Daily Thought from the Saints
"We must faithfully keep what we have promised. If through human weakness we fail, we must always without delay arise again by means of holy penance, and give our attention to leading a good life and to dying a holy death. May the Father of all mercy, the Son by his holy passion, and the Holy Spirit, source of peace, sweetness and love, fill us with their consolation”!
— St. Colette
Daily Scripture Verse
"Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality."
Romans 12:9-13
Daily Meditation
"Others, again, seeing their own imperfections, become angry with themselves with an impatience that is not humble. They are so impatient with their shortcomings as if they would be saints in one day. Many of these make many grand resolutions, but, being self-confident and not humble, the more they resolve, the more they fall, and the more angry they become; not having the patience to wait for God’s time; this is also opposed to spiritual meekness. There is no perfect remedy for this but in the dark night. There are, however, some people who are so patient, and who advance so slowly in their spiritual progress, that God wishes they were not so patient."
— St. John of the Cross
Daily Catholic Wisdom
When the Church takes her eyes off the Cross of Christ and capitulates to cultural norms and ideologies for either economic benefit or to maintain the status quo, the People of God suffer. This occurred with slavery through the deliberate twisting of the Scriptures by pro-slavery Catholics.
—Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers
from his book, “Building a Civilization of Love: A Catholic Response to Racism”
A Prayer
Rev. Herbert Yost, C.S.C.
Father, sometimes we get discouraged and cynical. Deep down we know that despite our expectations, somehow and some way you must be answering our prayers. May the Spirit help us to look more closely at the Gospel and see how you really answer prayer. Amen.
The Abbot’s Daily Lectio Divina
Abbot Austin Murphy, O.S.B., St. Procopius Abbey, Lisle, IL
Malachi 3:19-20
Reading
Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the LORD of hosts. But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.
Meditation
When fear is good and not excessive, it serves a purpose. It makes one alert to a real danger, so that one responds to that danger rightly. One becomes careful and duly serious. Just so, those who fear the Lord’s name take seriously the call to follow God’s ways, knowing the danger of not doing so. They are careful to avoid evil and to seek what is good. The day will come when they bask in the light of God’s glory and are healed of their wounds.
Prayer
Lord, help me to live in a way that awaits the dawning of Your justice. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Contemplation…