Daily Thought from the Saints
"Happiness can only be achieved by looking inward and learning to enjoy whatever life has, and this requires transforming greed into gratitude."
— St. John Chrysostom
Daily Scripture Verse
"Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. I cried aloud to him, and he was extolled with my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has given heed to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!"
Psalm 66:16-20
Daily Meditation
"I would, then, that I could convince spiritual persons that this road to God consists not in a multiplicity of meditations nor in ways or methods of such, nor in consolations, although these things may in their own way be necessary to beginners; but that it consists only in the one thing that is needful, which is the ability to deny oneself truly, according to that which is without and to that which is within, giving oneself up to suffering for Christ’s sake . . . For progress comes not save through the imitation of Christ, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no man comes to the Father but by Him."
— St. John of the Cross
Daily Catholic Wisdom
Sacrifices are the most tender flowers; they lose their fragrance as soon as you speak of them.
—Adrienne von Speyr
from her book “Lumina and New Lumina”
Daily Journey with the Pope
"We can ask ourselves: Do we know how to recognize the light of God’s love in our lives? Do we recognize it with joy and gratitude on the faces of the people who love us? Do we look around us for the signs of this light that fills our hearts and open them to love and service? Or do we prefer the straw fires of idols that alienate us and close us in on ourselves? The great light of the Lord and the false, artificial light of idols. Which do I prefer? May Mary, who kept the light of her Son in her heart even in the darkness of Calvary, accompany us always on the way of love." Let us continue to stay close, with prayer and concrete support, to the earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey. You can help in the relief efforts by making a donation to the fund" Send help to Turkey and Syria after the devastating earthquake!"
Pope Francis
A Prayer from Notre Dame University
Rev. Matthew Kuczora, C.S.C.
The life of your followers is one of service and self-sacrifice, a life like yours, Lord. Though you must have trembled before the betrayal, condemnation and suffering ahead, you did not turn away. No, you continued up to Jerusalem out of love for us. Fill us with your love and your strength, O God, so that we might be the servant of our sisters and brothers and thus imitate your great gift of love. Amen.
The Abbot’s Daily Lectio Divina
Abbot Austin Murphy, O.S.B., St. Procopius Abbey, Lisle, IL
Mark 10:43-45
Reading
[Jesus said to the twelve,] “Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Meditation
Being the slave of all is a tough calling. Not all masters of slaves in the ancient world were kind or temperate toward their slaves. Some were harsh and even cruel. Being the slave to all would then suggest that in serving others for the sake of Christ one will meet harsh treatment from those one is trying to serve. Christ faced as much in His ministry to others and His disciples will have to face similar treatment at times.
Prayer
Help me to serve in love and truth even those who are harsh and cruel. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Contemplation…