Lectio Divina Daily Reflections

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Come after me, says the Lord, and I will make you fishers of men.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 5:1-11 today's readings).For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."As today's Gospel begins, Jesus is standing by the shore speaking to the crowds who press in on him as they hear him teach. Seeing that Simon Peter and his partners James and John disembark, Jesus asks Peter to help him by moving out a short distance from the shore to teach the crowds. When he is done speaking, Jesus tells Simon Peter and the others: "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." After fishing all night and catching nothing, Peter questions Jesus but nonetheless does as he commands. What begins as Peter lends the use of his boat to Jesus ends in a catch of fish that nearly sinks both boats. Peter and the others gave a little to Jesus and find God's boundless generosity. Even more, Jesus gives Simon Peter, James, and John a purpose in following him that exceeds anything they could have accomplished in their professional life. And they abandon themselves to Christ with humility and trust. Luke tells us, "When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him."God, help instill in me the trust that Peter, James, and John have in following Jesus to be his disciples. Peter doesn't ask Jesus to lay out a step-by-step plan before following him but instead recognizes his dependence on Jesus, your Son. The fisherman Simon Peter understood that his livelihood depended on knowledge and wisdom but that there was no guarantee of success. Peter fell to his knees before Jesus, repentant. He saw knowledge and wisdom itself in the person of Jesus and responded to the call that Saint Paul speaks of in the first reading: "that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord." Give me the grace, Lord, to listen out for you in trust and follow where you lead. 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.

I, like a green olive tree in the house of God, Trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I trust in the mercy of God for ever.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 4:38-44) today's readings).At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, "To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent."The day before the crowds go looking for Jesus, he cured Simon's mother-in-law and later cured sick people with various diseases. Jesus exorcized demons from many people, and the demons recognized who Jesus was, calling him the Son of God. Word must have spread quickly for the crowds to go looking for Jesus in a deserted place. In his actions, Jesus proclaims the Gospel and makes clear his purpose as the Son of God. The Gospel acclamation also spells out his purpose: "The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives."God, deepen my understanding for the work your Son accomplished through his earthly mission and for his example of proclaiming the Gospel without counting the cost. "I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God," he said, "because for this purpose I have been sent." Give me the grace today and every day to understand the purpose you have for me as I give witness to Christ through my words and actions. I can't do this through my own will but through my hope and trust in your continuous outpouring of grace. "I trust in the mercy of God for ever." You are truly present in the Eucharist, Lord; let me come to you there.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.

Take my yoke upon you, says the Lord, and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 14:1, 7-14) today's readings).Jesus told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, 'Give your place to this man,' and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place."Jesus says this to guests present at a banquet of one of the leading Pharisees—an incisive teaching for all present who observe and hear him. Jesus witnesses the guests taking places of honor at the table and shares a parable with them about humility and the position you perceive yourself to hold. It ends with a consequence that is often disregarded: "For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." In the first reading, Sirach speaks similar words to a beloved hearer: "My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God." Jesus invites us to take up the yoke of humility, to learn from him in being humble of heart.God, help me today to accept the invitation of Jesus to be meek and humble. At the same time, give me the opportunity today to be a means of your love to someone who may not be able to respond in kind. "Blessed indeed will you be, Jesus says, "because of their inability to repay you." Pour out generously the gifts of understanding and wisdom when I struggle or resist finding the purpose in the yoke Jesus invites me to take up. Seeing and receiving it is more than I can do on my own, and I depend on you to guide me. God, come to my assistance; Lord, make haste to help me!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.image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Banquet_in_the_House_of_Levi_by_Paolo_Veronese_-_Accademia_-_Venice_2016_(2).jpg

Before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to rule the earth; He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with equity. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 25:14-30) today's readings).Jesus told his disciples this parable: "A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one–to each according to his ability. Then he went away."In the parable of the talents, a master gives his three servants varying amounts of money (talents) to manage while he is away. Two of them generate a return on their investment of the talents; one of them does not. Jesus is not sharing investment advice in this parable but instead teaches the disciples to use the gifts God gave them faithfully so that they come at the end of their earthly life to full participation in the kingdom. Just as the master is happy to see a return on the talents from two of the servants, God is pleased to see the unique gifts he bestows on us used to their fullness. As good stewards of God's gifts, we see cumulative growth of them over time, so that Jesus concludes the parable, saying, "For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."Father in heaven, you are the giver of all good gifts. Give me the grace to use the gifts and talents you give me to their fullest. Make clear to me today what those gifts are and how I can use them to serve you. For the sake of your glory, I want to hear and do your will with full confidence in this life and one day enter into eternal life, hearing you say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." 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.

Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart. Be glad in the LORD, you just, and give thanks to his holy name. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 6:17-29) today's readings).Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him.Mark recounts the beheading of John the Baptist at the command of King Herod. Herod is "deeply distressed" when Herodias's daughter asks for John's head to be brought in on a platter. Nonetheless, Herod holds to the oaths he made and orders the executioner to murder John. Yet, Mark also tells us that Herod recognized John as a "righteous and holy man." He says this of Herod's relationship with John: "When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him." Something drew Herod to John, a faithful prophet who spoke the word of God. As John spoke the word, a light drew him toward it before turning away from it. Following it, Herod would have found out this: "Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart."God, strengthen in me the desire to hear and respond with gladness of to your word. Herod freely chose to turn away from you as he exercised free will. Give me the grace to recognize your gift of free will, and help me be prudent in the opportunities you present so that I can use it. John the Baptist was martyred because he chose to witness to the truth. Guide me along the way, Lord, as I seek to be a witness to your truth. Saint John the Baptist, pray for us!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.

Jesus said to his disciples: "Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."

If I take the wings of the dawn, if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea, Even there your hand shall guide me, and your right hand hold me fast. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 23:27-32, today's readings).Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing."Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy; they appear beautiful on the outside and in adorning the memorials of the righteous, whom their ancestors killed. Yet, on the inside they are filled with "dead men's bones and every kind of filth" as they mask the inner decay of immorality and sin. As Saint Paul shares the Gospel in the first reading, he conveys the spirit of love that the Father continuously pours out on us, encouraging and insisting that those who follow Christ "walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his Kingdom of glory."God, as Saint Paul gives thanks unceasingly in sharing and receiving your word—not the word of men but the word of God—I ask for the grace to do the same. The Gospel acclamation describes the divine outcome of nurturing and keeping the word immanent, of persisting in prayer as Saint Monica did: "Whoever keeps the word of Christ, the love of God is truly perfected in him." The words of Christ to the Pharisees—"inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing"—penetrate deep within to help me recognize when I lose sight of the word and turn away from you. Yet, Lord, in your goodness, even there you attend to me, and the psalmist's prayer is mine as I say: "Even there your hand shall guide me, and your right hand hold me fast." Saint Monica, pray for us!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.

O LORD, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 23:23-26, today's readings).“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.”Jesus addresses the scribes and Pharisees for taking advantage of their position to distort Mosaic law for self-serving purposes. In doing this, they also bring others into this dysfunction by setting an example. Jesus affirms this by calling them guides, but they are blind guides, neglecting more meaningful aspects of the law such as "judgment and mercy and fidelity." By contrast, in the first reading, Saint Paul describes the example the apostles set as they shared the Gospel with the people of Philippi: "Rather, we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children. With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us." How does Christ call us to share "our very selves" in his mission of mercy?God, you call me continuously to love as you love and to be merciful as you are merciful. Jesus commands the Pharisees to be attentive to the weightier things of the law: judgment and fidelity and mercy. You alone, Lord, are perfectly just and merciful. Give me the grace to work on this today as I strive to remain faithful to your will. The opportunity may not come again, or I may not recognize it at another time. Make clear to me today how you work with me in the way of interior sanctification, in the way of cleansing the inside of the cup so that the outside may also be clean.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.

Sing to the LORD a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel be glad in their maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. The Lord takes delight in his people.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 23:13-22, today's readings).“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves.”Out of frustration but also out of love for the Father and those who hear him, Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for obstructing themselves and others from the path to God. “You do not enter [the Kingdom of heaven] yourselves,” Jesus says, “nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.” Jesus points out that these “blind guides” swear by the gold of the temple and the gift on the altar and believe that makes them obligated—all while neglecting to recognize what makes the temple and altar that make these things sacred. Jesus directs the gaze of the scribes and Pharisees beyond the constricting rituals that produce children of Gehenna to the perfect love and mercy of the Father enthroned in heaven and incarnate in his Son.Father in heaven, redirect my gaze to you when I get caught up in hierarchies and orders of things that end up only keeping me from you. Let me hear the invitation to stay close to your Son, as I hear in the Gospel acclamation: “My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.” As Jesus says, one is not obligated to or by the gold of the temple or the gift on the altar but by you who make all that is sacred. Give me the grace, Lord, to look to you and you alone and not what surrounds you, to go to you where I find you truly present—body and blood, soul and divinity—in the Eucharist.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.

I am the way, the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father, except through me.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 13:22-30, today's readings)."And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."As Jesus passes through towns and villages, someone asks him, "Lord, will only a few people be saved?" He answers them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough." Jesus tells a parable where people knock on the door of the master's house and say to him, "Lord, open the door for us." He will say to them, Jesus tells the people, "I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!" If we are not strong enough, and we are not strong enough, Jesus supplies our strength even as he disciplines through trials. As Saint Paul says, "All discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it."Father in heaven, even as I live in the midst of your discipline, I struggle to understand how and why it is necessary. Give me the grace to accept that any discipline I experience is a means of sanctifying me for the sake of your glory. When I discern your will and yet resist carrying it out, strengthen me to move forward not with earthly sight but with the sight of faith in your love and mercy. "I am the way, the truth and the life, says the Lord," the Gospel acclamation says, "no one comes to the Father, except through me." Make straight my path, Lord!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.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD, his God, Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them. Praise the Lord, my soul!A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 22:34-40, today's readings).When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law, tested him by asking, "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."The scholar who approaches Jesus does not ask out of a genuine desire but seeks to trap Jesus. Matthew tells us that the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, so the scholar goes to Jesus from a place of competitiveness and pride. Jesus answers with the Shema, a Jewish declaration of faith that is recited in the morning and evening. By responding this way, Jesus affirms the covenant between God and the Jewish people and their devotion to him. Jesus adds the commandment to love one's neighbor as oneself, and the two commandments are inseparable. In his genuine response to the scholar's test, Jesus is demonstrating just that: a loving relationship with God and with his neighbor.Father in heaven, let me take to heart today's Gospel. Help me see what Jesus models as he responds to the scholar's insincerity. He doesn't criticize him for attempting to trick him but instead gives him what he asks for and adds even more. As I meet a similar tone in others, give me the grace to respond to them in the same way—sincerely and generously—meeting them where they are and bringing your grace to the interaction. Help me also, Lord, recognize when I am insincere with you and with others. "Teach me your paths, my God, guide me in your truth." Mary, Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us!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.

"The servants went out into the streetsand gathered all they found, bad and good alike,and the hall was filled with guests.But when the king came in to meet the guestshe saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.He said to him, ‘My friend, how is itthat you came in here without a wedding garment?'But he was reduced to silence.Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,and cast him into the darkness outside,where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

"'What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?' Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."

I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD—for he proclaims peace to his people, and to his faithful ones, and to those who put in him their hope. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 19:23-30, today's readings).When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?”On hearing that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to enter the kingdom of God, the disciples ask Jesus this question. Peter recognizes the gravity of discipleship and asks what that will lead to for them. Jesus tells him that they will see the Son of Man seated on his throne of glory and that they will sit on twelve thrones as judges of Israel. Jesus says of everyone who has given up material possessions of this world "will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life." And he warns them, "But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” What single possession or all possessions combined is worth more than the inheritance of eternal life as adopted sons and daughters of the Father?God, help me call to mind throughout the day the response of Jesus when the disciples ask him who can be saved. He simply says, For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible." With you, Lord, all things are possible. The difficulty of giving up possessions or giving up anything that prevents me from entering your kingdom is impossible for me but possible for you. Everyone, Jesus says, who has given up worldly possessions for the sake of his name, will inherit eternal life. The first will be last, and the last will be first. If Jesus makes this great good possible, then smaller gifts in this life that lead to him, surely will be given even before we ask. Give me the grace, Lord, to understand the promise of eternal life made possible through Jesus so that by his poverty I might become rich.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.

The LORD heard my cry. He drew me out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud of the swamp; he set my feet upon a crag; he made firm my steps. Lord, come to my aid!A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 12:49-53, today's readings).Jesus said to his disciples: "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division."Jesus tells the disciples that he comes to bring fire to the earth through his baptism of purification. He makes clear that his message will lead to division, even among families, as some accept it but others reject it. Similarly, in the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah faces opposition as he proclaims the truth about Jerusalem's coming destruction. He is put in prison by those who view his message as demoralizing. Both readings reveal the conflict that arises from the truth. There are real challenges and divisions that believers encounter when standing up for God's word, but there is also steadfast hope for deliverance amid conflict and adversity.God, what is the unity and hope you bring to believers even as they experience division and trial? Let the psalmist's prayer be mine. You come to the aid of those who wait patiently for you and you stoop toward them to hear and deliver them. "And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God. Many shall look on in awe and trust in the LORD." You draw me out of all that would mire me and keep me from you, setting my feet on solid ground. Give me the grace, Lord, to endure opposition and adversity as I listen for your voice and persevere in running the race that lies before me. Lord, come to my aid!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.

The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, says, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” She cries out in a loud voice before Mary and before God as a prophet might cry out or as one so full of conviction that it was impossible not to cry out. Elizabeth is divinely inspired to express what has become contained in the Hail Mary, prayed countless billions of times generation after generation. And what did she say that resounds over the millennia? “Blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Because Elizabeth was divinely inspired to say these words as was Mary in proclaiming the Magnificat, the depth and breadth of what they express continue to invite us into the beauty and mystery of the incarnation, the resurrection of Jesus, and Mary's assumption, body and soul, into heaven.God, thank you for what the Gospel reveals about Mary and Elizabeth's greeting to each other. They each express a depth of faith that goes beyond what is knowable in the natural world. Elizabeth proclaimed Mary as the Mother of God before Jesus' birth, and Mary praised God for remembering his promise of mercy. God, help me recognize Mary's role as an instrument of mercy, both in life and after her assumption. She proclaimed the greatness of the Lord and his holy name: “for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers.” Mary, Queen of Heaven, pray for us!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.

"So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart."

"Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

The disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?" He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me."

Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield. May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 12:32-48, today's readings)."Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”These words of Jesus spoken to the disciples follow his teaching on discipleship. Jesus tells the parable of the servant awaiting the master's return from a wedding. "Blessed are those servants," Jesus says, "whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. . . . for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Peter asks if the parable is meant only for them or for everyone, and Jesus answers by sharing another parable. This one focuses on a master who goes away and puts a steward in charge of the distribution of food at the proper time. Jesus speaks to the "little flock"—that's all of us—when he tells his stewards to store up an inexhaustible treasure in heaven. "For where your treasure is," he says, "there also will your heart be."God, help me hear the reassuring voice of Jesus today and throughout the days ahead. “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom." What are the belongings Jesus asks me to sell? The material things I possess are more than I need—more clothing, food, money. Even more, Lord, what belongings am I attached to that in some way prevent me from storing up treasures in heaven? Give me the grace, Lord, to conform my will to yours more and more, with a heart that treasures what you treasure, so that when the unexpected knock comes at the door, I am ready to open immediately at your arrival.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.

I love you, O LORD, my strength, O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. I love you, Lord, my strength.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 17:14-20, today's readings).Jesus said in reply, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring the boy here to me." Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him, and from that hour the boy was cured.The father who brings his son to Jesus has watched the son suffer terribly, falling into fire and often into water. In his anguish, he brings him to the disciples, who try to cure the boy but fail. When the boy is brought to Jesus, he rebukes the demon, who comes out of him immediately, and the disciples ask, "Why could we not drive it out?" Along with chastising them, Jesus encourages the disciples. Faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. "Nothing," Jesus says, "will be impossible for you." What kind of faith the father must have had to bring his son first to the disciples and then to Jesus. Through his perseverance, the father received his son back, restored and whole, from the arms of the Good Shepherd.God, help me have faith at all times, whether I succeed or fail to see its effects. Just as the father put all of his trust in Jesus, give me the grace to do the same even during trials and suffering. In the first reading, Moses says to the people: "The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength." With the little faith I have, Lord, help deepen my understanding of the words of Jesus: "Nothing will be impossible for you."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.

I remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I remember your wonders of old. And I meditate on your works; your exploits I ponder. I remember the deeds of the Lord.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 16:24-28, today's readings).Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."Jesus makes clear what is at stake in following him: losing one's life in trying to save it and saving one's life in losing it for his sake. Yet, the challenge to take up one's cross is resisted and denied. Jesus goes on to describe it in terms of material gain. What purpose is there in gaining the whole world at the cost of forfeiting life? We will be repaid, as Jesus says, according to our conduct. Whatever our response, the call is unmistakable: "Follow me."God, there are moments when it is difficult to accept your will or to believe that what is made quite clear is your will. In these instances, help me learn to trust in your will even when I can't see where it leads. Lord, give me the understanding to know your will and, with courage, pick up my cross and follow you. Give me perseverance when I am tempted to turn away, and strengthen my faith in the goodness and mercy of your plan for me. Saint Dominic, pray for us!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.

"My people heard not my voice, and Israel obeyed me not; So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts; they walked according to their own counsels." Sing with joy to God our help.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 14:13-21, today's readings).Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over–twelve wicker baskets full.Jesus has just heard of the death of John the Baptist. From the same chapter of Matthew's Gospel, we see Jesus respond to the new's that John's disciples shared with him. Matthew tells us that Jesus withdraws to a deserted place by himself by boat but the crowds soon find out about this and go by foot to meet him as he disembarks. Jesus' response to this is not at all what one might imagine. On hearing devastating news about his cousin John, withdrawing and insisting on time alone would be understood, even expected. Yet, Jesus sees the crowd and Matthew says that "his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick." When the disciples tell Jesus there is not enough food for the crowds and that they should go buy some, Jesus tells them: "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves." By saying this, Jesus teaches them to provide for others as life-giving bearers of the word and also to give them a greater opportunity to trust completely in him, the true food of the Word made flesh.Father in heaven, give me the true food I need today to sustain me in your compassion even as I look to the needs of others, as Jesus said, to give them some food myself. For the times today when I am unaware that you are present, orient me to you again so that I walk in your ways. Just as the crowds went on foot to meet Jesus at the other shore, I want to move with confidence throughout the day to know firsthand your ever-present healing and compassion. And give me the grace to be a means of that to others. Saint John Vianney, pray for us!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.image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S%C3%A3o_Jo%C3%A3o_Maria_Vianney.png

Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days. And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours; prosper the work of our hands for us! Prosper the work of our hands! If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 12:13-21, today's readings).Then Jesus told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?' And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.'"Jesus shares a parable with the crowd after someone tells Jesus to demand that his brother share his inheritance with him. What the inheritance is, we don't know. But Jesus knows the man's heart and warns the crowd to guard against greed and attachment to possessions. The man in the parable builds larger barns and celebrates having, as he says, "so many good things stored up for many years." This also is vanity, Qoheleth would say, that his moment in the sun would not last. As Jesus finish the parable, we hear God say to the man: "You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?" Jesus concludes the parable by teaching us to store up treasure not for ourselves but to labor on earth to become "rich in what matters to God." God, help me today and every day of my life do the work that Jesus lays out in storing up treasure in heaven. Help me recall the way Saint Paul puts it: dying to this life and finding our lives hidden with Christ in God naturally follows when the focus is on what is above and not what is on earth. Give me the grace, Lord, to live a life that is rich in faith and generosity in the divine inheritance I have in the hope of the resurrection to eternal life. 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.

There shall be no strange god among you nor shall you worship any alien god. I, the LORD, am your God who led you forth from the land of Egypt. Sing with joy to God our help.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:54-58, today's readings).But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house." And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.The psalm for today presents the words of the Lord to the Israelites. "There shall be no strange god among you. . . ." In the Gospel, Jesus is in his hometown of Nazareth among neighbors and family friends, when they say of him: "Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter's son?" They name Mary, and his brothers and sisters, family members, and say out of bewilderment. "Where did this man get all this." Among his own townspeople, Jesus would have been no stranger, yet they rejected him despite witnessing his words and miraculous works. The greater truth that some would come to believe is that Jesus was no strange god among them but the Son of the Most High.Father in heaven, I know that Jesus is present in many ways, foremost in the real presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Help me see Jesus also present in the faces of the people I encounter today and in their words and actions. Those closest who bear Christ and manifest his presence are often the ones most taken for granted. Give me the grace, Lord, to pause and see in them, as Saint Paul said, "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious." Let me consider how Christ is in my midst, right her in my native place. Saint Alphonsus Liguori, pray for us!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.

Blessed they who dwell in your house! continually they praise you. Blessed the men whose strength you are! They go from strength to strength. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:47-53, today's readings).Jesus said to the disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age.”Jesus makes a comparison of the kingdom of heaven that the disciples would have been intimately familiar with. The bad catch that is thrown away would have particular meaning to them as well as the good, which they put into buckets. Jesus shares this parable to bring to mind the end of the age, the final judgment. To discern good and bad in relation to the end of the age is to know God's will and move forward with it in the present moment, just as the Israelites moved forward whenever the cloud of the LORD's glory rose among them on their journey in the desert. “But if the cloud did not lift,” we hear in Exodus, “they would not go forward; only when it lifted did they go forward.” In his Word and in the glory of his resurrection, Jesus is with us as we discern through prayer and move throughout the day.God, help me take to heart the parables as they apply to today's events. Open my eyes to the coexistence of good and evil in the world and their separation in the final judgment. To take from the parables what Jesus says to me as a follower is to trust in his every word. As the Israelites watched for the cloud to rise before the day's journey, I want to see your glory made manifest as I give witness to your kingdom through my life. “Blessed the men whose strength you are!” the psalmist sings. “They go from strength to strength.” Strengthen my desire, Lord, to make myself a dwelling that calls attention to your glory. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us!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.

Extol the LORD, our God, and worship at his footstool; holy is he! Holy is the Lord our God.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:44-46, today's readings).Jesus said to his disciples: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."The two short parables Jesus shares with the disciples communicate the nature of the kingdom of heaven and reveal its effect on the person who finds it. Jesus mentions twice that it is found and twice he says that the person sells all he has in order to buy it. To the one who finds it, the kingdom of heaven is the treasure that renders all else worthless; it is the one investment that yields joy in this life and unending security in heaven. The kingdom of heaven is right now and yet to be; it is far above on God's holy mountain and in the deepest recesses of our hearts. God, in the parables of the buried treasure and the pearl of great price, I see Jesus express two types of encounters with the kingdom of heaven. A treasure might be stumbled upon or found after years of searching; the pearl is found after a lifetime of learning the worth of other pearls. By your grace, Lord, the kingdom of heaven is pure gift to the one who hopes in you or actively seeks you out. And what you have to give, you have made known generously through your Son. Throughout the day, help me call to mind the Gospel acclamation with joy: "I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me." 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.

The LORD secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed. He has made known his ways to Moses, and his deeds to the children of Israel. The Lord is kind and merciful.A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (Jn 11:19-27, today's readings).Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.”The dialogue between Jesus and Martha deepens as Jesus tells Martha that her brother will rise. Martha shows confidence in the resurrection, saying, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus takes Martha's confidence in him further when he asks her if she believes in him. “I am the resurrection and the life," Jesus tells her. "Whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die." Martha's profession of faith is an example for all of confidence in God's mercy. She says, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” Jesus, identifying himself as the resurrection and the life, refers to the ultimate victory over sin and death in his coming resurrection.God, help me trust in your mercy. As I consider the example of Martha's faith in Christ, the resurrection and the life, grant me the opportunity today to express confidence in you as Martha did when she said, "But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Let me come to share more and more in that same confidence Martha expresses in the hope of the resurrection. Martha professed her faith by saying that Christ is "the one who is coming into the world.” Teach me, Lord, to realize you are present in every moment of the day even as you prepare me for the life of the world to come.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.

Our fathers made a calf in Horeb and adored a molten image; They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bullock. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:31-35, today's readings).Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.”Jesus speaks to the crowd in parables about the kingdom of heaven to fulfill what has been said through the prophets. Jesus says, quoting Psalm 78, "I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world." What is hidden in plain sight, Jesus reveals to the people through parables that point to the mystery of God's kingdom: the smallest of seeds grows into a large dwelling for birds; a small measure of yeast leavens an entire basket of wheat flour. In the parables, Jesus relates real-world glimpses to reveal the spiritual reality of the kingdom of heaven. Here, we can rest in its branches and grow with Christ to one day see its fulfillment. God, help me trust that the smallest of seeds that grows to its utmost under your care is to abandon my will to yours. The kingdom of heaven, already here and yet to be, is your gift to receive, where what you have revealed from the beginning of time is brought into sight through childlike faith. Matthew says that Jesus spoke to the disciples only in parables. Give me the grace to understand that the mystery of the kingdom is contained in the real presence of the Eucharist as I take it in and let it grow and become more a manifestation of Christ every time I receive it.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.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 11:1-13, today's readings).Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."After Jesus teaches the disciples the Lord's Prayer, he shares a parable about a man who goes to a friend at midnight to ask for bread to feed a guest staying at his house while on a journey. The friend eventually gives him the bread although he is reluctant at first. By his persistence, the visitor receives the bread he asks for. Likewise, in another parable, Jesus makes clear that if flawed human parents know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more so does God. "If you then, who are wicked," Jesus says, "know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" Jesus teaches the disciples more than they ask for: he points the way to his Father in a Spirit of adoption, the one to whom we cry, Abba, Father.Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Help me be grateful that your will be done and that I have the gift of freely choosing it. Let the persistent cry of the friend in the parable be my cry as well. If not because of friendship with you, Lord, then out of my persistence you never tire of hearing and answering me. Jesus says, "Ask and you will receive. . . . For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds." Give me the grace to call to mind throughout the day that I am the son in the parable who asks his father for a fish. Father in heaven, you are the giver of all good gifts. From the responsorial psalm, let me remember this with complete trust: "Your right hand saves me. The LORD will complete what he has done for me."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.

Offer to God praise as your sacrifice and fulfill your vows to the Most High; Then call upon me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:24-30, today's readings)."He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”'”Jesus speaks to the crowds in a parable about a sower who sows good seed. The seed sprouts and grows, but an enemy of the sower comes at night to sow weeds throughout the wheat. When the slaves of the sower ask if they should pull up the weeds, he tells them to let the wheat and the weeds grow together and at the harvest separate them. They will then gather the wheat into the barn, but the weeds they will tie up and burn. At the harvest, the final judgment, Jesus will come to separate the weeds from the wheat. The Gospel acclamation reminds us to receive the word of God and realize the kingdom of heaven now and eternally for the life of the world to come: "Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls."Father in heaven, help me today see the the kingdom of heaven already here and yet to be. Like a planted seed, the word has in it challenges to life along with the potential for life brought to fulfillment at the time of harvest. Give me the grace to live the present moment with enthusiasm and in hope of the fulfillment of the word in the eternal kingdom yet to be. In a world where good and evil coexist, help me, Lord, hold onto the hope of the ultimate triumph of your kingdom in its fullness through Jesus Christ, your Son. Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us!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.

Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, They shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 20:20-28, today's readings)."Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."The mother of James and John comes to Jesus and asks that her two sons be granted authority to sit at his side in his kingdom. Jesus questions them, knowing they are unaware of what this means. "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." And then Jesus tells them that it is not his to give but for the ones for whom the Father has prepared. To be at the right hand of Jesus in his kingdom is to serve and give one's life, to die to this life so to rise to new life through Christ. As Saint Paul says in the first reading: "For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh." So out of love, Jesus asks all of us: "Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"God, help me understand that true greatness does not mean success in the way the world defines it. The mother of James and John asked that Jesus command that they sit at his right and left in the kingdom. To command in that way, as Jesus said, is to "lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt." But it would not be this way, Jesus said, among them. Lord, give me the grace every day to serve others and "carry about in the body the dying of Jesus" but especially when in a position of authority to bring Christ's presence to others. Give me the opportunity today to do just that: to die to self to let Christ be manifested in me to others. Saint James, pray for us!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.

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; And blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages. Glory and praise for ever!A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:10-17, today's readings)."But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."The disciples ask Jesus why he speaks to the crowds in parables. He responds by telling them, "This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand." Jesus goes on to quote Isaiah, to show that the people who hear but do not understand fulfill his prophecy. In his compassion, Jesus fulfills Isaiah's prophecy as the one who heals them as they "see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts." Blessed are our eyes, Lord, when we see you and our ears when we hear you.God, help me see, hear, and understand your will. As much as I try, I am afraid that I don't see and hear and understand you well enough and often enough to comprehend it. You said to Moses, "I am coming to you in a dense cloud so that the people may always have faith in you also." Give me the grace to trust in the work you do in my life and through me so that I can be a witness to your compassion to others. Saint Charbel, pray for us!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.

They tempted God in their hearts by demanding the food they craved. Yes, they spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the desert?” The Lord gave them bread from heaven.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:1-98, today's readings)."Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”The Gospel acclamation spells out the parable that Jesus shares with the crowd: "The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever." Christ, the sower, walks continuously among the soil of our souls, sowing the word of God. He walks among thorns, among our well-worn paths, among the rocky ground of hardened hearts where scorching heat withers roots. But some seed falls on rich soil, and from that the word of God produces more abundant fruit than we can possibly make grow by our own doing. God loved us first and, as he did for the Israelites, rains down bread from heaven "so that you may know that I, the LORD, am your God.”God, help me appreciate the parable Jesus shares with the crowd from a boat, an ancient Christian symbol for the Church. The last words of the parable give me hope, Lord, that your word will find a spot of rich soil softened by your gift of love. "But some seed fell on rich soil" sounds like an epilogue to a dark story that ends in hope, where lush vegetation begins to spring up and spread in a scorched and lifeless desert. Move my heart, Lord, to hear what my ears ought to hear as my soul trusts in you and the hundredfold fruits of your Spirit. Saint Bridget, pray for us!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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The LORD is a warrior, LORD is his name! Pharaoh's chariots and army he hurled into the sea; the elite of his officers were submerged in the Red Sea. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 12:38-42, today's readings)."Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here."Jesus responds to the Pharisees who are seeking a sign by saying that "an evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign." The ultimate word of the Father, Jesus, tells them that no sign will be given to the people because he stands before them as the one whom all the signs point to. And then Jesus draws on the story of Jonah to give them a sign: just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale, so will Jesus be at his burial, resurrection, and second coming. The people of Nineveh, Jesus says, will rise in judgment against this generation because they responded to Jonah's message in faith. The greater message Jesus brings is an invitation to genuine repentance and faith.God, help me be aware of when I go looking for unmistakable signs that you are at work in my life. The quest to piece together occurrences into what appears to be a meaningful expression is to look for fulfillment of your plans. Sometimes events confirm that but at other times the signs point to an outcome that could not have been predicted. Strengthen my faith, Lord, to move forward today and every day in confidence that your will is actively guiding me as I seek to understand it and respond to it. The Gospel acclamation is a gentle reminder that I need not go far to find that Christ is present: "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts." Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, pray for us!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.

One who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 10:38-42, today's readings).Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."Jesus visits the home of Martha and Mary. Martha welcomes him and is busy with preparing things and serving, while Mary simply sits at Jesus' feet, listening to him teach. Martha frustration becomes clear when she says to Jesus, "Lord, do you not care" and asks him to tell Mary to help her. Jesus gently responds, addressing Martha's anxiety and worry. At the same time, he gestures to Mary, who has chosen "the better part," focusing on his words—something that will not be taken away from her.God, in the events of the day, help me see Jesus present with Martha and Mary. Each of them lovingly serves Jesus, but the better part is a calling Mary responds to that he always invites us to take up. If there were no Marthas in the world, I would lack the example of service and practical expression of love. If there were no Marys, I would lose sight of the vitality of spiritual depth and contemplation. In my own life, give me the grace to develop each part—love in service and love in contemplative listening. Help me today choose the better part as you make your presence known. Be with me, Lord.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.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever; Who remembered us in our abjection, for his mercy endures forever; And freed us from our foes, for his mercy endures forever. His mercy endures forever.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 12:14-21, today's readings).The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many people followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known.In today's Gospel, Jesus withdraws from the Pharisees who seek to kill him. In the first reading from Exodus, we hear how the Israelites flee from Egypt and slavery under Pharaoh to the desert. Under the scrutiny of the Pharisees, Jesus answers their questions about what is lawful to do on the sabbath. The disciples pick the heads of grain on the sabbath, and Jesus cures a man with a withered hand on the sabbath. So Jesus flees from them because they seek to kill him, and it is not yet his time. In flight from them, Jesus continues to do what he has been doing in his earthly mission: teaching, healing, fulfilling all of the Old Testament prophecies, and establishing his Church.God, help me consider the works Jesus did on earth to prepare all who hear and follow him for eternal life. I read in the Gospel acclamation: "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation." Just as Jesus understood and accomplished your will, strengthen me to do the same. As Jesus responded to the Pharisees by withdrawing from them, I have by this the example that doing your will sometimes means retreating from hostility to continue to serve you elsewhere. Give me, Lord, a heart able to discern your will, aware that at all times through Christ you entrust to me your message of reconciliation. Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us!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.

How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me? The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 12:1-8, today's readings).“I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”The Pharisees criticize the disciples for picking the heads of grain on the sabbath and then eating them. Jesus tells the Pharisees about the time when David and his companions ate the consecrated bread to show that human need can take precedence over Mosaic law. With his authority and the new covenant he brings as the Lord of the sabbath, Jesus makes clear to the Pharisees that he is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. The mercy of God is something greater than the temple.God, help me learn what Jesus desired that the Pharisees should know in his call for mercy over sacrifice. You know my every need and would not withhold from me what you freely give. The psalmist sings, “I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds.” Your gift of freedom is an innate gift; through obedience to your will, Jesus shows the way to experience it in its fullness. Father in heaven, guide me in the way of your Son.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.

Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 11:28-30, today's readings).Jesus said: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."Jesus invites everyone who labors and is burdened to come to him. The labor and the burden of each of us is unique and known only to the Lord. Yet, to each person, Jesus invites us to take his yoke upon us and learn from him. In his meekness and humility, he adds no weight of sin and suffering but instead relieves us of it. What might it mean that a yoke is easy? As an actual yoke that pairs two animals, a yoke that is easy conforms to the shape of the neck and shoulders and allows freedom of movement while carrying the burden. The yoke that Jesus invites us to take upon us does the same: it is shaped uniquely to each person so that we choose freely to walk with Christ as we labor to become more like him.God, help me understand that to labor and be burdened is a reality of this life and that, realistically, there is no escape from it. When I face the difficulties of the day and the certainty of its burdens, help me remember the first words of Jesus in today's Gospel as a way to take to heart what follows: "Come to me." Twice, Jesus makes clear what his purpose is in inviting me to come to him. He says, "I will give you rest." Stay with me, Lord. Give me the grace to find rest for myself as you make your presence known.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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