.” (NAB, 1JN 4:7-8) If we wish to unite ourselves with God, then we must unite ourselves to love, and love is action.

We oftentimes think of romanticized love that conjures up all kinds of feelings and emotions, but love is action, putting another before ourselves. Love requires humility, where we recognize the inherent dignity of each other; we are, after all, each created in the image and likeness of Almighty God. Love implies commitment, dedication, and consistency. Even when one considers that moment of “falling in love,” it turns out not to be a moment at all. There isn’t one single thing that a person does for us that evokes such feelings and emotions. Rather, it is the consistent pattern of behavior over time that yields love; it is the continual presence and commitment of the other who is concerned for us and our wellbeing.

Jesus’ love for us isn’t a mere historical event or a single act revealed in a Roman execution. His love for us is continuous, without beginning or end. He is with us at every moment of each day. He continuously lays down his life for us, sustains us, showers us with his grace, gives us the gifts of the Spirit, comforts us, has mercy upon us, forgives us, and graciously blesses us in so many, many ways.

Lord, you call all people to yourself in love. It was this love which manifest itself so perfectly in your Holy and Sacred Passion, where you laid down your very life for me. Give me courage and strength through humility, that I may act according to your Holy Will, to love those whom you have put in my life, so that I may be more perfectly united to you. Amen.

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The Spirit Dwelling Within

We may have heard the phrase that “Christians live in the world, but are not of the world.” While it is true that we are temples of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of God dwells in each of us, the world is occupied and oftentimes driven by the Evil One, the spirit of darkness and death. We are nevertheless assured of God’s presence in us, however, as John tells us in his letter: “Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit whom he gave us. You belong to God, children, and you have conquered [the Evil One], for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.” (NAB, 1JN 3:24, 4:4, 6)

We have nothing to fear in this world as we are members of the Body of Christ, the same Christ who conquered death and sin. There is nothing in this world that is more powerful than the love and grace of God, and we, as children of the Father, have the freedom to live according to the Law of Love, for we have received by faith, through grace, the indwelling eternal Spirit of God. In the words of the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy Kingdom come … on earth as it is in Heaven.” We bring about the Kingdom of God in this world as we live virtuously, by loving God and our neighbor through the faith we have received and in the hope of eternal life in the perfection of that same Kingdom in Heaven.

When I am frightened or challenged by the spirits of this world, give me confidence and strength to turn to you, Lord, realizing and remembering that you have already defeated the Evil One, his offer of sin, and the consequence of death. I am a child of the Kingdom; I am a child of God, and the Spirit that dwells in me is greater than any spirit in this world. Allow me to be a light in this world of darkness and despair, where sin seems to abound, to make known your love in all that I do. “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done.”  Amen.

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Sacrifice & Forgiveness

The Twelfth Day of Christmas!

We are reminded today that Jesus not only came to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament, but also to undo the Fall of humanity. The loss of Eternal Paradise by our First Parents came through sin, and death became its result. “This is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another, unlike Caine who belonged to the Evil One and slaughtered his brother.” (NAB, 1JN 3:11-12) Murder is clearly a sin and violation of the Law, but Jesus brought us a new Law of Love, where even the sin of anger, the basis and motivation behind murder, leads to the same judgment: “But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.” (MT 5:22) “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.” (1JN 3:15)

The Gospel of Jesus Christ IS the Gospel of Love, for Jesus is himself love eternal. We are all sinners and rightly deserve death, but we, as children of God, have received the Good News of Jesus with certainty, and “we know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. Let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” (3:14, 16, 18)

We have been culturally deceived by childhood movies and fairy tales, along with our cultural norms, into believing love should not entail sacrifice, that it’s supposed to be “happily ever after,” but the Truth of love can be found in the Passion of our Lord, in reflecting upon his great love, after having been physically and mentally tortured, beaten, humiliated, abused, abandoned, and crucified, while dying on the cross, he utters, “Father, forgive them.” (LK 5:34)

Lord, make me a person of forgiveness and mercy. I have been forgiven much, yet I hold back mercy, love, and forgiveness from others. Take away my anger and fill me with your love, your True love, love that knows sacrifice, love that knows You. To lay down myself means, at a minimum, to give up my selfishness, my desires, and my ego for love of you. Give me the grace and gifts I need, and when I am tempted, let me remember your Great Passion and see the Crucifix from which you spoke forgiveness. Amen.

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Grace & Righteousness

The Eleventh Day of Christmas!

“Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. Whoever sins belongs to the Devil…. In this way, the children of God and the children of the Devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother.” (NAB, 1JN 3:7-8, 10) Our righteousness is interior, flowing from the heart as a result of God’s abundant grace. Our actions and good works result from the desires and gifts which God has already given us through his salvific grace. Thus, our cooperation, our “yes” to God, and the assent of our will are not particularly exclusive to us as individuals, but are rather ultimately and fundamentally from the Creator himself. All that is good is from God, and the righteousness of his people is the glorification of his grace acting in love.

We are children of the Covenant of Love. Our redemption and salvation are a result of that same love, a deep and incomprehensible love according to which God sent his Only Son into the world, to complete His Passion so that we might receive mercy and forgiveness, atonement for our sins. It is the Love of God, a love like none other, that redeems us and continuously calls us to conversion and unity with him. We are to love our neighbor as Christ, to see Jesus in each other. True righteousness is revealed as we are conformed through his Law of Love and his Covenant of Communion to be Christ in our world, to be his act of love.

Lord, you love me with an unfailing love. All that I do, all of my gifts, and all of my good desires come from you through your grace. Thank you for choosing me, who is unworthy, but is made worthy by you. Allow me to see you in those around me, in my family and friends, in my coworkers and neighbors, and in the suffering, marginalized, and rejected of this world. I want to live your Law of Love; give me your grace. Amen.

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Child of God

The Tenth Day of Christmas!

Not only was Jesus born into an earthly family to Mary and Joseph, he established, through his eternal saving act of redemption in the sacrificial paschal mystery, the very family of the Almighty, the Body of Christ, whose head he is. We are members of that same Family: “If you consider that God is righteous, you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness is begotten by him. See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.” (NAB, 1JN 2:29-3:1)

We are truly brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, through him and in him, and thus we are begotten of God and are rightly called his children. This family of God is also the Body of Christ, his Church, which remains united with Jesus as one. Thus, the Church and Christ are one in unity, a unity in which we participate imperfectly as we grow in sanctity toward our final perfection, our heavenly reward. Unfortunately, we are plagued by the sins of humans, the Body of Christ suffers, just as any family is afflicted by the unloving behavior of its members. Yet, we still remain as children of Almighty God and are compelled to treat each other as brothers and sisters in the most intimate sense, united in one Lord and Savior, willing to sacrifice ourselves for each other in accordance with Covenant of Love.

Heavenly Father, I am your child and you love me beyond my comprehension. Whatever happens to me on my daily journey are providential opportunities for me to grow closer to you, to grow in holiness and perfection, and to be more like your Son, Jesus. Give me guidance and strength to help my brother and sister who is in need. When they fail or when they hurt, the whole Body suffers. Make me resolute in reaching out in faithful love to those whom you put in my path, that your will may be done and your Son glorified. Amen.

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One Truth

The New Year has begun. As we continue to celebrate the Christmas Season on this Ninth Day, we are drawn to reflect on the truth that the earthly Jesus, the child and son born of Mary, is truly the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ. It is common in today’s society to accept all views as equally valid or true, because many do not see truth as absolute. This is a most insidious creation of Satan, the Father of Lies, for he knows that God himself IS Truth! Thus, if anyone’s perspective or opinion is to be understood as truth, well, there cannot be an unchanging, infinite, eternal God; plain and simple.

In John’s First Letter, we hear, “I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth. Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist. No one who denies the Son has the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.” (NAB, 1JN 2:21-23) We live in a time of lies. We are drowning in lies, and worse, we have accepted that lies disguised as “personal truths” are ok. Love compels us to the Truth, and if we are to accept lies as truth, we have denied love as well, for to truly love our brother or sister means to desire the very best for them, and that is the Truth that is Jesus Christ and his teachings handed down from generation to generation from the Apostles.

Father, give me strength and courage to love my neighbor and myself with the love which comes from you. You are Love and you are Truth. May my life always be one of compassion, forgiveness, and mercy, as I live out and proclaim the Truth of Jesus Christ in the world. Let me not be distracted by the lies that are rampant today, but let your light shine into these places of darkness so that Truth and Love may prevail. Amen.

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Mary, Our Mother

On this Eighth Day of Christmas, we mark the beginning of a New Year. It was on this day, scripture reminds us that the infant born to Mary was named: “When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” (NAB, LK 2:21) Although the name “Jesus” was quite common just over 2000 years ago, Joseph and Mary gave him this name in accordance with the instructions from the Angel Gabriel. His name means “God saves” in his native language, as it is a combination of Ya, which is short for Yahweh, and hoshea, which means “salvation.” The Letter to the Galatians reminds us, “Brothers and sisters: When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. As proof that you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then also an heir, through God.” (GAL 4:4-7)

Salvation came to us through the birth of a child, and his mother Mary, through her “Yes” to the invitation of God, became the Tabernacle of God, the very Mother of God, as the Holy Spirit overshadowed her and Jesus, the eternal Son of God, was conceived in her womb. It is the woman Mary who brought this life into the world, and she is rightly to be given special recognition, adulation, and love, for she is the purest of disciples. Just as the waters of the Red Sea were split open, freeing God’s People from slavery and establishing a covenant through the Law, the waters of Mary’s womb broke open, giving birth to the Son of God who would bring freedom to all through a New Covenant established in love. We are the sons and daughters of inheritance, chosen by God, and having accepted his invitation, also call Mary our mother, just as Jesus himself did.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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Beginnings

As the calendar year comes to an end, we prepare to celebrate the New Year, a new beginning. Beginnings are great opportunities for us to examine our lives and then realign them for good, to make us physically healthier, to improve our finances, to make spiritual progress, to build on our relationships, and to generally make our world a better place. Today, as we prepare for these new beginnings, the Gospel of John reminds us of what should be the foundation for starting anew:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life…. The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth. … From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace.” (NAB, JN 1:1-4, 14, 16)

Jesus makes all things new! He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. As we prepare to make changes in our lives, let’s make sure He is at the very foundation of what we do. Let’s make sure that Jesus is the reason, the basis, the purpose, and the ultimate end of all of our good resolutions for a New Year.

Lord, Jesus, you who are the Beginning, give me wisdom as I celebrate a new beginning, a new year given to me as a gift from you. You make all things new. Make me a good steward of what you have given me. In this upcoming year, give me the courage and insight to make choices that glorify you, and lead me according to your will, that I may fulfill the purpose of my calling in this life. Amen.

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Examine Your Walk

As the calendar year comes to an end, many will examine their finances, their health, or other aspects of their life and make resolutions for the New Year. It’s good to have new beginnings, opportunities to realign ourselves to live a healthier lifestyle, make more financially responsible choices, or reset ourselves in some other positive way. It’s also an excellent time to examine our spiritual lives.

Today, we are reminded in the First Letter of John of what that looks like. “Beloved: The way we may be sure that we know Jesus is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.” (NAB, 1JN 2:3-6)

We often use the word “walk” when referring to our spiritual journey, and rightly so. We are called to be followers of Jesus, to walk with him, in this life, to complete our spiritual journey alongside of him, being his hands, his feet, and speaking his words in our world. Let’s set aside some real time today to truly, deeply, and honestly examine our lives to see if our “walk” matches his, if our lives reflect the life of our Savior. Then, confess whatever is keeping us from authentically living our Christian faith, express true sorrow for our failings, beg God for his grace to help use change our lives to live righteously, and commit, with God’s help, to pursue sanctity and holiness each and every day, in all of our relationships, in every step we take.

Lord, Jesus, you know where my “walk” doesn’t match my “talk,” but more importantly, where my walk isn’t unified with yours. Give me the wisdom I need to see where changes are necessary, where I fail to live according to your Law of Love, and where, with your grace, I can change to live according to your Holy Will. I cannot do it on my own, but only because of your love, grace, and faithfulness. I love you, Lord, and I thank you for loving me. Give me courage to live the life to which you call me, for your glory and according to your will. Amen.

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Sin Can’t Win

After the Magi gave homage the infant Jesus, they are warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and Joseph is also warned by the Angel of God that the life of Jesus is in jeopardy and that he is to flee immediately to Egypt with Mary and Jesus.

On this Fourth Day of Christmas we reflect on the magnitude of sin and the great lengths one may go in pursuit of pride, prestige, and power. King Herod was threatened by the presence of the baby Jesus, knowing that the prophecies about him might be true, so “when Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.” (NAB, MT 2:16) In a most horrific act of evil, Herod slaughtered these innocent babies, yet unbeknownst to himself, he was also fulfilling another prophecy about the coming Messiah.

While it is uncertain how many children were murdered in Bethlehem, we remember that they died at the hands of a paranoid and evil ruler strictly because of Christ. Furthermore, the suffering experienced by the families of these innocents would continue for generations. Sin is never isolated and individual. We are communal by nature, and our sins, although we think of them as quiet and private, never really are. God triumphs here. After the death of Herod, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph returned to the Promised Land from Egypt, just as God had brought his Chosen People to the Promised Land from the slavery of Egypt generations earlier.

Sin continues to impact all of us, even sins of generations past, but sin has no power over God, and his love will not be shut out. Jesus, our innocent Savior, will also experience the full force of sin at his Passion, but once again, he will demonstrate his power over this world and its evils through his Resurrection and Ascension. We are called to trust God, knowing that he is in control, even in the darkest moments of life.

Father, allow me to trust you. Help me to see that where sin abounds, your love is present all the more, and that all things, even evil ones, will work out for your glory since nothing can overcome your love. Increase my faith in you, Jesus. Amen.

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Beloved & Faithful

On this Third Day of Christmas we reflect on the life of St. John, the Apostle and Evangelist who authored the Gospel of John, the Book of Revelation, and three short letters, John 1, 2, and 3, in the New Testament. The Apostle James was John’s older brother, and the two together were known as the Sons of Thunder. In the Gospel of John, he is referred to as the “Beloved Disciple” or the “disciple whom Jesus loved.”

John was with Jesus from the very first miracle at the wedding feast in Cana, where Mary interceded on behalf of the wedding party, and Jesus turned water into wine. John was also part of the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples, along with Peter and James. These three accompanied Jesus for the miracle of the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter, the Transfiguration of Jesus, and the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed the night before his crucifixion. St. John was the only Apostle of Jesus who was not martyred, yet he was also the only Apostle who did not abandon Jesus during his Passion. John remained at the foot of the Cross with Jesus’ mother Mary. In fact, John, representing all of us followers, received Mary as his own mother at the request of the dying Jesus: “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (NAB, JN 19:26-27)

Finally, on Resurrection Day, when the women had discovered that Jesus was no longer in the tomb, Mary Magdalene ran to Peter and John, telling them what she had seen. Peter and John ran to the tomb, with John running faster and arriving first. The Gospel says, “When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there…. [John] also went in…. He saw and believed.” (20:6-8)

Lord Jesus, give me the love and faith of your Beloved Disciple. May I stand with you through the miracles and the sufferings in my life, and may I too accept the gift of your Mother from the Cross. Give me the eagerness and energy to love as your Disciple, St. John, loved you and others, so that my life may also give you glory in this life, until you one day welcome me into your Heavenly Kingdom. Amen.

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The Witness of Stephen

On this Second Day of Christmas in the Book of Acts, we hear about St. Stephen, one of the first seven deacons of the Church, chosen to serve the poor and the widows, and to perform other mistrial needs in the community as determined by the Apostles. As the early church expanded, these First Bishops needed help, so they chose seven men who were “filled with faith and the Holy Spirit” to be appointed, presented, and ordained through the laying on of hands to extend the pastoral care of the Apostles themselves. (cf. NAB, ACTS  6-7)

As he began his ministry, Stephen, filled with wisdom, grace, and power from heaven, saw many come to the faith; he was a great preacher and performed many miracles among the people. His service to Christ eventually led to his being put on trial by the Sanhedrin, where several false witnesses were brought forward to testify against him. Yet even “those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like that of an angel.” (6:15)

Stephen defended himself, preaching intently about Salvation History, demonstrating Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the prophets and the resistance and opposition of the Israelites. St. Stephen accused the Sanhedrin: “You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it.” (7:53) This incensed them, but bolstered Stephen who preached all the more boldly. The accusers rushed Stephen, “threw him out of the city, and began to stone him” to death, a persecution and execution overseen by a young man named Saul (later to be known as Paul, the Apostle). St. Stephen’s last words: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (7:59-60)

Heavenly Father, St. Stephen, your Deacon and the First Martyr of the Church, was chosen to give up his life for you. Fill me with faith and embolden me with courage to profess Jesus at all times and in all circumstances, the preach your Holy Gospel, the Good News of Salvation to the world in my words and through my actions. And when my time comes to depart from this life, may my lips be filled with love for you as I echo the words of Stephen, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’” Amen.

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Rejoice & Be Glad!

JOY TO THE WORLD; THE LORD IS COME! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing. He rules the world with truth and grace! (Lyrics from Joy to the World)

Today, we truly rejoice as we celebrate the birth of our Savior from the Virgin Mary in the town of Bethlehem, the “House of Bread.” He, who is the Bread of Life, the Bread come down from Heaven, humbled himself and came to save us as one of us. Jesus is the Sacrificial, Unblemished Lamb who takes away the sins of the world; blessed are we who are called to his table. Blessed are we who have received His grace, we who live in faith and in the light of his love. Jesus Christ is the light, the true light that came into the world, dispelling all darkness, enlightening the People of God! Jesus Christ, the New Adam, perfected Salvation History, and began a New Reign in the Kingdom of God. We have been called to receive this child, the Word of God, who humbled himself, to be one with us, now in this life, and eternally in the life to come.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. … The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, th3 glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. … From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.” (NAB, JN 1:1-18)

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, Almighty God and Father, we worship You, we give You thanks, we praise You for Your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; You are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

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Benedictus!

Christmas Eve marks the final moment where the prophecies of salvation history will be fulfilled in the birth of a Messiah. The Gospel of Luke (1:67-79) gives us a beautiful song of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving that has become a part of the daily prayer, the Liturgy of the Hours, for the Church, and rightly so. Each and every day of our lives, we are called to welcome Jesus, to ask him in, to recommit ourselves to be his follower. By God’s grace, we live out our faith, daily conforming ourselves to Christ, in the hope of eternal life with the Resurrected Son of God. Let us pray, giving praise and thanksgiving to God in the words of Zechariah:

“’Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of his servant David. Through his holy prophets he promised of old that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our father and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hand of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet in the way of peace.’”

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.

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