Something Borrowed

"But I tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer him the other. If someone sues you in court for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. Give when asked and do not turn your back on anyone who wants to borrow from you." - Matthew 5:39-42

Following God is nothing but easy! Someone close to me borrowed something that meant a lot to me, and they broke it. I never heard an apology and when I got upset over it being broken, I was told that I was over reacting. I turned into a whiny 6 year old and stormed around making sure everyone knew I was mad, but the more I demanded my justice, the more I felt that maybe I was over reacting.

Don't get me wrong, I am very upset about the situation and feel I should have gotten an apology, but I need to practice what I preach. I'm a new person in Christ and can't act as though I have no faith. Jesus says it very clearly, "do not oppose evil with evil." By sulking and complaining, I wasn't being reasonable because that wouldn't have fixed anything. I'm sure this person already feels badly and that's the reason they haven't been able to face me.… fighting with them will only make them feel worse, and although that's what I wanted, I realize it is evil. But even if they're not sorry, don't I believe in a fair God who will take care of me and make sure I am justified? I do, and as much as it makes me so mad I want to cry, I have to give it up to my God. He's my Lord and if this is what He asks of me, then I must obey and wait for His justice.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, I am sorry for not waiting on Your justice. The way I reacted was opposing evil with evil, and not handling things with love as You command. Please take control of my heart and my emotions because if it were up to me, I'd keep on being mad, but I want Your will to be done and not mine. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Just Keep On Praying

"As for the Eleven disciples, they went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Jesus, they bowed before Him, although some doubted." - Matthew 28:16-17

While Jesus lived with the apostles, they doubted Him. When He was crucified, they lost all their hope. When He resurrected, they still doubted. Even after spending 40 days with them after His resurrection, they still doubted! It doesn't even matter that they saw Him with their own eyes! Dumb apostles, right? If they're dumb, so are we! It's the same thing with us. How many times hasn't God come through for us, on the big things and the small, yet the next time a problem rolls around… bam… we're down on the floor worried that God won't be there for us! But you know what… it's ok! Jesus knew them, He knew what was in their hearts and He didn't reprimand them for it and that's because although they had questions in their head, they were still there praying. You see, that's all that really matters, that we keep on praying, even if a billion questions are stuck in our head. Just keep on praying.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, You have to put up with so much from me! I doubt and turn my back on You, but You're always there to take me back. Please, never let me stay fallen down for too long. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Help The Call To Sinners

"When Jesus heard this He said, 'Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do. Go and find out what this means: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.'" - Matthew 9:12

One of the ugliest things people can do is refuse to go to church or a religious event because of who else is attending. I have heard people say they don't go to church because there are worse sinners inside than outside. They feel holier than the people in the church because they perceive their own sins to be nothing in comparison. People that think like this are so wrong! If we see "bad people" in the church, let's give thanks to God that they are at least trying to change, even if we see them sinning the moment they walk out! Afterall, how many times haven't we fallen? As Jesus told the Pharisees when they complained about Him visiting a tax collector, He came to call the sick. It is not our business who God calls or who God forgives. He sets each of us on our own paths to salvation. For our part, we need to support sinners on the road to salvation. Glory to God who is on the verge of receiving a new soul! We should never criticize who is looking for God because what is in their hearts is only known by God and no one else. Worry only about yourself and making sure you are right with the Lord.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, show me how to be merciful as You are merciful. Blind me to the sins of others and give me only admiration for the souls that decideto seek You, despite their weaknesses and shortcomings. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Need Your Help

"The upright will ask Him: 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food; thirsty and give you drink, or a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to see you?' The King will answer, 'Truly, I say to you: whenever you did this to one of the least, of these my brothers, you did it to me'" - Matthew 25:37-40

For a while now there's been a ministry I've wanted to start and I would like you to help me. Jesus calls us to be light and salt of the world - light which shines and let's people see our faith and salt that preserves the faith of His people. This blog, these messages are light because God speaks through this and builds our faith, but we're missing the salt. When Jesus asks me if I fed His people, gave drink to His people, clothed them, welcomed them, I can't say that I have, but I want to. That's where you come in… please join me to become salt. I would like to start a community of people that join together to identify needs and work together to provide for those needs. For example, if one of us knows someone who needs some money and doesn't have the resources, we join together to help. If one of us knows someone who is going on an interview and can't afford a formal outfit, we join together to help. Or even if we know someone who is older and just needs some company, we join together to help.

Even if you're someone who doesn't particularly like to go to church or pray often, for being a part of something like this, God will immensely bless you and give you much more than what you will be giving away.

Please pray about this and get back to me so we can build this for the sake of others. Jesus will be asking you…

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, by Your grace You have given me so much. I am Your hands and Your feet, use me to do Your work for Your people. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Jesus Freak!

"Not everyone who says to me: Lord! Lord! will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father in Heaven. Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not speak in your name? Did we not cast out devils and perform many miracles in your name?" Then I will tell them openly: I have never known you; away from me, you evil people!" - Matthew 7:21-23

Why is it that I am met with so much resistance when I want to pray with someone or talk about God? It seems to me that I would have more friends and people wanting to talk to me if I spoke about wild nights and getting wasted as opposed to the fact that God wants to be everything for us… He wants to make up for the friend that betrayed you, give you love for the partner that doesn't show you affection, be a crutch when you need support. Yet the people that don't want to hear about God now become expert knee-benders, church goers, and bible-holders when an accident leaves a loved one in a coma, when a serious illness hits, when someone goes to jail, or someone is about to lose their house because they can't pay their bills. Where are they when life is good? The fact is, that soon or in a couple of years, I, like each and every single one of you, am going to die, and on that day, I will have to face my God, and on that day, I WILL NOT care about who calls me a "Jesus freak" today, who avoids talking to me because I want to talk about the love of God, or who tries telling me that I should take things easy. The only thing I care about, that matters to me, is that when I die, Jesus will know who I am. Therefore, I am NOT compromising on my faith and I WILL continue to try to do the will of God, because as far as I am concerned, when I call out "Lord! Lord!" I'm getting through those doors and joining all the other Jesus freaks!

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, it is so hard to live with Your joy and do Your will when most of the people around me only seek their own needs and desires. Help us to remember that this life is short and in order to live it righteously we need to put ourselves aside and do as You have taught us. Give us the strength to persevere. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Don't Fall

"For only a few cents you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. As for you, every hair of your head has been counted. So do not be afraid: you are worth much more than many sparrows." - Matthew 10:29-30

I always had faith since I was a kid. I probably didn't pray very much and one hour of church on Sunday was a big deal for me, but I considered myself a person of faith anyway. When I turned 16, I experienced a special call from God, but with time, I went back to being lukewarm, not actively working on my relationship with God, putting other things first. About a year ago, something changed and I began to really feel like I needed Him more and more. One day, as I prayed kneeling down in my room, I felt the presence of God, of the Holy Spirit surround me and my eyes watered up with tears. I found myself crying, not out of sadness, but out of love… God was letting me feel His love for me, and it was something so amazing that I was scared I would fall again and go back to my old ways of hardly praying and being lazy with my faith. The thought of cooling off from God scared me and hurt me so much that instead of kneeling, I completely bowed down to the ground and asked Jesus over and over again to please not let me fall as my tears fell on the floor. When I lifted my head up again, I grabbed my bible and prayed to God to show me a passage that would tell me what to do, how to keep on following Him… and when I opened the bible to a random page, I got my answer… my finger landed on these two verses… for a few cents, two sparrows can be bought, but not one of them falls without my Father's consent… He's got every hair of my head counted…I shouldn't be afraid of falling because I am worth so much to Him.

And you are worth so much to Him as well. Don't let Spiritual laziness or life distractions keep you from knowing this incredible love of God and how much you mean to Him.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, I want to get to know You better but my life gets in the way. Sometimes I am too busy or I am just too weak. Help me to overcome these distractions and start giving You the room You deserve. In Your Name we pray, amen.

The Crucifixion

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery:
The Crucifixion of Our Lord

"There they crucified him and divided his clothes among themselves, casting lots to decide what each should take. People passing by shook their heads and insulted him, saying, "Aha! So you will destroy the Temple and build it up again in three days. Now save yourself and come down from the cross, if you are Son of God." In the same way the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law mocked him. They said, "The man who saved others cannot save himself. He trusted in God; let God rescue him if God wants to, since he himself said: I am the son of God." From midday darkness fell over the whole land until mid-afternoon. At about three o'clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabbacthani?" which means: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? As soon as they heard this, some of the bystanders said, "He is calling for Elijah." And one of them went quickly, took a sponge and soaked it in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave him to drink. Others said, "Leave him alone, let us see whether Elijah comes to his rescue." Then Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and gave up his spirit." - Matthew 27:35,39-43,45-50

A friend of mine asked me why I have to make these messages so bloody. And yesterday, when I asked my 17 year old twin brothers to pray the rosary with me and meditate on how Jesus was beaten, they complained and said, "ugh! We don't want to think about that!" But we do have to think about it. We have to imagine each wound, each blister, each drop of blood and each tear Jesus shed because He shed them because of our sins. When the prophet Isaiah foretold of the coming of Jesus, he wrote: He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins… but the Lord laid upon him the guilt of us all (Isaiah 53:5,6). As bloody, horrible, and gruesome as it is, you must know that if our sins weren't that serious, such a violent death would not have been necessary! Because we constantly sin, do horrible things, and turn away from God, all that Jesus went through in His passion, all the blood shed, all the injuries sustained, was 100% necessary. That's how serious our sins are!

Upon the cross, Jesus cried out "my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Do you think He said that because He felt God didn't care? No, the reason He said that was because even when He was being crucified, there were people who wouldn't acknowledge or have respect for what He has done for us. Still, while dying on the cross, after all the good that He did, people wanted signs in order to believe. What other signs could you possibly want at this point? Don't be like these people and demand more proof from God in order for you to believe and give your life to Him. The proof is the cross and the blood shed for you is enough reason!

Today's Prayer:
Mary, mother of our Lord, I know you watched in immense pain as they killed your son. I also know you watched Him die, praying that the price He paid would be enough for all to believe in Him. It hasn't been enough, Mary. Pray for us sinners so that we may never take the cross for granted and live our lives following Him.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

O, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls into Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.

Crowned With Thorns

The Third Sorrowful Mystery:
Our Lord is Crowned with Thorns

"The Roman soldiers took Jesus into the palace of the governor and the whole troop gathered around him. They stripped him and dressed him in a purple military cloak. Then, twisting a crown of thorns, they forced it onto his head, and placed a reed in his right hand. They knelt before Jesus and mocked him, saying, 'Long life to the King of the Jews!' They spat at him, took the reed from his hand and struck him on the head with it." - Matthew 27:27-30

The thought that comes into my head as I read this is, is this how a king dies? During His ministry, Jesus was a powerful speaker; He was charismatic, He had great power, yet, when He needed to defend Himself, He remained quiet, accepting the humiliation. He must have been so tired and out of it at this point. A fever must have kicked in from the scourging and He probably couldn't see with the blood pouring into His eyes from the crown of thorns. One thing is certain though, the man who walked on water, expelled demons, and raised people from the dead could have saved His life if He wanted to, but He chose to accept His fate because those who do the will of God never turn back, even in the face of suffering and humiliation.

With the crown of thorns on His head, He was mocked for what He believed in, for what He stood for. All the good He had done for others meant nothing to those Roman soldiers, but Jesus saw beyond that. How about you? What is your reaction when you are mocked, when you are put to shame, when you are put in situation where people don't understand you and what you believe so they decide to verbally or even physically attack you instead? Do you get angry and attack back? Even if it's joking around, we can get defensive. Or do you keep your eyes set on Jesus and remember that it is the Lord who created you, the Lord who you listen to, and no one can take what is right and virtuous away from you? Remember this as people question your faith and the good you do. Those who don't understand God will never understand you. Being called names, being made fun of because you want to pray and follow God's will may be painful and uncomfortable at times, but Jesus already paid the price with blood so that you won't have to. If you are made to wear such a crown for your belief in Jesus Christ, accept it with dignity and pride.

Today's Prayer:

Mary, mother of our Lord, pray for us so that we are never ashamed of demonstrating our faith proudly for all to see that we belong to the Lord.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

O, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.

The Scourging at the Pillar

The Second Sorrowful Mystery:
Our Lord is Scourged at the Pillar

"Then Pilate set Barabbas free, but had Jesus scourged, and handed Him over to be crucified." - Matthew 27:26

Just a few hours before this, Jesus was before the Jewish elders, questioned before the high priest Caiaphas. They demanded answers from Him, but all they were really looking for were reasons to hand Him over to the romans. They made fun of Him and spit at Him, while Jesus accepted what was happening. Then, He is before Pilate, who didn't really want to crucify Him, but had no choice since the crowds were asking for Jesus' death. So, they took our Lord and tied Him to a pillar. The roman soldiers took turns whipping His back. The whips had pieces of bone attached to the ends that were designed to rip away at pieces of flesh and bone upon contact. There was our Lord, an innocent man, our God, tied to a pillar while His body was mutilated. I can imagine that they missed His back a lot of times and instead, the whips ripped away at the sides of His ribs, probably His face, His arms, His legs. And He accepted all of this because at the end, you and I could ask God for forgiveness with a repented heart, and He will forgive us. No longer would we die, but we will have eternal life.

If He wanted to, Jesus could have resisted, ordered the angels to save Him, or made it so He didn't feel pain, but He didn't. You see, how could we ever serve a God who doesn't know what it is like to suffer the things we suffer? Jesus knew this and wanted to show His love by accepting this fate. We can't ever say God doesn't understand our hurt. Sometimes it can feel like people are killing us when we discover betrayal, deceit, or that someone has said horrible things behind our backs. It can feel like the air was sucked right out of us and pieces of our heart were torn out - well, each time Jesus was spit at, betrayed, with each lashing tearing away at His flesh and muscle, He is right there with you in your suffering… and not because He has to be, but because He wants to be.

Today's Prayer:
Mary, you watched in great sorrow as your son was beaten and put to death for our sins. Please pray for us so that this Holy Week does not pass without our fully realizing how much God loves us and how much we need Him every day of our lives.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

O, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. Amen.

The Agony In The Garden

During the next five days of Holy Week, I would like for us to meditate on the Lord's passion by following parts of the sorrowful mysteries from the rosary.

The First Sorrowful Mystery:
The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden

"Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him, and He began to be filled with anguish and distress. And He said to them, "My soul is filled with sorrow even to death. Remain here and stay awake with me." He went a little farther and fell to the ground, with His face touching the earth, and prayed, "Father, if it is possible, take this cup from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want." - Matthew 26:36,37-39

We sometimes forget that Jesus, although God, was also fully human. The fear and sorrow He felt in the garden should remind us that He was just like us. He knew what was coming and the worry and anxiety He must have been experiencing was nothing small. According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was so afraid of what was about to happen to Him, that He even sweated drops of blood. I've been really worried, stressed, and anxious before, but never have I ever come close to sweating blood. I do know that when I find myself feeling distressed, I throw myself at the mercy of God so that He could save me. But here was the Son of God, suffering, afraid, trembling and pleading with God to save Him, and yet, God didn't remove the cup and Jesus did go to the cross. It wasn't that God abandoned Him, but that God, through His son's suffering, would perform His greatest act of love ever. And Jesus gave up His life freely although He was afraid. No matter the distress that fell upon Him, Jesus made sure to tell God that not His will be done, but that of the Father.

We all go through so many horrible things sometimes. We suffer deeply over things we hope God can rescue us from, but if God didn't save His own son from pain, He will not save us if the end result is a greater blessing. Jesus should be our example as we grieve and suffer. Our Lord loves us so much that He experienced pain in order to relate to our human condition. This is why in all that we ask and in all that we suffer, we should set our eyes on Jesus. Like Him, through the hurt and through the uncertainty, let us pray constantly to God so that we don't let the anxiety and despair lead us to sin. Let us put ourselves in the hands of the Father to deliver us from the pain when it is best for us, not when we think fit. Most importantly, let us trust God enough to know what's best for us, and ask that in all things, His will be done.

For today's prayer, let us join the Mother of our Lord in praying for our needs and for those who are most in need of God's mercy:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

O, My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell; lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. Amen.

Held Accountable

"If any of you should cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble and fall, it would be better for you to be thrown into the depths of the sea with a great millstone around your neck." - Matthew 18:6

In January I held a prayer group because I felt God telling me to organize it. I put it off for a bit but He kept insisting. It took a lot out of me to put together because I'm a shy person and didn't want to harass people into attending, although I knew God had a purpose for everyone there. Tonight, my mom told me she bumped into someone whose daughter had attended that night. I don't know the girl. Someone else had invited her. Her mother told my mom that she was transformed that night. She received such a special call from God that all she wants to do is pray, go to church, and read the bible now. Although this is really great news, it scared me. God kept insisting that I put this together and it took so much out of me to silence myself and let Him work. It took so much out of me to even stand before people to talk about my faith. What if I hadn't listened and this young girl, a stranger, would have never received the love of God that night? But more importantly, on the night, God was able to act because I prayed and let myself be guided by Him, but how about who I am 95% of the time? How about who I am when I'm not praying as much? How about the Audrey that gets cranky with my brothers and is quick to snap when things don't go my way? What kind of example do I set then? The girl is just one person who I won over for God because I was praying so much, and I wouldn't have even known about her if my mom hadn't seen her mom. But I wonder how many people I have led into sin when I'm far from God and don't listen to Him. One offense, one bad word, one bad example could have led so many to sin and I would never know, but God knows and I'm sure He's keeping count. Ninety-five percent of the time I'm not who God wants me to be and I'm ashamed of that. Ninety-five percent of the time I could be causing others to sin and that is not acceptable to me.

If there are any of you that are hurt or offended by anything I've done, I am deeply sorry. Sometimes our own ignorance and insecurities lead us to harm people and we never even know it. Please know that if I've ever done anything to any of you, it's been because of my own faults, and I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I'm ashamed of a lot of things I've said, done, and thought, and hope you pray for me as God continues to mold me.

My prayer for tonight is that each of you meditate on your own actions and see if you think you've led people towards God or away from God by the examples you've set. Sometimes it's not the people we live with who we influence the most, but those whose lives we affect when casually walking by. We never realize how the smallest action or gesture on our part can significantly affect the soul of another person. I've heard that in the final judgment, God will show each of us all the souls that were lost and all the souls that were won because of us. Please pray so that we can correct the mistakes and offenses we've made and can work to bring the love of God to those who need His mercy. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Hypocrisy

"Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye and not see the plank in your own eye? Hypocrite, take first the plank out of your own eye, then you will see clear enough to take the speck out of your brother's eye." - Matthew 7:3,5

What makes the scandal surrounding Eliot Spitzer so shocking is that he was a man that made it his career to go after people for illegal activity, yet he was involved in criminal acts himself. It's not shocking that a man would sin, after all, we are all sinners, but in his case, would the public outrage have been as severe if he hadn't made it his job to prosecute so many people? Jesus says do not judge and you will not be judged and I think that what He means is that we all need to recognize our own human weaknesses and faults so that we never condemn others for theirs. We are too quick to condemn someone for certain acts, yet we are sometimes guilty of the same things. This makes us guilty before God because He sees our sins on a daily basis, yet we put others down without mercy. Is it that we think we are beyond reproach? Is it that we think we are better than others? Lately, when I catch myself judging someone, I remind myself that I have probably committed the same act I'm judging, or that I'll probably do the same if I were in the position. God is merciful and I know that in recognizing my hypocrisy at the moment, He will forgive me. It's hard to stop judging from one day to another, but know that in realizing it's something you need to work on, God will help you through. It is much better to humble yourself and recognize you're a sinner, then to walk around with your head held high only to be found out as a hypocrite.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, search me and make known to me all the sins I have committed against You and others. Put them before my eyes always so that I become aware of what I really am and not who I think I am. Help me not to judge others for their sins, but to instead help them in returning to You. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Forgive Others

"If you forgive others their wrongs, your Father in Heaven will also forgive yours. If you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive you either." - Matthew 6:14-15

A good thing to do throughout the day and especially before you go to sleep is to examine your conscience. I like to think about everything I did, everyone I spoke to and think if I offended anyone. A sin is any action that lacks love, so if I said anything mean about someone, if I judged someone, or even if I chose not to help someone when I could have, it's all sin. Thinking about all the bad I do during the day really weighs heavily on my heart. It hurts to think of the times I offend God. I especially feel horrible when I find myself judging someone right off the bad. It's scary and sad to think that's the initial reaction that comes from my heart. But as evil as I am, I really know that God is loving and forgiving. And this is why we all need to really pray for help in forgiving others. I, like many of you, carry around wounds for things people have done to me, things that get me upset just to think about! Some people have hurt us so bad that there's no way we could ever think of even seeing them again, but who are we to hold things against others when we do worse to God and He is always, always forgiving? Forgiveness doesn't mean you have to condone what that person did to you. It only means that you have decided not to hold the grudge and live free of the weight on your shoulders. When you do this, God forgives you for all of your offenses. Then you would be free to have a more open relationship with God and get to know Him better, instead of carrying around pain for the grudges you are harboring. We all want to be better people and this is one of the most important steps in achieving that. We can't be in peace with God unless we're in peace with those around us.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I think of people who have hurt me and I get angry, but then I am humbled when I think of how You have forgiven me time after time. You call me to be perfect, like our Father is perfect… although that is so hard for me to attain, help me to get one step closer each day. In Your Name we pray, amen.

It Is Your Responsibility

"He then asked for water and washed his hands before the people, saying, "I am not responsible for his blood. It is your doing." - Matthew 27:24

Pilate lives in history as the man who handed Jesus over to be killed. We even announce it in our creed each week, although Pilate washed his hands of Jesus' death. And if you think of it logically, it really wasn't his fault so much, right? He tried to let Jesus go, but ultimately the people wanted Him crucified, right? After all, Pilate wasn't even a Jew and didn't want to get involved in their affairs. This is wrong. Today, as I prayed the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary and thought about Pilate, I saw so many of us in his shoes. Pilate did have a responsibility! Although he didn't want to be involved in Jewish affairs, as a leader he was called to serve justice and he should have defended an innocent person. So many times, many of us let the weak and defenseless get abused because we don't want to get involved. So many times we wash our hands from helping someone, of being there to support someone. Many of us act like Pontius Pilate and we don't even see it. He's a villain in the story of Jesus, but we do the same thing to others when we pass up a chance to come to their defense! From now on, look to see who you can serve. Who are the little people around you that need your protection and your help? Don't wash your hands of anyone's problem if you can be a blessing to that person.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I realize that I act like Pilate sometimes when I don't stand up for the innocent. Strengthen my Spirit and make me more willing to serve others in need. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Adjust Your Light

"You are the light of the world. A city built on a mountain cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and covers it; instead it is put on a lamp stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine before others, so that they may see the good you do and praise your Father in Heaven." - Matthew 5:14-16

My boss just got those transition lenses. When he goes outside the lenses darken to protect his eyes and when he goes back inside they lighten up. The sun only knows how to burn brightly with no regard as to whether it's burning us or not giving us enough heat. Imagine if it knew we were cold in the winter and it exerted just enough energy to keep us toasty, or if during a July heat wave it would back off a bit so we could cool down. Sometimes we can be like the sun and not know how to adjust the light of God in us. Each of us has the ability to burn hot and brightly, but that doesn't mean we must go around on full blast, preaching about Jesus to the point where people tune us out. That's when people put on sun glasses to block us, right? Or, on the other hand, are we ever so dim that people around us interpret us as cold hearted? Are we like the sun during winter that sees the need for warmth in the people on the street and not do a thing to comfort them? If you're burning too brightly or not burning at all, you need to adjust your light.

Jesus is the light of the world, the Son of God who came and provided the exact level of light each of us needed. His light comforted the sick, the poor, those whose faith needed repairing. His light also rebuked the high and mighty, giving them the message they needed to hear. In our lives, if we let Him, Jesus is that perfect amount of light that warms us and, like flowers, helps us grow, without ever burning us. You must do the same in your lives. Adjust your light and burn brightly when someone around you needs warmth. Show others the light of Christ that lives in you.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for lighting up my soul and allowing me to be a guide for others. Help me to recognize how brightly I should burn for those You have put in my path. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Taking a Life

"You have heard that it was said to our people in the past: Do not commit murder; anyone who does kill will have to face trial. But now I tell you: whoever gets angry with his brother will have to face trial. Whoever insults his brother deserves to be brought before the council, whoever humiliates his brother deserves to be thrown into the fire of hell." - Matthew 5:21-22

After reading this verse I'm sure a good number of us are thinking we're going to be thrown in hell! Yes, we know murdering someone is wrong, but here, Jesus is warning that insulting someone is the same thing as murder. The act of murder is obviously terribly violent, but when we insult someone else, there is a lack of love that takes place. As a result of this, we fail to see the life of God in that person and therefore we are rejecting God. Murder has irrevocable consequences and similarly, think of times you have been seriously angry at someone, or them at you, has the relationship been fully mended or are there remnants of hurt and pain? All of this goes against the love and abundance of life God wants to give us, which is why to Jesus, insults and ill-managed anger are the same as taking someone's life. And many times, to the people we hurt, it feels like their lives have been taken away.

Watch yourselves and how you act. The bar has been set high, but not too high so that we can't reach it.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for lacking in love for my brother. Forgive me for all offenses I've committed consciously and unconsciously. I have so much to learn but pray that You show me. In Your Name we pray, amen.

The Good You Do

Before I start, I'd like to apologize for not sending out a message in almost a week. I was really sick and weak, and didn't have much energy for anything… but I'm better now so let's get to it!

"Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in Heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have already been paid in full." - Matthew 6:1-2

Those of you looking to do something truly selfless for Lent should be volunteering your time, donating more money, and simply putting more effort into helping those around us who are in need… but when you do good for others make sure you question yourself as to why you're doing it. Some of us do it to be Jesus' hands and feet here on Earth while others do it so they can boast to others and receive praise for their "righteousness." They want people to tell them how good and selfless they are. During this sermon in Matthew, Jesus goes on to say that what your right hand does, your left hand shouldn't know about, meaning that when you do something good for others, even if it's donating a kidney, if you really intended it to be for God, don't tell anyone else. If God is who matters and you're acting out of the goodness of your heart, then God saw what you did… keep it at that. Instead, if you tell people what you did for someone and just "let" people find out so they can tell you what a good person you are, then don't expect the Lord to give you any kind of recognition since you have already received it from others. Your actions show you only wanted to please yourself, not God. If God was your real motivation, telling others and bragging about how holy you are shouldn't be happening. Throughout the gospels, there are so many instances where Jesus would heal someone and then He would tell them to keep quiet and not tell a soul. Even though He deserved all the praise in the world, Jesus kept quiet because the good He did was for God and not for His own ego.

Therefore, please examine yourselves and your motives. Let them be pure. Let this Lenten season be full of good acts for others that are only between you and God… I believe anything else is inspired by the devil.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, search me and make me clean. Humble me and build me up again to be Your loyal and faithful servant. Let all the works of my hands be for You and You only, and not for others to see. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Rely Only On God

"Do not worry and say: What are we going to eat? What are we going to drink? Or: What shall we wear? The pagans busy themselves with such things; but your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Set your heart first on the kingdom and justice of God and all these things will also be given to you." - Matthew 6:31-33

Today was the third time in the past week that I've shared this verse so I felt that it was a sign to write about it. We all worry about the future and making it financially. There are so many things we need and every day can be a struggle, but I am a firm believer in what Jesus says here - set your heart first on the kingdom and justice of God and all will be given to you. If you hesitate, it means you're not having complete confidence in God. You don't see the results because you're not showing faith, you're not trusting. It is our faith that activates the power of God and until you start showing that faith, you won't see God working in the way He wants to. He'll only go as far as you let Him, so remove those mental obstacles.

Finances aren't the only reason to set your heart on God first. I've been speaking to people that want to change, that are struggling to be better but get stuck on trying to do it themselves. We can't do anything on our own. It is all by the grace of God. That's why, again, set your heart first on the kingdom and justice of God and all else will be given to you. You really, really need to take this message in: Our God is a good and powerful God - the ONLY thing we need to do is focus on Him and every single thing we need He will take care of, He wants to take care of… a new job, a new car, a spouse, a family, health, happiness, finances… all of these things He will handle for you if you just focus on Him!

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, teach me to stop relying solely on myself when it is You that give me all I have, even the air I breathe. Teach me to trust in You and set my heart on Your kingdom and justice. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Spreading Poison

"In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and the measure you use for others will be used for you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye and not see the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother: 'Come, let me take the speck from your eyes,' as long as the plank is in your own? Hypocrite, take first the plank out of your own eye, then you will see clear enough to take the speck out of your brother's eye." - Matthew 7:2-5

I'm really ashamed to say right now that in Jesus' eyes, I'm a hypocrite. I am guilty of judging others and gossiping behind their backs, criticizing and putting down. But now, through this process of getting to know God better and getting to know myself better, I am growing into a healthier person. Psychologists will tell you that what you don't like about someone is what you don't like about yourself. I believe that criticizing others always has to do with our own problems with ourselves. I know that each time I put someone down, it was because I felt bad about myself. Maybe I was feeling insecure and felt better by putting someone else down. Maybe I was having trouble with something and felt better when someone else was having trouble. Maybe I was even jealous that someone else was happy and I wasn't. It never had to do with the other person, it was always a problem I had with myself. The worst part about it is that we never keep the venom to ourselves. Whenever we gossip, it's done with someone else, so I would also help spread the poison… another sin to add to my list.

I really am ashamed of my words and am trying my hardest to be who God wants me to be. None of us has the right to say anything about anybody because we don't know where they're coming from, nor are any of us perfect. Instead, whenever we feel we are going to judge or criticize someone, let's bring that energy to God, so that He can work on whatever is inside of us that needs attention or needs healing.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I am so sorry for the times I've spoken badly about others or put them down. Heal me of my wounds and insecurities, so I can be a medium of peace and not of poison. In Your Name we pray, amen.

The Evil That I Hate

"Stay awake and pray, so that you may not slip into temptation. The spirit indeed is eager, but human nature is weak." - Matthew 26:41

The verse that I relate to the most is from Romans where Paul says that he cannot explain what happens to him - he does the evil that he hates and not the good that he wants to do. I can't tell you how many times I don't want to do something, refuse to even think about it, and then, in a very surreal way, watch myself doing the very thing I didn't want to do. It really is my soul saying, "don't do it!" as my flesh falls into temptation. I caught myself today saying something I shouldn't have, but out it came anyway. But then, if I'm falling into sin, I feel bad asking for forgiveness right away because I feel that I'm not strong enough to not fall again. This is why if you ever feel like this, you need to listen to Jesus' words here. The spirit is willing to be good. I do want to be good. I don't want to sin, but my flesh is weak. Our human nature is weak. So, what do we do then? We keep watch and we pray. We must be observant of all of our sins and be aware of the occasions in which we sin so we could avoid them. And if we don't remain strong in prayer, it's so easy to just slip into temptation, as I see myself do so many times. I'm sure you see this in yourself, too.

The bottom line is that yes, we are all sinners, but we need to grow spiritually as well, right? Therefore, keep watch over what you do, and most importantly, pray constantly so that you are able to move past certain temptations.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, again and again, I do what I don't want to do. Help me pick myself up and be a stronger person, a person of stronger faith and conviction. Thank You for Your saving grace and mercy. In Your Name we pray, amen.