Daily Thought From The Saints
"It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make us, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes.
— St. Thomas Aquinas
Daily Scripture Verse
"And the King will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these breothers of mine, you did for me.’”
Matthew 25:40
Daily Meditation
"He who is humble, even thou he fall through frailty, soon repents with sorrow and implores the divine assistance to help him to amend; nor is he astonished at having fallen, because he knows that of hiself he is only capable of evil and would do far worse if God did not protect him with His grace. After having sinned, it is good to humble oneself before God, and without losing courage, to remain in humility in order not to fall again… but to afflict ourselves without measure and to give way to a certain pusillanimous melancholy, which brings us to the verge of despair, is a temptation of pride, insinuated by the devil… however upright we may be, we must never be scandalized nor amazed at the conduct of evildoer, nor consider ourselves better than they, because we do not know what is ordained for them or for us in the supreme disposition of God.”
— Rev. Cajetan Da Bergamo
Daily Catholic Wisdom
The day men forget that love is synonymous with sacrifice, that day they will ask what selfish sort of woman it must have been who ruthlessly extracted tribute in the form of flowers, or what an avaricious creature she must have been who demanded solid gold in the form of a ring, just as they will ask what cruel kind of God is it who asks for sacrifice and self-denial.
—Venerable Fulton Sheen
A Prayer from Notre Dame University
Rev. Bill Simmons, C.S.C. +
No one can know the day or time of the Lord’s coming for us. Therefore, Jesus says, be ready at all times, be true and faithful in our service to him, be honest and courageous in turning to him for forgiveness and mercy. Jesus called blessed the servant whom his master finds doing so. Lord, grant us perseverance and fidelity in our prayer. Give us confidence in your mercy for us. Let us be ready for your coming as we wait with the knowledge of your love for us.
The Abbot’s Daily Lectio Divina
Abbot Austin Murphy, OSB, St. Procopius Abbey, Lisle, IL
Matthew 25:5-6
Reading
Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
Meditation
This detail from the parable of the ten virgins points to a risk for disciples. God seems ‘long delayed,’ for things are not right and yet God has not come to restore them. People disregard God’s ways, seemingly without consequence. In turn, we grow lax or even stop in our striving for God’s ways. But the Lord will come and, in truth, He is at work restoring things even now, although He works in still, quiet ways. As His disciples, we must also be at work.
Prayer
Lord, sustain me, so that I keep striving to do Your work in this world. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Contemplation…