May 31, 2014 - Saturday

Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown us, we are not discouraged. (2 Corinthians 4:1 NABRE)

What a fantastic testimony of belief in Jesus!

Do you remember who Paul was before he came to believe?  He was known as Saul of Tarsus, a well-educated young Pharisee committed to eradicating the Jesus movement that had begun among certain Jews, then called The Way, by aggressively hunting down and imprisoning its followers.

• So, when Paul refers to his ministry, he reminds us that he's really changed!  Today, we might say he "pulled a one-eighty" when we describe his complete reversal of heart.  At this point, he has become an Apostle of the risen Jesus, sent personally to tell his story to others, to tell us all about this change he experienced and to invite us to the same reversal of heart.  Wow!  My take-away is that God can call ANYONE to Himself, even the least likely among us, and prepare that person to share his or her experience with others.
• When Paul (referring to himself as "we") says he was shown mercy, he is telling us that Jesus was merciful to him when he didn't deserve it.  I have to ask why Jesus would show any mercy at all to this man.  I choose to see it as a personal encouragement for those times when I know I do not deserve God's forgiveness myself--when I resist God's whispered call.
• And when he states that he is not discouraged, he is being encouraging to his brothers and sisters in Corinth who have had some serious problems since he left them.  Paul's confidence leads me to want to persevere in my own faith.

Historical side note:  Paul established the Christian community in Corinth about the year 51 (18 years after Jesus died on the cross).  He did so on his second (of 3) missionary journeys.

Today, I will follow Saint Paul's lead and begin to create my own testimony to share with others about what Jesus has done for me--not about theology or religion, but how he continues to change my heart each day.


Today is the feast of the Visitation on which we remember Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth.  Mary, mother of Jesus, pray for us, for unity in the church that your son established.  (For the full story, see Luke 1:39-56)

May 30, 2014 - Friday

For whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith. (1 John 5:4 NABRE)


When John uses the somewhat strange phrase "whoever is begotten by God," he means everyone who believes that Jesus is the promised Christ, the Messiah, and that he was born a man.  That is us!  In fact, Catholics profess this each week at Mass when we recite the Nicene Creed.  I appreciate how our faith today still aligns with the original teachings of Jesus' friend John.

This letter of John was written, in part, to combat certain false ideas about Jesus that had begun to grow in the sixty or so years since Jesus' death and resurrection.*  Earlier in the letter, John is a bit more explicit about what the false ideas were.  He tells us that some former members of the community of believers, had begun to teach that Jesus was not the Christ.  Others began to deny that he was a true man.

If we are not careful, it is easy to be misled into some wrong ways of thinking.

John reminds us that it is our faith in Jesus which gives us victory over the world.


Today, I will marvel at the mystery of Jesus: Born a man, sent by God as the promised Christ, yet true God; and I will seek victory in my own life over the influences of this world that would mislead me.


Saint Joan of Arc, patron of the military, pray for us.

May 29, 2014 - Thursday

Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting? (1 Corinthians 15:55 NABRE)


Paul reminds us in vivid terms that death is not the end for any of us; but instead death itself will be "swallowed up in victory," that all who are mortal will become immortal, and all who have died will rise.  He actually seems to be expressing what we might say to death after the last trumpet at the end of time!

Paul's main goal is to encourage us to "be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to [our] work for the Lord." He reminds us in strong, almost pleading terms, that "in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

A side note: Today's verse refers back to the prophet Hosea in the Old Testament (chapter 13: verse 14) in which Hosea describes God's punishment upon Israel for turning away from him.  Paul uses the same words to describe our final victory over death because of Jesus.


Today, I will picture myself on that last day, and I will be devoted to my own work for the Lord, certain of his final victory over death and of his promise.


Saint Joseph, husband of Mary and patron of a happy death, pray for us.

May 28, 2014 - Wednesday

Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we too believe and therefore speak (2 Corinthians 4:13 NABRE)

Lord, please guide us through any discomforts we may experience today, to a closer sense of your presence in our lives.

In today's verse, Paul aligns his suffering with Jesus' suffering on the cross so there will be value in it.  He teaches us that our suffering can be aligned with Jesus' suffering, so that it brings us closer to the eternal gift promised to all believers.

We have two surviving letters from Saint Paul to the church at Corinth which are part of the New Testament. In today's verse from letter two, Paul refers back to an expression found in Psalm 116 (verse 10) in the Old Testament--a passage where David describes his faith in God despite his own suffering.

Today, I will share the common message of Saint Paul and King David, that even our most intense suffering in this life is small compared to the great joy we can expect in the next.


Saint Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes, whose continuous self-denial led to charity for others, pray for us.

May 27, 2014 - Tuesday

How can I lay a curse on the one whom God has not cursed?
How denounce the one whom the LORD has not denounced? (Numbers 23:8 NABRE)


Wishing misfortune on someone or talking badly about someone are things I should not do.

Today's verse from Numbers reminds me of this solid advice.  In context, the reference is to the Israelites who were chosen, led, and protected by God.  The book of Numbers tells their story as they wandered in the desert for nearly forty years.  Numbers also includes some of their legal ordinances, which must have helped them through this difficult time just before they entered the promised land.

The Israelites entered a new land and Saint Augustine of Canterbury entered a new land as well.  Despite their own fears, the Lord led them and protected them.  Perhaps this is a good second reminder for today.


Today, I will be careful with my words about others, and I will ask the Holy Spirit to lead me into new places where I might otherwise be afraid to go, so that God may touch others through my willingness to go.  Imagine what is possible.  Then imagine what God can do.


Saint Augustine of Canterbury, who overcame low self confidence and has been called the apostle to England, pray for us.

May 26, 2014 - Monday

And we have this confidence in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (1 John 5:14 NABRE)


Lord, I have written the final page of the fifth chapter in this life you have given to me, and today I begin writing the sixth.  As I begin, I ask--with complete confidence that you do in fact hear me--that you guide my life and protect all who are dear to me.

Lord, I offer you these first five chapters, with great thanks, as the only gift I can really give.  I lay them at your feet.  I ask that you accept them with all their imperfections, errors, and omissions.  And I thank you for them, for the learning, for never leaving me, for blessing me too abundantly, and for challenging me--urging me forward in my relationship with you.  I thank you for the inexpressible gift of awareness of your constant presence in my life, for the wisdom which only comes from you, and for the joyful heart these bring.

Lord, I dedicate entirely to you the new chapter I begin today.  I do not know how many pages it will contain, but I ask for your guidance each day, on each page, as you guided the hands and hearts of those who have gone before me, so that I express your will in all I do and say, so that I remove the obstacle of my own will from your plan for my life.

Lord, lead me along the path you want me to walk.  Light the way for me.  Be my lamp as I traverse this crooked way through darkness.  Let your Holy Spirit travel with me, and in those times of challenge or doubt, grant me the gentle willingness to step out of your way, and do your will.

Lord, I ask only that you lead each of us back to you.  Give each of us what we need to find our way through this life without being overcome by all that surrounds us and would turn us from you.  You made us to give you glory.  So help us to endure these lives of ours and by the process of living them for you, to create offerings of great glory, newer testaments that others may read and remember as encouragement for the road ahead.


Today, I will begin again to live your will in my life, and I will ask the help of some friends who have gone before me, for their help by praying for me and all who are dear to me:


Saint Philip Neri, known for your holiness, humility and sense of humor, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, parent of the boy Jesus, pray for us.
Saint Peregrine, patron saint of cancer patients, pray for us.
Saint Lucy, patron of the blind and eye disorders, pray for us.
Saint Faustina, devoted to Divine Mercy, pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, who touched our lives, pray for us.

May 25, 2014 - Sunday

A cheerful glance brings joy to the heart;
good news invigorates the bones. (Proverbs 15:30 NABRE)


Today we are reminded simply that good cheer and smiles bring joy, and good news invigorates us.

Solomon is known for his wisdom and today's saint was a monk and a remarkable scholar.  The sayings of Solomon and the studious of life of Saint Bede the Venerable remind me that good cheer and intellectual pursuits bring joy and are real blessings.


Today, I will share a cheerful glance, seek good news, and learn something new!


Saint Bede the Venerable, patron of scholars, pray for us.

May 24, 2014 - Saturday

He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20b NABRE)


And right to the point:  John tells us that if you believe this, you have eternal life.  This first letter of John is something like Proverbs, a collection of saying and ideas, but rather than focusing on wisdom and understanding, it focuses on salvation through Jesus.

Today's word cloud contains all the most used words in the Daily Calendar Minute blog during the first two weeks of May.  To me, it instantly illustrates our focus!  Reading and rereading the blog is one way to understand, but a picture has such power!  Meaning and ideas jump right off the screen.  It is exciting to see we've been focusing on faith, Jesus and God.  Not too far from John's focus.


Today, I will consider salvation as I focus on faith, Jesus and God our father.


Saint Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi, who experienced great closeness to God, pray for us.

May 23, 2014 - Friday

Just as the host of heaven cannot be numbered and the sands of the sea cannot be counted, so I will multiply the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister to me. (Jeremiah 33:22 NABRE)


Jeremiah lived near Jerusalem about 600 years before Jesus.  He was a prophet who watched as his country turned away from the Lord.  He tried to convince his people to turn back to God, but they did not listen to him and even threw him into prison.  We're told he predicted and then saw them suffer as a result. Within a few years, he could only watch, perhaps even from prison, as the country was overrun by enemies and the king was taken away in exile.

Today's verse is part of a passage of God's words which were given directly to Jeremiah.  It is a prediction of what will be done during the next six centuries leading to the birth of Jesus, a descendant of David!


Today, I will heed the call of Jeremiah and all the prophets and saints to turn to God in all things and ask forgiveness for all the times I fell short of that call.


Saint John Paul II, who asked us in 1978 to "Open wide the doors to Christ," pray for us.

May 22, 2014 - Thursday

The face of the wicked hardens,
but the upright maintains a straight course. (Proverbs 21:29 NABRE)


Evil cannot deter good people from living virtuous lives.  No doubt, today's proverb would have rung true for the eleven Apostles during the first weeks after Jesus' resurrection.  I can even imagine how they might have quoted it to one another as encouragement during their times of uncertainty and shaken confidence...Hey Peter, hold it together. Be patient. I think something big is about to happen and we'll have to maintain our course!"  (Well, it could have been something like that anyway.)

Shaken confidence?  Indeed!  Think about it, they had first-hand proof of Jesus' divinity, they saw their friend perform all those impossible miracles over the past couple of years, he taught them things that were impossible for him to know, and they had come to know he was their long-promised Messiah--which meant he would restore the kingdom of Israel.  Recall that Rome had quite an army.  Even after they saw him die and impossibly come back to life, they were still expecting more drama!  And so, we see in  Acts 1, they asked Jesus if he is finally going to restore Israel!

All Jesus tells them is that they cannot know the Father's plans, but they should wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes and empowers them, at which time they will begin their mission of being Jesus' witnesses to the whole world.  Then he left them.

Shaken confidence?  Indeed.  Uncertain.  Confused.  These close friends of Jesus experienced exactly what we go through...and they were there!


Today, I will step through my own moments of uncertainty, confusion, and shaken confidence--by choice and, yes, in the power of the same Holy Spirit that was in Jesus and was given to the Apostles--knowing that it is evil that causes my doubt, and I will act boldly as a disciple in our times, in my own place in life.


Blessed Joachima, known for trusting God, pray for us.

Saint Rita of Cascia, patron of difficult marriages, impossible causes, infertility and parenthood, pray for us.

May 21, 2014 - Wednesday

Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. (John 3:33 NABRE)


In the past few decades, we have seen our trust in God become very badly damaged.

Many of us have been hurt, disillusioned or turned away from the Lord and his church by the inexplicable horrors we have seen in our lifetime.  My children witnessed the tragedy of mass murder in the name of religion on 9/11/2001.  Why did they have to see that?  They watched war in Iraq play out on television like a video game.  Why did they have to endure that?  They took note of the atrocities perpetrated by too many in the clergy upon too many innocent children.  Why?  My children are right to demand:  God, where are you?!  And they are right to be angry.  And they are right to feel misled.  And they are right to feel ignored.

Haven't we all felt the same?  Didn't millions of faithful Jews know this and more by the hand of a madman in Germany?  Didn't Jesus himself feel abandoned on that cross?

But none of that means that God is not alive, that he is not with us right now, or that all that Jesus taught us is false!

And it doesn't mean that we are right to give God the silent treatment!

We need to admit and lean into our anger, confusion, and pain.  We need to actively seek healing, understanding, compassion.  We need to listen and stop being smart for a while.  We need to be quiet and listen, so we can hear some answers.

Lord, thank you for the gift of faith you have given to me, for my confidence in you, however shaken my trust becomes at times.  I ask that your spirit stir up within your people.  I ask that we see the healing of hearts in our lifetime.  I ask that, just as others before us who have suffered but remained aware of your presence in their lives, we too can know just how close you are to us and how much you care.  Lord, I ask in Jesus' name that you bring back to yourself, in your time and in your way, all who have given up hope and all who may even have thrown away their faith, choosing instead the emptiness this world offers as a substitute.


Today, I will pray for healing for those whose faith has been damaged.


Saint Eugene de Mazenod, who is known for allowing God's grace to lead his actions, pray for us.

May 20, 2014 - Tuesday

He willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18 NABRE)


Today's verse concludes a short passage on the value of temptation and trials in our lives.  That's right, the benefit of temptation and trials!  In this passage, beginning in verse 12, James tells us that when we experience and endure trials and temptations, we are blessed for having persevered faithfully through them.

However, James is clear that temptations are not put on us by God, but that the Lord provides us with only good gifts.  He goes one step further and tells us that temptations come from the enticement of our desires and lead us toward sin and death...that is the risk, and the stakes are very high!

Today's verse is is the encouraging conclusion to this challenging passage.  In it, we learn that God calls you and I to know and believe in the truth of his Word.  He does this because he wants us to be the first signs of his abundant harvest.


Today, I will be amazed by the great gift I've been given to be counted among God's first fruits, and I will invite others to be part of the harvest of the Lord.


Saint Bernardine of Siena, patron of gambling and compulsive behavior, pray for us.

May 19, 2014 - Monday

Those to whom God gives riches and property, and grants power to partake of them, so that they receive their lot and find joy in the fruits of their toil: This is a gift from God. (Ecclesiastes 5:18 NABRE)


The joys of this life are indeed gifts from God!

Joy-filled moments carry us far away from this short life's difficulties, troubles and pains.  Little moments.  Short snippets of time.  The length of a smile.  The duration of a touch.  A cool breeze.  A compliment.  A quick colorful sunset.  Joy can overcome us in a moment and last much longer.

My best advice for finding joy is to be grateful for each little gift, by choice.  Look from one joyful moment to the next even as you work hard to earn your living.  When it seems impossible to find joy, don't look up or far away, don't look inside, don't look at all.

Give thanks first!

Lord, thank you for this gift of joy.  I ask that you protect me from my own inclination to take all the credit for my riches, my property.  I ask for your continued blessings of joy on my family and friends, and that you guard us all from the arrogance and indifference that turn so many away from you.  Continue to give us your joy in this life, as a small taste of the greater joy we are promised in the next.


Today, on this day of hope and promise (my view on Monday), I will remind myself to be grateful and to seek out new ways to serve others around me.


Saint Theophilus of Corte, who lived a life of generous service, pray for us.

May 18, 2014 - Sunday

The counsel of the LORD belongs to those who fear him;
and his covenant instructs them. (Psalms 25:14 NABRE)


We live with ambiguity in this world.  Everything seems to come in shades of gray.  But in today's psalm, King David reminds us of God's constancy in the midst of this swirling life of confusion.

In the lines leading up to verse 14, we learn that:

• The Lord shows us sinners the way to live
• He guides the humble person
• He teaches his ways to the humble
• He shows mercy to the person who honors his laws
• He shows truth to the person who remains committed to him
• He pardons those with great guilt
• God shows us who respect him the way we should choose
• He promises prosperity to the person who respects him
• He gives us advice and instruction from his covenant if we respect him

Today, I will pray for humility, strength to honor his laws, and courage to commit to and show respect for the Lord.  


Saint John I, who died a Pope working for tolerance toward his Church, pray for us.

May 17, 2014 - Saturday

One has joy from an apt response;
a word in season, how good it is! (Proverbs 15:23 NABRE)


How many times have you thought of exactly the right words to say in a given situation, but it was ten minutes after the conversation ended?!  It is said that, "Conversation is the art of saying the right thing at the right time. It gives pleasure to speaker and hearer alike."*

Today's verse from Proverbs reminds us of the wonderful feeling we get when that perfect response comes to mind while you are still having the conversation!

When we seek God at times of difficult conversation, in the Holy Spirit, we often ask for apt responses which are appropriate or suitable, not only to fit the context of the discussion, but more so to provide for the need of the person to whom we are speaking, to nurture them whether or not we are aware of how that may be happening.  God does work in mysterious ways.


Today, I will seek the apt responses of the Holy Spirit in those moments when I myself do not have the words someone else needs to hear.


Saint Paschal Baylon, patron of shepherds, who urges us to "Seek God above all things." pray for us.
Saint Peregrine Laziosi, patron of cancer, AIDS and other serious disease, pray for us.

May 16, 2014 - Friday

Therefore, my beloved, avoid idolatry. (1 Corinthians 10:14 NABRE)


Everyone believes in something, but what do we worship?  Are there some areas of my life I give too much importance to:  money, sports, relaxation, alcohol, music, work, the approval of others?  This is a theme that runs through various parts of the Bible.  In fact we dug into this on April 25 in a passage from Joshua.

Today, Saint Paul tells me I should stop giving too much attention to my idols.  But how much is too much attention?  Are there any ways to know, any signs, any indicators to tell me I am too focused on my passion?

Fortunately, yes.  I first ask, does it adversely affect my relationships with others, my available time, my attitude?  That is my red flag for trouble.  It usually means I've found yet another way to put myself ahead of others...something I am very good at doing!  Regardless, this is a good indicator.  It is however, a bit limited because it is only a symptom of the real risk:  how is my over-attention on other things affect my relationship with God?  That is the key question, isn't it?  And it can be difficult for me to answer...honestly.

So then, how do I change?  First, I should confront my concern prayerfully to recognize a problem as a problem.  If I am trapped and, for example, can think only of spending all my free time playing music, Saint Paul tells me (in verse 13) I should pray for God's strength to overcome that trial and for a way out so that I can bear it.


Today, I will pray, deliberately and briefly, at a different time of day when I've never prayed before so my worship at that specific time is given only to God.


St. Peregrine Laziosi, patron of cancer, AIDS and other serious disease, pray for us.

May 15, 2014 - Thursday

So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate. (Ephesians 6:14 NABRE)


Ephesus was a city on the western edge of Turkey, near the Aegean Sea, closer to Greece than to the Holy Land.  Paul's journeys to bring Christianity to the non-Jewish world had really begun to expand.

This letter to the Ephesians was actually written to several young churches founded by Paul, including the church at Ephesus, and its date and authorship have been somewhat disputed among scholars.  We know it was written by Paul or a later disciple between 28 and 68 years after Jesus' ascension.

In today's verse, Paul tells us how to handle daily living as a follower of Christ.  Using very practical terms, he teaches us that being truthful and just toward others protects us from evil.  These, along with prayer and faith, give us the ability to stand firm and resist the pull of evil in our lives.


Today, I will pray for courage in the face of evil challenges and the insight to recognize these spiritual challenges in this physical world.


Saint Isadore the Farmer, patron of farmers and laborers, pray for us and our work.

May 14, 2014 - Wednesday

A glad heart lights up the face, but an anguished heart breaks the spirit. (Proverbs 15:13 NABRE)


Joy is something we may and ought to choose!

We usually think of joy as an emotion like happiness.  But we can't choose to be happy, not really.  We can't control emotion, not reliably anyway. So, to see it in a new way, joy is also a deliberate attitude we can adopt.  And joy can be had simply, by anyone, with almost no effort.

First let me say, the decision to be joyful is not a foolish attempt to ignore life's problems or to deny the pains we all have.  But even in the face of our greatest suffering, joy can be kick-started by action we can take.  Here is how I get back to joy:

1. I consciously focus my thoughts on the gift of my life (setting aside my hurt even for just a few seconds to remind myself how amazing this life is)
2. I smile (however invisible at first)
3. I say, "Thank you Lord for my life (even what I don't like about it). Amen."

 In a spiritual sense, joy is a way of seeing and experiencing life as the great gift from God that it is.  Being joyful begins by being appreciative and grateful for this life.  Joy actually sets the stage for finding our purpose in life.  Other good things grow from this little effort, this seed.  Why not plant seeds?!


Today, I will choose to have a glad heart, and will say my Joy Prayer throughout the day.


And now for something completely different.  We have many saints that show us how to live purposeful lives, so I thought I would start sharing their stories each day, and ask their intercession too.

Our Lady of Fatima, Mother of Jesus who appeared to the three children in 1917, pray for us.
St. Matthias, chosen as the apostle to replace Judas, pray for us.

May 13, 2014 - Tuesday

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and reject not your mother’s teaching;
A graceful diadem will they be for your head;
a pendant for your neck. (Proverbs 1:8-9 NABRE)


What father has not given advice to his child?  Which parent hasn't told their child, listen to me because what I am telling you is valuable?  The book of Proverbs begins with the wise king Solomon teaching his son to listen to him and to his mother.

And what is the first bit of advice he offers?  Don't associate with wicked men because it will lead to a life of greed and violence.

We parents worry about our children.  We have dreams for them to be happy and successful, safe and loved.  We teach them about this life so that when its challenges arise, they will be prepared enough to handle themselves.  We try to give them guidance, knowledge, wisdom and understanding.

Simply put, we want our children to choose right over wrong, good versus bad, so they will live lives that are full and purposeful, that meet their potential and exceed their dreams!  And at times of difficulty and challenge, we want our children to endure with poise and confidence in God's purpose.


Today, I will pray for all parents, that they will be encouraged by God's confidence in their ability to nurture and protect his next generation; that they will realize they are God's first gift to their children; and that they will trust their efforts can be led by the Holy Spirit, especially at those times when the right choice is unclear, if they will only ask.

May 12, 2014 - Monday

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live. (John 11:25 NABRE)


Just before Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, he asks Martha if she believes this.

Now, Martha was one of the women who knew and followed Jesus. They were friends. She heard him teach and, no doubt, heard about or saw his other miracles, so she replies that yes, she does believe and understand who he really is.

She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” (John 11: 25)

Jesus asks us all this same question even today.

Isn't that the bottom line?  During this Easter season--our celebration of Jesus' resurrection from death, which lasts the 50 days until Pentecost, we remember that his resurrection was real and not without witnesses and proofs.  The book of Acts, chapter 1 tells the story of Jesus' Ascension and the first things his followers do after he leaves them.  They had a lot to process and so do we who may believe without having seen.


Today, I will join Martha and with great confidence reaffirm my faith that Jesus is in fact alive and the Son of God who came to give me hope of eternal life.

May 11, 2014 - Sunday

As a mother comforts her child,
so I will comfort you;
in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort. (Isaiah 66:13 NABRE)


God comforts us in such a beautiful and satisfying way!

On this Mother's Day, it is good to remember all the times our mothers comforted and soothed us as children, and even as adults.  When life made us sad or angry, disappointed or disillusioned, Mom was there to make us feel safe.

God gives us the same comfort.  He makes us feel safe through life's storms.  We need only to rest in his embrace to find the peace and contentment that is ours, even in the worst of times.


Today, I will seek the safety and peace found only in God's comforting arms.

May 10, 2014 - Saturday

Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” (Matthew 15:28 NABRE)


Oh God, I ask that you give us great faith, like the faith of this frightened and desperate mother who came to Jesus asking him to save her daughter.  She trusted and believed in your son despite having no real knowledge of who he was!  Such faith is a gift only you can give.

My God, I ask that you share this kind of faith with us, strengthen our resolve, and open our minds and hearts to your presence.

Lord, please do not withdraw your gift of faith from us, even if we should wander and question whether or not you are present with us.  Please do not withdraw your gift of faith from me, even if I should grow angry with you.  And please do not withdraw your free gift of faith from us, even if we should question why you would allow us to suffer in this life.

Rather, I ask that you allow this gift of faith to flare up within us at times of difficulty as a clear and personal sign of your presence.

Finally, I ask that you guard and protect us from deserting you, especially when life's struggles lead us away, tempt us away, and push us away from you!


Today, I will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for all whose faith will be tested this day.

May 9, 2014 - Friday

There he lies rotting beside the road,
and out of the soil another sprouts.
Behold, God will not cast away the upright;
neither will he take the hand of the wicked.
Once more will he fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with rejoicing. (Job 8:19-21 NABRE)


Job is deeply depressed.  He can't understand why God lets him continue to suffer with no end in sight.  One of his friends, Bildad, offers him an understanding ear and some words of encouragement.

We should listen to these words ourselves and be encouraged!

When life's problems mount up, as they have a way of doing, it's so difficult for me to remember that God is still present with me.  It can seem impossible to believe he would allow such suffering in my life!  And it seems like when it rains it pours!  When I have one thing go wrong, it seems like two more wrong things happen too!

In today's verse, the "he" who is rotting beside the road is the person who forgets about God, the person who leans on his own accomplishments, the person who hates God's people, the person Bildad goes so far as to call wicked.

Today, I will remember God is with me even if the day's problems overwhelm me.  In fact, I will join my own little sufferings to Jesus' agonizing suffering on the cross and offer it as a prayer for others who forget about God.

May 8, 2014 - Thursday

I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16 NABRE)


There is so much packed into this little verse, and so little time to unpack it!  So, let's focus on the desire of the flesh!  The phrase means a whole lot more than the obvious physical desires we have.  It refers also, and more importantly, to our "self-interested hostility toward God." *

That description challenges me to think I might not be "living by the Spirit."

It seems that whenever I am more interested in myself and my own wants, I am actually being hostile toward God and his plan.

It has been well described this way (read it slowly and a couple of times):

"Christians still retain the flesh, but it is alien to their new being, which is life in the spirit, namely the new self, governed by the holy Spirit....Christian life is therefore the experience of a constant challenge to put to death the evil deeds of the body through life of the spirit."*


Today, I will empty myself of my own wants, seeking good judgment from the Holy Spirit in all the circumstances and decisions of this day.

May 7, 2014 - Wednesday

Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. (1 John 3:7 NABRE)


John wrote this letter about 65 years after Jesus died, and this chapter has some very stark and powerful statements that get to the heart of Christian living even today.

In today's verse, he speaks to us as children of God who are at risk.  He speaks in a reassuring tone as one might with their own child heading out to school for the day.  He tells us to be careful because there are people around who will work to deceive us about what is right and wrong.

And his central point in this entire letter seems to be that God IS truth and light, Jesus IS good and without sin, and we ARE good when we act according to what Jesus taught us.


Today, I will accept Jesus as savior; seek a connection with God the father; and ask the Holy Spirit to lead my actions, words, and thoughts so they are only good.

May 6, 2014 - Tuesday

Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
Sarah then said, “God has given me cause to laugh, and all who hear of it will laugh with me. (Genesis 21:5-6 NABRE)


On one hand, we struggle today to believe old bible stories.  On the other hand, so did Abraham and Sarah!

Even they knew how ridiculous it was to think of a very elderly couple having a son!  In fact, Sarah points out the humor she sees in the situation.  Beyond that, Isaac's name sounds very much like the Hebrew word for laughter (think po-TAY-to, po-TAH-to), and although we miss the play on words in our English translations, it is there.

So what are we to believe?  That this long barren couple bore a son? That Sarah nursed the boy?  That Abraham lived 175 years and that Sarah lived to be 127?

To focus on that too much would be like worrying about the word play surrounding Isaac's name.  Factual accuracy is important, but we can only accept what is written, what is passed down to us, and what we are able to learn by research and study.  And we have to accept that unanswered questions will always remain.  So how do we deal with that?  Well, I guess we can either dismiss it all as meaningless storytelling, or seek to understand what is really intended.

We do not have all the literal facts, we just don't.  So what becomes most important is the truth of the ideas.  God made a promise to Abraham, several actually, and delivered on his promises.  Abraham became the father of many nations.  He is the father of the nation of Israel, from which Jesus came to us.  We can at least see the continuity of this lineage.  That is powerful.  It is the beginning of salvation history--the way God chose to give us a path to relationship with him despite ourselves!


Today, I will seek to recognize God's truth even when I have unanswered questions.

May 5, 2014 - Monday

For this I labor and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me. (Colossians 1:29 NABRE)


Saint Paul is a fantastic role model for us who believe.

He was so single-minded in his sense of mission that he withstood constant persecution--indeed he wrote these words from jail--simply to share the truth of Jesus to non-believers and encourage new believers.

So what could possibly motivate him to keep at this frustrating work of being an apostle for Jesus?  After all he was humiliated, arrested, and worse.  He experienced suffering I have never known for the sake of this gospel work.  Why would he ever endure that, putting up with so much suffering and the promise of nothing but more of it?

We can find part of the answer in his past, when his name was Saul.  He was a highly educated and revered young Jewish leader determined to destroy the first followers of Jesus and was present when Stephen was stoned (see Acts 7:58).

What on earth could be so powerful to change such a murderous, self-righteous man bent on destroying this Jesus movement into the suffering laborer, leading the cause for Jesus to the entire non-Jewish world?

He experienced the conversion we all need to have!  Acts, chapter 9 is the amazing story of his experience when the risen and ascended Jesus actually confronts and changes Saul.  Immediately after he regains his sight, he begins to teach about the hope for glory that is promised to believers, and he never stopped.

Today, I will encourage you who read this to read the story of Saul's conversion and to recall the first time you encountered the risen Jesus in your own life. 

May 4, 2014 - Sunday

Survey the path for your feet,
and all your ways will be sure. (Proverbs 4:26 NABRE)


Placed into its full context, this is part of an instruction to avoid evil and to act with goodness in order to have life and health.

Sounds like good advice.  There even seems to be an element of common sense in it.  When I decide to avoid whatever can harm me, no matter how enticing or necessary it is or has become, it makes sense that better health will result.  By the same token, when I choose to do whatever is healthy for me, no matter how difficult or annoying it is, it makes sense that longer life will result--all else being equal.

Simply put, I should examine individually each of my choices and actions to recognize if it is good or bad for me or others around me, and then decide if I need to course correct as a result.  My basic desire for long life and good health leads me to value this!


Today, I will act deliberately and carefully to avoid evil and to seek goodness.

May 3, 2014 - Saturday

Comfort, give comfort to my people,
says your God. (Isaiah 40:1 NABRE)


Lord, thank you for sending comfort to us who are your people.  We need it often, feeling like exiles controlled by other masters and away from your presence.  Thank you for the promise to return us from our exile and for your son, who shows us the way home.

This chapter from the prophet of Isaiah, written about 700 years before the birth of Jesus, is exciting!  In it, the prophet predicts and describes not only Jesus, but his cousin, John, as well.  Written at a time when the nation of Israel was exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon, this encouragement was also a foretelling of the arrival of Jesus who would end the exile of his followers.  Further, and it doesn't seem like too much of a stretch, it reminds me of Moses who, many years before Isaiah, first led God's people from slavery to the promised land.

So, at its core, we seen the promise of salvation repeated and echoed in each situation through biblical history.  Man sins.  God saves.

Today, I will turn to God, seeking his comfort and his promise of salvation through his son Jesus, who's coming was foretold by Isaiah!

May 2, 2014 - Friday

A voice coming from the throne said:
“Praise our God, all you his servants,
[and] you who revere him, small and great.”  (Revelation 19:5 NABRE)


Today's verse is a first-century version of the happy dance!

It describes part of the celebration of God's final victory over evil at the very end of time.  It is meant to encourage us and to give us hope through our darker hours, just as it was meant to support the early church which was suffering under Roman persecution at the time this book was written.

Interestingly, the phrase "small and great" echoes two other verses in the Bible, one from Psalms and one from earlier in the book of Revelation.  In both cases, the same sort of encouragement is offered to the faithful believers.  First, in Psalms, written hundreds of years before Revelation, we see that God remembers and blesses those who respect and trust him.  And again in the earlier chapter of Revelation, our symbolic book of the end of time, we see that God will reward the faithful, great and small.

Today, I will be encouraged by the promise that God knows me and that he blesses me now and always.

May 1, 2014 - Thursday

O God, a new song I will sing to you;
on a ten-stringed lyre I will play for you. (Psalms 144:9 NABRE)


Good habits.

David, a new king when he wrote this, faced constant military pressure from his neighboring countries.  Yet we can see that in the midst of his most daunting troubles he made time to remember God was the source of his strength and to praise him in song.

I might go so far as to say that if there is only one good habit worth adopting, this is it!

How do I build a good habit?  Over the years, I've worked at developing many habits, with varying degrees of success; but in each case, the answer has three stages:  The first is simply to begin.  To create a habit for yourself, start to do that thing you hope for.  Secondly, the general rule of thumb is to repeat your action for one month and it will become your habit.  And thirdly, keep at it.  There will indeed be times when you will miss an occasion, so continue on and start again the next day.


Today, in the face of any of life's pressures, I will make time to remember and praise God, the source of my strength.