Daily Thought from the Saints
"He who labors as he prays lifts his heart to God with his hands."
— St. Benedict of Nursia
Daily Scripture Verse
"So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Matthew 5:48
Daily Meditation
"The story of Christ’s life and ministry cannot be told without giving due space to Satan’s activity. The Gospel writers carefully distinguish between cases of mere physical ailments and cases of a demonic character (both of which Jesus cures). Jesus frequently refers to the devil in his parables and other teachings, and the devil himself tempts Jesus in the desert and returns again later to engineer Judas’ betrayal (cf. Jn 13:2). This Gospel motif teaches us an undeniable, if uncomfortable lesson: the devil is real, and he is interested in counteracting the work of grace. In one sense, accepting this fundamental truth, and keeping it always in the back of our minds, can comfort us tremendously: it helps us make sense of all the unpleasant influences at work in and around us. We are not crazy; we are not failures; we are simply engaged in a spiritual battle. If we believe in Jesus Christ, we must also believe in the devil—doomed as he is, he would love to take as many souls as he can along with him."
— Fr. John Bartunek
Daily Catholic Wisdom
Suffering means following and imitating Christ. Suffering for the sake of the kingdom has the power to convert people from sin and bring them to a higher degree of holiness and sanctity, and it is a key to overcoming racist and prejudiced attitudes within ourselves and in others.
—Dcn. Harold Burke-Sivers
from his book, “Building a Civilization of Love: A Catholic Response to Racism”
A Prayer from Notre Dame University
Rev. Herb Yost, C.S.C.
Gracious God, there has to be more to life than an unceasing round of eating, drinking, marrying, building, sowing, reaping, buying, and selling. All these things ultimately have their origin in you, so it stands to reason that we should be able to find your presence in those activities. Through Jesus and your Spirit, grant us the graces and the insights needed to see your presence in the here and now of everyday life so that we will not be fatally surprised when your day finally does come. Amen.
The Abbot’s Daily Lectio Divina
Abbot Austin Murphy, O.S.B., St. Procopius Abbey, Lisle, IL
Luke 17:26-27
Reading
Jesus said to his disciples: "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all."
Meditation
Jesus repeatedly warns us to be ready, and that we will not have some sort of "warning bell," to alert us when the end of our time has come. So, if I am not ready now, why do I think that I will be in the future? The time to be ready is now, not at some future date.
Prayer
Give me, O God, a heart that is ready to serve You. When You call me to action, may I rise to the occasion and not be held back by attachments. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Contemplation…