We all have or will have trouble in our lives. Through it all, the key is to surrender to God and let Him take control. To be addicted to our own self-will is a tyranny that enslaves us — the only rescue from it is to trust God, trust Jesus, and let Him take care of it. Identify the most pressing thing that keeps you afraid from trusting God and His providence in your life, and ask God to take control while you surrender yourself to Him (the Surrender Novena is a great tool to help you in this).

Readings at this Mass: Gn 12:1–4a | 2 Tm 1:8b–10 | Mt 17:1–9 

Lent is a time to enter honestly into our own hearts — to repent, to confess, and to grow closer to God. It is a season of freedom, when the Lord desires to lift burdens from us so that we may truly flourish. This Lent, do not be afraid of what God uncovers. He is not trying to diminish you. He is forming you. And if we let Him change our hearts, we will not merely endure these forty days — we will flourish.

Readings at this Mass: Gn 2:7–9; 3:1–7 | Rom 5:12–19 | Mt 4:1–11

Jesus talked about three different practices in today's gospel — praying, fasting, and almsgiving — which the Church has always recommended doing during this penitential season to help us to grow in our relationship with God.

Readings at this Mass: Jl 2:2–18 | 2 Cor 5:20—6:2 | Mt 6:1–6, 16–18

Friends, letting God work on our hearts is a dangerous and difficult business — because it means giving up control. It means saying 'yes' to people and to situations that you would never have chosen yourself. Most of us are terrible when it comes to changing our own hearts, so here’s my encouragement: give your heart to God. Submit to the slow and often painful work of His grace, and trust that He’ll get you where you need to be. 

Readings at this Mass: Sir 15:15–20 | 1 Cor 2:6–10 | Mt 5:17–37

When Jesus says, "You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world," He's not flattering us — he's giving us a mission. Just as salt prevents corruption and light dispels darkness, your life – lived in communion with God – is meant to preserve what is good and push back what is false or destructive. If someone acts only for recognition, then that recognition is the whole reward — and it lasts only as long as the spotlight is on them. But when a person uses their gifts with humility, gratitude, and faith – when their excellence becomes an offering – their performance points beyond themselves, becoming a witness to the glory of God.

Readings at this Mass: Is 58:7–10 | 1 Cor 2:1–5 | Mt 5:13–16

If we have the presence of God within us, if we bring the presence of God to every situation we encounter, if we're filled with the presence of God so much so that we don't think of ourselves — that's humility. Humility is not thinking less of myself; it's thinking of myself less. It's being filled with the presence of God, so that that presence of God might overflow into every situation that I encounter. And in this world of polarization, as Christians we are called to practice the presence of God: to bring the presence of God with love and understanding to every disagreement and to every situation.

The book Fr. Dominic refers to in his homily is The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection.

Readings at this Mass: Zep 2:3; 3:12–13 | 1 Cor 1:26–31 | Mt 5:1–12a

When we allow God to work on us — when we shift the focus from "what do I want God to do in my life/this person's life" to "what does God want to do in my life" — there’s a whole different energy that comes. Less fear, nagging, and anxiety; more trust, joy, acceptance, and a deep sense of peace. And for our loved ones who have no use for the Church in their lives — that’s how we ourselves become church for them, becoming instruments and images of God’s love for them.

Readings at this Mass: Is 8:23—9:3 | 1 Cor 1:10–13, 17 | Mt 4:12–23

Ordinary Time teaches us that holiness is not built on excitement, but on fidelity. God is not just waiting for extraordinary moments to meet us — He meets us in the quiet faithfulness of daily life. And when our restless hearts finally rest in Him, we discover something surprising: the ordinary is no longer boring. It is sacred. It is where joy takes root.

Readings at this Mass: Is 49:3, 5–6 | 1 Cor 1:1–3 | Jn 1:29–34

When we look at the challenges around us, do we feel anger, anxiety, frustration, or depression? Those are natural responses, but we are invited to activate the grace of our baptism to change that. We can choose to limit the negativity we absorb. We can gather in community to support, witness to, and lift one another up. We can actively choose positive alternatives to the world's negativity. This should be our project for the New Year!

Readings at this Mass: Is 42:1–4, 6–7 | Acts 10:34–38 | Mt 3:13–17

To live fully and freely is not to circle the wagons against every potential threat to our safe and comfortable little worlds. Some of the freest people ever were the martyrs, who laid down their lives  — their actual, physical lives — freely, entrusting their well-being to God. That’s how we want to live, too: in the immense freedom of the Divine Will. God knows our needs, even better than we do. Look for the will of God in the events of your daily life and ask Him to be present there. Let that be your star.

Readings at this Mass: Is 60:1–6 | Eph 3:2–3a, 5–6 | Ma 2:1–12