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28 July 2013
The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 11:1-13)
Jesus tells us to be persistent in prayer, and the Heavenly Father will hear us. We should ask big, and with great trust; and the Lord will manifest His goodness before our eyes.
We see Abraham in today’s first reading interceding for Sodom, and the Lord is unable to refuse him. Abraham begins by asking for mercy for the sake of 50 innocent people, but he quickly drops it to 45, then 20, until in the end the Lord agrees to spare Sodom if only ten innocent people are found. If Abraham had just gone a bit further, bargaining down to the only four innocent people he knew of living in Sodom, the city would certainly have been spared. But he was afraid of angering the Lord.
Jesus told St. Faustina: “Act like a beggar who does not back away when he gets more alms [than he asked for], but offers thanks the more fervently. You too should not back away and say that you are not worthy (...). Take as many treasures from My Heart as you can carry, for then you will please Me more. (...) Encourage the souls with whom you come in contact to trust in My infinite mercy. Oh, how I love those souls who have complete confidence in Me. I will do everything for them” (Diary 294).
Prayer: Merciful Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me the depths of Your tender mercy. You would never respond with anger to my pleas. On the day I call for help, You answer me. Amen.
21 July 2013
The Sixeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 10:38-42)
Today’s Gospel brings to mind the famous motto of St. Benedict, ora et labora—“pray and work.” This is the vocation of every Christian. Just as being a monk isn’t about spending all your time in the chapel, being a lay person isn’t about working non-stop. We see Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus while Martha is busy working. When Martha complains to Jesus about having to do all the work herself, our Lord praises Mary for “choosing the better part.” Yet since we know that both Martha and Mary became saints, we might guess that after the meal Mary did the cleaning up while Martha sat at Jesus’ feet. Both of them found the balance between work and prayer that was needed for their sanctification.
St. Faustina had a very difficult life in the convent as a member of the “second choir.” She was often responsible for carrying out physically demanding tasks in the kitchen, garden or bakery. Yet her prayer life was also intense, just as intense as her work. She wrote the following: “To stay at Your feet, O hidden God / Is the delight and paradise of my soul. / Here You give me to know You, O incomprehensible One, / And You speak to me sweetly: Give Me, give Me your heart. / Silent conversation, alone with You,/ Is to experience what heavenly beings enjoy, / And to say to God, “I will give You my heart, O Lord,” / While You, O great and incomprehensible One, accept it graciously. (Diary 1718).
Prayer: Merciful Lord Jesus, help me to find a healthy balance between work and prayer. Don’t let me ever excuse myself from praying because I have too much work to do. Amen.
14 July 2013
The Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 10:25-37)
Jesus teaches us our obligation to perform works of mercy through the parable of the Good Samaritan. He calls us to imitate the Good Samaritan by showing mercy to the needy He places in our paths. He is the One who arranges every opportunity for us to show mercy. He has given us the command to “be merciful as your Father is merciful” (Lk 6:36). How could He expect this of us if He were not to provide us with occasions for showing mercy?
Jesus told St. Faustina: “I have given you the opportunity to practice deeds of mercy, which you will perform according to obedience. You will give Me much pleasure if, each evening, you speak to Me especially about this task” (Diary 1267).
Not only does Jesus set us up to perform works of mercy each day, but He also wants us to give Him a rundown afterward on how things went. He will make it easier and easier for us to be merciful if we share with Him openly about the difficulties we face. Perhaps we aren’t convinced that the “needy” are truly in need; maybe we’re afraid of catching a disease from them; or we could just be so attached to our own riches that it is hard for us to offer something from our abundance. When we bring our issues to the Lord, He will give us all the graces we need to overcome whatever it is preventing us from fulfilling His command to be merciful.
Prayer: Merciful Lord Jesus, You are the Good Samaritan, who binds up our wounds and brings us to safety. Teach us to show mercy to those You place in our paths. By the power of Your love, conquer all our fears. We trust in You. Amen.
7 July 2013
The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 10:1-12, 17-20)
Jesus warns us in today’s Gospel that it’s a jungle out there. We need to be constantly on guard against temptations that are lurking around every corner. We can’t expect to glide smoothly through life without encountering the devil’s traps and snares. The ancient enemy and his legions are prowling the world seeking the ruin of souls, our souls, trying to get us, the Lord’s sheep, out of the state of grace. How can we fight them? Jesus gave St. Faustina five tips on spiritual warfare:
“First, do not fight against a temptation by yourself, but disclose it to (your) confessor at once, and then the temptation will lose all its force. Second, during these ordeals do not lose your peace; live in My presence; ask My Mother and the Saints for help. Third, have the certitude that I am looking at you and supporting you. Fourth, do not fear either struggles of the soul or any temptation, because I am supporting you; if only you are willing to fight, know that the victory is always on your side. Fifth, know that by fighting bravely you give Me great glory and amass merits for yourself. Temptation gives you a chance to show Me your fidelity” (Diary 1560).
Prayer: Merciful Lord Jesus, I am so weak in the face of temptation. Keep me in Your presence and give me Your Holy Spirit to assist me in fighting the good fight. I trust in You. Amen.