September 14, 2016 - Wednesday

Then his mother and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.”
He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” (Luke 8:19-21 NABRE)

I've approached this final blog post with a mixture of emotions, but it is clear to me that there are two topics I want to discuss: Family and Mercy. And both of these only make sense to me by the work of the Holy Spirit of God.


Family

In today's passage we learn that the family of Jesus is not constituted by physical relationship with him but by obedience to the word of God.* And this is something that should bind us together as family. Despite our many differences, when we hear the word of God and act on it, we become brothers and sisters of Jesus himself. Imagine it, Jesus tells us we have a family and he is our brother, and that is why we call God our Father!

And when you think about family, many things come to mind, but perhaps when we scratch beneath the surface just a bit--because it can be deceiving, we can see that the strength of family begins with faith and honesty, trust and love.


Mercy

And God's greatest attribute is mercy. Mercy is what we need most in this life. And in his mercy which has no limit or boundary, the Lord offers us forgiveness for all the times we hurt and ignore him. Can we ask him for this?

During this Jubilee Year of Mercy, may we learn to share God's mercy with others. May we show forgiveness to those who have hurt or ignored us and who do not deserve mercy. May we show them this true forgiveness, rooted in the love and example of Jesus himself.


God's Spirit

And it is by turning things over to God, who by the power of his Spirit, enables us to offer forgiveness and mercy to others who hurt or ignore us. And we do this because that's what our brother Jesus tells us to do. To let go of our anger, bitterness, pride, jealousy, ego, vengefulness, stubbornness, or simple bad attitude. To set aside the wrong done to us. To forgive first. It is only by God's Spirit that we can do this. And it works. It is the true power of God himself, brought to life in this world, by each one of us.

May each of us bring a little more of God's power to life each day by acting on the prompting of the Spirit within, with the same trust that Jesus had. Pray about it, then act.


This Gift

A final few thoughts.

Thank you Lord for this gift!

The opportunity to write this blog and to share this experience with others has been a gift to me, and I have always considered it a gift to my children. Writing a thousand blog posts has been a journey of learning and trusting, of praying and feeling, of talking and listening internally. It has brought me great joy, far beyond the cost of a little time and a little sleep!

We've had people join us from around the United States, Indonesia, France, Russia, Germany, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and Vietnam. We've had over 25,000 page views, and I'm grateful to know that in many cases, people encountered the Lord for a few minutes during their busy days. Wow! I think that is an awesome blessing!

The blog survived largely because of the patience and encouragement of my amazing wife! A daily writing discipline is extraordinarily challenging! If you've ever experienced a moment of peace or insight as a result of reading something here, know that she has been an unwavering anchor for me and a regular sounding board throughout the process. She has blessed us all!

The inspiration for this blog was the desire to remind all my children, each day, that the Lord waits for each of us, that He has a plan for us, and that he never forgets us even when we forget him! The idea to write each day grew out of a Christmas gift given to me, a desktop calendar with a daily scripture verse. My thoughts and prayers each morning were guided by the daily calendar verse.

Yes. Writing here has been a gift, but the real gift we are all given is the one from Jesus. It is the gift of faith in him that leads to eternal life. Too many people leave this present all wrapped up and sitting under the tree instead of opening it for themselves. Have you opened yours yet? If you haven't, why not pick up your present right now and open it! See what is inside for you!

Thank you to everyone who has shared this journey with me. I pray you will continue to grow in your faith walk and that you find the counsel of the Holy Spirit of God always leads you to Jesus and to the Father's will.


What Next?

I will continue to read these entries myself, meditating on the verses and learning from the saints. I encourage you to do the same. I suggest two ways of continuing.

1. On any given date, you will find two or three entries for that date. Consider reading them together, open to what might come to mind.
2. Use the search feature to find posts on a particular topic. Search "joy," "peace," or "fruits," for example, and spend some time with the search results, again, open to what comes to mind. Search the word "trust" for a really powerful starting point!

Today, on this Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, I will turn to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, grateful for their example of trust and faithfulness which has inspired me for more than half a century, their responsiveness to the Holy Spirit which has shown me it is possible, and their continuing intercession on our behalf, which overwhelms me with a burning desire to share in the joy and peace they know in the eternal presence of Our Father.


Saint Joseph, husband of Mary, pray for us.

Mary, Mother of our Lord, Our Lady of Sorrows, Queen of Heaven, pray for us.

Thank you, merciful Jesus, who has prayed for us, who died for us, and who reaches out to us even now with your merciful heart, how could we thank you well enough? How could we praise you well enough?

Holy Family with the Lamb - Raphael

September 13, 2016 - Tuesday

As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14 NABRE)

Perhaps the most rewarding part of this blog, for me personally, has been a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit. Spending time each and every morning in quiet reflection and prayer has opened my heart to the whispers of the Spirit which are available to us. Led to write this blog by the Spirit. Led to share each day. And led to begin a new journey, I ask you to turn to the same Spirit who was Jesus' guide. Let the Spirit lead you.

Let the Spirit of God lead you to the will of God for your life, for your day, for each minute. Let him console you when you need comfort. Let him challenge you when you become complaisant. Let him fill you when you are thirsty. I truly believe that it is by our yielding to the Spirit that we find our role in Christ's body. It is by cooperating with the Spirit that we find strength and joy. It is by joining with the Spirit that we encounter the eternal in this temporal life. The Spirit of God is what binds us together. The Holy Spirit is unity itself.

Let us always believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, and who has spoken through the prophets.*


Today, I will pray for all who have joined me here, that the Lord will light your heart with his Spirit, that his gifts will abound in your heart, and that his fruits will ripen in you so that others may share in them. Amen.


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

Please continue to join your prayers with mine, for a daily minute of reflection. 

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) 

May our joining reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

The Last Suppoer, Leonardo daVinci

September 12, 2016 - Monday

Sacrifice and offering you do not want;
you opened my ears.
Holocaust and sin-offering you do not request;
so I said, “See; I come
with an inscribed scroll written upon me.
I delight to do your will, my God;
your law is in my inner being!” (Psalm 40:7-9 NABRE)

The Psalmist hits on an idea in today's passage that obedience is better than sacrifice.* And yet, the two are linked in Christ's sacrifice of his own body as a complete repayment for all our sins.

So what is it that God wants from me? I like the references which are somewhat "between the lines" of today's passage. David tells us that God has implanted his law within each of us and he wants us to pay attention to it.

And so, to know ourselves means to recognize our weaknesses and our inclination to turn away from God, and then to take decisive action based on what God places on our hearts to help us work against our weaknesses.

Lord my God, help me to push against my own weaknesses and shortcomings. I know them and they are many. By your Spirit, guide me, lead me, push me in the direction of your will. Expose to me all my selfish thoughts, my hurtful words, and my destructive actions so that I might reject them, turn my effort to you, and change the harmful patterns of my life. Lord, I say I want a relationship with you, but so often I reject you and your call. I am not good at being obedient. Thank you for your patience with me. Thank you for your encouragement. I will join David in opening my ears to what you have written on my heart.


Today, I will pray the rosary for peace and healing among all people.


On this Feast of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin, Mary, please pray for us.

There are just 2 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

September 11, 2016 - Sunday

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)

Saul persecuted Christians and oversaw their imprisonment. He sought to eradicate them, and he saw it as his duty to God.

We now call him Saint Paul. We marvel at his conversion, his change of heart. And we should realize that as a result of the change which was brought about in him that he is a model for each of us. Paul describes his former self in this way, "I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man." (1 Timothy 1:13) In today's passage, he goes so far as to say he is the worst of all sinners!

And his conversion is our hope! God's mercy is for all of us, right down to the very worst one. Let us pray for a change of heart--a conversion of heart and mind--for ourselves and for all people who have not yet come to know and accept the truth about Jesus Christ.


Today, I will pray the rosary for peace and healing among all people.


Saint Cyprian, important in the development of Christian thought and practice in the third century, pray for us.

There are just 3 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

September 10, 2016 - Saturday

How can I repay the LORD
for all the great good done for me?
I will raise the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD. (Psalm 116:12-13 NABRE)

Today is a great day to sit with this verse. Without describing context or subtle nuance of meaning. Let's spend our few minutes today thankful to the Lord for the good he has done for us. And let us make a real gesture, something out of the ordinary, as a sign of our gratitude.


Today, I will thank the Lord for all he has done for me.


Saint Thomas of Villanova, whose life reminds us to pay attention to how we look to Christ rather than to other people, pray for us.

There are just 4 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

September 9, 2016 - Friday

Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.
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 10:12-13 NABRE)

When Saint Paul writes that we should "Take care not to fall," it is in the context of a lengthy comparison he is making to the Israelites who followed Moses out of Egypt and lost faith in God during their desert journey. The point of the whole comparison with Israel is to caution against overconfidence, a sense of complete security. This warning is immediately balanced by a reassurance, based, however, on God.*

In the verses leading up to today's passage, Paul tells us not [to] desire evil things as they did, not [to] become idolaters, not [to] indulge in immorality. And not [to] grumble. Simply put he tells us not [to] test Christ.

With his reminder that we will be tested, we should simply remember not to become overconfident in our own abilities. We should, instead, trust in God who will always provide a way out of every trial--meaning we should look for it, ask for it, seek it.

Today, I will remember to seek God's way out of every trial, not mine.


Saint Peter Claver, whose life makes us aware of our own barely used potential and of our need to open ourselves more to the jolting power of Jesus' Spirit, pray for us.

There are just 5 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

September 8, 2016 - Thursday

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means “God is with us.” (Matthew 1:21-23 NABRE)

Have you ever considered your purpose in life? How about where it comes from? For Joseph and Mary, their purpose was explained to them in today's passage as a fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. And, as crazy and as frightening as it seemed to them, they did as they were instructed by the angel of God.

Two huge things strike me about this encounter. First, that each one of us has a purpose planned by God. And second, that we each have the option to accept or reject our heaven-appointed purpose.


Today, I will open my heart to be led to an understanding of my purpose, and I will choose to step out in faith in order to pursue that purpose.


On this Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, Mary, please pray for us.

There are just 6 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

The Heart of Mary - Leopold Kupelwieser

September 7, 2016 - Wednesday

I tell you, brothers, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away. (1 Corinthians 7:29-31 NABRE)

Paul advises Christians to go about the ordinary activities of life in a manner different from those who are totally immersed in them and unaware of their transitoriness.*

..the world in its present form is passing away. That is very dramatic. Scary if you stop and think about it. We are familiar with individuals passing away. It is sad for family. But this is orders of magnitude more. Everything is passing away.

Saint Paul, indeed much of the early Church, had as strong sense of Jesus' imminent return. They clearly expected to see him return during their lifetime, bringing with him the promise of a new order.

Do we really expect Jesus? Are we excited to see him? How will we welcome him if he comes tomorrow?! Are we willing to wait, and live each day knowing that this world is not all there is, that in fact, it is passing away? How should this change how we spend our time, talent, and treasure?


Today, I will seek to remember that this life is temporary, and to live aware of the eternal one to come.


Blessed Frédéric Ozanam,  convinced of the inestimable worth of each human being, pray for us.

There are just 7 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

September 6, 2016 - Tuesday

In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12 NABRE)

Have you ever stayed up all night talking? How about a long drive, talking about everything you are planning?

There is something so intimate and special about those conversations. Sometimes they are important because of what's being discussed. Other times they are important simply because they are. They build relationships.

Jesus had a relationship with God, so praying all night (which sounds nearly impossible to us) was a natural expression of their closeness.

Are we close to God? Do we really think of him as Our Father?


Today, I will remember Jesus' invitation to call God Father, and I will spend time in conversation with him.


Blessed Claudio Granzotto, whose "holiness was especially radiant in [your] acceptance of suffering and death in union with Christ’s Cross, pray for us.

There are just 8 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

September 5, 2016 - Monday

LORD, guide me in your justice because of my foes;
make straight your way before me. (Psalm 5:9 NABRE)

When I pray, it seems more often than not I am asking the Lord for some help. As I read Psalm 5, I notice that David does this as well. Here, he asks for guidance and direction in the face of the evils of this world, something I also need so often.  Lord, give me guidance and direction today.

David was surrounded by, and aware of, great evil. It moved around him, we might say, in men who did wicked and violent things, were arrogant, liars and cheats. Deeply aware of this, and how it could affect him, he calls on the Lord to protect not only himself, but all who trust in God.

Psalm 5, this song of David is a lament contrasting the security of the house of God with the danger of the company of evildoers. The psalmist therefore prays that God will hear and grant the protection and joy of the Temple.*

We can sense the near desperation in David's tone, and the certainty of protection which his trust in God brings. Lord, grant me the grace to trust in you even when I am surrounded by evil and suffering.


Today, I will pray the rosary for Pope Francis, his intentions, and for the Church.


Saint Teresa of Calcutta, declared a saint yesterday, whose love for the Eucharist, for prayer and for the poor gives us a model to emulate, pray for us.

There are just 9 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

biography.com

September 4, 2016 - Sunday

If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26-7, 33 NABRE)

Jesus' words to the great crowds travelling with him are stark, jarring, even harsh and uncompromising. This collection of sayings, most of which are peculiar to Luke, focuses on the total dedication necessary for the disciple of Jesus. No attachment to family or possessions can stand in the way of the total commitment demanded of the disciple. Also, acceptance of the call to be a disciple demands readiness to accept persecution and suffering and a realistic assessment of the hardships and costs.* The disciple’s family must take second place to the absolute dedication involved in following Jesus.*

Lord Jesus, show me how to balance my life, to answer your call, and to live in such a way that you desire. Unite my heart with my actions so that I might not be distracted from you. Join my will to my words in such a way that I will never forget the Father's divine will. Help me, Jesus, to see the attachments of this world for what they truly are, gifts from you. May I see your light in each gift, each person, each moment, each little joy. May they all be a small foretaste of the joy of your eternal presence. And may I not place my trust and confidence in the attachments of this world, creating idols for myself and placing them ahead of you. I thank you, Jesus, for the challenge of your words. Help me to live today as your disciple in my place and time.


Today, I will remember that each person I encounter is a gift to me from God.


Saint Rose of Viterbo, eighteen-year-old whose dying words to her parents were, "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," pray for us.

There are just 10 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

September 3, 2016 - Saturday

My mouth will speak the praises of the LORD;
all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever. (Psalm 145:21 NABRE)

Psalm 145, what a beautiful song! The singer invites all to praise God. The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise; they climax in a confession which we read in today's verse. God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship, a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity.*

Today, I will praise God. I will thank Jesus. And I will listen for their Holy Spirit.


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

There are just 11 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

September 2, 2016 - Friday

Trust in the LORD and do good
that you may dwell in the land and live secure.
Find your delight in the LORD
who will give you your heart’s desire.
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will act
And make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
your justice like noonday. (Psalm 37:3-6 NABRE)

In this song of David, we hear him call us repeatedly to trust in the Lord. He urges us to find our delight in the Lord. And he encourages us to commit our ways to the Lord.

When we trust in him, we gain all we need. When we delight in him, we find satisfaction. When we commit our actions to him, we get his aid.


Today, I will trust in the Lord, find delight in him, and commit my actions to him.


Blessed John Francis Burté and Companions, victims of the French Revolution, whose martyrdom reminds us of the importance of religious freedom, pray for us.

There are just 12 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

September 1, 2016 - Thursday

Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool so as to become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written:
“He catches the wise in their own ruses,”
and again:
“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.” (1 Corinthians 3:18-20 NABRE)

In my mind, these words of Saint Paul add to those of Isaiah the prophet who spoke these words:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways—oracle of the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
my thoughts higher than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Intellectual certainty worries me when it depends only on the observable and repeatable physical phenomena of this creation. It includes, in my thinking, those who would close themselves to possibilities simply because they have not yet encountered a proof which appears to have a sufficient basis in fact.

When we close ourselves to mystery, we resist God. We resist truth that exceeds fact. We often dig in and push against even our own experience at times. Why?

The essence and simple opportunity which Jesus offers you and I is this: If we will just trust in him, rather than in our own limited thinking, he will be there for us! Free. Anytime. Right now!

And so if your days get difficult, take Jesus' free gift when he says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) He will keep his promise!


Today, I will welcome the opportunity to be considered a fool in order to gain wisdom.


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

There are just 13 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 31, 2016 - Wednesday

Our soul waits for the LORD,
he is our help and shield.
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust. (Psalm 33:20-21 NABRE)

Psalm 33 is a hymn in which the just are invited to praise God, who by a mere word created the three-tiered universe of the heavens, the cosmic waters, and the earth. Human words, in contrast, effect nothing. The greatness of human beings consists in God’s choosing them as a special people and their faithful response*

What a powerful idea: Our greatness comes from two related actions. First, it consists in God's choosing us as special people. And second, it consists in our faithful response. May we always seek this greatness.


Today, I will trust in Jesus.


Saints Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, patrons of undertakers, pray for us.

There are just 14 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 30, 2016 - Tuesday

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms. (1 Corinthians 2:12-13 NABRE)

Today, I will listen for and trust the promptings of the Spirit, and I will stay open to speaking with words taught by the Spirit.


Saint Jeanne Jugan, founder of the Little Sisters of the Poor, pray for us.

There are just 15 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 29, 2016 - Monday

When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive (words of) wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NABRE)

The mystery of God: God’s secret, known only to himself, is his plan for the salvation of his people; it is clear from 1 Cor 1:18–25; 2:2, 8–10 that this secret involves Jesus and the cross.*

Saint Paul describes his fear and weakness as he began to speak to some people in Corinth about God's son Jesus, and how his death on the cross was endured for our salvation. First of all, even the phrase God's son is a remarkable one to make. And to think that by a submissive act of obedience, Jesus would have been able to accomplish the eternal salvation of my soul and yours.

Is it any wonder that we encounter our own fear, weakness, and inadequacies when we find ourselves with an opportunity to talk about our own faith? Is it any reason we become tongue-tied when we find ourselves in a position to defend our beliefs in the face of public challenge?


Today, on this Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist, I will turn to the wisdom of God's Spirit within at times of challenge.


Saint John the Baptist, martyred in defense of marriage, pray for us.

There are just 16 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 28, 2016 - Sunday

My son, conduct your affairs with humility,
and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.
Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,
and you will find mercy in the sight of God.
For great is the power of the Lord;
by the humble he is glorified.
What is too sublime for you, do not seek;
do not reach into things that are hidden from you.
What is committed to you, pay heed to;
what is hidden is not your concern.
In matters that are beyond you do not meddle,
when you have been shown more than you can understand.
Indeed, many are the conceits of human beings;
evil imaginations lead them astray. (Sirach 3:17-24 NABRE)

Jesus puts it this way, Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:12)

Saint Paul puts it this way, "For by the grace given to me I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has apportioned." (Romans 12:3)

Humility gives you a true estimate of yourself, so that you will do what should be done, and avoid what is beyond your understanding and strength. Intellectual pride, however, leads you astray.*

Lord, help me to be humble and not to think more of myself than I should. Help me to remember that I am part of something larger than myself. I am a member of your body. Rather than allowing frustration to overcome me at times when I cannot achieve what I set myself to--and this happens more often than I would like, help me to realize there are other matters which have been committed to me, and to which I should give my attention.


Today, I will pray for discernment to identify occasions when I lean too much on my own understanding.


Saint Augustine of Hippo, whose life reminds us of the need to scrap escapisms and stand face-to-face with personal responsibility and dignity, pray for us.

There are just 17 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 27, 2016 - Saturday

Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NABRE)

“Boasting (about oneself)” is a Pauline expression for THE radical sin, the claim to autonomy on the part of a creature, the illusion that we live and are saved by our own resources. “Boasting in the Lord,” on the other hand, is the acknowledgment that we live only from God and for God.*

Lord God, in our weakness your strength is seen. Help me to recognize and admit my own weaknesses, so that I might also recognize and admit your strength which begins at the end of mine.


Today, on this Memorial of Saint Monica, as I do every day, I will pray the Our Father asking that the Father's will be done on earth as it is in heaven.


Saint Monica, mother of Saint Augustine, patron of alcoholics, married women, and mothers, pray for us.

There are just 18 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 26, 2016 - Friday

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the learning of the learned I will set aside.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19 NABRE)

True wisdom and power are to be found paradoxically where one would least expect them, in the place of their apparent negation. To human eyes the crucified Christ symbolizes impotence and absurdity.*

Lord God, it is in our weakness that your strength can be seen. Nowhere was this more clear than in your son's death on that cross. Help me to recognize and admit my own weaknesses, so that I might also recognize and admit your strength which begins at the end of mine.


Today, I will pray the Our Father as Jesus taught us, asking that God the Father's will be done on earth.


Saint Joseph Calasanz, whose work to provide education to poor children met with institutional resistance that tested your trust, patience, and spirit of forgiveness, pray for us.

There are just 19 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 25, 2016 - Thursday

One generation praises your deeds to the next
and proclaims your mighty works.
They speak of the splendor of your majestic glory,
tell of your wonderful deeds.
They speak of the power of your awesome acts
and recount your great deeds.
They celebrate your abounding goodness
and joyfully sing of your justice. (Psalm 145:4-7 NABRE)

I think that King David would have understood parenting today. His generation shared much in common with ours, in that he, like us, lived waiting for God's promised one to come among us. And so, with that sense of anticipation and joyful hope, he would have raised his children to do the same, knowing that they might see the actual day of the Savior's arrival!

Lord Jesus, you are the Savior of the world. You are my savior. You are the one who came to save my children and all who look to you for salvation. And when some forget why you came, when they forget what it is you came to save us from, I pray that your Spirit may awaken in their hearts what their parents taught them as children. I pray that all who forget you in the turmoil of this life will, in your time, remember you and your mission. I pray this with all trust in your desire to bring all souls to heaven, to be in your presence, and in your will to see the ravages of this life put aside for all who will call you Lord. 


Today, I will pray for parents who raise their children to know the Lord.


Saint Louis of France, patron of grooms and barbers, pray for us.

There are just 20 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 24, 2016 - Wednesday

Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” (John 1:49 NABRE)

One of the first Apostles, who came to Jesus invited by his friend Philip, it doesn't take Nathanael long to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah. And not long afterward, Jesus began his public ministry with his followers at the Wedding at Cana. (John 2:1)

Lord, I imagine what it must have been like to meet you face to face, and to know that you were sent by God, and to even have a sense of your divinity. I imagine what it must have been like to be called to come along with you. Before the trials began, before you were even known publicly, I would have been near to your greatness. Lord Jesus, I know you. I thank you for your life and your mission. Help me to continue to recognized your face in the gaze of those I meet. Help me to be your face in my time for all those I meet. And help me, Jesus, to follow you with complete trust and without fear.


Today, I will seek to recognize Jesus in the face of those I encounter.


Saint Bartholomew, Apostle, identified by some scholars as Nathanael, about whom we know so little, but who bore witness to your firsthand experience with Jesus, and who spoke in Jesus' name, pray for us.

There are just 21 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 23, 2016 - Tuesday

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean. (Matthew 23:25-26 NABRE)

In today's passage, Jesus uses the ritual of washing utensils for dining as a metaphor illustrating a concern for appearances while inner purity is ignored. The scribes and Pharisees are compared to cups carefully washed on the outside but filthy within. Self-indulgence: the Greek word here translated means lack of self-control, whether in drinking or in sexual conduct.*


Today, I will examine my heart to see my own tendency to put on appearances, my own inclination to seek gain for myself at the expense of others, as well as my own self-indulgence, and I will pray an Act of Contrition for those times I did not live up to Jesus' expectations.


Saint Rose of Lima, known as the patron of florists, the Americas, Latin America, Peru, Philippines, and South America, pray for us.

There are just 22 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 22, 2016 - Monday

To this end, we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 NABRE)

This beautiful prayer, words of Saint Paul to the members of the Church in Thessalonica, sound like the words a parent would pray for a child. How wonderful to ask God to make our children worthy of his calling. How remarkable to ask God to respond to every effort of faith expressed by our children, bringing it to fulfillment. How trusting to ask God to complete every good purpose our children pursue. What a touching reminder that we pray such things for one another so we might all share in God's grace and ultimately in glory.


Today, on this Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I will pray for my children, that God call to them as he did to Mary, and that they respond as she did.


Mary, Mother of God, queen of heaven and earth, pray for us.

There are just 23 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 21, 2016 - Sunday

“My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord
or lose heart when reproved by him;
for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines;
he scourges every son he acknowledges.”
Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as sons. For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline? (Hebrews 12:5B-7 NABRE)

Christian life is to be inspired not only by the Old Testament men and women of faith but above all by Jesus. As the architect of Christian faith, he had himself to endure the cross before receiving the glory of his triumph.*

Reflection on his sufferings should give his followers courage to continue the struggle, if necessary even to the shedding of [one's own] blood. Christians should regard their own sufferings as the affectionate correction of the Lord, who loves them as a father loves his children.*


Today, I will reflect on the suffering of Jesus, seeking courage to continue my struggle.


Saint Pope Pius X, who died a few weeks after World War I began and  was canonized in 1954, pray for us.

Source: http://catholicsaints.info/pope-saint-pius-x/

There are just 24 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 20, 2016 - Saturday

I will listen for what God, the LORD, has to say;
surely he will speak of peace
To his people and to his faithful.
May they not turn to foolishness!
Near indeed is his salvation for those who fear him;
glory will dwell in our land. (Psalm 85:9-10 NABRE)

Psalm 85 ia a national lament reminding God of past favors and forgiveness and begging for forgiveness and grace now.* As we approach our own national elections, may we pray constantly for our current leaders who are headed toward transition, the candidates for office, and all those to whom the awesome responsibility of serving and protecting others has been entrusted.


Today, I will pray the Rosary in support of life from conception to natural death.


Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot and Doctor of the Church, who tells us, "In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary," pray for us.

There are just 25 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 19, 2016 - Friday

Make known to me your ways, LORD;
teach me your paths. (Psalm 25:4 NABRE)

In Psalm 25, David expresses his trust in the Lord. Today's verse is a simple request for understanding and insight, but not in some academic way, in a practical way we can all benefit from. David wants to align his life and decisions with the Lord's will. May we all place our trust in God and seek his ways before our own.


Today, I will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.


Saint John Eudes, who had as the central theme of your writings: Jesus as the source of holiness, Mary as the model of the Christian life, pray for us.

There are just 26 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 18, 2016 - Thursday

I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you so that you walk in my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep them. (Ezekiel 36:26-27 NABRE)

God’s initiative to cleanse Israel is the first act in the creation of a new people, no longer disposed to repeating Israel’s wicked past. To make this restoration permanent, God replaces Israel’s rebellious and obdurate interiority (“heart of stone”) with an interiority (“heart of flesh”) susceptible to and animated by God’s intentions (“my spirit”).*

The prophet Jeremiah puts it this way, "But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days—oracle of the LORD. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31:33)

Saint Paul puts it this way, "For those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit. The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:5-6)

God has changed us for the better! Through the years, we can see it's been said many ways, but in the end the message is simple, God has given us his own Spirit to live personally with us so that we have guidance and strength to live as he wants us to live.


Today, I will thank the Spirit of God for his constant presence within me.


Saint Louis of Toulouse, who was known to repeat, "Jesus Christ is all my riches; he alone is sufficient for me," pray for us.

There are just 27 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 17, 2016 - Wednesday

The LORD is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures he makes me lie down;
to still waters he leads me;
he restores my soul.
He guides me along right paths
for the sake of his name.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff comfort me.
You set a table before me
in front of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me
all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of the LORD
for endless days. (Psalm 23 NABRE)

This song of David, king and soldier, a man after God's own heart, offers comfort in confidence and peace in chaos to those who will trust in the Lord.


Today, I will place my trust in the Lord.


Saint Joan of the Cross, who dedicated yourself to the poor, elderly, and sick, pray for us.

There are just 28 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 16, 2016 - Tuesday

Thus says the Lord GOD:
Because you are haughty of heart,
you say, “I am a god!
I sit on a god’s throne
in the heart of the sea!”
But you are a man, not a god;
yet you pretend
you are a god at heart! (Ezekiel 28:2 NABRE)

God's feedback to a king who had become arrogant and self-important should speak to all of us. Each of us, at some time, plays a role in which we are called upon to be a leader. The way we lead should reflect the humble awareness of King David rather than greedy self-centeredness of the prince of Tyre, to whom these words are addressed.

May we always remember that God provides us any true authority we might have, and that we should lead as His servants, always placing the needs of others ahead of our own. Where do you lead others in your daily life? How do you serve them?


Today, I will seek to be humble in leadership.


Saint Stephen of Hungary, responsible for the Christianization of your country in about the year 1,000, pray for us.

There are just 29 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 15, 2016 - Monday

And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness;
behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm,
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant,
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” (Luke 1:46-55 NABRE)

As I reflect on this song of Mary, I marvel at her great submission of her own will to the will of God.


Today, on this Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and as I begin the final month of this blog, I will work to submit my will in whatever circumstances that arise in my life, as Mary did, to the will of the Father.


Mary, Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us.

Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peter_Paul_Rubens_-_The_Assumption_of_the_Virgin_Mary_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

There are just 30 days remaining in this shared prayer journey of ours. Please continue to join your prayers with mine here, for a daily minute of reflection. As Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) Though we gather together online, may our joining here reflect our deep desire to have Jesus in our midst.

August 14, 2016 - Sunday

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NABRE)

The Olympic Games create a platform for astounding human achievements. The physical, mental, and emotional feats of the young athletes can only be reached by focus, concentration, effort, and resilience.

As we watch the athletes running races for medals, let's find inspiration for the race each of us runs in our pursuit of eternal life. Let's be focused and energetic in our workouts. And let's be resilient, patient, and forgiving toward ourselves when we trip and fall.


Today, I will be patient with myself as I run my race.


Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, patron of those who struggle with addiction, pray for us.

August 13, 2016 - Saturday

A clean heart create for me, God;
renew within me a steadfast spirit.
Do not drive me from before your face,
nor take from me your holy spirit.
Restore to me the gladness of your salvation;
uphold me with a willing spirit.
I will teach the wicked your ways,
that sinners may return to you. (Psalm 51:12-15 NABRE)

This passage from Psalm 51 feels so honest and real. As always happens when this is the case, I am struck by how this man from thousands of years ago could have written something that resonates so closely with my own experience.

Most days, I find myself reaching out to the Lord, asking for something or another. Some asks are big and others small, but when I am right-minded, my requests sound so much like the prayer of the Psalmist.

Lord, renew me with an unwavering spirit to do your will and to walk the path you have laid before me with courage and resolve. Please watch over me and keep your Spirit alive in my heart. When I grow tired or discouraged, help me to remember the promise of eternal joy in your very presence which awaits. And Lord, make clear to me the mission you have created me for so that I can be the witness to your love and mercy which you expect me to be.


Today, I will turn to the Lord asking him to strengthen me with his Spirit.


Saints Pontian and Hippolytus, two men who died for your faith, one had been pope, the other an antipope, who died reconciled, pray for us.

August 12, 2016 - Friday

And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13 NABRE)

Lord God, thank you for your Spirit within us, that we may recognize your Word at work in us. Saint John describes Jesus in the opening verse of his gospel in a very peculiar way. He writes, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1)

And by reading on, we come to understand that John refers to Jesus as the Word. Also, that he was with God the Father in the beginning, before time, before all things were even made. We believe that this person Jesus, who became a man, is actually God. And if we read on a few more lines in John's gospel, we read that it was through him that all things came to exist.

When we read the Word of God with an understanding that somehow, by his Spirit, the Lord makes himself available to us by these words written down by men, we find that through such a worldly resource, a deep, personal relationship with God is available to us.


Today, I will thank God unceasingly for reaching out to me and offering me a relationship with him.


Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, about whom St. Vincent De Paul said, "She suffered such interior trials that she often told me her mind was so filled with all sorts of temptations and abominations that she had to strive not to look within herself,", pray for us.

August 11, 2016 - Thursday

His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart. (Matthew 18:32-35 NABRE)

Today's passage is the conclusion to Jesus' Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. It is in response to the question of Peter regarding how often forgiveness is to be granted (Mt 18:21), Jesus answers that it is to be given without limit.*

This strongly worded conclusion is actually a warning to us. It should motivate us to become more forgiving toward others, just as God has been forgiving toward us.

God the Father’s forgiveness, already given, will be withdrawn at the final judgment for those who have not imitated his forgiveness by their own.*

Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching me to forgive others without limit. By your example on the cross, I can see that no wrong, no sin, no hurt is unforgivable. My Lord, help me to be more forgiving. Help me to see that by forgiving others, the Father will not withdraw his forgiveness from me for the many times I have offended him by my thoughts, words, and actions. May I, by the grace and power of your Spirit within me, learn to be merciful as you are merciful, forgiving as you are forgiving, and loving as you are loving. Lord, comfort me when I am wronged, heal me, and guard me from my natural desire for justice, revenge, and retaliation. And for those times when I succumb to these, weak in my own power, forgive me, Lord, for it is my greatest desire to please you.


Today, I will pray for an increase in mercy and forgiveness.


Saint Clare of Assisi, patron of those with eye disorders, pray for us.

August 10, 2016 - Wednesday

It is good for the man gracious in lending,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For he shall never be shaken;
the righteous shall be remembered forever.
He shall not fear an ill report;
his heart is steadfast, trusting the LORD.
His heart is tranquil, without fear,
till at last he looks down on his foes.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
his righteousness shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in honor. (Psalm 112:5-9 NABRE)

Finances have always been a challenge since the earliest of days. More specifically, the distribution of wealth has been a challenge. And for those to whom much is given, we know, much is expected. Although it can be difficult to figure out exactly what "much" really is.

And so, let's adopt the spirit of today's passage and aim at an attitude of generosity marked by graciousness, justice, and even lavishness toward the poor! Let's be outrageous in our giving to the poor, as God has provided outrageously for us!


Today, I will re-examine my attitude toward the poor, seeing my own poverty for what it is, even though it is not material.


Saint Lawrence, patron of the poor, pray for us.

August 9, 2016 - Tuesday

What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost. (Matthew 18:12-14 NABRE)

This parable is an exhortation for the disciples to seek out fellow disciples who have gone astray.
In context, the passage emphasizes that not only must no one cause a fellow disciple to sin, but those who have strayed must be sought out and, if possible, brought back to the community.*

Let us recognize how the Lord sees us. We are his children whom he cares for. We are his flock which he protects. And when one of us drifts away for one reason or another, we need to reach out to that person. We need to encourage him or her back to the community of the faithful. It is the heart of the "new" evangelization. It is not new. It is part of our reason for being. It is a significant part of why we are here. May we prayerfully consider how we can accomplish this great mission which the Lord himself calls us to.


Today, I will look at my own abilities, and my willingness to yield to the Lord's plan, so that I might become a more effective witness to and messenger of faithfulness.


Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), whose life encourages us to, "Learn to live at God’s hands," pray for us.

August 8, 2016 - Monday

Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all you his angels;
give praise, all you his hosts.
Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all who govern on earth;
Young men and women too,
old and young alike.
Let them all praise the LORD’s name,
for his name alone is exalted,
His majesty above earth and heaven. (Psalm 148:1-2,11-13 NABRE)

Today's passage is from a beautiful hymn inviting the beings of heaven and of earth to praise God. The hymn does not even distinguish between inanimate and animate (and rational) nature!*

For a truly powerful prophetic vision of God, read the very beginning of the book of Ezekiel. Read it slowly, like poetry. Take in the imagery and try to picture the scene. Beginning at verse four, he describes the sounds and sights by which his limited human senses envisioned a glimpse of heaven, as though the highest spiritual things took physical form and joined us in our place. The dramatic and expansive vision serves to remind us of God's inconceivable grandeur, and of our own unworthy inclusion in his divine company.


Today, I will join all creation in praise of the Lord.


Saint Dominic, priest and patron of astronomers and the Dominican Republic, pray for us.

August 7, 2016 - Sunday

Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.(Matthew 24:42-44 NABRE)

In today's verse, Jesus warns his disciples that the exact time of his return, at the end of all things, is known only to the Father. He goes on to warn them to be always ready for it.*  The theme of vigilance and readiness is continued with the bold comparison of the return of the Son of Man to a thief who comes to break into a house.*

So much time has passed, we may have lost our sense of urgency. The disciples would certainly have expected Jesus to return to them during their lifetimes, after all, why else would he have called them to such vigilance? And yet, we still wait for him today. Can we stay awake and prepared?


Today, I will renew my sense of vigilance and readiness as I await the return of my Savior.


Saint Cajetan, who founded a congregation known as the Theatines which was outstanding among the Catholic reform movements that took shape before the Protestant Reformation, pray for us.

August 6, 2016 - Saturday

We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory, “This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.
Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:16-19 NABRE)

These words of witness from Jesus' close friend Peter, fisherman and apostle, as he approached the end of his life are invigorating to read.

Peter's purpose in writing is to call to mind his witness to the truth, even as he faces the end of his life, his eyewitness testimony to Christ, and the true prophetic message through the Spirit in scripture, in contrast to what false teachers are setting forth.*


Today, I will remember that even though so many years have passed, Peter and the many other first-hand witnesses to Jesus have left us a remarkable record of their encounter with that divine man.


Saints Peter, James and John, on this Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, pray for us.

August 5, 2016 - Friday

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “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 will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? (Matthew 16:24-26 NABRE)

There are two well-phrased notes associated with today's passage:

A readiness to follow Jesus even to giving up one’s life for him is the condition for true discipleship; this will be repaid by him at the final judgment.*

To deny someone is to disown him and to deny oneself is to disown oneself as the center of one’s existence.*

Lord, prepare my heart to be ready to follow you, especially when that means I will encounter hurt, loss, or suffering. And may my desire to disown myself as the center of my existence be sufficient for your glory to become my focus.


Today, I will examine ways I still put myself at the center of my existence.


Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

August 4, 2016 - Thursday

But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days—oracle of the LORD. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
They will no longer teach their friends and relatives, “Know the LORD!” Everyone, from least to greatest, shall know me—oracle of the LORD—for I will forgive their iniquity and no longer remember their sin. (Jeremiah 31-33-34 NABRE)

The new covenant is an occasional prophetic theme, beginning with Hosea. According to Jeremiah, (a) it lasts forever; (b) its law (torah) is written in human hearts; (c) it gives everyone true knowledge of God, making additional instruction (torah) unnecessary. The Dead Sea Scroll community claimed they were partners in a “new covenant.” The New Testament presents the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as inaugurating a new covenant open to anyone who professes faith in Jesus the Christ.*

It seems to me, the Lord's relationship with his people has become closer with time. He gradually reveals himself to us, seeking ever more closeness, a process begun back in the days of Moses and which is restoring what was originally lost. His holy Spirit, which we believe comes to dwell within each of us, is how he reveals himself most vividly today. May we listen for the Spirit's whisper throughout this day.


Today, I will be grateful for God's new covenant and the presence of his Spirit within.


Saint John Vianney, patron of parish priests, pray for us.

August 3, 2016 - Wednesday

Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.” (Luke 7:16 NABRE)

After journeying to a city called Nain, and with a large crowd as witnesses, upon seeing the funeral procession of a widow's only son, Jesus brought him back to life.

I have attended too many wakes and funerals, some with hundreds of other people. I sometimes imagine what it would be like to see Jesus walk into the room and call out to the deceased that he should rise up! And to see the person sit up and begin to speak. I admit that to our Western, modern sensibilities, this sounds more like something out of a horror story than an imagining of scripture, but it is one way to place ourselves into the story of the widow's son as told by Saint Luke.

Lord Jesus, you have power over death. When I remember that I am spirit with a physical aspect, it is not so difficult to recognize that you will one day raise me from the dead. I thank you for hope. There will come a time when I shed this shell of a body, freed from these bonds, to live in your presence. I thank you for helping me to remember there is an eternal perspective I can take on the many difficulties this earthly life brings. May your Spirit dwell close to my own, leading me as I journey on my path back to you.


Today, I will remember that Jesus has power over death.


Saint Peter Julian Eymard, who knew that the Eucharist was key to helping Catholics live out their Baptism, pray for us.

August 2, 2016 - Tuesday

Then he made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. (Matthew 14:22-23 NABRE)

Jesus made time to pray. He carved out times of solitary prayer during the course of his busiest days. He had been out teaching crowds of people, he had been leading and guiding his disciples, and as the day's work wound down, he made space in his calendar to spend quiet time with his Father.

Lord Jesus, thank you for your example. May your Spirit inflame my heart today with the same desire you have to be with the Father. May I find times during this day to rest in your company. Incline my thoughts and feelings so I might encounter you in the presence of others, and so that I might also find a quiet place, a personal mountaintop, to reconnect with you in prayer.


Today, I will make time to pray quietly in the afternoon.


Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, member of the early Church which gave us the Nicene Creed, pray for us.

August 1, 2016 - Monday

And he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over—twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children. (Matthew 14:19-21 NABRE)

The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle of Jesus that is recounted in all four gospels. The principal reason for that may be that it was seen as anticipating the Eucharist and the final banquet in the kingdom, but it looks not only forward but backward, to the feeding of Israel with manna in the desert at the time of the Exodus, a miracle that in some contemporary Jewish expectation would be repeated in the messianic age. It may also be meant to recall Elisha’s feeding a hundred men with small provisions.*

Lord Jesus, thank you for pointing me to the abundant love and provision of our Father. Help me always, and in each moment of this day, to remember that I do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4) The Father does not want me to worry about things of this world. He does not want me to be anxious or afraid. Instead, I am called to trust in God, to accept his graciousness, and to seek His will. I am called to share my experience with others so that they might see in my story the proof and encouragement they need to grow in their own faith.


Today, on this Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, I will trust in the Lord.


Saint Alphonsus Liguori, patron of vocations and theologians, pray for us.

July 31, 2016 - Sunday

Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory. Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly:

• immorality,
• impurity,
• passion,
• evil desire,
• and the greed that is idolatry. 

But now you must put them all away:

• anger,
• fury,
• malice,
• slander,
• and obscene language out of your mouths.
• Stop lying to one another. (Colossians 3:2-5,7-9A NABRE)

Here, I have taken the liberty of listing these earthly challenges which Saint Paul mentions in his letter to the congregation at Colossae. Rather than comment on them, today is a day to reflect on the challenge which most distracts me from thinking of what is above.


Today, I will reflect on my own thoughts, words, and actions that lead me away from a strong relationship with God.


Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, author of the Spiritual Exercises used to bring people closer to the Lord, pray for us.