Daily Thought From The Saints
“The name Jesus pronounced with reverence and affection, as a kind of power to soften the heart.”
— St. Philip Neri
Daily Scripture Verse
“Hark, your watchmen lift up their voice, together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you wasted planes of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”
Isaiah 52:8-10
Daily Meditation
“As we have seen, there is sometimes a big difference between what God is actually asking of us, and what we imagine God is asking. We don’t have the grace to do what God is not asking of us. But for what he is asking, he has promised us his grace: God grants what he commands. When God inspires us to do something (if it really is God who is the source of the inspiration), at the same time God supplies the ability to do it, even if it is beyond our capacity or scares us at the start. Every Motion that comes from God brings both the light to understand what God intends, and the strength to accomplish it: light that illuminates the mind, and strength that gives power to the will.”
— Fr. Jacques Philippe
Daily Catholic Wisdom
Love is a choice, even when it comes to God. It is in your darkest times that you are given a chance to choose to love and trust God, even when you don’t feel like it.
—Kevin and Lisa Cotter
from “Dating Detox”
Daily Journey With The Pope
“Each of you can ask: “How do I react to the needs that I see all around me? Do I think immediately of some reason not to get involved? Or do I show interest and willingness to help?” To be sure, you cannot resolve all the problems of the world. Yet you can begin with the problems of those closest to you, with the needs of your own community. Someone once told Mother Teresa: “What you are doing is a mere drop in the ocean”. And she replied: “But if I didn’t do it, that ocean would have one drop less”.”
Pope Francis
A Prayer
Rev. Andrew Gawrych, C.S.C
Lord Jesus, may we be more prudent and wise than the dishonest steward, and use the many gifts and talents you have blessed us with to serve generously those in need and to build up your body, the Church, so that all may know the abundance of your love. Amen.
The Abbot’s Daily Lectio Divina - Matthew 25:40
Abbot Austin Murphy, OSB – St. Procopius Abbey, Lisle, IL
Reading
“And the King shall say to them in reply, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Meditation
Some scholars say that by calling the needy his “brothers,” the Lord is speaking of Christians who are in need. So, Jesus is challenging us to care for fellow believers. Charity should not be denied to non-Christians, but still it must start “at home.” When our own Christian communities (e.g., families, parishes, monasteries) are marked by active concern for each other, vs. indifference or infighting, then we can set the world aflame with the gospel.
Prayer
Help me, or Lord, to recognize and to help the needy who are near through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Contemplation…