Meditations in Manhattan

All of us can become saints.  But we need to re-focus our attention from ourselves to Christ, so we can follow in his footsteps. And we know that Mary, the mother of Jesus, will be a powerful ally in our effort to follow her son. A meditation by Father Henry Bocala.

The angels are extremely powerful beings. They are just as real as the person sitting next to you, and they are sent to guide and protect us. Let us ask our guardian angels to help make us more aware of Christ's presence, to help us in our warfare of holiness, our struggle to bring the teaching of Christ Jesus into our daily lives. A meditation by Father John Agnew.

A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen.

Jesus told the woman at the well in Samaria, "If you only knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'give me to drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." Let us say to Jesus, "Lord, increase my faith," so that we recognize the gift of God, Jesus who has come into this world to save us, Jesus who comes to bring us eternal life. A meditation by Father Th...

Even at the foot of the Cross, we have the great joy of knowing that God loves us, that the gates of heaven have been opened to us. Let us respond, with the help of Mary, and Joseph, and all the saints, by putting our trust in the Lord, and doing the good that Christ asks of us. A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen.

At the last supper, Jesus gave to his disciples a new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you.” This new commandment of Jesus represents a synthesis of all his teachings. May we obey Christ’s command, and follow his example, and let charity reign in our hearts. A meditation by Father Henry Bocala.

Christ died for us; what have we done for Christ? Let us return love for love, meeting him in the Eucharist. Let us ask Mary to help us rediscover Christ, making him our most dear friend. May this friendship guard my heart and guide my life. A meditation by Monsignor Thomas Bohlin.

A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen. 

A meditation by Father Joe Keefe

As we prepare for the feast of Mary’s Assumption, with all Christians around the world, we gather around Mary, and call her “our Mother.” Let us contemplate the life of Jesus through Mary, asking her to help us to become another Christ in the world. A meditation by Monsignor Timothy Bohlin.

A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen. 

Like Mary, who said yes to God at the Annunciation, let us learn to use our time for God's glory and the salvation of souls. A meditation by Father Javier Garcia. 

Jesus was a true friend to many people in the Gospels, including especially Martha, Lazarus and Mary. Jesus seeks out our friendship too. We can learn to foster a more intense friendship with Christ, both in the Eucharist and in our day-to-day lives. A meditation by Father Joe Keefe.

If we want to climb very high in our love of God and professional ambitions, we must have a deep foundation in humility. Humility opposes pride, which is the root of sin and complicates our lives; it helps us understand others, accept difficulties as opportunities to grow, and forget ourselves for the sake of God and others. A meditation by Father Henry Bocala.

In 1928, St Josemaría discovered a calling to spread a revolutionary new message: that ordinary men and women can become saints by discovering occasions to love God in everyday life. The starting point for this lifelong journey is the realization that God makes us His own children through Christ and that He stays very close to us. The beauty and wonder we find in contemplating these truths lead us...

"Oh precious and wonderful banquet!..." The Eucharist is Christ remaining with us, giving us His Presence on earth and cleansing from sin through the reception of His Body in Holy Communion. If we prepare ourselves well to receive him each Sunday and other days we attend Mass, making use of Confession when we need it, we will act always in God's presence and develop a real need for the Eucharist.

The Christian life is demanding: carrying out Christ's sanctifying mission on earth requires sacrifice. However, a life of self-giving doesn't lead to sadness, but rather brings with it true joy. When we make time to pray to our Lord daily, lovingly fulfill our plan of life, and go out of our way to show care to others, we come closer to bringing the Kingdom of God to earth.

Christ is so humble that he waits for us, hidden,  in the form of  bread, in the Eucharist. Let us seek him, let us receive him. Let us ask him to help us to love him more and more. Christ made us for heaven, for glory. Why would we seek anything else? A meditation by Father Thomas Bohlin.

The words of Jesus, “Go out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch,” are addressed to each one of us.  Let us be open to the motions of the Holy Spirit, be attentive to the needs of others, be ready to leave everything we need to follow Christ. A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen.

The martyrs of the Church teach us by example how obedience to Christ and His Church leads to freedom, a freedom that even the greatest sufferings and difficulties cannot take away. It is the freedom of living a life of consistency and joy, a life which all who call themselves Christian are called to embrace. A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen.

On the Feast of St Matthias, we reflect that living the fullness of the Christian faith does not require an extraordinary calling. All Christians, priests and lay faithful alike, have the duty, by virtue of their Baptism, to proclaim Christ, His Death and Resurrection through their words and actions. The ordinary greatness of this sweet burden requires us to make Christ truly central in our lives...

God is not indifferent to our suffering. He becomes one of us to share in it, and he leads us as a shepherd leads his flock. To be led from the death of sin into life requires us to know Our Lord's life very well, by reading the Gospel daily, and by living a life of prayer and sacrifice. A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen.

The joy of our faith is based on our hope in the Resurrection, and the reality of what Christ has done. He is the Good Shepherd, and we shall fear no evil. Today and always, let us be overcome with the joy of Easter. A meditation by Father John Agnew.

"This is the day the Lord has made!" We are called to live each day with faith in our risen Lord, a faith which fills us with an active desire to share the joy of the Gospel with others, regardless of what they may think of us. To truly live this faith also means to amend our life and to not let our past sins weigh us down.  A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen.

Without prayer, we are powerless. We are not able to develop a friendship with Christ. And without Christ, what good are all the things we do?   But Jesus lives! This the truth of the Resurrection.  From a retreat, given during Holy Week, by Father Joe Keefe.