Category: Daily Reflections

“LOW,” I AM WITH YOU

“The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds.” —Sirach 35:17 Clouds can be a sign of God’s presence or, figuratively speaking, a barrier preventing us from “getting through” to God. Clouds present no problem to the prayer of the lowly, for their prayer pierces the clouds. We can surmise that the prayer of many people is not “getting through” to God, for many people pray infrequently. If they were “getting through,” they probably would be encouraged to pray always (see Lk 18:1). Who wants to keep calling a phone number when you seldom “get through”? Many of us must not...

DEADLINES CAN BE “LIFELINES”

“In answer, the man said, ‘Sir, leave it another year while I hoe around it and manure it; then perhaps it will bear fruit. If not, it shall be cut down.’ ” —Luke 13:8-9 The Lord has stated clearly that He expects us to bear fruit which is abundant (Jn 15:5) and lasting (Jn 15:16). He has given us all we need to bear the fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of holiness (see Gal 5:22-23), and the fruit of evangelization. If we are truly holy, we will evangelize effectively. The Lord is patient with us. He does not expect...

FROM CERTAIN DEFEAT TO TOTAL VICTORY

“I see in my body’s members another law at war with the law of my mind; this makes me the prisoner of the law of sin in my members.” —Romans 7:23 There is a civil war going on inside us. We are compelled to do not the good we will to do but the evil we do not intend (Rm 7:19). We are even forced to wage war on our own souls when we satisfy our carnal desires (1 Pt 2:11). All human beings by nature cannot help but lose this interior war. We are thus prisoners of war (see...

IS HE LORD OF YOUR BODY?

“Just as you formerly enslaved your bodies to impurity and licentiousness for their degradation, make them now the servants of justice for their sanctification.” —Romans 6:19 The bodies of those baptized into Jesus are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). The Lord wants us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to Him (Rm 12:1). The Lord commands us to make ourselves, including our bodies, His slaves (Rm 6:22). Then our bodies will be slaves to righteousness (Rm 6:19, RNAB). This will result in our sanctification. Otherwise, our bodies will be slaves to impurity and to lawlessness (Rm...

AMAZING GRACE

“Despite the increase of sin, grace has far surpassed it.” —Romans 5:20 Most people believe that sin is increasing. Look at abortion, racism, ethnic cleansings, promiscuity, violence, the breakdown of the family, economic injustices, persecution, etc. Yet where sin increases, grace overflows “all the more.” Consequently, grace is always sufficient (2 Cor 12:9). The most evil, sinful situation is always surpassed by God’s grace. No circumstance in life is ever hopeless. There is never reason to despair. There is always reason to hope. Thus, we can “rejoice in hope” (Rm 12:12), for it “will not leave us disappointed” (Rm 5:5)....