Daily Thought from the Saints
"We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage steadfast, and our trust fixed on God."
— St. Francis de Sales
Daily Scripture Verse
"Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to thee, when my heart is faint. Lead thou me to the rock that is higher than I; for thou art my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in thy tent for ever! Oh to be safe under the shelter of thy wings!"
Psalm 61:1-4
Daily Meditation
"And so the idea of peace came down to do the work of peace: The Word was made flesh and even now dwells among us. It is by faith that he dwells in our hearts, in our memory, our intellect and penetrates even into our imagination. What concept could man have of God if he did not first fashion an image of him in his heart? By nature incomprehensible and inaccessible, he was invisible and unthinkable, but now he wished to be understood, to be seen and thought of. But how, you ask, was this done? He lay in a manger and rested on a virgin’s breast, preached on a mountain, and spent the night in prayer. He hung on a cross, grew pale in death, and roamed free among the dead and ruled over those in hell. He rose again on the third day, and showed the apostles the wounds of the nails, the signs of victory; and finally in their presence he ascended to the sanctuary of heaven. How can we not contemplate this story in truth, piety and holiness?"
— St. Bernard
Daily Catholic Wisdom
You gave me a clearer knowledge of Yourself. This knowledge awakened such love in me that now I wished to correct all my faults not for fear of your just anger, but because of love alone.
—St. Gertrude the Great
A Prayer from Notre Dame University
Rev. Bob Loughery, C.S.C.
God our comfort and strength, in baptism, we were anointed like Jesus as priest, prophet, and king. May our lives bear witness to our belief in him, in our love and service, especially to the poor and those on the margins, imitating Christ, our King, who lives and reigns now and for all eternity. Amen.
The Abbot’s Daily Lectio Divina
Abbot Austin Murphy, O.S.B., St. Procopius Abbey, Lisle, IL
Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
Reading
The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.... You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart. Though you may have to reprove your fellow citizen, do not incur sin because of him. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”
Meditation
If hate is the opposite of love and love is willing the good of another, then hate is willing evil for a person. Ultimately, it wants destruction for the person. God is telling us to search our hearts and to rid them of any such desires. This is not how God thinks. Instead, we must make sure that we have hate's opposite, love, for every person. So, do we have, even for our opponents and persecutors, the desire that they reach salvation in God?
Prayer
Lord, in the midst of being hurt, frustrated, or angered by other people, may I sincerely want what is best for them. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Contemplation…