When we say “Jesus is Lord” we claim Him as the center and priority of our lives. May we constantly examine our hearts, looking for anything that is not worthy of God’s grace as we continuously re-orient our lives to Christ.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 2nd Week of the Year
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Photo Credit: Son of God, 2004.
Study: Recall a time when you made a serious mistake. What steps did you take to make it right? Do you have any unfinished work that needs to be done?
Pray: Saying “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you” can be very difficult; don’t try it alone! Ask the Lord for the grace and strength.
Serve: How can you help another on the path to repentance? How might you encourage people to seek healing and forgiveness?
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of the Year
Remember back in elementary school when we all learned long division? Perhaps you remember some of those really long problems that took a whole sheet of paper to write? I recall the excitement when I found the answers at the end of the book, only to have my hopes crushed when the dreaded words “show your work” were part of the instructions…
To demonstrate the exercise our 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Tempesta, would put a problem on the chalk board and demonstrate line by line, showing the work and how the process repeats until you made your way through the entire problem. At the end you would have the answer, with all the work to prove it.
I remember asking Mrs. Tempesta what would happen if you made a mistake early on in the process. She smiled and repeated the problem along side the original – with one tiny mistake. The wrong answer at the end of the work glared at our class; when we asked what do you do if your answer doesn’t match the solution in the book, she replied, “You have to start at the beginning, find your mistake, and rework a new solution.”
Welcome to repentance.
We all make mistakes: we say things we can’t take back; do things we regret; allow things to happen that we’d give anything to erase. And while we can’t change the past our faith tells us that we have a process that can bring healing and restore relationships. Like long division, we find our mistakes, REPENT, and rework a solution that follows a new path of behavior.
The words “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you” are some of the most powerful in any language. The first reading and the Gospel today are especially adamant that we take them to heart – repenting of our sins and choosing a Godly path that brings healing to our lives. Remember: God never gives up on us! The process looks like this:
Perhaps it’s been awhile since we stepped into a confessional. Perhaps it’s been awhile since we have honestly looked into our hearts. Today we can take a moment to look inside, see what doesn’t belong, and make the move to repent of our sins and turn to the Lord. May we see in the example of Jonah and Jesus today that we have hope; God keeps calling – inviting us to turn away from sin and embrace the Good News.
And if you are looking for some help in checking out your heart, try these options for an Examination of Conscience.
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Note: This post was originally published on January 19, 2015.
Like a coach who calls a play that leads to action on the field, God calls us to a life of faith by what we think, speak and do. May we hear the Lord’s call in our lives today and respond with full hearts!
Mass Readings – 2nd Sunday of the Year
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Jesus calls Levi – a tax collector and a sinner – with the simple invitation “Follow me.” In the same way the Lord calls us, not because we are perfect, but precisely so that we can draw near to the one who heals, redeems and loves us.
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 1st Week of the Year
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Four people go to extraordinary lengths to bring a paralytic to Jesus for healing. It begs the question: what do we do to bring people to Jesus, to remove the obstacles that keep others from God? While it is true that each person must decide to follow Jesus, we can all ask ourselves if we are cooperating with the Lord to help one another encounter Christ.
Mass Readings – Friday of the 1st Week of the Year
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Jesus cleanses a leper and restores his health and relationships. We, too, can look into our hearts, see what does not belong, and draw near to the Lord for the healing and restoration we require.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 1st Week of the Year
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The Lord’s ministry touches hearts and changes lives, as people encounter Jesus and begin to serve in new and unique ways. Like them, we can echo the words of Samuel and the Psalmist as we say, “Here am I Lord! I come to do your will.”
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 1st Week of the Year
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Jesus enters the synagogue and drives out unclean spirits. Guided by our faith in Christ, we face evil with God’s grace and build our lives on the strength of the Lord.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 1st Week of the Year
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Study: Reflect on an experience in life when you have been called to do something. Who called you? What did it feel like?
Pray: Ask the Lord for guidance to discern how to follow Jesus Christ today.
Serve: Are there people in your life who are experiencing a calling? How can you help them discover their path?
Mass Readings – 2nd Sunday of the Year
Have you ever had moments in life when you wish the answers were written in the sky with letters that were clear and easy to read? Where there is no doubt what to do; no hesitation that a certain choice is the best; no worry that something has been missed? The question surfaces frequently: How do we know the Lord’s call for our lives?
In the Scriptures today we have two examples where people are being called by God:
While each story presents a perspective that is unique, both have some points that are worth noting:
The same three steps continue today. God keeps inviting! The Lord’s grace ceaselessly pours out upon the earth, inviting and empowering us to draw closer to God and one another. Everything we have comes from the Lord, who takes the initiative to reach out to us in love.
Our response – both in word and deed – completes this initiative. Accepting the Lord’s call we grow in wisdom and strength, developing our God-given gifts for service in the world. As we continue to say yes to the Lord’s guidance we become more and more alive, become a conduit through which Christ’s mission touches the hearts and lives of others.
So how and where does the Lord speak today? Where do we look for the call? A few starting thoughts…
May we say yes to the Lord’s call in our lives, responding with full and open hearts, serving one another with the strength of Jesus Christ!
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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Note: This post was originally published on January 12, 2015.
The Magi, guided by the light of the star, brought their gifts to honor the Christ child. Our faith gives us light to recognize the gifts God has placed in our lives…and provides the light to discover ways to put those gifts to use in our world.
Mass Readings – The Epiphany of the Lord
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Three Great Things 