Catholic Faith Formation Resources

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. ” (John 14:27) "Let There Be Peace on Earth and Let It Begin With Me" (Music) Is your life peaceful? If not, why not? Mahatma Gandhi said, “Outward peace is useless without inner peace.” We cannot be at peace with God or with others unless we are first at peace with ourselves. We cannot give what we do not have or experience. We torment ourselves with endless streams of self-illusory thoughts that cause us to worry, be anxious and fearful about a future which has not yet occurred, or about events that happened in the past that we cannot change or which we refuse to let go of, or matters over which we have little or no control. The peace the world offers is dependent on the acts of people, groups, nations or other external conditions or events. Most, if not all of us, have never lived in a time free of war, viol...

Jesus says "Come, follow me" (Luke 18:22; cf. Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17). The essence of following Jesus is through loving God "with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength," and loving one another as Jesus loves us (Mark 12:30-31; Matthew 22:37-40; Luke 10:27; John 13:24, 15:12). "To love is to will the good of another" (CCC, no. 1766). We exemplify our worship of God when we follow God's will to love as manifested in the person and life of Jesus. Sin is the refusal to love. There are many times when we will fail to do this. On these occasions, we are called to acknowledge and repent of our failure and, through God's grace and empowered by the Holy Spirit, to strive to love better the next time.

OPENING PRAYER Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name. your kingdom come, you will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:5-13) Amen. "JESUS TAUGHT US TO PRAY" — CCC , Nos. 2759–2865 How did you learn how to pray? Jesus is our model for prayer. He prayed regularly and often, sometimes spending the night alone in prayer. He prayed before and during events that occurred in his life. Moved by his example, disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Jesus responded by teaching them to pray what we now call the “Lord’s Prayer” or the “Our Father.” (Mt 6:9-13; Lk 11:2-4). The Church’s liturgy follows Matthew’s version of this prayer.. The Lord’s Prayer addresses “Our Father who art in heaven,” because Jesus, the Son of God mad...

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” (Isaiah 9:1) Does the Light of Christ shine through you? At Christmas we celebrate the birth of God’s Word, the Second Person of the Trinity, incarnated in the human person of Jesus, who is the Christ, the “Light of the World. Whoever follows [Christ] will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8:12). Christ’s Light manifests and shines forth in love, truth, humility, self-sacrifice, goodness, beauty, joy, compassion, peace, justice, healing, kindness, generosity, gentleness, forgiveness, mercy, and salvation for the world. Through God’s grace, the Light of Christ already dwells within each of us, at the core of our being. However, like a densely compressed piece of coal, our hearts can become hardened through our inordinate attachments to possessions, power, prestige, and sensual pleasures so that we do not experience the inherent brilliance of the diamond that l...

One of the greatest enemies to living a more fulfilling life is fear, especially when we do not allow these fears to enter into our consciousness. Until we bring these fears into the light of our consciousness, we cannot acknowledge them, confront them, let alone seek ways to deal with them. Instead, we repress them, project them onto others, and unconsciously allow them to control our lives. What are some of the fears that unconsciously control your life? What prevents you from allowing these fears to enter into the light of your consciousness? Scripture provides us with hope, and the promise of the indwelling and empowering Spirit, to help us raise our fears to consciousness, to confront them, and to courageously respond to them: Be strong and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for it is the LORD, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you. (Deut 31:6). I sought the LORD, and he answered me, delivered me from all my fears (Psalm 34:4-5...

OPENING PRAYER Lord, I am yours, and I must belong to no one but you. My soul is yours, and must live only by you. My will is yours, and must love only for you. I must love you as my first cause, since I am from you. I must love you as my end and rest, since I am for you. I must love you more than my own being, since my being subsists by you. I must love you more than myself, since I am all yours and all in you. Amen. St. Francis de Sales "GOD CALLS US TO PRAY" — CCC , Nos. 2558–2758 Can you have a meaningful relationship with someone who only talks and doesn’t listen? Prayer helps us develop a meaningful relationship with God. In its simplest form, prayer is having a personal conversation with God, who calls us into loving communion and friendship with God and with all people of God. We respond to this call with an attitude of love, awe, wonder, adoration, praise, worship, humility, dependency, and trust. In prayer, we talk to God about what con...

In the Gospel reading today for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we hear about the coming birth of Jesus, our Savior, from Joseph's perspective. We light the last violet candle to mark the final week of prayer and penance, as we begin to focus on the Mystery of the Incarnation, of Emmanuel—"God is with us." It is traditionally called the "Angel's" candle that symbolizes peace, and reminding us of the message of the angels at Jesus's birth, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). Since at least the eighth century, the Church has been singing the " O Antiphons * during Advent." These are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat Canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17–23. Daily Readings for Today Isaiah 10:7-14; Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24 Commentary on the Daily Readings from Living Space Reflect on the following excerpt from today's Gospel read...

As one recites the "Apostles' Creed, they are confronted with the "great comma," omitting any mention of Jesus's life between the phrases "born of the Virgin Mary" and "suffered under Pontius Pilate.” Rather than resting on the recitation of dogmatic "beliefs," we need to return to fostering and living “the Way” of being, thinking, and acting that Jesus—the "human face of God"—models for us. It is a life-enhancing Way and not a life-limiting Way. It is a Way that fully recognizes, lives by, trusts in, and is centered on the underlying reality of an eternal and unlimited "Mystery" or "Presence" many call "God,” an unconditionally loving, good, truthful, creative, generative, sustaining, and merciful Creator of all creation, whose life-force (“Spirit”) indwells and empowers all of creation, especially those who humbly surrender themselves to the promptings of this Spirit, and who seek to live their li...

OPENING PRAYER Lord, Jesus Christ, You are the Way, the Truth and the Life. Hear our prayer for truth and integrity in all segments of society today. May the truth be spoken by us and affirmed in others, that in seeking truth, the world will come to find You, the Source of All Truth. Wherever relationships are weakened by deception or hypocrisy, strengthen good Christian character among us that we may bear witness to the critical need for truth. May your Spirit of Truth fashion minds and hearts open to a moral integrity so strong that both words and actions can be trusted. In public and private life, deepen among us a genuine commitment to honest, sincerity and truth-telling. Let nations and peoples not compromise truth by rationalization or pretense, but safe-guard and defend it always as Your most precious gift. Lord, may those around us come to know that they can take us at our word, until that day when all the world lives in truth and the Trut...

In the Gospel reading today for the Third Sunday of Advent, the prophet John sends a message from prison to Jesus, asking Jesus whether he is the Messiah for whom John has been waiting. Jesus responds by relaying the miracles and deeds he has performed and asking John and others to make their own decision. Jesus also praises John for preparing the Way, but saying that those who work for the Kingdom of God will be as great as John, or even greater. The Third Sunday is called "Gaudete Sunday," that comes from the first word of the Latin Entrance Antiphon for this day, taken from Philippians 4:4,5 ("Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near”). It is symbolized with the lighting during Mass today of the rose-colored candle, traditionally called the "Shepherd's" candle, or the candle of "Joy," as we be momentarily shift away from repentance to remind us of the joy that our salvation is near with the birth of Jesus. Daily Re...

How do you dedicate time, space, and yourself to be present in silence with God without distractions? If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that we are hungry—hungry for an authentic encounter with God, and hoping to have our lives transformed by that encounter. We want to experience God now and through that experience to find meaning, purpose, fulfillment, and joy in our lives. Advent is a time of new beginning, expectation, and hope for the future. It is a time to step back from the whirlwind of life, to look back on what has happened to us, to take stock of where we are at this moment in our lives, and to make any necessary changes for a better future now and, with God’s grace, throughout eternity. Advent calls us to a deep, passionate surrender of ourselves to our loving God. Allow us this Advent to reclaim for ourselves a sense of wonder and awe at the mystery of God at the depth of our being. Our prayer is simply one of “being real with God” and letting God “in” t...

OPENING PRAYER Lord, set aflame my heart and my entire being with the fire of the Holy Spirit, that I may serve you with a chaste body and pure mind. Through Christ our Lord. Amen Source: USCCA, p. 446 (USCCB) "THE NINTH COMMANDMENT: PRACTICE PURITY OF HEART" — CCC , Nos. 2514–2533 When and how do you find it difficult to exercise self-control over your thoughts, emotions, or bodily desires? “The heart is the seat of moral personality: ‘Out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication’ (Mt 15:19). The struggle against carnal covetousness entails purifying the heart and practicing temperance” ( CCC , no. 2517). As Jesus said, “Everyone who looks at a women lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:28). The Ninth Commandment warns against lust or carnal concupiscence ( CCC , nos. 2528-2529). “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (Dt 5:21). Concupiscen...

The Gospel reading for the Second Sunday of Advent, December 4, focuses on the ministry and preaching of John the Baptist, who has come to "Prepare the way of the Lord," calling people to turn back to God, and offering the promise of the One who will come and "baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." The second purple candle we light today during Mass symbolizes Peace , as we prepare to receive Jesus Christ, the "Prince of Peace," and it is traditionally called the "Bethlehem" candle, as we also remember Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem. Daily Readings for Today Isaiah 11:1–10; Ps 72:1–2, 7–8, 12–13, 17; Romans 15:4–9; Matthew 3:1–12 Commentary on the Daily Readings from Living Space Reflect on the following excerpt from today's Gospel reading: I [John the Baptist] am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy ...