September 30, 2015 - Wednesday

More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith. (Philippians 3:8-9 NABRE)

This mindset is not very modern! Writing to the congregation at Philippi about faith in God, Paul tells us he sought a relationship with Jesus above all else. Nothing this world offers was more important to him.

Paul considers knowing Jesus to be the supreme good. He considered Jesus to be the long-promised Christ who would save his people. Based on his education and training, then on his conversion experience, he knew Jesus to be the Lord of lords. Paul wanted only to, as he says, gain Christ. He wanted to be found in him. He sought a relationship with Jesus. And finally, he claims that any goodness he may have in God's eyes is because of his faith in Jesus.

To underscore his point, Paul tells us that not only did he accept losing everything, he considered everything to be rubbish! Nothing, even the good things we do on our own, he tells us, satisfies God unless we first have faith.


Today, I will ask the Holy Spirit to fill me with an even deeper faith and the desire for a renewed relationship with the Lord.


Saint Jerome, priest, Doctor of the Church, and patron of librarians, pray for us.

September 29, 2015 - Tuesday

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart;
in the presence of the angels to you I sing.
I bow low toward your holy temple;
I praise your name for your mercy and faithfulness.
For you have exalted over all
your name and your promise.
On the day I cried out, you answered;
you strengthened my spirit. (Psalm 138:1-3 NABRE)

David brings forward a reminder that praise is possible in different ways. To give full honor and glory to God, we can thank him in our hearts, bow down before him, and speak words of praise. So, our thoughts, words, and actions are all available to us as means to publicly honor God with joy-filled and humble trust.

Praise God! Praise him for his mercy and faithfulness to us. Praise him for creation. Praise him because he answers our cries. Praise him because his name is above all.


Today, I will thank the Lord for the many times he has strengthened my spirit.


Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, archangels who bring God's protection, communication and guidance in ways which defy description, pray for us.

September 28, 2015 - Monday

For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45 NABRE)

Imagine it. God's son humbled himself to serve those of his creation who were in need. And in one way or another, we are all in need of his help.

Yesterday, Pope Francis visited the imprisoned so let's pray for justice and for true interior freedom for all people. Here is a prayer from the Roman Missal for those held in captivity:*

O God, whose Son humbled himself
and took the form of a slave
to redeem the human race from being captive to sin,
grant to your servants held in confinement
that they may obtain the freedom you destine to all,
for we are your sons and daughters.
Through Christ our Lord.


Today, I will pray for my brothers and sisters held in confinement and longing for freedom.


Saint Wenceslaus, who was able to incarnate your Christianity in a world filled with political unrest, pray for us.

September 27, 2015 - Sunday

Who can detect trespasses?
Cleanse me from my inadvertent sins.
Also from arrogant ones restrain your servant;
let them never control me.
Then shall I be blameless,
innocent of grave sin.
Let the words of my mouth be acceptable,
the thoughts of my heart before you,
LORD, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:13-15 NABRE)

It is only the one who is God who can do these things for us. We have, in today's verse, a beautiful example of humility and confidence in God.

Recently, I read a vitriolic and angry comment beneath a blog in which the commenter mentioned he did not believe in sin. While I do not recall the source and cannot be certain of the real substance behind it, the statement itself reflected such a current of popular belief and it captured well such a subtle deception to which we all fall prey, that it wants consideration in light of today's passage from Psalm 19.

The Catechism teaches us sin is naturally understood by all people regardless of creed. In part, sin is recognized as "an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as 'an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law.'” (Paragraph 1849)

Lord, please guide my conscience away from ignorance and wrong judgment. I must follow my conscience, so lead me to an ever-increasing understanding of what is good and right. When I face moral choices, show me the path of right judgment which is in harmony with reason as well as your will. Remind me, in these times, that the end cannot justify evil means. Keep me mindful of the Golden Rule. Lord Jesus, protect those I love from the blindness caused by sin so that they too may gain in wisdom and understanding. 

Today, I will pray for a clean heart.


Saint Vincent de Paul, patron of charitable societies, pray for us.

September 26, 2015 - Saturday

He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,
but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
for which I was appointed preacher and apostle and teacher. (2 Timothy 1:9-11 NABRE)

Among other statements, Saint Paul teaches us here in stark terms that Jesus brought immortality to light by his life. In his actions and words, and finally by his death and resurrection, Jesus showed us that eternal life was truly available to each of us. And Paul reminds us too that we are called to a holy life fashioned according to God's design.

Lord, I accept your free gift of grace and seek to live according to your will.

*As Pope Francis speaks about immigration, religious freedom, and other matters to a large gathering at Independence Mall in Philadelphia, please join him in prayer. Here is a prayer for refugees and exiles from the Roman Missal:

O Lord, to whom no one is a strangerand from whose help no one is ever distant,look with compassion on refugees and exiles,on segregated persons and on lost children;restore them, we pray, to a homeland,and give us a kind heart for the needy and for strangers.Through Christ our Lord.

Today, I will remember my own refugee status and pray for others away from their true homes.


Saints Cosmas and Damian, who suffered martyrdom in Syria during the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian about the year 303, pray for us.

September 25, 2015 - Friday

Mine is the silver and mine the gold—oracle of the LORD of hosts. (Haggai 2:8 NABRE)

Through the prophet Haggai, God reminds his people that he owns all that he has created. This means we are but custodians of his property. We are stewards of his silver and his gold, and we are expected to use his resources for his glory, not ours.

Israel at that time was to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. God promised he remained with them and would provide all the necessary resources for the task. Their part was to have courage and get to work. (Haggai 2:4)

In the same way, God calls us to share his resources with others in need. We look after what is God's and part of this work is advancing the needs of our neighbors. Another part of this is protecting our common home, as Pope Francis tells us in his letter, Laudato Si, On Care For Our Common Home.

Today, as Pope Francis addresses world leaders at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, we join in prayer for the progress of all peoples:

O God, who gave one origin to all peoples
and willed to gather from them one family for yourself,
fill all hearts, we pray, with the fire of your loveand kindle in them a desirefor the just advancement of their neighbor,
that, through the good things which you richly bestow upon all,
each human person may be brought to perfection,every division may be removed,and equity and justice may be established in human society.
Through Christ our Lord.* 

Today, I will pray that every division among us be removed.


Blesseds Louis Martin and Zelie Guerin, parents of Saint Thérese of the Child Jesus who once wrote, "God gave me a father and a mother more worthy of heaven than of earth," pray for us.

September 24, 2015 - Thursday

Now thus says the LORD of hosts:
Reflect on your experience!
You have sown much, but have brought in little;
you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
You have drunk, but have not become intoxicated;
you have clothed yourselves, but have not been warmed;
And the hired worker labors for a bag full of holes. (Haggai 1:5-6 NABRE)

In context, after returning from exile in Babylon, the survivors of Judah should have been rebuilding the destroyed Temple in Jerusalem. The prophet Haggai even connects their well being to their work on the ruined building, yet they had stopped working on the restoration.*

There is a message in today's passage which is just as relevant today. We--who call ourselves people of God--should look at the way we--who have been given many blessings--decide to live our lives. We should be about the work God has for us and subordinate to it our pursuit of the satisfactions of this life.

We are called to tell others about God and encourage them to have faith, to believe, and to trust him. We ought to work first for God, not for the fleeting things and experiences of this world.


Today, I will reflect on my experience to see if I seek my satisfaction and contentment by turning people to the Lord.


Blessed John Henry Newman, who wrote, "I have a mission; I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons; He has not created me for naught.," pray for us.

September 23, 2015 - Wednesday

I said: “My God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to raise my face to you, my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads and our guilt reaches up to heaven." (Ezra 9:5 NABRE)

This communal confession of sin is attributed to Ezra who probably lived about 400 years before Jesus.

It is of a type that was characteristic of the Second Temple period* (538 BCE to 70 CE) toward the end of which Jesus lived among us.* Early on in this period, referred to as the Restoration, Ezra, with Nehemiah, was largely responsible for the reorganization of Jewish life after the Babylonian exile.*

The history is interesting, but the passion of Ezra's confession is striking.

Today, as Pope Francis meets with President Obama and as he canonizes Junípero Serra, we do well to reflect on our own hearts, as Ezra did, on behalf of our people. Ezra felt deeply his shortcomings and turned to the Lord in humility and gratitude for his great mercy. Let us acknowledge our shortcomings and sinfulness today. Let us turn to Jesus himself and ask him for his mercy.


Today, I will pray for Pope Francis, for the Church in our country, and for the United States itself, that God may continue to hear our prayers and bless us with his mercy.


Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcini, who tells us that "the life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual struggle against self," pray for us.

September 22, 2015 - Tuesday

While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.”
He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Luke 11:27-28 NABRE)

Jesus considered attentiveness to God’s Word even more important than Mary's biological relationship to himself.* How wonderful it is to have this remarkable insight! To be truly blessed is to hear God's word and comply with it.

Today, I am led to consider these words of Jesus: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. (Matthew 6:25a) But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. (Matthew 6:33)


Today, I will spend time in God's Word taking steps to observe it as my day unfolds.


Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions, martyrs of courageous faith, pray for us.

September 21, 2015 - Monday

I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3 NABRE)

With the words of today's verse, Saint Paul urged the believers at Ephesus to work for unity among themselves. Paul also exhorted the congregation at Colossae to the same unity.

And to the Colossians, he wrote that they should, "live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God." (Colossians 1:10)

Paul gave similar advice to the Colossians on how to maintain unity. He wrote, "Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful." (Colossians 3:12-15)


Today, I will meditate on this advice in the context of my Church parish.


Saint Matthew, Apostle and patron of accountants, bankers, bookkeepers, and tax collectors, pray for us.

September 20, 2015 - Sunday

Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?
You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask.
You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (James 4:1-3 NABRE)

James is concerned with the origin of conflicts within the Christian community. In today's passage, he describes several dispositions of heart we should eliminate. We should eliminate them because they are the often-hidden root causes of conflict within the Church. First, James tells us not to love the world. Second, he tells us to pray properly, asking God for his help and seeking his kindness for more than personal pleasure.*

James goes on to instruct us that instead of loving this world and praying selfishly, the right dispositions of heart for the Christian are:

• Submission to God
• Repentance
• Humility
• Resistance to evil

Holy Spirit, help me personalize today's passage and endure the uncomfortable self-awareness that it brings. Lord God, if I am honest, I know I want what others have, and at times I even go to extremes trying to get what I cannot obtain. Despite this, rarely do I turn to you for help; and when I do, I ask selfishly. Lord Jesus, there are times when I cause painful conflicts among my people because of my selfish motivations. Please teach me your wisdom and guard my heart from selfishness. Fill me with humility, a desire to submit to your will, sorrow for what I have done wrong, and resistance to all evil whether or not I recognize it.


Today, I will examine my heart for things of this world I want too much.


Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang and Companions, Korean martyrs, pray for us.

September 19, 2015 - Saturday

But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance. (Luke 8:15 NABRE)

Jesus is explaining to the Apostles the meaning of the parable of the sower. We have been given the great gift of God's Word, and our human gift back to God should be to embrace it. We embrace God's Word by reading it and thinking about it, at least a little every day whenever possible.

Jesus mentions that he wants us to embrace God's Word with a generous and good heart. Spend some time thinking what that means to you in your life. He wants us to persevere through trials and temptations, leaning on what we read in God's Word.


Today, I will consider what it means to read God's Word with a generous and good heart.


Saint Januarius, who's relic reminds us to notice the everyday miracles around us, pray for us.

September 18, 2015 - Friday

For we brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.
If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that.
Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains. (1 Timothy 6:7-10 NABRE)

Want versus need. Can we tell the difference?

Saint Paul tells us we need food and clothing for contentment. He exhorts us to separate ourselves from material goods.* He reminds us we should not want money. His words are obviously very well known, but do we take the time to align them with our personal desires and motivations?

What do I believe I need in this life? What do I desire beyond my needs? Can I see how the love of money can lead me away from my faith?

Lord God, divine author of these words of Saint Paul to Timothy, you give us your Word which leads to everlasting life. Help me to prioritize an eternity with you above the temporary pleasures money makes possible. Lord, soften my heart to the needs of others and grant me vision to quickly recognize how I can help. You have blessed me for a time with financial resources and my needs are satisfied. Show me how to share my excess, remembering it is not really mine but yours. You are the owner of all things. Thank you, Lord God, for the many blessings in my life and for the deep grace of awareness.


Today, I will reflect on the desires of my own heart, seeking to subdue my desire for money except as a means to build God's Kingdom here on Earth.


Saint Joseph of Cupertino, patron of air travelers, astronauts, and pilots, pray for us.

September 17, 2015 - Thursday

Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Do not neglect the gift you have. (1 Timothy 4:12-14a NABRE)

Paul's first letter to Timothy is believed to have been written toward the end of Paul's career. Written to Timothy as pastor, rather than directly to the entire community, today's verse encourages Timothy in the exercise of the prophetic character of his office.*

What I love most about today's verse is how it lists specific ways we can make ourselves into good examples for others:

1. By our speech
2. By our conduct
3. By loving others
4. By keeping our faith alive
5. By remaining pure
6. By reading God's Word
7. By encouraging others to pursue faith
8. By teaching others about God

So, if you're having a hard day, why not join me in picking an action from this list, forgetting your own troubles for a while, and showing someone else how to be stronger in their faith walk by your example?

Today, I will try to set a good example for someone else who believes.


Saint Robert Bellarmine, patron of Catechists and Catechumens, pray for us.

September 16, 2015 - Wednesday

Hallelujah!
I will praise the LORD with all my heart
in the assembled congregation of the upright.
Great are the works of the LORD,
studied by all who delight in them. (Psalm 111:1-2 NABRE)

Praise God!

There is no one like him. He does things men cannot do. He creates from nothing. He alone is worthy of praise. He is alive and involved. Just because we aren't always aware of his presence doesn't mean he is not right here with us now!

Take pleasure in his creation!

Find ways to praise God. Go to quiet places. Find places that remind you how small we really are. Sit with the sea, climb to high places, watch the stars. Marvel at his work then go to Church! Become part of a community. Praise God for what he has done, what he is doing in this moment, and what he will do. Make new friends and study his Word. Build habit and routine to endure through your doubt. Remember why it really matters.

Just before he returned to the Father, Jesus called us to community. He called us to share our experience of him. If he is calling you closer right now, say yes and watch things change! Let things change. Make things change!


Today, I will praise God because of his greatness, delighting in his creation.


Saint Cornelius, who helped the Church evaluate new experiences through the wisdom and experience of those who have gone before, pray for us.

September 15, 2015 - Tuesday

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27 NABRE)

This passage can be interpreted a number of different ways and it is unclear which is intended. Intention aside, however, I find the most substantial interpretation is that of Mary symbolizing the Church which Christ gave to the world and she is given the role of mother to all Christians, represented by John the beloved disciple.*

And so we also say that Mary is our mother. She is our guide and our role model. She is our help and support. Mother Mary intercedes for us with her son, Jesus.


Today, on this Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, I will marvel at the strength of Mary and ask her to pray for us, now, and at the our of our death.


Our Lady of Sorrows, Mary, pray for us.

September 14, 2015 - Monday

And the LORD said to Moses: Make a seraph and mount it on a pole, and everyone who has been bitten will look at it and recover.
Accordingly Moses made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever the serpent bit someone, the person looked at the bronze serpent and recovered. (Numbers 21:8-9 NABRE)

The Israelites had been punished by God because of their complaints against him, until Moses prayed to God on their behalf. In today's passage, we see God's saving response to Moses' prayer. In the Gospel of John this scene is referred to as prefiguring the crucifixion of Jesus.* John writes:

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:14-16)

Today, on this Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, I will consider the words of Saint Theodore of Studios (759–826), "How splendid the cross of Christ! It brings life, not death; light, not darkness; Paradise, not its loss. It is the wood on which the Lord, like a great warrior, was wounded in hands and feet and side, but healed thereby our wounds. A tree has destroyed us, a tree now brought us life."


Jesus, Merciful Savior who died on the Holy Cross to redeem men's sins, have mercy on us.

September 13, 2015 - Sunday

He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it. (Mark 8:34-35 NABRE)

This utterance of Jesus challenges all believers to authentic discipleship and total commitment to himself through self-renunciation and acceptance of the cross of suffering, even to the sacrifice of life itself.*

Life seen as mere self-centered earthly existence and lived in denial of Christ ends in destruction, but when lived in loyalty to Christ, despite earthly death, it arrives at fullness of life.*

Lord Jesus, your disciple Saint John Chrysostom lived your challenge amidst the temptations of great power, wealth, and influence. He renounced himself as he committed himself totally to you. And there is no doubt he accepted his cross of suffering unjustly for your sake. He preached in a culture of excess and indulgence. He challenged his wealthy hearers to change, to give more to the poor, and to turn their hearts away from earthly pleasures. 

My Jesus, I thank you for the example of John Chrysostom. I struggle with following your call and accepting your challenge in a culture where every earthly temptation is constantly laid before me. Please do not abandon me today as I put aside my desires for yours, and as I welcome any cross of suffering in your name, joining it to your cross, and offering it for the needs of those who cannot help or even pray for themselves.


Today, I will challenge myself to become a more authentic follower of Jesus.


Saint John Chrysostom, patron of orators, preachers and speakers, pray for us.

"John Chrysostom and Aelia Eudoxia" by Jean-Paul Laurens

September 12, 2015 - Saturday

This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost.
But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16 NABRE)

I might focus on the way Paul emphasizes to Timothy the trustworthiness of his statements as a basic truth of early Christian faith.* I might point out how the mercy and patience of Jesus extends to the worst of sinners.

Instead, I am struck by the way the child Jesus--who became the man we know--would have learned mercy and patience from his parents. We know very little about Joseph, but we do know he willingly submitted his will to God's for the care and protection of his family. We know about the way Mary accepted God's call on her life without hesitation. We recall their patience with the boy who stayed behind in Jerusalem and how he learned obedience and grew in wisdom under their loving care.


Today, on this feast of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I will remember how important it is for me as a parent to fully submit my will to God's.


Mary, virgin mother of Jesus, who always points us to God and reminds us of his infinite goodness, pray for us.

September 11, 2015 - Friday

How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye. (Luke 6:42 NABRE)

Jesus calls on us to stop judging others! The splinter and the wooden beam are symbols of sins, our sins, real sins.

Jesus tells us that when we judge others we become hypocrites. When we hold others to a different standard than we hold ourselves, and when we overlook our own faults--often greater than those we cast our arrogant judgement upon, we invite God's judgment down upon ourselves.

In no uncertain terms, Jesus tells us, "Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:37b)

Lord, guide me to a better awareness of when I judge others. Protect me from any false representation of my own sense of charity, from putting on airs, and from acting as though I am not a sinner. Show me my own sinfulness and help me remove it from my life.


Today, I will consciously avoid judging others; and instead I will seek to judge my own words, actions, and motivations so that I can change what is sinful in me.


Saint Cyprian, patron of North Africa whose efforts helped the Church through the controversies about Baptism and Penance in the third century, pray for us.

September 10, 2015 - Thursday

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. (Colossians 3:12-13 NABRE)

As we put aside the vices of this world, Paul offers us powerful replacements. Rather than living for the immediate pleasures of this physical world, he reminds us that Christ is in us and so we begin to act and speak like Christ.

Look at all the wonderful, remarkable, challenging changes Paul encourages us to make within ourselves: We should be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. I believe a lifetime of work at these can bear fruit, and so let us try each day to become a little more as Paul describes, a little more like Jesus.

Lord Jesus, you came to save me and to show me by your example how I am to act in this foreign land. I ask that by the presence of your holy Spirit within me that you continue to lead me back home. Correct me when I stray. Strengthen me when I seek to put off this world's enticements. Give me reminders today when my thoughts stray from you. Call to me so that I might spend each moment in your holy presence.


Today, I will seek to become a little more like Jesus.


Saint Thomas of Villanova, called in your lifetime "the almsgiver" and after your death "the father of the poor," pray for us.

September 9, 2015 - Wednesday

If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. (Colossians 3:1-2 NABRE)

Paul talks of the mystical death an resurrection of those who follow Christ. In today's verse, he tells the Colossians that "By retaining the message of the gospel that the risen, living Christ is the source of their salvation, the Colossians will be free from false religious evaluations of the things of the world."* In other words, "our citizenship is in heaven." (Philippians 3:20)

In practical terms, Paul goes on to tell us that we are to think about heaven and stop thinking about what is on earth. He lists a substantial number of vices we are to renounce. (Colossians 3:5)

And so, he continues the strong message that because we are citizens of heaven, we should always be thinking of our homeland, avoiding the foreign things of this world that distract us from our trip homeward.


Today, I will think about and seek what is above.


Saint Peter Claver, patron of African-Americans and Colombia, pray for us.

September 8, 2015 - Tuesday

We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28-29 NABRE)

Our purpose as Christians was designed by God himself. It has been said that our purpose is to be conformed to the image of Jesus.* But what does that mean? What can we infer from such a statement?

To conform is to become like something or to comply with established rules, standards, or laws.* For Saint Paul, for the Romans he wrote to, and for us, it means change. Scholars tell us that when we are baptized into Christ we are changed. We are, as Paul stated to the Colossians, renewed according to the image of the Creator (Colossians 3:10)*

The change that makes us into Christ's image is the presence of God's holy Spirit within us. And with this great Spirit, with the power that is shared with us, we are called to change ourselves so that we become like Christ to the world.

And so, to fulfill our purpose, we must yield to the prompting of the Spirit within, we must become like Jesus not only in Spirit, but in life, in our actions, in our thoughts, and in our words. Let us turn to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to see and learn how our Jesus lived in this world as we listen within for the prompting of his holy Spirit.


Today, on this Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I will join with the whole Church and celebrate the birth of Mary, mother of Jesus our Savior.


Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

September 7, 2015 - Monday

It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
For this I labor and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me. (Colossians 1:28-29 NABRE)

Imagine a world where each one of us joins with Saint Paul in his deep desire to present everyone to God the Father as perfect in Christ. What would we do to make that happen? Take some time today to think what you can do to make it real.

Saint Paul taught others about his experience of Jesus. The same Spirit that led Paul lives in each of us.

Take some time today to quietly listen for the Spirit's whisper. Ask him to whisper to you. Be open to the surprise when he does--if that is how it happens.

And if it doesn't happen today, listen again tomorrow, ask him again tomorrow, be open again tomorrow. And when he does finally whisper to you, when he does at last speak to you, ask for courage. Ask for certainty of purpose. Ask for protection in the battle to come. And say thank you with a smile!


Today, I will seek to follow the Spirit working within me by doing the work I am called to do.


Blessed Frédéric Oaznam, co-founder of the St. Vincent DePaul Society, pray for us.

September 6, 2015 - Sunday

Say to the fearful of heart:
Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
With divine recompense
he comes to save you. (Isaiah 35:4 NABRE)

Be strong!

Do not fear!

Your God comes to save you!


Today, I will be strong, confident that my God comes to save me.


Blessed Claudio Granzotto, whose holiness was especially radiant in accepting suffering and death in union with Christ’s Cross, pray for us.

September 5, 2015 - Saturday

O God, by your name save me.
By your strength defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer.
Listen to the words of my mouth. (Psalm 54:3-4 NABRE)

How do we fight despair? How do we maintain hope? The Psalmist gives us perfect guidance in today's passage when he calls on the name of God, knowing that is sufficient to save and defend him.

O God, save me from the enemy's attacks. All my hope rests in you alone, and I know you hear my prayer. Please, listen to the prayer of my heart and my mouth. Guard my soul.


Today, I will call on God by name, confident in his protection.


Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who was called to “follow Christ into the slums to serve him among the poorest of the poor,” pray for us.

September 4, 2015 - Friday

[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;
all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15-17 NABRE)

Today's passage is thought to have been from an early Christian hymn the Colossians would have known from from liturgical use. (Wow! I love that it is preserved for us!)  In it, Jesus is presented as the mediator of creation and of redemption.*

In Genesis we see man and woman are created in the image and likeness of God. In today's passage, Christ is seen as the image of the invisible God, and he shares this new nature in baptism with the redeemed.*

In a remarkable insight, Jesus is known to be God's agent in the creation of all things. He was alive prior to all things.*

Lord Jesus, even when we put together all the things we know about you, we still cannot begin to understand your greatness. I thank you, Jesus, for the the creation I share in, for establishing a path for me back to God, and for standing between the Father and me as my Merciful Savior.


Today, I will contemplate the boundlessness of Jesus who is truly God and man.


Saint Rose of Viterbo, pray for us, who at eighteen, shared these dying words with your parents: "I die with joy, for I desire to be united to my God. Live so as not to fear death. For those who live well in the world, death is not frightening, but sweet and precious."

September 3, 2015 - Thursday

Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” (Luke 5:10b NABRE)

At their first encounter, Jesus demonstrated for Simon the fisherman his power in an astonishing manner by causing his fishing nets to overflow to the point of tearing. Simon had to call his partners, James and John, for assistance with the catch because it was so big. When he realized he was standing in the presence of someone that had actually caused the fish to come into the nets, Peter grew afraid. He recognized something about Jesus and felt suddenly guilty, overwhelmed and unclean because of his own personal sins.

And what a reassuring and merciful statement Jesus makes to Simon. "Do not be afraid." When we, on occasion, realize we are in Jesus presence, it can be overwhelming and cause us to feel that same wave of fear and guilt. Let us remember Jesus words to Peter.

I'd like to point out two implications of today's verse which impact each of us. Jesus the Lord calls you and me to service. Jesus the Lord calls you and me away from our fear so that we can serve.


Today, I will serve fearlessly.


Saint Gregory the Great, Pope, Doctor of the Church, and patron of teachers, pray for us.

September 2, 2015 - Wednesday

But I, like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God,
I trust in God’s mercy forever and ever. (Psalm 52:10 NABRE)

Psalm 52 is a condemnation of the powerful and arrogant who bring down upon themselves God’s judgment. In the context of the times, the just, those who trust in God alone, are gladdened and strengthened by the downfall of their traditional enemies. In today's verse, the psalmist tells us that, like an olive tree: the righteous will flourish in the house of God like a well-watered olive tree.*

The flourishing of the faithful by God's hand as well as the destruction of the enemies of the people of God are frequent themes in the Old Testament. Let us trust in God's mercy at all times. Let us seek to introduce and encourage those who do not know yet God. And let us remind those who have lost track of him about his mercy and faithfulness toward us. No one is so lost that God cannot find them.


Today, I will trust in God's mercy.


Blessed John Francis Burté and Companions, priest victims of the French Revolution, pray for us.

September 1, 2015 - Tuesday

In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice,
“Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” (Luke 4:33-34 NABRE)

Isn't it interesting that Jesus' friends and neighbors in Nazareth rejected him, but in Capernaum even a man with the spirit of an unclean demon knows who he is? God's word tells us "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-10)

As salvation history unfolds, the time will come when everyone recognizes and confesses that Jesus is the Holy One of God. Let's choose to see him now. Let's take a step toward him by exercising our free will and admitting to ourselves that he is alive and the only one worthy of our praise. Once we do, we begin a new journey toward him, we come to know the hope he promises, and we can find peace and joy in the throes of everyday life.

When we see the Spirit of Jesus in others, when we welcome his Spirit into our own hearts, we cannot help but change for the better. And every day, every moment we are alive gives us a new chance to affirm that we believe Jesus is God's Holy One!


Today, I will look closely at others, to recognize the holy Spirit of Jesus in them.


Saint Giles, patron of beggars and the disabled, pray for us.