The Spirit of Faith

The Spirit of Faith   Presence of God – Give me, O Lord, that spirit of faith which will keep me in contact with You in every occupation and circumstance of my day. MEDITATION There are two chief obstacles which hinder us from keeping in contact with God while we are at our daily tasks: First, there is the almost wholly worldly, material point of view with which we usually consider persons... Read More

The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd Presence of God – I come to You, O Jesus, my Good Shepherd; lead me to the pastures of eternal life. MEDITATION The liturgy today sums up in the gentle figure of the Good Shepherd all that Jesus has done for our souls. The shepherd is everything to his flock; their life, their sustenance, and their care is entirely in his hands, and if the shepherd is good, they will have nothing... Read More

Introduction to St. Elizabeth of the Trinity

A soul united to Jesus is a living smile that radiates Him and gives Him. – St. Elizabeth of the Trinity “Letters from Carmel” In 2016, Pope Francis announced the canonization of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, a French Carmelite nun of the early 20th century. Saint Elizabeth was set upon nothing less than dwelling in God and allowing Him to dwell in her. This was her sole focus.... Read More

Energetic Resolve

Energetic Resolve   Presence of God – O Lord, make me persevere in seeking You and in serving You, in spite of all the difficulties which I may encounter. MEDITATION St. Teresa says that anyone who wishes to give himself to prayer with profit must make “an earnest and most determined resolve not to halt” on the way he has chosen. This means that we must give ourselves to prayer, not for... Read More

The Sacrament of Union

The Sacrament of Union Presence of God – O Jesus, You who nourish me with Your Body and Blood, grant that I may live by You, live of Your Life. MEDITATION In His discourse on the “Bread of Life,” Jesus Himself spoke of the Eucharist as the Sacrament of our union with Him. “He that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood, abideth in Me and I in him” (John 6:57). It is a true interpenetration:... Read More

The Way of the Cross

The Way of the Cross   Presence of God – O Holy Spirit, teach me the value of suffering, so that I may esteem it and love it as a means of sanctification. MEDITATION We must be thoroughly convinced that if the Holy Spirit works in our souls to assimilate us to Christ, He can do so only by opening to us the way of the Cross. Jesus is Jesus Crucified; therefore, there can be no conformity to... Read More

Difficulties in Obedience

Difficulties in Obedience   Presence of God – O Jesus, teach me the secret of humble obedience which submits to every superior and every command. MEDITATION Although obedience is precious because it places our whole life in God’s will, nevertheless, in practice it has its difficulties and these arise chiefly because the command itself does not come directly from God but through His representatives.... Read More

Not Excusing Oneself

Not Excusing Oneself   Presence of God – O Jesus, who willed to be silent before him who condemned You to death, teach me the art of not excusing myself. MEDITATION In any failure, fault, or personal error, our ego instinctively tries to excuse itself. It is the tactic of pride–which is not willing to admit its mistakes and schemes–to hide them under more or less false pretexts, always... Read More

Humility and Confidence

Humility and Confidence   Presence of God – Out of the depths of my misery I have cried to Thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice…. I trust in Thee. MEDITATION Christian humility does not lower, it elevates; it does not cast down, but gives courage, for the more it reveals to the soul its nothingness and abjection, the more it moves it toward God with confidence and abandonment. The very fact... Read More

Confession

Confession   Presence of God – At the foot of Your Cross, O Jesus, I confess my sins. Pour over me Your Precious Blood that it may purify my soul. MEDITATION Penance is the sacrament of Christ’s Precious Blood in which God—according to the eloquent words of St. Catherine of Siena—“has bathed us in order to cleanse the face of our souls from the leprosy of sin.” If mortal sin only... Read More

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