Lead a life worthy of the Lord and pleasing to Him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work.- Col 1:10Reflection: Strive unceasingly to be pleasing to God and ask Him to accomplish His Will in you. Love Him with all your might; you owe Him a great deal.- St. John of the Cross
Prayer: God of power and might, let me do always the things that are pleasing to You. For You are my Greatest Benefactor and my Sole Good.
[From: Every Day Is A Gift (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)]
[Jesus] said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch."Reflection: The bark of Peter laughs at the winds and the waves. She has the Saints as her passengers, the Cross as her mast, the Gospel teachings as her sails, the Angels as her rowers, and God as her pilot.
St. John Chrysostom
Prayer: Heavenly Father, teach me to trust Your Church as the Bark of Salvation in this world. Grant that I may work and pray to remain afloat with her amid the storms of life.
I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm...I will spew you out of My mouth. Reflection: The Word of God moves swiftly. He is not won by the lukewarm nor held fast by the negligent. Be attentive to His message and diligently follow the path God tells you to take. For He is swift in His passing.
- St. Ambrose
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to avoid being lukewarm in my spiritual life. Grant me an ardent faith, hope, and love so that I may be zealous in following You every day.
[From: Every Day Is A Gift (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)]
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind.Reflection: Love for Christ pierced Mary's heart in such a way that no part of it was left unkindled. Mary thus fulfilled the first commandment of love in all its fullness and without the slightest imperfection.
- St. Bernard
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to imitate Your immaculate Daughter Mary in her love for You. Grant me the grace to love You as much as I can all my life.
[From: Every Day Is A Gift (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)]You are a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation."Reflection: All the children of the Church are priests. At Baptism they received the anointing that gives them a share in the priesthood. The sacrifice that they must offer to God is completely spiritual--it is themselves.
- St. Ambrose
Prayer: Holy Father, teach me to offer myself to You with all my thoughts, words, and actions. Let me also exercise my "common priesthood" by faithful participation at Mass.
[From: Every Day Is A Gift (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)]
I am the companion of all who revere You.Reflection: Cultivate the friendship of others. It is the consolation of this life to find someone who is a confidant in the mysteries of our soul. The source of Christian friendship is none other than God.
- St. Augustine
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to seek out truly Christian friends. Let me always be a genuine friend to them, working for their spiritual as well as material good.
[From: Every Day Is A Gift (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)]
Make the most of your opportunity, for these are evil days.Reflection: Let us not allow this holy season of Advent to slip by without spiritual fruit. It is the time of salvation; let us profit from it.
St. Mary Euphrase
Prayer: God of mercy, teach me to live in tune with Your Liturgical Year. Help me to be filled with the sentiments proper to Advent and to prepare fittingly for the renewed birth of Your Son in my heart.
