March 31, 2016 - Thursday

He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”
Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.
And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things. (Luke 24:44-48 NABRE)

The risen Jesus. The man who had died and then came back to life, overcoming death, joined his friends. They became witnesses to his resurrection. The group of them spoke with him, touched him, even ate with him. And he explained to them in the clearest terms how his experiences fulfilled what the prophets had written.


Today, I will remember that Jesus calls me to repentance, and he does so with the authority of God's own Son, the Messiah promised to God's people. And I remember that he is the one who fulfilled all prophecy and overcame death--with witnesses--so that you and I could be reconciled to God and share in his inheritance eternally. And I will put aside my own pride, laziness and fear which keep me from growing closer to the heart of Jesus.


Saint Benjamin, martyr and deacon, pray for us.

March 30, 2016 - Wednesday

But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:29-32 NABRE)

Not long after the tomb was discovered to be empty, two of Jesus' followers encountered him as they walked along the road to Emmaus, a town several miles outside of Jerusalem. They did not recognize Jesus at first, but during the evening meal, their eyes were opened so they were able to recognize him.

It can be helpful to remember that Jesus walks with us even when we don't recognize him. And it's not uncommon for us to have our eyes open to his presence during difficult times. May we see him by the burning in our hearts, by seeing him in others, and by regular prayer and reading of scripture.


Today, I will look to see Jesus in the face of each person I encounter.


Saint John Climacus, learned abbot, spiritual director, and sixth-century monk of Mount Sinai, pray for us.

March 29, 2016 - Tuesday

Peter [said] to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39 NABRE)

Repentance is a positive concept, a change of mind and heart toward God reflected in the actual goodness of one’s life. It is in accord with the apostolic teaching derived from Jesus (Acts 2:42) and ultimately recorded in the four gospels.*

Luke presents baptism in Acts as the expected response to the apostolic preaching about Jesus and associates it with the conferring of the Spirit (Acts 1:5; 10:44–48; 11:16).*

Peter called people to repent and be baptized. He echos Jesus' first public message which is to repent. When we change our minds and hearts toward God not only is there a visible change in the way we live our lives, we invite the Spirit into our lives. And it is this Holy Spirit who is one with the Father and the Son who brings us power and wisdom even in today's world.


Today, I will seek to continually change my mind and heart, inclining them more and more toward God, seeking to act on the change, and to welcome the Spirit as my constant companion.


Saint Ludovico of Casoria, whose personal suffering moved you toward compassion for others, pray for us.

March 28, 2016 - Monday

Then [Mary Magdalene and the other Mary] went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples.
And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:8-11 NABRE)

The risen Jesus appeared first to these two women who had come to see the tomb. For days now, in their grief, his friends must have felt hopeless, defeated, and afraid. Despite that, in their desperate loss, they ventured to the tomb just as we would today.

During the past few days, if you've been imagining yourself, along with me, sitting at the foot of the cross, then imagine with me now what it was like for these women! Perhaps it all made no sense, or perhaps, as incredible as it was, everything began to make a little sense to them in that moment.


Today, I will live each moment as intently as I can, aware that God is in this moment with me.


Saint Catharine of Bologna, patron of artists and who wrote a book on the seven spiritual weapons to be used against temptation, pray for us.

March 27, 2016 - Sunday

We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and (in) Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
This man God raised (on) the third day and granted that he be visible,
not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.
To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:39-43 NABRE)

Because he rose and they were his witnesses, we still remember today! And each day, we are a day closer to his return!


Today, on this Easter Sunday, I will remember that He is risen!


Lazarus, friend of Jesus who reminds to be certain that Jesus waits to raise us too, pray for us.

March 26, 2016 - Saturday

We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.
As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God.
Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as [being] dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:9-11 NABRE)

The day after. On that Friday, Jesus died on the cross for the sins I commit. He paid the price, the ransom, for my sins so that I might have a restored relationship with God, and a path to eternal life. Thank you Jesus. Today, I praise you, and I wait, as your friends did, for your resurrection.


Today, on this Holy Saturday, I will recall my relationship to Jesus who died so that sin and death would not have power over me.


Blessed Didacus Joseph of Cadiz, whose loving heart, listening ear and wealth of compassion reflected your close relationship with God, pray for us.

March 25, 2016 - Friday

He was spurned and avoided by men,
a man of suffering, knowing pain,
Like one from whom you turn your face,
spurned, and we held him in no esteem.
Yet it was our pain that he bore,
our sufferings he endured.
We thought of him as stricken,
struck down by God and afflicted,
But he was pierced for our sins,
crushed for our iniquity.
He bore the punishment that makes us whole,
by his wounds we were healed.
We had all gone astray like sheep,
all following our own way;
But the LORD laid upon him
the guilt of us all. (Isaiah 53:3-6 NABRE)

Written about 700 years B.C., these prophetic words have been understood to refer to Jesus. As we sit at the foot of the cross in meditation today, these words give us a glimpse of the enormity of his sacrifice. They should inspire us to gratitude and spur us to action on behalf of others in need.


Today, on this Good Friday of the Passion of the Lord, I will venerate the Cross at my church during the Hour of Great Mercy.


Saint Alfwold, whose austere way of life set a Christian example for local royalty in Winchester England, pray for us.

March 24, 2016 - Thursday

You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am.
If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet.
I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. (John 13:13-15 NABRE)

At his final meal with his friends, knowing his own death was imminent, of all the things he could do as one of the final lessons he taught them, Jesus chose to wash their feet. Jesus put a towel around his waist and with a basin of water washed the dirty feet of his friends, lowering himself from his rightful place as Lord of lords to that of a humble servant.

Jesus explains that he did this as a model for us to follow. He tells us to do the same for others.


Today, on this Holy Thursday, I will look for a concrete way to imitate Jesus in an act of service to someone in need.


Saint Catherine of Genoa, whose love of God was renewed in you by the Scriptures and the sacraments, pray for us.

March 23, 2016 - Wednesday

Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. (Matthew 26:14-16 NABRE)

The motive of avarice is introduced by Judas’s question about the price for betrayal, which is absent in the Marcan source.* (Mark 14:10–11) Much is made of Judas' betrayal, and rightly so. Regardless of his expectation of what the ultimate outcome might or might not be, he betrayed his friend to certain suffering for money.

I remain focused on my own culpability as we draw to the end of this season of Lent.

In what ways do I expose my faith in Jesus to various dangers brought on by the enemy? Do I put my faith in jeopardy when I quietly allow the culture to have my full attention? Do I betray Jesus when I pursue profit at the expense of human needs? Do I neglect what matters most when I remain silent in the face of verbal challenges?

How often do I betray Jesus for money or comfort or out of timidity or weakness? How often this week? How many times today?

Today, I will ask the Holy Spirit for strength and wisdom during times of temptation and challenge.


Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo, who, together with Rose of Lima is the first known saint of the New World, served the Lord in Peru, South America, for 26 years, pray for us.

March 22, 2016 - Tuesday

When he had said this, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” (John 13:21 NABRE)

The Gospel of John records much of the discourse of The Last Supper. In John 13, Jesus predicts Judas' betrayal of him. At the time, the disciples did not know what Jesus meant. They clearly had no idea that Judas meant to turn him over to the authorities who would then have him crucified.

Judas has become infamous for being the ultimate betrayer of Christ. But, how often do we betray Jesus? I wonder if I also betray him in small ways.  Am I like Peter, who denied that he knew Jesus? In what ways do I personally deny knowing Jesus? In what ways, do I neglect to stand strong in defense of his name when confronted by the enemy? Do I recognize the enemy?


Today, I will look inward to see if I betray Jesus by my actions and omissions, and I will seek to recognize the enemy of my soul whenever I encounter him.


Saint Nicholas Owen, one of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales, who made a habit of seeking support in prayer and the Eucharist for your work, pray for us.

March 21, 2016 - Monday

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1 NABRE)

In today's passage, King David asserts boundless hope that God will bring rescue.* He recognizes that the Lord is his source of protection and understanding, and because of these things, he doesn't need to fear anything.

Lord, you are my source of light and salvation as you were to King David. When I place my trust in you, I fear nothing. Falling back on my belief in you, I remember you are my refuge. And your Spirit leads my in understanding and wisdom. With your guidance, I am able to act in ways which please you, confident, no matter what others think. Thank you.


Today, I will look to the Holy Spirit as a source of light and guidance.


Blessed John of Parma, who in your later years worked to heal a schism in the Church, pray for us.

March 20, 2016 - Sunday

He humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name. (Philippians 2:8-9 NABRE)

When Jesus prayed at the Mount of Olives, he "prayed, saying, 'Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.'” (Luke 22:42) To humble himself completely as he did, especially when considering his true nature, set an example that has lived on through millennia. I am still learning how full of pride I am, and how difficult it is for me to live even a small measure of Christ's humility. And yet, I continue to struggle against my inclination to think too highly of myself.


Today, on this Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, I will try to be obedient to the Father's will, as Jesus was.


Saint Salvator of Horta, known to heal the sick with the Sign of the Cross, pray for us.

March 19, 2016 - Saturday

It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,
as it is written, “I have made you father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.
He believed, hoping against hope,l that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “Thus shall your descendants be.” (Romans 4:13, 16-18 NABRE)

Abraham, our father in faith, totally believed God's promise to him despite how absurd it must have seemed to him--he and his wife were an elderly couple with no children. And it is entirely because of his unshakable faith that God made him such a promise. Abraham is a role model for us.

God's promise extends to us when we believe in him regardless of our temporal circumstances. We have the promise of salvation, the promise of eternal life because we believe in "the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead." (Romans 4:24b)


Today, on this Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I will look beyond my own circumstances and see our family of faith, and remember our inheritance.


Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary, pray for us.

March 18, 2016 - Friday

In my distress I called out: LORD!
I cried out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry to him reached his ears. (Psalm 18:7 NABRE)

Who do you call out for when you are at your wits end? Is there someone you reach for when stress overwhelms you? Have you got a shoulder ready for you when you need to cry?

The Lord always hears your cries. He cares personally about you! When you need someone to hear you out, call to him first. If you have no one else for support, turn to him. And if you are fortunate enough to have someone close to you, consider the comfort they offer may be God's way of connecting with you. See him in the healing and easing of your distress, by whatever means that happens.


Today, I will be confident that the Lord hears me when I most need him.


Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, whose life is a monument to honesty and courage, pray for us.

March 17, 2016 - Thursday

Seek out the LORD and his might;
constantly seek his face.
Recall the wondrous deeds he has done,
his wonders and words of judgment. (Psalm 105:4-5 NABRE)

Where do you see the face of God? When you look around at the ordinary, do you recognize his wonders? See him in nature and in other people. Notice him in what appears simple. Identify him in what appears complex. In each moment of this day, seek him. Over and over again. Marvel at his constant presence. Be grateful for his constant availability to you.


Today, I will seek the Lord's might and his face during the ordinary moments of the day.


Saint Patrick, patron of Ireland, engineers, and Nigeria, pray for us.

March 16, 2016 - Wednesday

Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains.
So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free. (John 8:34-36 NABRE)

We who live in the land of the free recoil at the idea of slavery. Our troubled history confronts us even today as we continue to struggle with equality among our citizens. It is clear that none of us considers himself or herself a slave, but Jesus' words from today's passage, it seems to me, are aimed at each one of us.

If as he says, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin, we should acknowledge our portion of that burden. And somehow, when we do, things shift. When we do, it prepares our hearts for the freedom Jesus provides. When we look to him for help in this life and a place with him in the next, it prepares us even more to reach out to others, opening us to offer help however it is needed.


Today, I will be mindful of the source of true freedom and the responsibility it puts on me.


Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer, who saw all your life's works meet with disaster due to religious and political tensions, and who therefore reminds us even today that followers of the crucified Jesus should see only new possibilities opening up whenever we meet failure, pray for us.

March 15, 2016 - Tuesday

LORD, hear my prayer;
let my cry come to you.
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Turn your ear to me;
when I call, answer me quickly. (Psalm 102:2-3 NABRE)

What a wonderful God we have! To think we can turn to him and pray as the Psalmist does in today's passage. He is afflicted, wasting away, and full of anguish. He knows his time is short, and so he pleads with the Lord for help.

Let us recognize our own afflictions and the short time we have. Let us offer our own pleas to God, that he would hear us and answer us.


Today, I will seek the Lord's help in my own struggles.


Saint Louise de Marillac, patroness of social workers, pray for us.

March 14, 2016 - Monday

They suppressed their consciences and turned away their eyes from looking to Heaven or remembering their duty to administer justice. (Daniel 13:9 NRSVCE)

Isn't this exactly how it happens?! This translation, in particular, strikes me as a perfect description of my own human struggle with moral dilemmas. When I find myself in times of trouble, when I'm tempted by the promises of this world, when I think I can "get away with something," when I have to choose good or bad, I sometimes suppress my conscience and turn my eyes away from Heaven.

Wow, what a helpful thing to realize. In such simple terms, I can take away a powerful new way to think about life's moments of truth. Anytime I feel inclined to suppress that annoying voice in my head telling me not to do something, I can choose, instead, to listen to it!

New? you ask. There is nothing new about this, you say. True, I reply. But the choice of words in this translation suggests a concrete way to successfully respond to the prompting of my conscience.


Today, on this Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent, I will resist the impulse to suppress my conscience. I will allow it to speak into my thoughts. And I will look to heaven for assistance when making difficult choices.


Saint Maximilian, 21-year-old martyr who, when condemned to death for refusing to join the Roman Army in the year 295, said, "I shall not die. If I go from this earth, my soul will live with Christ my Lord," pray for us.

March 13, 2016 - Sunday

But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. 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 to know him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11 NABRE)

Imagine the impact if we all considered everything we gain as a loss, except knowing Jesus as Lord! Paul, decades after his blinding encounter of Jesus on the road to Damascus, is still talking about the impact of that moment on his life. When he first encountered Jesus personally it changed his life. And after so much time passed, Paul, who gave up all earthly attachments in order to tell others about Jesus, still pleads with others to look only to Jesus for what matters.

May we all encounter Jesus personally, so that decades later we still consider our relationship with him as the supreme good in our lives.


Today, I will remember my faith in Jesus who suffered and overcame death for my sake.


Saint Leander of Seville, who introduced the practice of reciting the Nicene Creed at Mass as a way to help reinforce the faith of the people, pray for us.

March 12, 2016 - 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)

This saying continues the theme of responding to the word of God. Those who hear the word must become a light to others (Luke 8:16); even the mysteries of the kingdom that have been made known to the disciples (Luke 8:9–10) must come to light (Luke 8:17); a generous and persevering response to the word of God leads to a still more perfect response to the word.*

We are always learning. Even in our pursuit of God through his word, each time we read it we encounter a new aspect of the divine revelation. There aren't enough years in a human lifespan to fully know all God's word can teach us. And that is partly due to the influence our own experience has on our understanding of what we read. Each time we read God's word, we have new ideas and perspectives gained by recent experience and knowledge.

Let us who have heard the word continue to embrace it with further reading, let us seek to live out what we learn as we encounter its truths, and let us remain grateful for the miraculous fruit this effort bears as we persevere.


Today, I will look at my own life in the context of the Parable of the Sower.


Blessed Angela Salawa, who brought the Good News and material assistance to some of Christ’s "least ones," pray for us.

March 11, 2016 - Friday

For, not thinking rightly, they said among themselves:
Let us lie in wait for the righteous one, because he is annoying to us;
he opposes our actions,
Reproaches us for transgressions of the law
and charges us with violations of our training.
He professes to have knowledge of God
and styles himself a child of the LORD.
To us he is the censure of our thoughts;
merely to see him is a hardship for us,
Because his life is not like that of others,
and different are his ways.
He judges us debased;
he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure.
He calls blest the destiny of the righteous
and boasts that God is his Father.
Let us see whether his words be true;
let us find out what will happen to him in the end.
For if the righteous one is the son of God, God will help him
and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
With violence and torture let us put him to the test
that we may have proof of his gentleness
and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
for according to his own words, God will take care of him.”
These were their thoughts, but they erred;
for their wickedness blinded them,
And they did not know the hidden counsels of God;
neither did they count on a recompense for holiness
nor discern the innocent souls’ reward. (Wisdom 2:1A, 12-22) NABRE)

The Book of Wisdom was written about fifty years before the coming of Christ. Its author, whose name is not known to us, was probably a member of the Jewish community at Alexandria, in Egypt.*

Notice how well these words might be applied to the religious leaders of Jesus' time who plotted to kill him.

Lord, save me from those times when I might fall in line with those who are wrong-minded and who forget who you are, or worse that I myself might forget who you are.


Today, I will remember the righteousness of Jesus who is the son of God.


Saint John Ogilvie, who undoubtedly rejoices in the ecumenical spirit fostered by the Second Vatican Council and joins us in our prayer for unity with all believers, pray for us.

March 10, 2016 - Thursday

They forgot the God who had saved them,
who had done great deeds in Egypt,
Amazing deeds in the land of Ham,
fearsome deeds at the Red Sea.
He would have decreed their destruction,
had not Moses, his chosen one,
Withstood him in the breach
to turn back his destroying anger. (Psalm 106:21-23 NABRE)

The Psalmist reminds us how the Israelites who were led out of slavery in Egypt soon forgot about the amazing deeds God performed while saving them from their enemy. More than that, they lost sight of God's greatness and their own infinitesimal smallness by comparison. And it was Moses who asked God to be merciful toward his chosen nation.

Today, we know that Jesus took the place of Moses as Savior of his people, and salvation has been opened up to all. But like the Israelites about whom the Psalmist sang, we have an awful capacity to forget the greatness of God and to exaggerate our own importance. My ideas are the best. I should be able to do whatever I want. I don't want to answer to anyone. I deserve it. Let me have it. Let me go first.

All of these things lead us away from goodness and toward evil. Each of them reflects a deception of the great enemy of our soul. And they all make us think more highly of ourselves than we ought to.


Today, I will remember Jesus' promise to save me, and I will maintain my faith in him.


Saint John Ogilvie, whose life calls us to unity among all believers, pray for us.

March 9, 2016 - Wednesday

Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to his Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:22-24 NABRE)

In context, the concept of judgment is a divine prerogative, often expressed in the scriptures as acquittal or condemnation.* God the Father, the almighty creator, gave all judgment to his Son, Jesus. In today's passage, we are called to honor Jesus, as a way also to honor the Father, by listening to his word and believing in the Father.

Unfortunately, I don't always remember to honor Jesus or the Father. And there are even times I set myself in judgment of others--assuming the role of judge and jury to what I perceive as their shortcomings.

Lord God, be merciful to me. I ask that you strengthen my faith in times of challenge. I ask for awareness so that I might not judge others harshly, but rather remember my own sinfulness. Lord Jesus, you are the true judge of all things, but you are also merciful. It is my greatest hope that you might be my soul's merciful savior rather than my just judge.


Today, I will resist the temptation to judge others, focusing instead on God's Word and seeking a deeper faith in Jesus.


Saint Frances of Rome, whose life calls each of us not only to look deeply for God in prayer, but also to carry our devotion to Jesus living in the suffering of our world, pray for us.

March 8, 2016 - Tuesday

God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken
and mountains quake to the depths of the sea,
Though its waters rage and foam
and mountains totter at its surging (Psalm 46:2-3 NABRE)

Psalm 46 is a song of confidence in God’s protection. It acknowledges that the Lord is with us, mentioning the security of God’s presence even in utter chaos.* Despite that, today's passage can seem strangely remote and inaccessible. I have never experienced the earth and sea shaking and raging so violently that mountains quaked down to their foundations and even tottered like little tops.

And so how do I relate?

When I consider my own distresses, small as they are by comparison, it becomes suddenly clear to see that God helps me through such times. No matter how devastating they may be, God always gives me help, strength and protection.


Today, I will remember that no problem I have is bigger than God's ability to see me through it.


Saint John of God, whose utter humility led to a totally selfless dedication to others, pray for us.

March 7, 2016 - Monday

Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
Then truly the LORD, the God of hosts,
will be with you as you claim. (Amos 5:14 NABRE)

Amos was a prophet of divine judgment whose message stands as one of the most powerful voices ever to challenge hypocrisy and injustice. He delivered his oracles in about the year 750 B.C.*

The fundamental call to seek good and not evil is a strong statement exhorting us even today to turn our hearts around.

This week, I have found myself returning to thoughts of Jesus as a brother and a friend. I have been involved in conversation with him. Thinking of his real presence with me. There is something about just being in his company that enriches me. I am reminded that there is good, that I have choices, and that my Lord is not ever too far away.


Today, on this Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent, I will be joyful in Jesus' presence.


Saints Perpetua and Felicity, young mothers in second-century Carthage, North Africa, who were martyred for refusing to renounce your faith in Christ, pray for us.

March 6, 2016 - Sunday

So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21 NABRE)

Without trying to untangle the theology tied up in today's passage, what strikes me is how Paul describes himself as an ambassador for Christ. As such, he calls us to be reconciled to God. We too have a role to play in God's plan.

Dear Lord, thank you for calling me to be part of your plan. I ask that you would inflame my heart by your Spirit so that I can know with the firm clarity only you provide how to be the person I am meant to be.


Today, I will meditate on my part in God's plan.


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

March 5, 2016 - Saturday

The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.”
He said in reply, “It is written:
‘One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:3-4 NABRE)

Even Jesus was tempted. Remembering how he responded to temptation gives us a powerful example we can use.

First, Jesus fasted during his time of desert trials. He denied himself food as a means of strengthening himself spiritually by denying the strong physical desire for food. When we fast, we deliberately work to overcome the physical demands of our bodies, even in small ways, so that we might become more like Jesus, gain more self-control, and be more mindful of our spiritual selves. Fasting is a powerful aid to our prayers.

Second, Jesus quoted scripture in the face of each temptation. Each time, he began with the phrase, "It is written." When he was tempted in today's passage to eat during his fast, he quoted from the book of Deuteronomy (8:3). Knowing and referring to scripture during moments of temptation is a powerful way to subdue the one who tempts us.

And so, during this Lent, let us model ourselves after Jesus. Let us fast deliberately to strengthen ourselves and enhance our prayers. And whenever we are tempted, let us speak up to the tempter, by quoting God's Word.

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

And don't be discouraged when you fail! That feeling of discouragement is little more than another temptation! It's a distraction from what matters! When we fail, we ask for the mercy Jesus promised to us. And we have the Sacrament of Penance which is our most complete experience of the gift of God's boundless mercy.


Today, I will spend some time considering the specific ways I am tempted, search God's Word for my scriptural responses, and memorize them to prepare myself.


Saint John Joseph of the Cross, whose life shows us that self-denial is never an end in itself but is only a help toward greater charity, pray for us.

March 4, 2016 - Friday

Return, Israel, to the LORD, your God;
you have stumbled because of your iniquity. (Hosea 14:2 NABRE)

Written about 2,700 years ago, the words of Hosea the prophet call the Lord's people back to him. They had strayed far from trust in him and had begun to rely on treaties and foreign governments for their security. As God's people, let us challenge ourselves. Let us look inward, as individuals, and as a society, and ask ourselves, do we place our trust in God? Or have we stumbled into patterns of unfair and immoral behavior, both privately and publicly? Let us challenge ourselves not only to look inward and judge ourselves with brutal honesty, but also to change our ways by reaffirming our trust in God, by our words and by our choices.


Today, I will treat others fairly as a sign that I am returning my heart to the Lord.


Saint Casimir, patron of Lithuania, Poland, and Russia, pray for us.

March 3, 2016 - Thursday

Say to them: This is the nation which does not listen to the voice of the LORD, its God, or take correction. Faithfulness has disappeared; the word itself is banished from their speech. (Jeremiah 7:28 NABRE)

Written about 2,600 years ago, these words seem strangely familiar today. As we engage as a nation in our elections process, as we struggle as a nation with violence toward our police and in schools, and as we worry about the impact of global financial challenges, never has there been a better time to listen to God's voice. Let faithfulness be our first response. May we listen first for the voice of the Lord as he speaks into our days. Let us take his perfect correction in cases when we experience conviction in our spirit. May we begin in our personal affairs and come to express our faithfulness in the public forums in which we participate.


Today, I will listen to the voice of the Lord and heed his correction.


Saint Katharine Drexel, whose life is an obvious reminder that holiness can be lived in today’s culture, pray for us.

March 2, 2016 - Wednesday

However, be on your guard and be very careful not to forget the things your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your heart as long as you live, but make them known to your children and to your children’s children. (Deuteronomy 4:9 NABRE)

These are words Moses spoke to the Israelites who were about to enter the promised land after so much wandering and challenge since leaving Egypt. Moses reminds them to remember what they saw and experienced at the foot of Mount Horeb where the Lord displayed his power in fire, dark clouds, and his voice which the people themselves heard though they could not see a form of God, only a voice. His reminder was intended to encourage the people to remain faithful to their covenant with God.

While somewhat less dramatic, the Lord speaks into each of our lives, privately, in many ways. There's a great little book called Nine Ways God Always Speaks which does a nice job, not of selling God or religion, but of sharing stories of ordinary people who "listen" to many ordinary and often small moments in a way that inclines their heart to the possibility that God does interact with us even today.


Today, I will recognize and remember the many ways that the Lord has touched my life.


Saint Agnes of Bohemia, whose route to holiness was the same as ours: a gradual exchange of our standards (inclination to selfishness) for God’s standard of generosity, pray for us.

March 1, 2016 - Tuesday

Yet even now—oracle of the LORD—
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God,
For he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love,
and relenting in punishment. (Joel 2:12-13 NABRE)

The book of Joel is believed to have been written about 450-400 BC. The words of this prophet in today's passage call us to turn our hearts back to the Lord. Especially during this season of Lent, may we lean on God's infinite mercy as we pray, fast, and give alms in our effort to return to the Lord.


Today, I will pray, fast, and make an offering to the poor.


Saint David of Wales, patron of poets and Wales, who lived in and nurtured a constant awareness of God’s nearness, pray for us.