November 20, 2014 - Thursday

The LORD roars from Zion,
and from Jerusalem raises his voice,
The heavens and the earth quake,
but the LORD will be a shelter for his people,
a fortress for the people of Israel. (Joel 4:16 NABRE)


Oh Lord, you defend your people from their enemy. For thousands of years, your people have struggled against destruction and you remain a constant protector. Time and time again, you have shown your faithfulness toward your chosen ones.

Lord, today I ask for your protection for myself and my family. As we remember our deceased relatives and friends this month, as we prepare for Thanksgiving, and as we venture out into the world in our different ways. Please guide our hearts as you always do, and keep us aware of your holy presence within each person we encounter. Help me to discern the enemy, recognizing his evil influence as distinct from people who are hurting from the scars of this life, so that I may avoid being pulled into occasions of sin but rather reach out to those in need of comfort. And when I cannot determine whether to shake the dust from my shoes* or to encourage a soul who is suffering, help me remember to incline first toward mercy as you do for me.


Today, I will speak and act encouragingly toward others around me.


Saint Francis Xavier Can, Vietnamese martyr who would not deny his faith, pray for us.

Amen.

November 19, 2014 - Wednesday

In their actions even children can playact
though their deeds be blameless and right.
The ear that hears, the eye that sees—
the LORD has made them both. (Proverbs 20:11-12 NABRE)


Actions do not always reveal character and people have many reasons for behaving as they do. As a result, we often have no insight into why people say and do the things they do. If a[n innocent] child can playact, an adult can do so even more.*

God gives us ears to hear and eyes to see so that we may observe the world around us and grow in understanding and wisdom. However, human judgments are not ultimate; the Lord expects proper use of these faculties.*

It is important that we learn to use wisely our judgments of others. We should pray for discernment so we can begin to know how to respond to others whose words and actions challenge and even harm us. We need to understand how to live with them. For our part, we should speak honestly and act directly with others. And we should consider our own playacting, seeking to eliminate self-deception from our lives.


Today, I will will pray for those whose troubling words and actions I do not understand.


Saint Agnes of Assisi, whose prayer and sacrifice led you to a life of service, pray for us.

November 18, 2014 - Tuesday

“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” (Matthew 13:52 NABRE)


Jesus' words to his disciples instruct them how to teach others about the kingdom of heaven. They were the first leaders of his church: They knew his teachings (the new). And they were like the religious scribes of their day: They knew the Jewish law (the old).

In today's verse, Jesus tells each of them to "provide in his own teaching both...the old as interpreted and fulfilled by the new.* Jesus came to fulfill the law, so it was important his followers understood the law as well as his teaching. Today, our Bible contains both the Old Testament, which are the books of the law and the prophets, and the New Testament, which are the books about Jesus.

Lord God, thank you for sharing with us the whole of salvation history. From the beginning of time you have been with us. You show us how to live today and you tell us why. Jesus, you came to fulfill the words of the law and the prophets written down so long before you were born. You came here to redeem us in this life so we might spend the next in your company. We look forward to being fully in your presence on that great day.


Today, I will praise God who gives me faith, hope and love, who showers me with his endless mercy, and who shows me the path for my life. Praise you Jesus.


Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, who, in your heart, held back nothing from God, pray for us.

November 17, 2014 - Monday

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning;
better is a patient spirit than a lofty one. (Ecclesiastes 7:8 NABRE)


When life gets hard, even unbearable, never give up.

As difficult as it can be to wait for a bad situation to end, we are called to wait, to endure and to carry on. But we ask, "How can I endure this suffering?" First, by relying on faith. We need to be confident that God will work things out in his time. He always does. Always. Believe it.

When you have nothing left, pray this way: Lord, I can not carry this burden myself anymore so I give it to you to carry. Please carry it for me until, in your good time, it may end.

The trick, it is said,* is to seek to become patient and not proud. Patience grows from humility. When we regularly and deliberately put on a mindset and attitude of humility we are able to endure whatever would crush a proud person. With this thinking we become what is called poor in spirit.*


Today, I will seek humility and patience in every difficult situation that arises, big or small. Rather than, in my pride, being irritated, annoyed or frustrated by situations, I will join my difficulties with the suffering of Jesus, who suffered for my sake, as a sacrifice for others who suffer far greater than I do.


Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, patroness of Catholic charities, pray for us.

November 16, 2014 - Sunday

And now our feet are standing
within your gates, Jerusalem. (Psalms 122:2 NABRE)


Jerusalem, the spiritual center of so much of God's plan on earth, was made a pilgrimage destination in the Jewish law* before it was even established as a city. Psalm 122 is a song sung by pilgrims obeying the law.* The song celebrates the pilgrims' arrival in Jerusalem to give thanks to God and to pray for peace.

For the Christian, Jerusalem is also a symbolic destination. We are pilgrims on a faith journey during this life. We can even experience the excited anticipation of arrival in the promised kingdom of God, the new Jerusalem we learn about in the book of Revelation (See Revelation 3:12, 21:2 and 21:9).

Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of your mercy. Thank you for your plan of salvation. Thank you for giving each of us a path to walk and a guide so that we might reach the new Jerusalem as pilgrims, so that we might rejoice in your company and sing with you in your kingdom.


Today, I will imagine the great joy of the arriving pilgrim and I will live humbly as a traveller on the way.


Saint Gertrude the Great, who reminds us that prayer is the heart of the Christian life, pray for us.

November 15, 2014 - Saturday

So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 NABRE)


It was a bright morning twenty-eight years ago, just like today, when I began to understand this verse.

It was cold here in New England, with a dusting of snow on the ground when we began our marriage journey together. Though we didn't know it at the time, all we really had were faith, hope and love. There was little else.

Funny that after so many years these three remain and I could say they are still all we have. Still all we need. Still all we seek. They are what make marriage work, expressed so beautifully in the more well-known lines* of this chapter of Corinthians:

• Love is patient
• Love is kind. 
• Love is not jealous, 
• Love is not pompous, 
• Love is not inflated,
• Love is not rude, 
• Love does not seek its own interests, 
• Love is not quick-tempered, 
• Love does not brood over injury,
• Love does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
• Love bears all things, 
• Love believes all things, 
• Love hopes all things, 
• Love endures all things.

Take some time to enjoy and meditate on each one. Each is so rich in meaning that it brings out a different character of relationship worth spending time with.

Here is a challenge: If you substitute your own name for "Love" in the list, how well do you do? What could you change today to love better?!


Today, I will remember faith and hope matter, along with love which never fails.

Blessed Mary of the Passion, who wished for two lives, one for prayer and one to perform all the duties God imposed on her, pray for us.

November 14, 2014 - Friday

My son, to my words be attentive,
to my sayings incline your ear;
Let them not slip from your sight,
keep them within your heart. (Proverbs 4:20-21 NABRE)


People can change. We struggle with that sometimes, but it is clear that we are not unable to choose differently, to think in new ways, and to act accordingly. We are always free to choose, in every circumstance, good or bad.

Someone who always seems to make destructive choices may still change and begin to follow a new path of righteousness. By the same token, we should guard our hearts in each moment against choices that lead us away from goodness and toward wickedness.

Parents cannot help themselves but to teach their values to their children. Solomon did it many thousands of years ago. I do it here. In fact, one of the most beautiful gifts our children give us (without anyone realizing it most of the time), is the way they compel us parents to guide and protect them. Think about it! In their innocent and unspoken witness, our children allow us to experience something of what God must feel for us who are his own children, his own creation. What wouldn't he do for us? There is nothing he wouldn't do for us.

Grasp onto that. And for those without children, look at the people in your life with whom you are bound by relationship. We form ties that bind us together. We become family in a real sense, with all the gifts and responsibilities implied by such connectedness. Let's hope for one another. Let's believe in one another's ability to change. Let's remember that God is with us as we risk change, as we make difficult or unpopular decisions, and as we live out the life which follows.


Today, I will pray with great confidence for those of us in need of change, that we recognize our chance to change ourselves, even in little ways, in every decision we make throughout this day. 


Saint Nicholas Tavelic and Companions, fourteenth-century Franciscan martyrs, pray for us.

November 13, 2014 - Thursday

For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with the simplicity and sincerity of God, [and] not by human wisdom but by the grace of God. (2 Corinthians 1:12 NABRE)


Saint Paul writes of his own behavior toward the Church in Corinth and in general. He mentions three distinct aspects of his approach toward people in order to be encouraging: simplicity, sincerity and acting by God's grace. And so I wonder how I might encourage others through the trials of my life so they might turn to God and trust him as their rescuer.

Simplicity. This describes a life that is free from complexity, pretentiousness or guile.* Today, we might say, "What you see is what you get." or "I do not hide my personal agenda." Instead, I act and speak directly.

Sincerity. This has to do with our intention, what drives us to speak or act in a certain way. A sincere person is earnest and is free from deceit, hypocrisy, or duplicity.* It answers the question, "Why do I act a certain way?" Sometimes, sincerity will cost me because I may have to sacrifice self-interest for honesty.

God's grace. God has given us a free gift which we call grace. One aspect of his grace is his Holy Spirit living and residing within each of us, offering guidance when we ask for it, words when we need them, and prompting action when it is called for.


Today, I will speak and act directly with others, guided by God's Spirit, so that they might be encouraged to know and see me turn to God as my rescuer in times of difficulty, great or small.


Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, known as Mother Cabrini, first U.S. citizen to be cannonized, patron of hospital administrators, immigrants and impossible causes, pray for us.

November 12, 2014 - Wednesday

But the Lord said to him, ‘Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. (Acts 7:33 NABRE)


God's Spirit spoke directly to Moses in the desert. Today's verse is from Saint Stephen's retelling of the story of his people fifteen hundred years later. In it, we read God's reminder that there are holy places.

So often today, we forget that there are indeed holy places. Special places on this earth. Places set aside for worship. Places consecrated by prayer, heroic acts, or otherwise, which call us to a respecful mindfulness of the presence of the divine in our world.

However, no place is holier than the place where the Spirit of God dwells. And as believers, we know that this most holy temple of God is within each of us who is baptized.

Lord God, keep me mindful of your presence within me. Help me to remember at all times that I do not need to look at the grandeur of any celestial display to see your work. Remind me always that you are within me, and guide me with a respectful mindfulness to care well for your dwelling place here. My Lord, help me to recognize you also in each person I encounter today. Show me what is greatest within them. Show me what unites us. And Lord, if there is a need I can fill, show it to me, provide me with the means to satisfy it, and remove from me any hesitation that would keep me from acting according to your prompting.


Today, I will seek to be mindful of God's holy presence in each person I encounter.


Saint Josaphat, who worked for and was martyred for unity among Christians, pray for us.

November 11, 2014 - Tuesday

But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” (John 11:22-23 NABRE)


How much do I trust God in my life? How much faith do I put in him? Do I really believe he is involved with me personally? These are the questions each of us faces when we examine our belief. Most of us who believe, strongly or even somewhat uncertainly, keep the faith pretty well when things are going along alright; but sometimes when trouble strikes, we seem to lose track of our faith. We forget to rely on God at the most critical times. And we sometimes even dismiss him because of our indifference, sorrow, disillusionment or anger. Do you know anyone like that?

Imagine what it must have been like for Jesus' friends from Bethany, two sisters named Martha and Mary. Four days after their brother Lazarus died, Jesus arrives on the scene. Even though people had witnessed his healing miracles, he is too late to to save Lazarus from death.

Martha speaks pointedly to Jesus, yet even in her sadness she hasn't lost her faith. In fact, Martha shows such strong faith in Jesus she makes the first statement in today's verse, "But even now [that it's obviously too late] I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Wow! That is truly amazing faith! And Jesus responds with the great miracle of raising her brother Lazarus from the dead.


Today, I will not let the trials of my life weaken my faith, instead I will turn more quickly to Jesus at these times confident that whatever he asks of God the Father, God will give him.


Saint Martin of Tours, patron of soldiers, man who worried about cooperating with evil, pray for us.
Saint Faustina, messenger of Divine Mercy, pray for us.

November 10, 2014 - Monday

Drink water from your own cistern,
running water from your own well. (Proverbs 5:15 NABRE)


Parents spend a lifetime instructing and guiding their children. While children are young, they learn quickly, they are expert imitators, and they absorb much. At some point as they grow independent, children begin to push against instruction and guidance, seeking instead the teacher of experience in the "school of hard knocks." As moral reasoning develops and becomes more sophisticated, children often appear to be well on their way to disregarding advice in favor of experimentation which becomes increasingly dangerous.

And yet, the wise father-king speaking to his son's in today's verse, knows they do continue to need advice and that they do continue to listen and absorb it, even though they may not act on it right away. He knows that the best defense against folly is to appreciate and love wisdom.* He speaks to his children from his own experience to guide them away from making mistakes unnecessarily. His hope is that they will come to no harm. More than that, his great hope is that they will find their way to truth and especially to a relationship with God.


Today, I will be grateful for the guidance I receive each day.


Saint Leo the Great, who reminds us we are Christ's church, pray for us.

November 9, 2014 - Sunday

So that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7 NABRE)


Titus, like Timothy, was a companion of Paul on his third missionary journey about twenty years after Jesus' Ascension. He was sent to the island of Crete to learn about the people there and to establish church leaders.

In his greeting to Titus from which today's verse is drawn, Paul, having heard about how the people of Crete had been living, instructs Titus how they should live. He reminds Titus that God has been kind, generous and merciful to the faithful. Therefore, these believers needed to change. They should be:

• Under the control of magistrates and authorities
• Obedient
• Open to every good enterprise (meaning to be good citizens)
• Peaceable
• Considerate
• Exercise all graciousness toward everyone

They should not slander anyone and they should seek to no longer be:

• Foolish
• Disobedient
• Deluded
• Slaves to various desires and pleasures
• Living in malice and envy
• Hateful

Good advice for us too.

Today, I will remember how generous, kind and merciful God has been in my life; and as such, seek to devote myself to good works.


On this feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran church, the pope’s church, the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome where the Bishop of Rome presides, Saints Peter and John Paul II, pray for us.

November 8, 2014 - Saturday

Yes, you are my flock: you people are the flock of my pasture, and I am your God—oracle of the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 34:31 NABRE)


Ezekiel, chapter 34 is like a prophetic bridge that connects two great leaders, one from the past and one who was yet to come. The words of this prophet connect King David with Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd and King of Kings. Shepherd was a frequent title for kings in the ancient Near East. The ideal ruler cared for his flock and anticipated their needs.*

Written during the Babylonian captivity, God speaking through Ezekiel makes it clear that the rulers of Israel at the time, who were supposed to have been caring for his people, were responsible for this exile by their neglect and indifference. He tells the leaders he will take the flock out of their care and it is at this point God, still speaking through Ezekiel, addresses his flock, his people, us believers even today, with the words of today's verse.

Reading Ezekiel 34 with the benefit of hindsight is fascinating. I suggest reading it like it was a poem (giving it at least three readings) and meditating on it to let its impact really affect you. During the second read-through, also read the footnotes and endnotes as you go. This will really bring out the breadth and scope of the prophecy. Don't worry, it won't take long and it will be time very well spent!

Jesus, thank you for being our Good Shepherd, for pasturing us abundantly and protecting us securely. Please help us to see your Spirit in each other, especially the weak and troubled, so that we might not push against them but instead help them. Help us to be more like you. Help us to act as your arms and legs in our daily circumstances for the benefit of those who need to know you. And finally, help us to be humble, placing the needs of your flock ahead of our own wants, desires, and even our own needs. Help us to become shepherds to your people.


Today, I will give thanks for the provision and care my Shepherd offers each of us.


Blessed John Duns Scotus, model of intellectual integrity joined with faithfulness, pray for us.

November 7, 2014 - Friday

Blessed be the LORD, your God, who was pleased to set you on his throne as king for the LORD, your God. In the love your God has for Israel, to establish them forever, he has made you king over them to carry out judgment and justice. (2 Chronicles 9:8 NABRE)


More than 400 years before Christ was born, these are the words of the Queen of Sheba* to King Solomon, according to the Chronicler, when she realized that his gift of wisdom far surpassed his reputation. And yet, the description of Solomon calls to mind, for me at least, Jesus who is King over all kings and who will carry out judgment and justice at the end of time. Beyond that, I am reminded of God's surpassing love for his people, for you and me.

God loves you!

It can feel like a cliche, but it's true. He loves you more than the greatest love you have ever felt. He loves you right now, in the middle of whatever messiness you may be facing in your life.

John 3:16 reminds us of this simple and wonderful truth.

I am pleased to report that I had some success yesterday remembering to say "Thank you Jesus." in those little moments of frustration. There were five to ten time during the day when I found myself irritated by some little thing or another and the phrase came to mind for me to speak, so I did. Thank you Holy Spirit for keeping me mindful of Jesus at my own little times of trial. I offer them up as prayers for others who need strengthening in faith as much as I do.


Today, I will rest in God's love. I will again seek to remember to say, "Thank you Jesus." each hour or in those moments when little annoyances bother me excessively.


Saint Didacus, Franciscan brother for whom San Diego, California, is named, pray for us.

November 6, 2014 - Thursday

If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:7 NABRE)


Imagine it with me. Jesus is the exact human embodiment of God. If we know Jesus, we know God. If we learn from Jesus, we learn God's thinking. If we watch Jesus, we see God's emotions. And if we imitate Jesus, we understand God's heart.

Today's verse is from the Last Supper. Jesus is telling his friends not to be troubled and to trust God. (Keep in mind, Jesus has just predicted some very dire things about them, in chapter 13--that Judas would betray him and that Peter would deny him, he barked at Peter for not letting him wash his feet, and worst of all, he had just told them he'd be leaving them soon.)

At times of great trouble and worry, do I remember God is with me? How disturbed am I by challenging events? Do I stop functioning when a crisis happens? Do little annoyances overwhelm me? It can happen.

Some years after Jesus departed, Saint Paul offers some advice that remains valid today. He wrote, "Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)


Today, I will rejoice, pray and give thanks to God at least once every hour, and I will try simply to say, "Thank you Jesus." immediately each time I am challenged by a trouble or worry.


Saint Leonard, patron of political prisoners, imprisoned people, prisoners of war, and captives, women in labour, as well as horses, pray for us.

November 5, 2014 - Wednesday

What is man that you are mindful of him,
and a son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him little less than a god,
crowned him with glory and honor. (Psalm 8:5-6 NABRE)


When the Psalmist considers the "moon and stars that [God] set in place,"* he is left wondering what we all wonder about at some time or another: Why would the infinite creator God bother with such lowly creatures as us? More than that, why would he make us "almost at the level of the beings in the heavenly world?"*

Our reality calls us to grateful humility.

Psalm eight is a wonderful song of praise to our God who created all that is, and who made us in his likeness. It shows us an early awakening to the love that God has for us, which is realized in the person of Jesus Christ, demonstrated by his life, death and resurrection.

Lord, we sing with David, of your majesty. We stand in awe of your creation. We wonder at your thoughts and plans which are so far above our own we are often left without comprehension. We marvel at your name, Lord God, and your presence in all things. We praise you along with David, sharing your name with all who hear us. Thank you, Lord, for the great gift of awareness so that we might continue to appreciate you, even when we cannot understand.


Today, I will praise God by my words and actions.


Saints Zachary and Elizabeth, parents of John the Baptist, pray for us.

November 4, 2014 - Tuesday

Exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you conduct yourselves as worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:12 NABRE)


Not long after leaving them, Saint Paul describes how he treated the new believers at Thessalonica while he was with them. He describes himself as fatherly. He reminds them to live morally according to the Christian principles which he taught them. Specifically, Paul exhorts and encourages them to holiness in sexual contact, mutual charity, hope for the Christian dead, vigilance in waiting for Christ's return, and a number of other instructions for maintaining good order among themselves.

1Thessalonaians is a short book of just five chapters. It is worth reading from beginning to end in a single sitting. Meditating on it briefly, on any one of it's points, offers real insight.


Today, I will meditate on Paul's encouragement, considering how I might conduct myself better, so as to grow increasingly worthy of the God who calls me into his kingdom and glory.


Saint Charles Borromeo, who saw Christ in your neighbor, pray for us.

November 3, 2014 - Monday

Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Listen! I will make breath enter you so you may come to life. (Ezekiel 37:5 NABRE)


Ezekiel was a prophet during Israel's exile in Babylon, about 600 B.C. Today's verse is a prophesy which offers the exiles hope for the future. The dry bones to which the Lord speaks are the exiles themselves. God tells them he will send breath, his Spirit, into them. You see, God punished Israel by exiling them, but here he promises to restore them once again. Here we read part of his announcement that he will create a new Israel from among them. He wants to demonstrate once and for all that he is the Lord.*

How often do we think of God actively involved in our lives? Do we think he is capable of directing nations as masterfully as individuals? While we may be quick to dismiss the street-corner prophets who, even today, wear signs that say Repent, are we really so sure God does not intervene in the large events that shift political power? Have we become blind and calous to God's Lordship?

As we approach a mid-term election day tomorrow, I suggest that our vote can be a profound act of prayer. "We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose," (Romans 8:28) but do we believe that our vote may be one of those things helping to work out God's purpose? In our country, we have the great gifts of a democratic process and the vote. Even in our imperfect, cynical, sometimes discouraging, and too-often corrupt political system, we are at least invited to participate! Compare this with the violent oppression taking place in Sudan, the ISIS-controlled areas of Syria and Iraq, and so many other nations around the world.

Express hope! Help breathe life into the dry bones of our people. Participate!


Today, I will prepare my heart and mind so that my vote tomorrow will have meaning, helping to chose responsible leaders.


Saint Martin de Porres, whose life teaches us so much about deep and true forgiveness and charity, pray for us.

November 2, 2014 - Sunday

He said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. (Matthew 15:13 NABRE)


The Pharisees had placed religious rituals and traditions above God's commandments, nullifying, according to Jesus, the word of God for the sake of these traditions. As a result, Jesus calls them hypocrites. In today's verse, just after the Apostles tell him he has offended the Pharisees, he replies in a manner which actually begins to lead the Apostles away from the teaching authority of the Pharisees.*

Jesus tells the Apostles, and us, that people who act so as to appear religious, holy and righteous, but who are more concerned with their own gain, such as these teachers of the law were, are blind, and they lead others who follow them right into a pit.

Lord, give me eyes to see. Give me the clarity and courage to examine my own motivations. Guide me as I navigate the difficulties of this life, seeking first to do your will in all situations. Our Father, your will be done on earth! May your Holy Spirit be alive in me today, sharing with me discernment in large and small matters, so that I may act in true holiness, seeking less to achieve riches and prestige for myself and more to turn others to you, Lord. I ask this in Jesus' name and in the company of those gathered here. Amen.


Today, I will seek first God's will in my life.


On this, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls' Day), we pray for all of you who have gone before us into death, and we ask that you please pray for us.

November 1, 2014 - Saturday

Sing praise to the LORD, you faithful;
give thanks to his holy memory. (Psalm 30:4 NABRE)


In the last book of the Bible, written about 600 years after the Psalms, Saint John has a vision of heaven. In chapter 7, he describes "a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.... [One of the elders] said to me, ‘These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb’” (Revelation 7:9,14).

Still today, we join with the Psalmist and all the angels and saints in giving constant praise and thanksgiving to God.

In a video reflection on this idea of praying together, we are given a beautiful image of sharing radiance in our world, of participating in and acknowledging the radiance all around us--the excitement, the radiance of God. We hear about All Saints Day described as a stadium experience filled with the power of an excited crowd whose Spirit shakes the stadium with its radiance, the radiance of being a child of God. (See: 2014-11-01 Reflection (2-667))


Today, right now, on this Solemnity of All Saints, I will sing my part in the chorus giving you praise and thanks, my Lord.


Saint Perigrine, patron of cancer patients, pray for us.
Saint Michael the Archangel, protector, pray for us.
Saints John XXIII and John Paul II, most newly named saints, pray for us.
All you angels and saints, pray for us.

October 31, 2014 - Friday

And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward. (Matthew 10:42 NABRE)


This chapter of Matthew's gospel is about being a disciple of Jesus. In speaking to his friends about their commission as disciples, Jesus describes a--to put it mildly--bleak outlook. He tells them about the persecutions they will face from all sides and from their own people. He goes on to inform them that he has come to cause division among people. His disciples must give up everything in order to follow him.

But Jesus also tells them to be courageous. He reminds them of the eternal reward for those who are his disciples, and for those who, as we see in today's verse, help them proclaim the kingdom. Jesus calls his disciples prophets, righteous men and little ones because they speak in the name of God, they are virtuous, and they are his followers.

When I face each day as a follower of Jesus, I risk persecution, humiliation and loss. But, when I speak in defense of my beliefs during these times of trouble, I find courage in knowing it is not me but God's Holy Spirit in me who speaks. And when I help other of Jesus' followers, even in little ways, I have his promise, made in today's verse, which is the freely given promise of eternal life in his presence.


Today, I will help and not hinder those who are faithful to Jesus.


Saint Wolfgang, whose life reminds us to take our responsibilities seriously, pray for us.

October 30, 2014 - Thursday

The LORD is with me; I am not afraid;
what can mortals do against me? (Psalm 118: NABRE)


In the midst of life's greatest challenges, we rely on the Lord. Like King David, when he was surrounded by enemies and remained unafraid, we are wise to recognize and trust that the Lord God is with us.

A friend of mine who is very sick expressed this same confidence recently by asking the rhetorical question, "Where else can I turn?" What faith! What hope!

For me, life's great challenges have been times when leaning on God has happened naturally. Trust has gotten me through whatever suffering I faced. But it is at times of relative comfort, when the trials of life amount to nothing more than small annoyances repeated frequently, that I struggle. It is at these times I forget to turn to my Lord and seek instead my own puny strength and misguided counsel.

Lord, for the many times in my life when I should rely on you, when I should turn to you, please soften my heart so that I might think of you first. My God and father, please whisper in my ear so that I might hear you before acting foolishly in little fits of pride, putting aside the faith and hope I do have in favor of my own self-importance. And lastly, Lord Jesus, I ask for patience, gentleness, kindness and compassion for all those around me, that I might see your face when I look at theirs, hear your voice when they speak, and glimpse your eternal life in each breath I witness of theirs.


Today, I will have confidence in the Lord's protection over my life and I will listen for his whispered guidance during my ordinary day.


Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez, who teaches us happiness is gained by service and prayer, pray for us.

October 29, 2014 - Wednesday

And I saw that there is nothing better for mortals than to rejoice in their work; for this is their lot. Who will let them see what is to come after them? (Ecclesiastes 3:22 NABRE)


At first blush, it seems odd that we should rejoice in our work. But it makes sense.

The writer of Ecclesiastes understands work is our lot in life, he says as much; so I wonder why we should seek anything more than to be resigned to the necessity of it? Yet, he tells us there is nothing better than to rejoice in it.

The writer suggests that since we cannot be certain of anything beyond this life, and since we must work to survive, we should find ways to be joyful while doing it and delighted with our results.


Today, I will seek to "be in the moment," to find the joy in my work and to take pleasure in the results of it.


Saint Narcissus of Jerusalem, bishop in the young Church, pray for us.

October 28, 2014 - Tuesday

I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you,
praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,
because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now. (Philippians 1:3-5 NABRE)


What a great way to start a letter to friends! Paul tells his fellow believers in Philippi how grateful he is for them and how much joy fills him because of their faithfulness to the gospel! I feel much the same, as though we have become a small community of believers, here, over this daily Bible reflection.

For me, having the chance to share my personal morning reflection and prayer time with you has been an unexpected gift from God, though I intended to make it just a small gift to my children--a chance to share my own prayer life with them. Praise the Lord for the ways he works! And so, I pray for you right now.

Lord my God, thank you for those who join me each day in praise and thanksgiving. You know each of our hearts. Please hear our prayers as we know you do, and answer them. Please give us the awareness of your presence in our lives so that we may boldly be partners for the gospel along with our brothers and sisters in Philippi.

It is good to realize just how much we all have in common. So, I'd like to share what I think is a special gift with you--another way that I've found to help keep my thoughts on the Lord during the day is by listening to Relevant Radio, "Talk radio for Catholic life." My first reaction was, not interested! But I listened a little and was surprised to find I was encouraged, challenged and surprised. I kept returning primarily because I was surprised to hear others praying and speaking as I do, from all over the country. We are not alone in our spiritual lives, we have many who join us in bringing the gospel to life in our culture and in our world. Check it out. I listen with the mobile app!


Today, I will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for your intentions. 


Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles of Jesus, pray for us.

October 27, 2014 - Monday

For kingship belongs to the LORD,
the ruler over the nations. (Psalms 22:29 NABRE)


It is important to remember who we worship. It can be so easy to be caught up in the daily rush of responsibilities and pleasures that we forget who it is we praise and honor with our lives.

My God, you are the King of kings and the Lord of lords. You are above all. The living and the dead will remember and turn to you. All will bow before you (Psalms 22:28). Lord God, thank you for the many blessings of this life. I will remember that you are the one true king and ruler over all nations. 


Today, I will remember the Lord and turn to him in my need, and I will offer him my humble praise.


Saint Abraham the Poor, who lived a simple and faithful life, pray for us.

October 26, 2014 - Sunday

We know that the law is good, provided that one uses it as law. (1 Timothy 1:8 NABRE)


Saint Paul begins his first letter to Timothy with a warning to instruct certain fellow believers in Ephesus not to teach false doctrines. Apparently, some of the Ephesian Christians had begun to look at the law (the Old Testament) as something other than the first part of God's revealed plan of salvation fulfilled by Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection.*

Avoiding false doctrines remains a practical challenge for our own Church leaders even today. The recent Synod on the Family shows that we still struggle to reconcile the truth of doctrine with our pastoral command to bring the gospel to all the world.

Paul's aim: That the Ephesians should stay focused on what matters most, which was instructing others correctly and living lives that reflected their faith in God's salvation through his son, Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis' aim today (though I would not pretend to speak for him): That our bishops will seek discernment through the Holy Spirit and the intersession of the Holy Family of Nazareth as they look for ways to be welcoming while remaining faithful to the truth found in Church doctrine.


Today, I will pray for our bishops as they continue this year-long journey regarding family, and for all who are in positions of leadership who also help define family in our world.


Holy Family of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us.

October 25, 2014 - Saturday

That you may act discreetly,
and your lips guard what you know. (Proverbs 5:2 NABRE)


Proverbs, chapter five, is a straightforward warning against adultery. It describes the deep human damage caused when one spouse is unfaithful to the other: Adultery causes bitterness, bloodshed, and death. It destroys honor, wastes the years of life, despoils* hard-earned wealth, and brings remorse in the end. This is no philosophical warning, but clearly the practical, painful wisdom of experience that is shared.

By contrast, marital fidelity brings happiness and security.* Chapter five begins by telling us that understanding and discretion are necessary to avoid adultery.* I find this interesting, worth considering, because it startles me. I never would have considered it on my own, but it makes sense. Understanding is having insight and good judgment.* Discretion is the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information.* We should honor our spouses at all times and carefully guard our marriages.

The best defense against adultery is appreciating and loving one’s spouse.


Today, I will recall the power of my marriage, God's role in it, and the happiness and security it provides.


Mary, mother of Jesus, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, husband of Mary, pray for us.
Saint Antônio de Sant’Anna Galvão, who dedicated himself with love and devotion to the afflicted, the suffering and the slaves of his era in Brazil, pray for us.

October 24, 2014 - Friday

Then God said: Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters, to separate one body of water from the other.
God made the dome, and it separated the water below the dome from the water above the dome. And so it happened. (Genesis 1:6-7 NABRE)


The so-called ongoing debate between science and religion with respect to the creation of the universe is a misdirection which serves no good purpose.

As Christians, we believe that God lives outside of time. We believe he was here at the beginning of what we know as time and created all that exists, both visible and invisible. We believe he is infinite.

Many people put their faith in science. They believe in it. My concern is that science itself is not a thing to be believed in. Rather, it is something to be used by us to increase our understanding of and insight into this existence we are part of. Science is good. Science is a gift, an aspect of how we think of and observe the world around us.

Many people put their faith in religion. They believe in it. My concern is that religion itself is not a thing to be believed in either. Rather it is something to be used by us to increase our understanding of and insight into this existence we are part of. Religion is good. Religion is a gift.

Christianity, which we believe is the religion founded by the one true God, in the person of Jesus Christ, has just one purpose and that is to teach, encourage and sustain faith in God for all people during this life.

Science does not disprove God. There is no need for disagreement, intolerance, and disrespectfulness between believers on both sides of this shaky non-issue. Honesty is called for. No one living today was here for the creation of the world. Tolerance is also in order on both sides of this issue. Respect for the value each mind brings to considering this ultimate question should always be present.


Today, I will respect all people and their ability to think, even when we disagree.


Saint Anthony Claret, whose suffering for your faith included 14 attempts on your life, pray for us.

October 23, 2014 - Thursday

Two are better than one: They get a good wage for their toil.
If the one falls, the other will help the fallen one. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a NABRE)


These modern days, we talk of introverts and extroverts. Some who are extroverts are more inclined to seek the company of and interactions with other people. Others who are introverts seek the solitude and quiet of a more solitary life. Recognizing the degree to which each of us inclines in one direction or the other is important.

Understanding which of these personality traits is more dominant in myself has value. When I know my own preference, I can use it to strive toward my best. When I don't know my preference, I can be pulled easily in different directions, limiting my effectiveness in life's pursuits.

We can call it personality, preference, style, inclination or choice, but really it is a gift from God which we can use to his glory and for his praise.

Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert? How can you use such a gift for the Lord's glory?

Today, I will harness the power of my gifts to give praise to God.


Saint Hilarion, who sought a life of solitude and prayer but instead found fame and many followers, pray for us.
Saint John of Capistrano, optimist, defender of the faith, and patron of judges, pray for us.

October 22, 2014 - Wednesday

And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” (Matthew 13:57 NABRE)


Have you ever wanted to try something new, but didn't try it because of what other people might say? Have you ever felt like you should say something, but didn't say it because others wouldn't like it? I think that must be how Jesus felt when his own Nazareth neighbors and friends were offended by his preaching. What's different, however, is that Jesus spoke anyway!

How can we speak the important things when we know others will reject what we say? Where do we find the courage to disregard the insults and odd looks we may rightly expect to encounter and speak out at the prompting of our consciences?

When we are facing certain ridicule and judgment for our beliefs, we should call on the same Holy Spirit that Jesus called upon, asking that he give us the words to speak, the right actions to take, and the courage to speak and act as we are called to. Each situation is different, but the Holy Spirit is with us in each moment, no matter how difficult it is, no matter how unprepared we feel, and he is always ready to lead us through them.

Holy Spirit--who dwelt in Jesus, the one who also dwells within me, the third person of the Trinity, clothing of divine power, the promise of God the Father, the Spirit who filled the Apostles on Pentecost and gave them voice to speak the truth about Jesus and the courage to bear witness to his life--guide me. Give me the words I need to speak when I need them so that I never need to worry if I said "the right thing." And as you take away my anxiety, replace it with the courage to speak into difficult moments and the certainty to act according to the will of the Father.


Today, I will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for all those who find themselves in difficult and even threatening situations, that in those moments they may know the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.


Saint John Paul II, who urges us to “Open wide the doors to Christ,” especially on this your first feast day, pray for us.
Saint Faustina, who was canonized by John Paul II in 2000 and whose willingness to write her dreams in a diary gives us a new and deeper understanding of divine mercy, pray for us.

October 21, 2014 - Tuesday

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. (Ephesians 1:3 NABRE)


In this opening blessing of Saint Paul's letter to the believers in Ephesus, we can see the beginnings of our understanding of the Trinity.

Also in this verse, and the following eleven verses, Paul lists spiritual blessings Christians have received through Christ.* Paul points out that God has given us many spiritual gifts, that through Christ:

• God calls us to holiness. 
• He adopts us as his children. 
• He liberates us from sin. 
• He reveals his plan of salvation. 
• And he chose us beforehand and gave us our faith in Christ.

Today, I will gratefully appreciate having been chosen first by God so that I may now, and every day, choose him.


Saint Philip, Apostle of Jesus, early Church leader and witness to Christ, pray for us.

October 20, 2014 - Monday

The fear of the LORD leads to life;
one eats and sleeps free from any harm. (Proverbs 19:23 NABRE)


Yesterday, we read in Ecclesiastes that wisdom is the singular matter of fearing God's judgment and keeping his commandments.* Today, we see the reason why it matters. By fearing the Lord, we benefit in this life and in the next. So what is fear of the Lord? Here are some useful explanations of this life-giving attitude:

Fear of the Lord is said to be the beginning of Wisdom (Proverbs 1:7).

Fear of the Lord is one of the Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.* It "fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread, above all things, to offend Him."* 

For the believer, fear is reverence and awe of God. It is the motivating force for us to surrender to the creator of the universe. Fear of the Lord includes understanding who God is--that he is holy, just and righteous, and how much God hates sin and fearing his judgment on sin--even in the life of a believer. And so, we should seek to live our lives in such a way that pleases him.* 

Fearing God means having such a reverence for Him that it has a great impact on the way we live our lives. The fear of God is respecting Him, obeying Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshipping Him in awe.* 

Fearing God is good because it saves us from caving into our own sinful nature.* 

Today, I will meditate on the reverence and awe I have for the Lord, I will evaluate how it affects my choices, and I will change whatever I learn needs changing.


Saint Paul of the Cross, devoted to spreading among the faithful the memory of Christ's passion, pray for us.

October 19, 2014 - Sunday

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,
all things are vanity! (Ecclesiastes 12:8 NABRE)


Ecclesiastes 12 draws a picture of old age and encourages the young to give up their self-absorbed ways and to remember our Creator while still young and able to act for the Lord before the limits of old age get in the way.

In the chapter's epilogue, we are told to give up our excessive pride and endless searching for meaning and wisdom. The writer tells us, essentially, that it's not complicated. In his conclusion, he explains that wisdom is the singular matter of fearing God's judgment and keeping his commandments.

Lord my God, thank you for the times you guide my heart away from concern for myself and toward concern for others. It is only in such moments that I really grasp your love and compassion for us. Help me each day to give up my vanities, my expectations, and my desires in favor of your praises, your plans and your direction for my life.


Today, I will seek to put away whatever self-interest of mine arises within me, offering up my effort as a prayer, thankful to have the chance to overcome that which places my interests ahead of God's.


Blessed Paul VI, who as Pope oversaw the completion and implementation of Vatican II, pray for us.

October 18, 2014 - Saturday

Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights. (Psalm 148:1 NABRE)


Psalm 148 begins with the exclamation Hallelujah! and today's verse. It's a simple thing really, but one I sometimes forget when I'm distracted by my personal concerns: Praise God at all times!

This week has brought our family one of those perfect reminders that the Lord of life deserves our constant praise. The birth of a baby displays the timeless truth of this passage playing out in our lives. And so, we have another touchstone to the divine, another life, another soul created to bring glory, a new promise of hope for the future, another child of God to love.

Praise the Lord!


Today, I will join all creation which brings glory to God for his greatness, working to bring glory to him by my way of living, my words, and my praise.


Saint Luke, writer of the third gospel and Acts of the Apostles, patron of artists, brewers, butchers, doctors, notaries, painters, physicians and surgeons, pray for us.

October 17, 2014 - Friday

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7 NABRE)


Does God answer our prayers? Yes. Jesus assures us that God does answer our prayers.

In fact, Jesus tells us that God our heavenly Father answers our requests far more than we as human fathers can even provide for our children. I know as a father, there is nothing I would not give for my children! In the short passage of Matthew 7:7-11, Jesus explains how much more God gives us good things when we ask him in prayer.

In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus tells us a few additional things about how we should bring our requests to God in prayer:

• We are to believe in advance that God will answer our request
• In Mark 11:25, he tells us we are to forgive others as we begin our prayer
• In Matthew 18:19-20, he tells us we should gather together in his name when bringing our requests to God

The Our Father is such a perfect model of this pattern, we should remember to pray it often, whenever we have a few minutes during the day. Even when we have nothing specific that is concerning to us, the Our Father gives us a chance to reconnect in our most important relationship. And when we pray it together, at Mass or even with just two together, we can be certain that God hears and answers us.


Today, I will pray the Our Father, bringing my needs to God, confident in his answer.


Saint Ignatius of Antioch, who was martyred in Rome about A.D. 107, who reminds us of the Christian martyrs in the Middle East even today, pray for us.

October 16, 2014 - Thursday

One can put on gold and abundant jewels,
but wise lips are the most precious ornament. (Proverbs 20:15 NABRE)


In this life, we should spend our time seeking wisdom rather than the approval of others based on our appearance. Today's proverb reminds us that wisdom is preferable to to gold and jewels. It points out that inner beauty is preferable to extravagant accessorizing.


Today, I will work to speak with wise lips and to act with compassion for others in need.


Saint Hedwig, who chose poverty over her wealth to help the poor and to better appreciate the supernatural life of God's grace, pray for us.

October 15, 2014 - Wednesday

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well. 

My frame was not hidden from you 

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 

Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book 

before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13-16 NIV)

Lord God of hope, author of life, I thank you for the gift of new life. I am humbled in your almighty presence. 

I pray for our soon-to-be new family. For the parents, I pray that they will know more of you each time they look at their son, much like Mary and Joseph must have. And for the child we await, I pray that he will grow strong in body and spirit, safe in your arms.

Today, I will celebrate the joy, hope and mystery of life.

Holy Family, pray for us.

October 14, 2014 - Tuesday

I will rejoice and be glad in your mercy,
once you have seen my misery,
[and] gotten to know the distress of my soul. (Psalm 31:8 NABRE)

...You will not abandon me into enemy hands,
but will set my feet in a free and open space.

I place my trust in God. Trusting God in all circumstances means having confidence in his mercy.

In today's verse, the Psalmist takes this a step further by rejoicing in God's mercy.  He recognizes something important about the character of God, that the Lord sees our misery and our distress and does not ignore it.  He knows our suffering and responds to it with mercy.

Lord God, I know you will not abandon me into the hands of the enemy. I believe you will protect me and it is with this confidence I pray that your mercy is shown to others who suffer to the point where they forget you, lose their confidence in you, or grow angry and cold toward you.  May you see and respond with only your mercy to the distress and misery which brings them to that dark place so far from your heart. It is with this confidence that I also pray for others who remain mindful of your mercy, that they continue to experience it and express it in their lives so that your will becomes visible in new ways in our world.


Today, I will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for the participants at the Synod on the Family.


Saint Callistus I, who reminds us of the Church's role to balance mercy and doctrine, pray for us.

October 13, 2014 - Monday

First, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is heralded throughout the world. (Romans 1:8 NABRE)


Isn't it interesting how we lead such different lives and can seem to have little or nothing in common? We can share no common interests. We can live in different places and at different times.  And yet, each of us is called to live in a unique way that gives glory to God.

Wherever we are in this life, each of us can be an ambassador for the Lord. Each day, we look at the life of one saint. Some knew Jesus. Others are our contemporaries. Some were fishermen, doctors, lawyers, and teachers. Others are mechanics, computer programmers, insurance agents, and managers.

When we live our faith in our time and place, we animate the living body of Christ. We are the Church, with all our human imperfections and shortcomings. Despite our human failings, how we live matters. Trying matters. Giving and forgiving matter.


Today, I will continue to live my life, uniquely giving glory to God.


Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher of Canada, whose life centered around prayer, penance and charity, pray for us.

October 12, 2014 - Sunday

Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near. (Isaiah 55:6 NABRE)


Lord, you are merciful to me even though I do not deserve your mercy. You generously forgive my sins which I seem unable to change by my own efforts.  So again, I look for you now.  I call for you while I can.  I humbly place all of myself before you: My needs, my hurts, my joys, my sins, my praise. I ask that you accept what little I can offer.  I ask for your mercy and forgiveness. I ask for healing and comfort.  I ask for courage and peace.

Please Lord, forgive my sins and in your compassion pour out your mercy upon me so that I might confidently submit myself to your holy will, which is love and mercy itself.


Today, I will seek the Lord's forgiveness and perform the day's work in a spirit of gratefulness and holiness.


Saint Seraphin of Montegranaro, who did ordinary work in a spirit of holiness, pray for us.

October 11, 2014 - Saturday

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. (Romans 16:16 NABRE)


Posting this post a bit late today, I've been reading background material on this week's Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the topic: The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization. There has been broad news coverage of this first of two meetings, but the detailed information offered by the US bishops, while heavy reading, offers strong insight into the beautiful effort of our Church leadership on this topic.

Pope Francis entrusted the work of this meeting to the Holy Family and provided this prayer in his Angelus address on the Feast of the Holy Family (Dec. 29, 2013):

Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
in you we contemplate
the splendor of true love,
to you we turn with trust. 

Holy Family of Nazareth,
grant that our families too
may be places of communion and prayer,
authentic schools of the Gospel
and small domestic Churches.

Holy Family of Nazareth,
may families never again
experience violence, rejection and division:
may all who have been hurt or scandalized
find ready comfort and healing. 

Holy Family of Nazareth,
may the approaching Synod of Bishops
make us once more mindful
of the sacredness and inviolability of the family,
and its beauty in God's plan. 

Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
graciously hear our prayer.

Pope John XXIII convened the Second Vatican Council in 1962, a meeting of bishops which dramatically altered how we practice our faith.  On his deathbed he said: “It is not that the gospel has changed; it is that we have begun to understand it better. Those who have lived as long as I have…were enabled to compare different cultures and traditions, and know that the moment has come to discern the signs of the times, to seize the opportunity and to look far ahead.”


Today, I will remember how we are to treat one another as Christian believers, I will pray for discernment for our leaders, and I will seek to recognize that our times offer us the chance to better understand the gospel of Jesus.


Saint John XXIII, who was canonized just this year by Pope Francis, pray for us.

October 10, 2014 - Friday

let the plains be joyful and all that is in them.
Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice (Psalm 96:12 NABRE)

...before the LORD who comes,
who comes to govern the earth,
To govern the world with justice
and the peoples with faithfulness.

Our God is the sole and just ruler of all that is visible and invisible.  Worship belongs to him alone, so much so that even inanimate creation praises him with joy!*

On this morning especially, our family lives in a state of great anticipation. We can hardly contain our excitement. We have no words to express our longing for the wondrous life events which are upon us: the birth of a child and the establishment of a new family home. This longing we feel. It is how all creation awaits the return of Jesus. We don't know when it will happen exactly, but we know it could be today!

In today's psalm, we have a beautiful picture of the utter joy and the unrestrained rejoicing of all existence in God's presence!  God willing, we will know part of this joy today as he reveals himself again in our lives.

Lord, we thank you for revealing yourself in our lives! We celebrate new life and new beginnings with the certainty of your participation in our days; with the confidence of your protection over our hearts, minds and souls; and with the joy of your happiness in our praise.


Today, I will rejoice in God's presence!


Saint Anne, mother of Our Lady, Grandmother of Jesus, patron of women in labor, pray for us.
Raphael the Archangel, patron of young people, blindness, and lovers, pray for us.
Saint Daniel and Companions, martyrs of the 13th century who remind us we do not choose the exact conditions of our witness to Jesus, pray for us.

October 9, 2014 - Thursday

Set a guard, LORD, before my mouth,
keep watch over the door of my lips. (Psalm 141:3 NABRE)


We return again to Psalm 141, the beautiful and surprising (to me anyway) prayer of Israel's great King David. In today's verse he asks God to guard the things he says, so that his words are righteous, opposing to evil, and pleasing to God.

David was acutely aware of his own mortality and the afterlife each of us faces.  He knew that his words in this life actually affect what his eternity would be like.  And he recognized that God is in control and can affect all things, so he asks the Lord to help him live as he should, even down to the words he speaks--and the words he leaves unspoken.

In the 19th century, John Henry Newman composed a prayer in which I notice the same recognition:

God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have a mission; I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons; He has not created me for naught. I shall do good—I shall do his work. I shall be an angel of peace while not intending it if I do but keep his commandments. Therefore, I will trust him.

Today, I will seek to be a connection between persons, asking the Holy Spirit to guard the words I speak.


Blessed John Henry Newman, whose historical research made you suspect that the Roman Catholic Church was in closest continuity with the Church that Jesus established, pray for us.

October 8, 2014 - Wednesday

As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31 NABRE)


Just after Jesus ascended, his friends were filled with the the Holy Spirit and their prayers change as a result.  Their thoughts were no longer for themselves, but for others. They asked for courage to speak boldly about Jesus despite threats all around them.

When I pray, how often do I pray for others?  When I pray for myself, is it for the courage to speak boldly about Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, our Savior, the Son of God?

Lord, may your Holy Spirit guide my prayer life by drawing me deeper into relationship with you.  May the prayers of my heart be for others in need of your mercy. Guard me from all who would gather against your kingdom.  Merciful Jesus, turn the heads of the lost so that they might again see your face.  Lift the veil from their eyes so that they might again recognize your presence in others around them.  Heal us all so that our pain cannot separate us from you.


Today, I will pray for all who experience separation from God.


Saint Elizabeth, patron of expectant mothers, pray for us.

October 7, 2014 - Tuesday

Let my prayer be incense before you;
my uplifted hands an evening offering. (Psalm 141:2 NABRE)


Incense is the smoke which rises up from an alter of sacrifice. Uplifted hands are a gesture of supplication made as we humbly ask God for something.*

This is from the beginning of a prayer of King David asking God for help.  So what would this great king ask of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords? He asks God to guard his heart so he won't fall into evil thinking and action. To some, it might seem strange that David would ask for such a thing; but it is important to realize that God is not our genie in a lamp waiting to grant us our three wishes.  God is not our butler waiting to take our orders.

God is the creator of all that is visible and invisible, of all that has ever been and ever will be.  If we step out of our tiny perspective for even a brief moment occasionally to remember this, we recognize that it is us who need God, not the other way around.

So, no matter what our rank in life is, we do well to follow the lead of King David. God wants us to turn to him when we have needs, and he hears and answers our prayers.


Today, I will offer up my humble requests to the Lord, certain of his divine love and mercy.


Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.
Saint Monica, patron of mothers, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, patron of fathers, pray for us.

October 6, 2014 - Monday

Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him. (Acts 10:34-35 NABRE)


We are all the same in God's eyes.

This radical thought was clarified for Saint Peter in a dream.  It runs through the entire Jewish scripture and Saint Paul's writings, but it was not understood until Peter had the insight above, which he shared during a strange meeting with Cornelius and his family in Ceasarea.  Here are other passages that reinforce and clarify this truth:

Dt 10:17
2 Chr 19:7
Jb 34:19
Wis 6:7
Rom 2:11
Gal 2:6
Eph 6:9
1 Pt 1:17

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob shows no partiality.  We are all equal in his eyes.  We all need the saving grace of Jesus, which gives us endurance for this life and hope for the next.

God does not withhold divine favor from anyone.*

Today, I will praise God for accepting me, and pray for all who create barriers among people.


Saint Bruno, contemplative from Cologne, Germany, pray for us.

October 5, 2014 - Sunday

Planted in the house of the LORD,
they shall flourish in the courts of our God. (Psalm 92:14 NABRE)


From a psalm of praise to God, today's verse compares how those who are just will flourish in God's presence, while his enemies will face destruction.

Though it is certainly an encouragement for the faithful who work for justice; for me, today's verse underscores a particular aspect of justice: God's Divine Mercy, which was revealed in a special way to Saint Maria Faustina Kowalski in the early twentieth century in Poland, and which she documented in her diary.*

Jesus spoke to Saint Faustina in dreams which she recorded in her diary.  He told her, "I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart." (Diary, 1588)

We are not only to receive the mercy of God, but to use it by being merciful to others through our actions, our words, and our prayers.* Jesus told Faustina, "I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first — by deed, the second — by word, the third — by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy." (Diary, 742)


Today, I will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, seeking to express mercy in deed and word too.


Saint Faustina, through whom we are given the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, pray for us.

October 4, 2014 - Saturday

Every word of God is tested;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (Proverbs 30:5 NABRE)


Trust in God. Today's verse expresses total confidence in the one who rescues from death.* Trust is having confidence in someone and relying on them.*

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:38). She trusted God completely when Gabriel the archangel informed her she would be the mother of the long-awaited savior. She accepted God's call on her life with trust.

God gives signs to justify our trust in him.  For Mary, she was told about Elizabeth, by Gabriel.  Elizabeth had conceived a son in her old age as a sign that nothing is impossible with God.

Do we look for the signs in our own lives?  Do we exercise our faith with the openness that is required to see God's hand on our lives?

Today, as Mary and Joseph did, as Saint Francis of Assisi did, and as so many others have done after recognizing the signs of God in this world, I will trust in him in all situations.


Saint Francis of Assisi, patron of animals, who chose poverty and humility in imitation of Christ, pray for us.

October 3, 2014 - Friday

“Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.”
For it is not the one who recommends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord recommends. (2 Corinthians 10:17-18 NABRE)


Saint Paul's words reminded both the faithful in Corinth and us today that we should boast about the amazing works of God. Those who boast too much about themselves forget it is the Lord's approval they should seek, not the approval of other people.*

One of the greatest boasts in God ever expressed is attributed to Mary as she accepts her role as his servant and the mother of Jesus.  She expresses her joy and exultation in the Lord* in the opening words of the prayer we have come to call The Magnificat.

And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;

my spirit rejoices in God my savior. (Luke 1:46-55)

Today, I will express my great joy at the wonders God does in our lives!  And I will boast!


Saint Theodora Guérin, who reminds us, “With Jesus, what shall we have to fear?” pray for us.
Our Lady of the Rosary, mother of Jesus* and our spiritual mother, pray for us.