July 31, 2014 - Thursday

My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one.  He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.  (1 John 2:1-2 NABRE)


I have to ask myself, very carefully and honestly, if I really know Jesus.  To know him, John tells me that I need to follow his commandments--to love God with my whole heart, soul and mind, and to love others as I love myself.

The question is simple.  The answer difficult.  Perhaps before jumping into my examination of self I would do well to admit that I fall short of this directive, that I am sinful pretty much on a daily basis, and that I desperately need the atoning sacrifice of Jesus to make things right for me.  Before I begin, I think I'm well served to remember and acknowledge I cannot do this for myself.

So, now I begin.  I ask myself, how do I demonstrate my love for others?  Do I show them respect as I show respect for myself--indeed, do I show respect for myself?  And I ask too, how do I demonstrate my love for God?  Have I committed my heart, soul and mind to his purpose for my life?  What does that look like in my daily behavior?  Do I seek God's purpose for my life each day?  Do I express my thanks to him every day for the many blessings he gives me?  On many days I do, but I really want to get familiar with the times I do not measure up.

I don't do this to feel bad about myself.  On the contrary!  I do it for strength.  I do this to put off what I don't like about myself and to grow in my knowledge of Jesus by getting better at following his commandments.  I invite you to do the same.

And most importantly, after such a difficult reflection, John reminds us of our greatest blessing:  Jesus' complete sacrifice of himself so that we might be saved from the eternal death sin promises us.  We know that even if we do sin, Jesus, our Advocate with God the Father, has already paid the price for us and for the whole world.  And so, I express my sorrow and regret for those times I have fallen short of the love I am called to share, I ask for his mercy, and I look to the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a way to free me from my sin and receive God's forgiveness.


Today, I will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, asking mercy for my own sins and those of the whole world.


Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits and author of the Spiritual Exercises, pray for us.

July 30, 2014 - Wednesday

LORD, for your servant’s sake and in keeping with your purpose, you have done this great thing.  (1 Chronicles 17:19 NABRE)


God intervenes in our lives every day.

He intervenes in big ways and small ways alike.  And what a great gift it is when we catch a glimpse of it!  To be open to the possibility allows us to experience his interventions, marvel at them, and most of the time to thank him for his perfect timing.

Of God's interventions in his life, King David had no doubt.

Today's verse is part of a brief prayer that he prays (spanning verses 16-20) which illustrates not only his glimpse of and gratefulness for an important divine intervention in his life; but even more, it shows confidence and a prophetic insight into God's plan.  David has just been informed by Nathan that one of his sons (Solomon it turns out) would be a great king and build a house for the Lord, the temple in Jerusalem.

Of God's interventions in my own life, I have no doubt.

As I look back at the long years of my life which have swept past so quickly, I see repeating patterns of the Lord's protection, his guidance, his hindrances and allowances as I have pursued different goals.  Perhaps they are most clear in cases when I hoped and planned for one result, was denied it, only to find that a better one resulted!  Over and over, in big and small moments I have seen these things play out.  And they are not chance or coincidence.  They are clearly determined.  And they are for a purpose, because I am here for a purpose.  We are all here for a purpose!


Today, I will consider the Lord's purpose for my life, and seek awareness of how the specifics of my days reflect it.


Saint Peter Chrysologus, whose example reminds us that the vigorous pursuit of a goal may produce results far beyond our expectations and intentions, pray for us.

Acts of the Apostles - Chapter 10

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since we saw the conversion of Paul and the two miracles performed by Peter, and here in Acts, chapter 10, we see God's decisive hand working to draw Peter out on a mission to the Gentiles.

In chapter 10, we see for the first time the pivotal insight that God's gift of the Holy Spirit was not only intended for the Jews, but for the Gentiles as well.  This was astounding to Peter and the others with him, but they were given proof.

Lord, help me to trust in the the proofs you gave to Peter and his contemporaries.  Keep my heart open to the reality of your incomprehensible greatness and your humble entry into our history in order to ensure our salvation so that we will one day be with you.  And Lord, give me awareness of your real presence in my own life, in my times, and in all the moments that belong to me.  Keep me safe in this life, protect me from evil in all its surprising disguises, and help me to recognize the difference between the temptation of evil of and the inspiration of your Spirit.

July 29, 2014 - Tuesday

Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever.  (Revelation 22:5 NABRE)


Praise God!  What a wonderful first thought for the day!

By choice, we are brothers and sisters of Jesus and we are children and servants of God.  Two choices really.  First, God chose us.  Second, we choose him.  And because we choose to be in a relationship with him, we find purpose in this life and we look forward to a time when we will look upon his face!  We are citizens of heaven with the promise of return.  Look at some of the references to this promise:

• Psalm 73:1 - How good God is to the upright, to those who are pure of heart!
• Matthew 5:8 - Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
• 1 Corinthians 13:12 - At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.
• 1 John 3:2 - Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
• Philippians 3:20 - But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Philippians 3:21 - He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Today, I will be joyful by praising God and remembering he chose me first!


Saint Martha, patron of housewives, waiters and waitresses, pray for us.

July 28, 2014 - Monday

I charged your judges at that time, “Listen to complaints among your relatives, and administer true justice to both parties even if one of them is a resident alien.  (Deuteronomy 1:16 NABRE)


Decisiveness is an interesting quality.

Here, Moses describes when he appointed judges--wise, discerning and reputable leaders chosen from each of the Israelite tribes--to settle disputes that would arise among the members.  After charging the judges, Moses gives them initial advice which is both interesting and applicable even today.  In verse 17, Moses tells them, "In rendering judgment, do not consider who a person is; give ear to the lowly and to the great alike, fearing no one, for the judgment is God’s....”

So often, even today, we can lack decisiveness in the name of courtesy.  We put off firmness in favor of indecision so as not to offend.  But we learn from today's reading that decisiveness can be rooted in God's good judgment, which lends authority to our decisions and confidence in our judgments.  It helps us recognize that some will try to intimidate us by their position and power, and it calms us in the face of such false claims.

When we regularly seek to apply wisdom to life's affairs, and when we make a habit of seeking discernment of God's preferences before making life choices, then over time we become known for these things, experience demonstrates the effectiveness of our decisions, and our just judgments and advice become recognized and sought after.

Finally, keep in mind that not all people welcome true justice.  Remember, every choice favors one party over another which often creates discord.  But the just judge never needs to be concerned about rendering judgment, because as Moses points out, the judgment is actually God's.


Today, I will boldly seek decisiveness based in God's wisdom and discernment of his divine will.


Saint Leopold Mandic, who had a firm sense of God's grace awaiting human cooperation, pray for us.

July 27, 2014 - Sunday

May all kings bow before him,
all nations serve him.  (Psalm 72:11 NABRE)


Psalm 72 is the prayer of a king.  It includes many petitions asking for wisdom, justice, good judgment, the ability to defend the oppressed, help the poor, and defeat those who oppress others.  Things I might expect.  But today's verse seems a bit peculiar to me, but in that I find a lesson I can live in my own life.

Here, the wise king, acknowledges God as supreme by stating that he and all the other kings of this world should bow before God and serve him.  How much more should I become a servant of this true God who helps the poor and the oppressed.


Today, I will seek to be in the service of God, by serving the poor and oppressed in prayer and action.


St. Aloysius Gonzaga, patron of youth, pray for us. 

July 26, 2014 - Saturday

From of old I was formed,

at the first, before the earth.  (Proverbs 8:23 NABRE)

Today, Wisdom herself speaks to us.  She tells us she was born before God created the universe and was with him as he did.  This personification of wisdom comes from a beautiful poem and the most well-known chapter of Proverbs, chapter 8.  Read Proverbs 8 like a poem--slowly, 3 times.  Though the translation may lack the rhyme and rhythm of the original, it contains the message.

Lord, share your wisdom with me and with my family.  I ask that your Holy Spirit fill our hearts and minds with all the gifts that spring from your wisdom.  It is not worldly wisdom I ask for.  I ask for the wisdom that only comes from you.  I ask for understanding, prudence and good sense.  My prayer is that our words will be honest, truthful and sincere.  May our words be straightforward and right, knowledgeable and just.  Lord, I seek your wisdom and it is by these qualities I believe we may recognize it in our lives.  You promise us that those who seek wisdom will find it, as indeed you promise that those who seek you will find you.

Today, I will pray continually for wisdom for myself and my family.

Blessed William Ward, martyred English priest, pray for us

July 25, 2014 - Friday

They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts,

my own special possession, on the day when I take action.

And I will have compassion on them,

as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.  (Malachi 3:17 NABRE)

We should all try to be on the real Nice List.  We should avoid the Naughty List.

Today's verse from Malachi (the final book of the Old Testament, written about 400-500 years before Jesus and not long after the Jews returned to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon), is a reaction to the culture that had arisen among God's people which had largely come to disregarded their covenant with God (in Exodus 19, the one Moses put in place).*  

Believers had begun to lose faith, to give up in the face of pop culture.  It was not too different from our world today.

In the previous verse (Malachi 3:16), we're told about God's record book, after which I am certain Santa's famous lists are modeled:  The list of God's faithful people.  This list is also mentioned way back in Exodus 32:32 and I also see alignment with the Last Judgment found in Matthew 25:31-46 (though that is another discussion).

Let's call them the sheep and the goats.  So we'll understand, Malachi gives us some description of the sheep:

• Those who fear the Lord
• Those who esteem his name
• The Lord's own special possession
• The Lord's sons
• The just
• The person who serves God
• Those who fear the name of the Lord

Malachi also gives us a picture of the goats:

• The arrogant
• The evildoer
• The wicked
• The person who does not serve God

Lord, help me to be one of the sheep, find me among your faithful people, so that on that day when you take action I may know your compassion rather than your justice.  Show me, Lord, how to serve you and how to treat others.

Today, I will re-confirm my faith in God, with respect and esteem for his name; I will seek to serve God by serving others, and I will hope for the day when I might be counted among God's faithful.

Saint James, son of Zebedee, brother of John, Apostle, pray for us.

July 24, 2014 - Thursday

But who indeed are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Will what is made say to its maker, “Why have you created me so?”  (Romans 9:20 NABRE)


It is so easy for me to get caught up in my own situations that I lose my perspective.

In Saint Paul's letter to the house churches in Rome, he teaches them (and us) that God is like the potter and we are each like a clay pot.  This powerful ancient image of the potter echoes the books of Wisdom (15:07), Isaiah (26:19 and 45:9) and Jeremiah (18:6).

Paul reminds us that God freely chooses and shapes the life purpose given to each of us.  We do not choose it, we discover it!  God himself elects some people to receive his gift of faith; and in verses 6-24, Paul confronts the obvious problems we humans have with the apparently unfair bestowing of his gifts.

One thing he cautions us about is that we should not think of ourselves as equal to God.  Even Jesus himself,
though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. (Philippians 2:6)

This can be difficult for us to accept, but there is another insight which I fall back on because it tempers the frustration we may feel about this.  Specifically, Paul remind us in verse 18 that God patiently endures even those like the Egyptian Pharaoh* who completely reject him, and that he is merciful and can change hearts by the power of his Holy Spirit.* 

I fall back on this, because those elected to share in God's gift of faith are called to use the power of prayer and sacrifice for the benefit of others whose hearts need to be softened, whose stubbornness keeps them from seeking a relationship with God.


Today, I will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and make a personal sacrifice, confident that the Holy Spirit will accept my offering and soften the heart of one person who needs it.


Saint Kunigunde, who reminds us to always be charitable toward others, pray for us.

July 23, 2014 - Wednesday

From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.  (John 13:19 NABRE)


Believe.

At the Last Supper, Jesus begins telling the Apostles about things that will soon happen.  He does this to confirm for them again that he is indeed God's son.  First, he begins to explain that he will die a horrible and humiliating death.  One of his ways of explaining the humiliating death he is about to endure, is with an example:  He washes their feet.  Here he is, their teacher and master, lowering himself to the role of a servant to them.  This humbling act of service hints not only about the ultimate sacrifice he was about to make for them, but it also teaches us about how we should act toward each other.

In serving others we do as Jesus instructs us.  In sacrificing for others we join our willing denial of self with Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.  When we humble ourselves and become servants to others, we honor Jesus our teacher.

Imagine it!  God, who calls himself I AM and is the creator of all the universe, became man in the person of Jesus Christ.  He submitted his eternal greatness to the authority of men.  And he allowed himself to suffer and die by the hands of those he created!  And more, he did it with a heart of humility, sacrifice and service.  So on reflection, we can only ask, "Why?!"

Jesus sacrificed his life for us willingly because he loves us.  He did it so that we might be saved from the power of sin which had come between God and man.

It is Jesus' willingness to sacrifice that I most want to emulate.  It is his attitude of selflessness and his peaceful acceptance of what he was called to do that I most want to share.

The greatest difference between Jesus' complete sacrifice and my own little acts of service is my attitude.  I am not always humble in service.  Though I agree to serve, I am not always willing in my heart.  I resist denying myself things, comforts, or personal gain even for good reasons.


Today, I will seek the great contradictions of joy in serving, humility in personal sacrifice, and gratefulness when I am called to deny myself for another.


Saint Bridget, who lived a holy life in a secular world, pray for us.

July 22, 2014 - Tuesday

God set them in the dome of the sky, to illuminate the earth,
to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.  (Genesis 1:17-18 NABRE)


As I sit here in the predawn, I'm reminded of the hope and promise each new day brings with it.

Today, although it is Tuesday, the third day of our week, I sense this hope and promise just as deeply as I do on any given Monday--which, by the way, I call the day of hope and promise!

Imagine day four!  Not day four of this week but the very first day four.  Imagine it, whatever it was like.  God was.  People were not.  The sun and moon were made and set in the sky.  Time itself was new.

I'd like to focus on the goodness of each day.  Each day is good for the sole reason that God creates it.  Beyond that, each day has goodness because God's plan is revealed to us a bit more each day.  On the forth day he did some pretty cosmic things.  Today, he does the same.  I cannot explain much of what is.  If we're honest, none of us can.  Yet, fundamentally I am certain of creation's goodness.  And I am certain that each new day brings with it hope and promise.


Today, I will see goodness in this creation, and seek the hope and promise of Jesus' resurrection.


Saint Mary Magdalene, first to find out about Jesus' resurrection, Apostle to the Apostles, pray for us.

July 21, 2014 - Monday

For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want.  (Romans 7:19 NABRE)


Just when I think Saint Paul's words are beyond my ability to understand, he makes a simple, startling statement like this.  Here, Saint Paul nutshells the whole of our human condition in eighteen words!

And day after day, this is the life of everyone with a conscience.

Honestly and from experience, Paul tells us that our physical bodies lead us to do all sorts of things we know we should not do.  We know because our actions break laws, customs and principles of good behavior.

Paul points out that there is something in us, which he calls sin, that brings us to act against the law.  He also points out that the believer has a solution for this dilemma.  We are not doomed to futility.  We do not spend our time trying in vain to live by law.

So this is Paul's point in all of chapter seven:  That, because I am joined with Jesus through baptism, I am freed from the power of sin, which turns good laws into occasions of sin within myself.

Paul reminds us that Jesus frees believers from this cycle of futility.  We are released from the law.  Jesus makes it possible for us to serve God and others in the power of his Spirit.  So, despite the fact that sin is within me, and I need to battle against its pull every day, I am no longer a slave to it.

Today, I will thank you, God, for my baptism, joining me with your son who leads me away from my own sinfulness and gives me his Spirit so I can act in ways that give you glory.


Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, known for your sensitivity to the needs of others, pray for us.

July 20, 2014 - Sunday

You shall lie down and no one will disturb you.  (Job 11:19a NABRE)


It is my actions and the intentions of my heart that promise the peaceful rest of the good and the just.

Beginning in verse thirteen, I see that if I will set my heart right and stretch out my hands toward God, if I work to remove bad behaviors from my life and unfairness from my heart,* I will find rest that no one will disturb.

Lord, I pray that the actions and intentions of my heart today will show good stewardship of your creation.  I ask that each thought and each action bring me closer to understanding the peace which only you can give.  And I ask that I not be tempted by selfish wants today, but instead be completely satisfied and filled with the joy your Holy Spirit brings.


Today, I will remember the witness of the martyrs and make the small sacrifices that following Jesus today may require of me.*



Saint Apollinaris, first century martyr, pray for us.

July 19, 2014 - Saturday

The way of the just is smooth;
the path of the just you make level.  (Isaiah 26:7 NABRE)


OK, so you believe in God.  But have you ever felt like God was so far away you couldn't feel any connection to him at all?  Have you ever felt like he left you alone to struggle without his help?  Have you ever been badly beaten by a trying circumstance that felt endless?  Have you ever lost big?

And what is your reaction?  What do you do?  What do you think or say when things go against you?

The people of Israel experienced this during their exile in Babylon.  After their suffering and sadness, Isaiah prophesies that they will at last sing the words of joy found in today's verse as part of a song thanking God for delivering them from their captors.  And we know his prophesy was true historically, but more than that, we can apply its lesson to our own lives.

We can learn from their experience.  Just like the people of Israel, whom God chose.  He chooses us.  And what does that mean?  Even if it takes a long time.  Even when we are hurt badly by something in our own life.  Even if we are angry at God or someone who hurts us.  Indeed, especially at those times, we need not despair nor become despondent, because there will be a day when we will be delivered from our hurt, just as Israel was.

So remain faithful during difficult times.  That is the key.  Adopt a perspective that reaches beyond here or now, and try to see things as God might see them.  But above all, keep your faith.  It is what matters most.


Today, I will hold tightly to my faith even at difficult moments and I will pray for others whose faith is at risk, asking the Lord not to let go of even one of his own.


Saint Mary MacKillop, who reminds us to "Have courage no matter what your crosses are," pray for us.

July 18, 2014 - Friday

At that time Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.  (Matthew 11:25 NABRE)


Am I open or arrogant? This seems to be such a pivotal distinction in my own personal salvation! Today's verse revisits the idea of belief.

Acceptance of Jesus' teachings depends upon the Father’s revelation, but this is granted to those who are open to receive it and refused to the arrogant.*  So, the Father reveals the truth of his son Jesus to me if I am willing at least to acknowledge that it might be true, or that it resonates with something in my own experience, or even that I'm not sure but am willing to listen.

This trust is like that of a child.  And it is all we need.  Put aside your fears for even just a fleeting thought and you will find trust is still in you.  It is in each of us!

Am I childlike and open to Jesus’ preaching and the significance of his mighty deeds, or am I arrogant and, like the Pharasees, do I reject these things?*  Arrogance gets in the way of so many things, and the great gift God offers us is the biggest.

Even the most clever and well-spoken among us lack knowledge of so many things, so where does arrogance come from?  Where does it grow?  Arrogance comes from fear and it grows in an environment of self-protection.  Arrogance often disguises itself as confidence!  Underneath, it is an angry disposition used to guard me from becoming vulnerable and hurt.  It reflects my secret fear of others discovering my truly limited knowledge and skill, and it protects me from the hurt they will impose on me.  Or does it?


Today, I will seek to be childlike; to trust; to let go of my own fear unwillingness and arrogance for a few minutes; and to remember what I once knew so simply to be true:  That Jesus is God's son and all his teachings and deeds and all that grew from them are signs of his love for me personally and of the mercy that grows out of that great love.


Saint Camillus de Lellis, patron of hospitals and nurses, pray for us.

July 17, 2014 - Thursday

So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”  (John 12:7-8 NABRE)


Belief.  The woman who anoints Jesus in this scene from Bethany just before his final return to Jerusalem believes.  More than that, she takes action to express her belief.  She takes risk, in a very public way, and is insulted because of it.  And here, Jesus defends her.  He silences her critic.

As a believer, I sometimes think about the reasons people have for not believing.  I admit I'm ignorant and curious because my belief in God has been lifelong.  I do not know what it means not to believe.  So, I try to understand others who do not have faith.

I have heard many say they cannot believe in something they cannot see.  Others tell me they cannot accept something for which science offers no proof.  Others have explained to me that they refuse to believe in a loving God who allows all the evil we see in this world. Over the years, many people have avoided discussing it with me (certain, no doubt, that I would try to change their mind).  Some have dismissed it so completely, there's not even a reason to think about it--it's not on their radar.  And there are other really good reasons that people have as well, personal pain comes to mind as the most common one, and there is no doubt that soul-crushing things do happen to us.

Unfortunately for me, these reasons don't help me understand.  My curiosity only grows because I see everything through a lens of faith.  If God is real, he is real.  Why would my lack of proof, or understanding, or even personal pain suddenly make that untrue?  Interesting.


Today, I will pray for bridges of understanding among believers, dialog between people of good will, and God's mercy on us all.


Saint Joseph, spouse of Mary who gave Jesus his name, pray for us.
Servant of God Francis Garcés and Companions, martyred missionaries, pray for us.

July 16, 2014 - Wednesday

No longer will your sun set,
or your moon wane;
For the LORD will be your light forever,
and the days of your grieving will be over.  (Isaiah 60:20 NABRE)


Imagine not needing the sun or the moon for light.  Imagine God's presence as actual light, the only light you need to see, and it's not a dim bulb kind of light, but a beach day kind of light.  Imagine perfect light.

From the third section of Isaiah, today's verse was written after Israel's exile in Babylon.  In it, the prophet speaks of the end of time and of Israel being greatly honored.  He describes a future time when they will be in God's presence, a time when they no longer need sun or moon for sight, a time of unending joy.


Today, I will look forward to the time of glory when the Lord is my light forever and we will have days of unending joy.


Our Lady of Mount Carmel, who gives us hope and always points us to Jesus, pray for us.

Acts of the Apostles - Chapter 9

Acts, chapter nine, begins with the sudden conversion and baptism of Saul of Tarsus, well known at that time as a devout Jew who hunted the followers of Jesus.  He is the same man we now call Saint Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles, called directly by Jesus.  After his conversion, he wastes no time in beginning his work, immediately preaching in Damascus, and then heading to Jerusalem, where Barnabas, a friend they have in common, brings him to the Apostles.

Chapter nine concludes with Peter performing two miracles, one of which is to raise from the dead one of the disciples, Tabitha.

The dramatic exposure of the supernatural in the natural world, all in the name of Jesus, proves to the actual witnesses and friends of Jesus that all he claims is true.  To them, these proofs are more than intellectual or theoretical.  These proofs are physical, obvious, and so emotionally overwhelming, that witnesses to them are instantly made certain of the truth of everything Jesus says.

As if his miracles were not enough, by giving his Holy Spirit to the twelve Apostles, and allowing them the grace to act in his name, Jesus added great fuel to the fire of his growing church.  While we may not all perform dramatic acts that defy our understanding of the natural world, we share the same Holy Spirit as the Apostles and Jesus.  And in personal ways, we do experience in our own lives miracles great and small.  The trick is to notice them!  Be open to the miracles!

Lord, give me sight to see the dramatic exposure of your super-natural touch on my own life.  Let me continue to have the certainty of those first witnesses and friends of your son, though I have yet to encounter him in a physical way.  Let your touch on my life become more apparent to others so that all who see it begin to recognize your miracles in their own lives.

July 15, 2014 - Tuesday

I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.  (John 15:5 NABRE)



I am always amazed at the simple clarity of something so complex.  Jesus is like a grape vine that connects you and I to God the Father.  This familiar image is used many times by prophets in the Old Testament, and Jesus is certainly referring to Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.*  Speaking in no uncertain terms at the Last Supper, he tells his friends he is the one spoken of by the prophets.

But to me, the phrase "remain in me" is a bit odd, even if it's context seems to tell me it means "stay connected to me" or something along that line.  That is still somewhat vague.  Reading on in John 15, Jesus clarifies the bottom line:  To "remain in" Jesus, we must Love one another.  The connections go something like this:

• I command you to love one another.
• You are my friends if you do what I command.
• This is my commandment:  Love one another as I love you.
• If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love.
• Remain in my love.
• If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.

Lord, help me to remain in you, to be your friend, and to bear fruit that glorifies your Father.  Help me to follow your command to love others, at any cost to me, as you did.  Increase in me the enthusiasm for your friendship by increasing my interest, knowledge, and belief in you and those around me.

Today, I will seek to bear much fruit by loving others and remaining in you.


Saint Bonaventure, known for your kindness, approachableness, gentleness and compassion, pray for us.

July 14, 2014 - Monday

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13 NABRE)


True wisdom is from God.  It is a way of thinking and acting which is Spirit led.  Each day I learn that true wisdom is a lifelong pursuit.

Here is a list of the qualities of the truly wise person:  pure, peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity (James 3:13-17).  The wise person is in control of his speech and demonstrates humility, gentleness and patience (Ephesians 4:1-2).  These qualities of the wise person are also seen in the Fruits of the Spirit:  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

By contrast, earthly pursuits can be identified by these qualities:  Jealousy, selfish ambition, boastfulness, dishonesty, disorder, and every foul practice (James 3:14-17).  And among people, earthly wisdom creates these situations:  rivalry, jealousy, fury, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder, impurity, immorality and licentiousness (2 Corinthians 12:20-21).

Each of these is worthy of study, reflection, and prayer; but, enthusiasm is my quick measure of how far from success I fall!  Too often, even when I am given the opportunity to think or act or speak wisely, I do not.  I give, but not generously.  I help others, but not patiently.  I sacrifice, but not peacefully.  I do not control my own speech as I should.  These outward signs remind me of how far I have to go, and how my enthusiasm for the gifts of the Spirit falls far short of wisdom!


Today, I will ask for growth in God's wisdom, and the awareness of change in my own heart.


Saint Francis Solano, who enthusiastically sacrificed for others, pray for us.

July 13, 2014 - Sunday

If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:13 NABRE)


Again today, we are reminded that God is constant.  He is faithful.  As we saw on Friday, we can rely on this in times of greatest difficulty.  It is impossible for it to be any other way.

I picture Jesus hanging on the cross.  God and man, suffering unimaginably for us, and yet so faithfully asking the Father to forgive even his executioners.  If we are unfaithful he remains faithful.

Paul's words to Timothy, by now a pastor himself, are meant as encouragement to remain strong in faith and to bear the difficulties of strong faith.


Today, I will fall on my faith that God is merciful and does not abandon me, so that I may endure the hardships of this life, especially those hardships which are actually brought on by my faith.


Saint Henry, a ruler who reminds us that holiness is possible in a busy secular life, pray for us.

July 12, 2014 - Saturday

Remember not the events of the past,
the things of long ago consider not.  (Isaiah 43:18 NABRE)


On the surface, Second Isaiah (the second of the three sections and writers that comprise Isaiah) is actually telling the exiled people of Israel in Babylon to forget the past exodus from Egypt!  He tells them that their return from Babylon will be an even greater marvel and proof of God's power!

However, to me, the statement can be understood at a personal level as well.  Do not dwell on the past.

What great signs of God's power and love surround us in this moment!  Notice them.  Breathe them in.  Big or small, these signs remind me that the Lord is present with me even when I'm not present with him.  I see him at weddings and in healed hospital patients.  I see him in nature and in science.  I also need to see him in others I meet along the way--especially people I do not like or understand.


Today, I will live in the present moment as an act of prayer.


Saints John Jones and John Wall, British martyrs for refusing to deny your faith, pray for us.
Saint Joseph of Cupertino, patron of air travelers, pray for us.

July 11, 2014 - Friday

No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.  (1 Corinthians 10:13 NABRE)


My confidence is in God alone.  Not myself.

When I rely on myself alone, during times of trial, I struggle.  I fail.  Yet, somehow, when I seek God's help and guidance, I can still feel like I don't receive it!  So how can I rely on God?  How do I know he will be there for me?  Honestly, it is by Faith first, then Experience.  Here's what I do to convert faith to experience:

• First, I accept completely that God is always faithful to me, in every moment and in every circumstance, and he simply will not let me be tried beyond my strength.
• Second, I consider the possibility that I am sometimes blind to the way out that God provides.
• And third, when that is the case, I pray for two things:  Sight to see his path out of my trial and Patience to endure his time schedule.

Today, I will pray for sight and patience for all those who are experiencing great trials in their lives; and I will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, asking God to increase his great mercy toward those who are most in need of it.


Saint Benedict, who has a special place in our hearts, pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, who reminds us to open wide the door to Christ, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, worker and parent, pray for us.
Saint Rita, patron of parenthood, pray for us.

July 10, 2014 - Thursday

but of the Son:
“Your throne, O God, stands forever and ever;
and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom. (Hebrews 1:8 NABRE)


It is a powerful claim to use the word God in reference to the Son, while describing Jesus.  But that is exactly what the writer does here.

Jesus is depicted as a king and is set above angels.  If you've ever wondered about the divinity of Jesus, today's verse is part of a larger section in the letter to the Jewish Christians in which we see a number of specific references to the ancient messianic prophecies.  For example, see Psalms 45:7 as the verse to which the writer of Hebrews refers.

Today's verse encourages me to remain strong in my faith and passionate about my place in God's plan!


Today, I will submit myself to my king and my God, Jesus, who sacrificed himself for me.


Saint Veronica Giuliani, who carried Christ's cross in her heart, pray for us.

Acts of the Apostles - Chapter 8

Acts, chapter eight, shows us how the young Christian church begins to spread beyond Jerusalem.

It reminds me of the creeping juniper plants we have on the back hill at the beach house.  When we first planted them as small plants, our hope was they would spread quickly to cover the ground and hold the hill.  Well, not much happened right away.  For several years, the small plants even struggled among the weeds just to avoid being overtaken, so we weeded the hill.  We still do, every year.  However, this year, for the first time, I have begun to see signs of real spread.  The junipers are taking root and putting out branches across much of the hill space.  Very exciting!

And similarly, after some time and the martyrdom of Stephen, the young Christian community begins to spread out--due in part to the persecution it had begun to face in and around Jerusalem.  Philip (one of the six men chosen along with Stephen back in chapter six) plays an important role in chapter eight.

First, we see Philip depart for Samaria where he begins to teach about the Messiah, to perform miraculous signs, and to baptize in Jesus' name.

Second, we see Peter and John join Philip in Samaria.  They pray that the Samaritans would receive the Holy Spirit and then lay hands on them at which time they do received the Spirit.  Peter also chastises a greedy local magician named Simon.

Finally, we see Philip leave Samaria heading south toward the desert where he meets an Ethiopian official whom he teaches and baptizes along the road.  To conclude the chapter, Philip is suddenly seen along the coast, preaching in Azotus and headed north to Ceasarea.

If possible, spend some time with the geography.  But also, follow all eight footnotes for verses one through eight (some of the footnotes reference other related bible locations--follow these too), and watch the connections grow between Luke's account here, Paul's letters which are yet to be written, and the predictions Jesus previously made!  It is well worth the small amount of time!

July 9, 2014 - Wednesday

The loving deeds of the LORD I will recall,
the glorious acts of the LORD,
Because of all the LORD has done for us,
the immense goodness to the house of Israel,
Which he has granted according to his mercy
and his many loving deeds. (Isaiah 63:7 NABRE)


Recalling how the Lord saved them from the Egyptians, today's verse has the again-exiled people of Israel begging God to once again show them his mercy.  It is a signal of their change of heart, the beginning of their acknowledgement of how they forgot the Lord, all he had done for them, and the covenant relationship they had with him.

I suppose it is human nature to focus on what is bad, negative, challenging, and difficult.  These things rivet our attention on the evening news and in all aspects of our lives.  Consider how our smart phones notify us immediately each time something bad happens across the globe.  Even sports news works this way.  For example, yesterday we were notified that the Brazilian soccer team was beaten by the German team in the World Cup semi-final match.  We were not notified of Germany's win, but rather of Brazil's defeat.

Let's ask God for a change of heart.  Let's remember all he does for us.  Let's work to focus on the good, the positive, the uplifting, the enduring!  Let's enter every situation led by the Lord.  Let's begin today.  Let's begin a worldwide movement in our own hearts.


Today, right now, I will remember all you do for me, Lord, and I will seek to change my heart so that I recognize you leading me through every situation and I see your face in the face of each person I encounter.


Saint Nicholas Pick and Companions, martyrs for the faith who recognized the Lord's loving presence even in their worst moments, pray for us.

July 8, 2014 - Tuesday

Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.  (Mark 10:18 NABRE)


God the Father is "the source of all goodness who alone can grant the gift of eternal life."*

In a striking passage where Jesus confronts the Old Testament perspective that riches are a sign of God's favor, Jesus tells us that, "It is easier for a camel to pass through [the] eye of [a] needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”*

Jesus understands that he asks us to sacrifice, in some cases to give up everything, in order to follow him--as the Apostles did.  And so again, I am challenged to reconsider my own views, my own heart, and my own life.

Lord, I believe that you alone are good, that I cannot show goodness without you, and that I express hints of your goodness in my life when I live as Jesus asks.  Lord, help me to avoid the suffocating desire for riches in this life, and to replace it with complete and constant yearning for riches in the next.  And Lord, help me to sacrifice as you ask, to see where you lead, and to follow you fearlessly.


Today, I will consider the sacrifices of many and the conviction of my own wealth.  I will ask God's help in recognizing him as the real source of my joy and in confronting this great challenge of earthly wealth placed in my path by Jesus.


Saint Gregory Grassi and companions, faithful witnesses to China and martyrs, pray for us.

July 7, 2014 - Monday

May he reign before God forever;
send your love and fidelity to preserve him.  (Psalms 61:8 NABRE)


I am struck by the idea of the attributes of God.  What is he like?  What qualities of personality does he have.  In today's verse, we see two of them mentioned, as the psalmist asks God to send them to the king.  There are some others mentioned throughout psalms.  Here are several attributes of God which we can ask him to share with us:

• Love
• Fidelity
• Truth
• Justice
• Peace
• Mercy
• Faithfulness
• Loyalty

Mercy.  God's divine mercy.  It occurs to me how much I need this.  How much our world needs this.  And so...


Today, I will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, recalling Jesus' desire to show us his merciful heart rather than his just judgement. 


Saint Faustina, secretary of God's mercy, pray for us.

July 6, 2014 - Sunday

My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart also will rejoice; (Proverbs 23:15 NABRE)


Proverbs 23 contains a father's advice to his son who seeks to be wise.  In today's verse, we see a father imploring his son to "apply [his] heart to wisdom and [his] ear to words of knowledge."*  The father also expresses his own joy should his son gain the true wisdom that makes the heart wise.

Lord, soften my heart to your wisdom, especially at those difficult times I have each day.  Let me recall my learning when I need it most.  Quiet my restlessness enough to hear your Holy Spirit within me, who is the source of wisdom, so that my Father in heaven will rejoice.


Today, I will seek to recognize the simple truth you place in my heart, and to act wisely according to what it tells me.


Saint Maria Goretti, model of simple faith and martyr at age twelve, pray for us.

July 5, 2014 - Saturday

For we brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it. (1 Timothy 6:7 NABRE)


Both letters to Timothy are from Paul.  Rather than writing to the entire community, Paul is writing to Timothy (it seems to me as a bishop might write to one of his parish priests with whom he is good friends) encouraging him in the face of opposition to his teaching.

This letter is very modern.  It is deeply concerned with our love of money and our intellectual drifting from faith in Jesus as provided by the apostles.  I wish I, along with every other person alive today, would grasp tightly onto the message of today's verse.


Today, I will pray for the reforming of my heart so that I might not be anxiously led to the pursuit of money and worldly things, but content; and that I might instead seek after Jesus by pursuing "righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness."*


Saint Anthony Zaccaria, reformer within the Church, pray for us.

Acts of the Apostles - Chapter 7

Acts, chapter seven is very focused.  Picture it as Luke tells it:  Stephen, with a face described by those who saw it as being like an angel, speaks to the religious leaders before whom he has been led, accused of blasphemy.  He is at risk of a death sentence with no appeal process, so what does he do in his response to the charges brought against him?  He completely ignores them and begins teaching!

Stephen's speech seems to expand on Peter's kerygmatic speech in chapter two to the crowd on Pentecost.  It certainly echos Peter's speech from chapter three when he addresses the crowd that gathered after he and John healed the crippled beggar.  And of course, it parallels the speeches Peter gave before the same Sanhedrin in chapter four and chapter five.

Stephen's speech explains Christianity's break from the boundaries created by Jewish laws as he talks about how Israel has a history of rejecting its God-chosen leaders.*

Stephen summarizes the history of Israel's relationship with God in challenging terms, illustrating with compelling examples from scripture their perpetual resistance to the Holy Spirit.  With no thought of the personal risk he was taking, he actually concludes by heaping harsh accusations on his judges!  And in the final seven verses of the chapter, we see why in his final response to their furious verdict.

July 4, 2014 - Friday

They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength,
they will soar on eagles’ wings;
They will run and not grow weary,
walk and not grow faint. (Isaiah 40:31 NABRE)


So, what is the difference between an idol and the Lord?

Today's verse is the conclusion of a really powerful reminder worth visiting every so often.  Beginning in verse twelve, the prophet does an amazing job of reminding us of the answer to this question.  He compares the power of God and the vanity of idols.

In Isaiah's day, idols were statues carved out of wood or stone, or formed out of precious metals or paints.  Yet, people worshiped them and made offerings to them!  They treated these little creations of theirs as if they had power, when in reality they had no more power than any other piece of wood or stone.  Their idols had no spiritual side.  Idols do not live.  So, call them idols or gods, they are mere pieces of art.

In my world, idols are often made of wood or stone, precious metals or paints too.  Is my house an idol to me?  Is that piece of jewelry that I want an idol to me?  So, more than just artwork or craftsmanship, we understand an idol can be anything I "worship" with undue attention and excessive energy.

But our Lord is God.  He is no idol!  He created all the universe and was there before it.

Re-read today's chapter of Isaiah, beginning with verse twelve (with the footnotes because there are some great explanations in them).


Today, I will seek strength for our country and our world in our search for peace, by placing my hope in the Lord, as did Isaiah, Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, and so many others through the years.


Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, peacemaker, pray for us.

July 3, 2014 - Thursday

May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (1 Thessalonians 5:23 NABRE)


Concluding his letter to his friends, Saint Paul continues to encourage the young Christian community in Thessalonica, Greece.  Today's verse is a beautiful blessing on the people asking the Lord to keep them holy and blameless.  Blameless until Jesus returns.  Now that is huge!  It is a big ask!  And I love the faith it implies because God hears our prayers and asks us to believe he answers our prayers.  Out of his great concern for his spiritual family, Paul pours his complete faith in Jesus into this request.  And he asks for all of us, even today, that our lives be sustained by God's power, despite our sinful human nature, in purity and chastity.*

Look, too, how Paul describes each of us as being made up of three distinct parts:  Spirit, soul, and body.  I understand the distinction between our physical body and our spiritual aspect, but what is fascinating here is the dual nature of our spiritual selves.  Paul writes of a spirit and a soul.

Though I do not claim to have any expertise here, and indeed there are differing theological perspectives on the matter, even different translations of the verse which do not draw this picture of duality of spirit; but, I think we can avoid over-stepping and legitimately adopt a view something like this:

I have a physical body.  I also have a spiritual soul which is that eternal aspect of me made in God's image.  And the Holy Spirit of God dwells within me.  While the words seem woefully inadequate and the concepts honestly beyond my reach, this view lets me extend my understanding of how God may work in my life.


Today, I will repeat Paul's bold blessing, asking God to keep us all perfectly holy in how we live, preserving us as blameless until Jesus returns!


Saint Thomas the Apostle, who exclaimed to Jesus, "My Lord and My God," pray for us.

July 2, 2014 - Wednesday

For it says in scripture:
“Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion,
a cornerstone, chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.” (1 Peter 2:6 NABRE)


About thirty years after Jesus died, Peter writes this letter to churches founded by Paul.  His intent is to encourage them to remain faithful even during difficulties, and it is interesting how he relies on references in Jewish scripture in this letter intended primarily for Gentiles.

In today's verse, Peter quotes Isaiah.  This 750-year-old prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus, who was that chosen and precious cornerstone placed by God.  In context, Peter tells us that we too are like living stones being built into a spiritual house.

Lord, help me to become like a living stone in your house by removing "all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander" from my heart.*


Today, I will seek to be uplifted by your presence in others around me, and to let drain away from my heart these emotions that separate us from each other and from you.


Saint Oliver Plunkett, martyr, pray for us.

July 1, 2014 - Tuesday

The LORD is there to save us.
We shall play our music
In the house of the LORD
all the days of our life. (Isaiah 38:20 NABRE)


King Hezekiah had just recovered from a near-fatal illness.  His first response is to give praise and thanks to God, whom he knows gives life to us all.  In today's verse, we celebrate this life and its author!

Lord, I see how brief this life is and I will celebrate it today.  I will celebrate the great gift that it is.

Lord, thank you too for the gift of music, which helps us celebrate.  Thank you for the many blessings you share with us, most importantly the sacrifice of your son Jesus so that we might not stay slaves to death but gain freedom and eternal life.  Music in this life is sweet.  Music in the next must be beyond our imagining!


Today, I will celebrate this life and the promise of the next!


Blessed Junipero Serra, whose motto was "always forward, never back," pray for us.