I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
—Ephesians 3:14–17a (NAB)
“The mystic who passes through the moment when there is nothing but God does in some sense behold the beginningless beginnings in which there was really nothing else. He not only appreciates everything but the nothing of which everything was made. In a fashion he endures and answers even the earthquake irony of the Book of Job; in some sense he is there when the foundations of the world are laid, with the morning stars singing together and the sons of God shouting for joy.” —G. K. Chesterton, writing about St. Francis of Assisi
I praise You, Lord God, for the grandeur of Your Creation. Please show it to me in fresh ways today.
[There is only] one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
—Ephesians 4:4–6 (NAB)
“It may seem that to have too much love for each other cannot be wrong, but I do not think anyone who had not witnessed it would believe how much evil and how many imperfections can result from this. The consciences of those who aim at pleasing God in provisional ways seldom observe the devil’s snares. They think they are acting virtuously…. For example, a nun desires to have something to give to her friend or tries to make time for talking to her. Often her object is to tell her how fond she is of her, and other irrelevant things, rather than how much she loves God. But these intimate friendships rarely focus on the love of God…. In our community, we must all be friends with each other, love each other, be fond of each other, and help each other.” —St. Teresa of Avila
Thank You for those who love me. But I know that You are my first and truest love.
Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
—2 Corinthians 12:10 (NRSV)
“How good God is! How He apportions out trials according to the strength that He gives us.” —St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Whatever I struggle with today, Lord, is what You know I can handle. Thank You for that.
[Jesus said,] “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
—Matthew 26:41 (NIV)
“Father Antony said, ‘This is the great work of a person: always to take the blame for his or her own sins before God and to expect temptation until the last breath.’ He also said, ‘Whoever has not experienced temptation cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ He even added, ‘Without temptation no one can be saved.’” —The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers
Holy Spirit, I may be desensitized to temptation. Don’t let me sleepwalk through this day. Make me more vigilant in serving You.
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
—Acts 4:31 (NIV)
“Sr. Elena is eighty-seven years old, blind, and spends her days in a wheelchair. I didn’t notice her when I began preaching the weeklong retreat at the retirement home where she resides. But on the afternoon of the second day, she asked someone to push her to me. ‘Father, I have a secret to tell you,’ she said. I leaned over and she whispered in my ear, ‘God l-o-n-g-s to turn you into a saint!’ Her face lit up as she added, ‘If you respond to God’s yearning, you’ll be amazed at what happens.’” —Fr. Albert Haase, OFM
I am responding now, Lord. What do You want me to do?
“The Surface of Things”
by Br. Paul Quenon, OCSO
Is everything really illusion?
Might I pass through this heavy oak door
without opening it?
I lean gently to and feel it yield to weight,
swaying in agreement—
my respect for its solidity,
to my passage it yields a breath of concession.
Jesus had such exquisite care
not to disturb the surface of water
that He could walk on it.
Oh God, I want to know You, beyond what I can see.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
—1 Corinthians 12:4–6 (NIV)
Christ