Tag Archives: faith

May 12-Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

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“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.

John 10: 1-4

Here are the complete readings for Monday, May 12, 2025.

(“Peter Preaching” by Masaccio)

In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of God as shepherd and gatekeeper, there to protect the vulnerable flock. He says that they, or we, hear God’s voice and know that we are being led in the right direction. The right direction may not be the safest or most familiar path, but if we possess the presence of mind and openness of heart, we can receive one life’s most precious gifts, which is trust. Trust allows us to follow the Spirit, who knows us, on new journeys that may lead to unexpected encounters that surprise us and our companions. In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter shares his own trust journey which has upended what he thought he knew about his faith and the customs that directed it. The ability to make this leap forward is a treasure that comes from being able to let go and listen to the shepherd whose voice we hear, however faintly, calling us.

 Remember,
Jesus, your brother,
has walked this path before you.
In you,
as Risen Lord,
He wants to walk this path again,
and His Spirit, the Spirit of God,
now guides you.
At times you will discover
that God’s ways are not your ways,
and God’s thoughts are not your thoughts.
When this happens,
try to surrender yourself trustingly
into the arms of your Parent God,
who knows you,
understands you,
and loves you.

– The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God,  we want to write our own story. So do you. Help us in the journey to be our true selves by trusting in your radical goodness and generosity. When we want to respond to evil with evil, remind us that we are connected to you and therefore we actually wish to choose the good. Help us believe that we are worthy of the decisions we make. Amen

May 5-Monday of the Third Week of Easter

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And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
“Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered them and said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me
not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”
So they said to him,
“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

John 6: 25-29

Here are the complete readings for Monday, May 5, 2025.

(“Jesus Heals Peter” Icon of the Diocese of Cyprus, Maronite)

Jesus speaks to the crowd about what they cannot understand but what they are feeling. They are hungry, and they are seeking nourishment. The nourishment they seek is the connection of being loved that brings them out of their spiritual loneliness. When Jesus reminds the people to believe, he is exhorting them to believe that, on a fundamental level, they are beloved and capable of being loved. When one believes in their own dignity and worth, this is actually not a selfish decision. It is actually a courageous act of faith. To be loved in a very real way means accepting that the love one experiences cannot be contained, it must be shared. Just as Jesus shared his physical and spiritual self with humanity, so we are called to be present and connected to others, those with whom we feel genuine affection, our acquaintances, the passersby, and those we think we know and whose presence does not give us pleasure. We don’t always follow through on our calling, for we are all too human. Yet the hunger persists, to remind us to turn towards God, and to believe that a reunion is possible.

In this life of following Christ,
allow yourself, therefore, to be given away,
together with your sisters and brothers,
as nourishment for others,
as bread that is broken. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, thank you for the gift of this day. Whether we are awakened in calm by the birds at dawn, or in anxiety by the perils that await outside, you are here and by my side. Help me take your companionship and share it with those we encounter. May we be aware of our own vulnerability so we can be present and compassionate to people having their own moments of abandonment. You share yourself with us so completely so that we can be that gift to our neighbors.

Amen

April 19-Holy Saturday and Vigil Before Easter

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Then God said,
“Let there be light,” and there was light.
God saw how good the light was.
God then separated the light from the darkness.
God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.”
Thus evening came, and morning followed—the first day.

Genesis 1: 3-5

I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you,
taking from your bodies your stony hearts
and giving you natural hearts.
I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes,
careful to observe my decrees.
You shall live in the land I gave your fathers;
you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Ezekiel 36: 26-28

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb;
but when they entered,
they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were puzzling over this, behold,
two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.
They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground.
They said to them,
“Why do you seek the living one among the dead?

Luke 24: 2-5

Here are the complete readings for Saturday, April 19, 2025.

(“Creation Story” mural-Nungalinya College https://www.nungalinya.edu.au/creation-story)

Can one describe the feeling when they have created a work of art? Art, even something that reflects something sad or painful, can radiate beauty, sometimes enough to stop a person in their tracks. Art is subjective, appealing to some tastes more than others. Art, even something that presents as self-evident, has an aura of mystery about it. That is because, be it music, dance, literature, theatre or painting, the art has its origins in a creator, who are themselves a mystery. A part of the artist exists in the art. How is this possible? We humans seem to have a natural inclination for self-transcendence, or to seek some kind of spiritual connection beyond our senses. In the Christian tradition, our rituals reflect God’s creative power present to us. We are God’s creation, God’s works of art. Like the artist and the art, we reflect God’s image and likeness by our very existence. These days of the Triduum reflect great sacrifice and pain, but point the way to the joy of resurrection and rebirth that surpasses description.

 
You were created by the God of love
in God’s image and according to God’s likeness,
to be a unique expression of that love.
It is through you
that God desires to manifest Love
to the peoples of the world in these times,
and to offer them the freedom
of the children of God. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, when we feel we are forsaken and in darkness, give us the hope in the dawn that lays ahead. Like the women at the tomb, may we believe in you even if we do not understand what we have witnessed. We trust that you point us towards the living, and welcome us as companions on this path to new and abundant life.

Amen

(“Women at the Tomb” by He Qi)

April 17-Holy Thursday and the Lord’s Supper

Posted on by Rob Peace
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So when he had washed their feet
and put his garments back on and reclined at table again,
he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you?
You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’  and rightly so, for indeed I am.
If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,
you ought to wash one another’s feet.
I have given you a model to follow,
so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

John 13: 12-15

Here are the complete readings for Thursday, April 17, 2025.

(“Agnus Dei” by Francisco Zurbaran)

Some memories can be dangerous memories. They could be memories of tragedies or humiliations, but not always. Can we recall the times in which we were invited to reorient our outlook or worldview, and accepted this invitation with all its consequences? The danger comes in the memory of the transformation that was disruptive to our previous place of comfort or familiarity. Surrendering like that is a radical choice and goes against our cultural norms about success and happiness. How do we recall these actions in a way that can change other people and aid in our continuing transformation? This is why rituals can be so powerful in any faith tradition or mission driven community. Rituals recall sacrifice, goodbyes, and loss, but they also signify rebirth and that the hope that this rebirth supplies. As we conduct such rituals, whether the Triduum or any other collective remembrance, let us pray that our minds and hearts are open and that we do not forget.

 
 Study and reflect also
upon the history of the congregation,
for this history
is the actual
lived
expression and development
of your Founder’s charism.
It will reveal to you
the mysterious ways of God
in the cycle of death and rebirth
that has been the life of the congregation. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, thank you for the gift of our loved ones who have gone before us. May their acts of courage help us to love you and our neighbors. Help us remember this gift when we feel most alone. Give us the strength to receive your grace that calls us out of darkness and into new life and ways of being.

Amen

April 14-Monday of Holy Week

Posted on by Rob Peace
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Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
Upon whom I have put my Spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
Not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
A bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
Until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

Isaiah 42: 1-4

Here are the complete readings for Monday, April 14, 2025.

(“Mary of Bethany” by Joy George William)

I’m guessing I would have sneered at Mary of Bethany just like Jesus’ friends did. What was her motive, and why put on such a show that was so wasteful, especially when Jesus was always talking about taking care of poor people! That is the problem with judgments like this. We don’t often understand peoples’ intentions, much less what comes from their hearts. Clearly, Mary’s heart was very full as she reached out to Jesus that day. Her concern was not to show off wealth or piety. It was about a relationship and connection with someone who loved her, perfume or no perfume. When we are feeling judgmental, perhaps we should flip the script, and question our own motives for feeling this way. What within our hearts is causing this indignation? What about us is unhappy that then draws us into behavior that severs relationships rather than weaving them together? Consider the unlikely “servant” in the words of the prophet Isaiah. This person is not whom he seems. He is gentle and compassionate, yet more powerful than the mightiest warrior. It is this compassion that can bring former foes together to defeat the common enemy of injustice. Like Mary and the servant, may we lead with our hearts to be open to who our loved one, neighbor or adversary could actually be, not as we would have them be.

Listen to your brothers and sisters,
be compassionate with them in their difficulties,
bear with them in their weaknesses,
encourage and support them.
Affirm your brothers and sisters in their gifts,
for by doing so you enable them to realize the gifts that God has given them
for service. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, Your path is not always the path we would have chosen. Thank you for never forcing us onto a path, but giving us signs that we can choose to follow as we are able. You call us to repent and be transformed, but you accept us just as we are. Help us be patient and loving to our companions as you are to us.

Amen

April 13-Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Posted on by Rob Peace
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My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
All who see me scoff at me;
they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:
“He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,
let him rescue him, if he loves him.”
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Indeed, many dogs surround me,
a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;
They have pierced my hands and my feet;
I can count all my bones.
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
They divide my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.
But you, O LORD, be not far from me;
O my help, hasten to aid me.
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:
“You who fear the LORD, praise him;
all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;
 revere him, all you descendants of Israel!”
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24.

Here are the complete readings for Sunday, April 13, 2025.

(“Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem” by Alexey Smirnov)

Contemplate the entire collection of readings for this Palm Sunday day as we enter into Holy Week. I chose to highlight Psalm 22 today because of the connection to Jesus’ last words prior to his death. Also, I have always appreciated the arc of this psalm. The narrator goes from despair to confidence over the course of each of the stanzas. Note that at the end, the person is not relieved of suffering and stress, but is emboldened by the presence of God they’d questioned at first. This psalm is about hope. That is the basis of all belief. It is not always rational, but life is not rational either. Hope can appear in the smallest and most barren of spaces, but hope has a special power. It grows, gradually but then exponentially, whatever the circumstances. Our life’s arc is limited to space and time, but hope is forever, like our God.

 Gradually,
you will realize
that the cost of your discipleship
is your very life,
freely consecrated to God
and offered to the world
as a sign of God’s love and care.
The gift you have received
give as a gift.
You have promised
to follow Christ, the poor man,
totally given in love to God
and for all people everywhere,
and whose loving obedience led Him
to death on the cross. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, we thank you for the people in our lives who have been Christ for us. They respond to our suffering with compassion and walk the journey with us. They give of themselves with humble joy. The simplest encounters with them are rich with meaning. Their passion exudes a zeal that can sustain us in the darkest of trials. We trust in you, O Lord, that your presence and love transcends even death.

Amen

(“The Isenheim Crucifixion” by Matthias Grunewald)

April 6-Sunday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Posted on by Rob Peace
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Thus says the LORD,
            who opens a way in the sea
            and a path in the mighty waters,
who leads out chariots and horsemen,
            a powerful army,
till they lie prostrate together, never to rise,
            snuffed out and quenched like a wick.
Remember not the events of the past,
            the things of long ago consider not;
see, I am doing something new!
            Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
In the desert I make a way,
            in the wasteland, rivers.
Wild beasts honor me,
            jackals and ostriches,
for I put water in the desert
            and rivers in the wasteland
            for my chosen people to drink,
the people whom I formed for myself,
            that they might announce my praise.

Isaiah 43: 16-21

Here are the complete readings for Sunday, April 6, 2025.

(“The Stoning” by Jack Baumgartner)

Open the door, and something new may appear. New paths to freedom appear that were obscured before. A person has an invitation to do something in the present moment which is different from previous times. This sounds inviting, but also scary, as is anything new or unknown. These themes appear in both the Hebrew Scriptures and in today’s Gospel. Do we have the awareness to see the door itself, and then do we have enough curiosity to walk through the door into an experience that might make us uncomfortable but ultimately happy? Consider the Gospel story of the woman caught in adultery. This tale is wonderful example of God’s unconditional love and mercy, and that humans have dignity regardless of their actions from the past. As we read the narrative multiple times, does our mind ever shift from the woman to those who accused her and would have put her to death? Note what happens when Jesus draws in the dirt, and asks the question to the men about their own sinfulness. One by one, they turn and walk away. Were they ashamed? Probably. Yet in his own way, Jesus was inviting them to forgiveness, too. How can we be forgiven? We need to first own our weakness and poverty before we can be open to transformation. Did these men change when they went home? We don’t know, but for a moment, at least, they realized that they had not just the obligation, but the chance to change. Who knows what might have happened when they walked through the open door as they arrived home?

You were created by the God of love
in God’s image and according to God’s likeness,
to be a unique expression of that love.
It is through you
that God desires to manifest Love
to the peoples of the world in these times,
and to offer them the freedom
of the children of God.

– The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, thank you for the confrontations that have forced us to see how others see us, and for the chances to see ourselves as how you see us. Help us to trust that this is the true version of ourselves that you created and continue to bless. May we embrace what is ordinary, or real, in the unspectacular moments each day. Help u not take these times for granted. Thank you for your invitation to turn towards you. You have already opened the door for us, give us the fortitude to walk through it and embrace you.

Amen

March 30-Sunday of the Fourth Week of Lent

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But the LORD said to Samuel: 
“Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, 
because I have rejected him.
Not as man sees does God see, 
because man sees the appearance 
but the LORD looks into the heart.

I Samuel 16: 7

Here are the complete readings for Sunday, March 30, 2025.

(“Jesus gives sight to a blind man by birth” Miniature by Cristoforo De Predis)

What are the emotional walls we use to protect ourselves from pain that we need to tear down so that we can see and hear properly? Repentance can be a daily activity, not only to confess sins but to reflect on who we are and have been over the course of the day. Besides thinking about what we’ve done wrong, can we think about the moments when we have shown gratitude and when have we given other people our full attention? Sometimes this process of contemplation can take time and the immediate results unclear. Consider the transformation of the man born blind. While he received his physical sight immediately from Jesus, the man’s understanding of who he was and who Jesus was took time. Gradually, he became more and more aware of who he was to be, and faced the adversity that came with this decision with increasing courage and confidence. As people who practice faith through both action and contemplation, let us remember that conversions can and do happen in their own time. At its core, conversion is the joyful realization that we are loved and are capable of loving in communion and service with God.

At times you will discover
that God’s ways are not your ways,
and God’s thoughts are not your thoughts.
When this happens,
try to surrender yourself trustingly
into the arms of your Parent God,
who knows you,
understands you,
and loves you.

Perhaps you can repeat
with your Founder
this simple prayer
which he cherished:
O Lord, I cannot understand your ways,
but I must adore them.– The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, the path forward is so clearly lit by you. When I go off course, help me to be honest and not blame my failings on someone else without first looking deep in my own heart to find the source of my troubles. You give us the gift of your presence, which is what we need. Inspired by this confidence, may I step forward to be present to others who find themselves lost or alone.

Amen

March 24-Monday of the Third Week of Lent

Posted on by Rob Peace
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But his servants came up and reasoned with him.
“My father,” they said,
“if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary,
would you not have done it?
All the more now, since he said to you,
‘Wash and be clean,’ should you do as he said.”
So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
at the word of the man of God.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God.
On his arrival he stood before him and said,
“Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,
except in Israel.”

I Kings 5: 13-15

Here are the complete readings for Monday, March 24, 2025

(“Naaman Cured of Leprosy”-Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, Tenn. )

We do not like to be reminded of what we know to be true about ourselves that must change. We call this nagging. At least when we are being harangued we know we need to make an adjustment. We just want to take care of things on our own schedule. What happens when we cannot even see that we need to change? What do we think of the people who lovingly remind us of the truth of our situation but we do not respond in kind? This has always been the role of the prophet in Scripture, to speak truth to powerful people but to do so not out of self-interest but out of love for the person or for the persons hurt by the others’ actions. In the book of Kings, Elisha is admirable for his courage but Naaman should also be commended for realizing he was wrong and letting his pride stand in the way for being healed. Can we avoid the reactions of Jesus’ neighbors and recognize that the prophets in our lives are trying to help us, and not shame us?

You are called
to a life of constant searching.
Let the developments and changes
of your times
be a source both of confidence and challenge to you.
For as your Founder wrote:
The Holy Spirit
does not let Himself be bound
by rules and models
but works where and as He wills.

 – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, when we are overwhelmed by new realities, help us to find space to locate the source of what troubles us. May we not be intimidated when what is familiar goes away and we encounter something or someone different that challenges our assumptions. Thank you for bringing us prophets who share your good news and draw us closer to you. Open our eyes and our hearts to your Spirit so we too may be prophets for your kingdom.

Amen

March 23-Sunday of the Third Week of Lent

Posted on by Rob Peace
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In those days, in their thirst for water,
the people grumbled against Moses,
saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt?
Was it just to have us die here of thirst 
with our children and our livestock?”
So Moses cried out to the LORD, 
“What shall I do with this people?
a little more and they will stone me!”
The LORD answered Moses,
“Go over there in front of the people, 
along with some of the elders of Israel, 
holding in your hand, as you go, 
the staff with which you struck the river.
I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb.
Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it 
for the people to drink.”
This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.
The place was called Massah and Meribah, 
because the Israelites quarreled there
and tested the LORD, saying,
“Is the LORD in our midst or not?”

Exodus 17: 3-7

Here are the complete readings for Sunday, March 23, 2025

(“Christ and the Samaritan Woman” by Ivan Mestrovic)

In the narratives in Exodus and in the Gospel of John, people struggle with their preconceptions of what they need and how they will find it. Both stories focus the need for water, an essential human need. How does the water symbolize the need for loving connection between human beings and God, without which we become thirsty, then parched, then desperate? In both stories, the people receive a revelation about the source of their suffering, and the simple but difficult decisions they need to make in order to repair their fractured relationships. Most importantly, they are guided by God through patience and compassion, both of which we are called to be to our neighbors who hunger and thirst.

As you prayerfully reflect on the past,
assess the present,
and ponder the future with one another,
be considerate of this history
and of this ministry.
Yet, like Ryken,
foster an attitude of openness
to the needs of the Church and your world,
and a willingness to follow Christ
wherever He leads. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, you know our hearts and souls, and give us everything we need. Help us to reflect on how the ordinary needs of our neighbors affect us and our journey of life. May we be open to who you call us to be today and beyond. Give us the courage to be open to the challenges and opportunities of your discipleship.

Amen