_-_TIMEA.jpg)
An attentive ear is the joy of the wise.
Sirach 3:29b
To humble myself is to seek the holy solitude of God’s presence. In this way I learn finally the true identity of myself and all people: We are the beloved of God.
Today I will cultivate an attentive inner silence to open my mind, heart, and ears to hear and welcome God’s love.
Someone asked Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”
He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”
Luke 13:23-24
It takes mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual strength to walk the way Jesus has shown me: To intentionally treat all people with respect and kindness, to embody peace, to seek unity instead of division, to forgive those who have hurt me, to pray for my enemies, to help those who are suffering and in need.
Today I will ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen me to follow the straight path of love, compassion, and peace in every circumstance.
Surely, I wait for the LORD; who bends down to me and hears my cry. Psalm 40:2
God always respects my boundaries, but when I invite God into my heart and life, the fire of God’s compassion and healing transforms me. I have learned to wait in sure trust for God’s guidance to lead me where I need to go.
Today I will invite God to light the fire of love, forgiveness, and peace in my heart.
Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” Luke 12:34
I breathe in God with every inhalation and I surrender to God’s love with each exhalation. I have been made for this intimate communion, this eternal cycle of receiving and giving love. I am at home in the heart of God.
Today I will choose God as my treasure. I will practice faith by opening my heart to God’s infinite presence, kindness, and love.
Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”
Luke 12:15
We are more than our jobs, our obligations, our possessions, our vanity. We are more than our physical bodies, more than our physical life.
Each day we have the option to grow in love and goodness. In this way, we nurture our spiritual lives so that we become more like God and united in Christ’s mission to love and serve those in need.
Today I will find a way to be generous with my time, talents, and possessions in order to help those who are suffering, starving, or traumatized.
_-_James_Tissot.jpg)
[Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say:] “Forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us.” Luke 11:4
In my desire to be more like God in love and goodness, I persist with the work of forgiving the people who have hurt me. It can take time because some of the wounds go very deep. When I feel a constriction of fear or anger in my heart at the thought of someone, I ask God to bless that person. Gradually, the tightness in my heart decreases. I hope one day to fully and completely let go of the harsh feelings I hold so that I may love my neighbor as myself.
Today I will name the people I fear or resent and ask God to bless them. I will ask the Holy Spirit to help me grow in love and goodness.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” Luke 10:40
Like Martha, the many chores and tasks I am responsible for can feel burdensome. In my anxiety to make sure things get done, I forget God is with, in, and around me. I become a human “doing” instead of a human “being.”
Today I will choose “the better part.” I will make quiet time with the Lord my priority. When I have tasks and chores to perform, I will intentionally practice being present to God as I accomplish them.
[Jesus replied,] “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10:36-37
When we heed the voice of the Lord, we set our minds and hearts to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. We make a commitment to forgive our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We intentionally follow the way of nonviolence and seek peace and reconciliation at every level of our beings.
Today I will listen only to the voice of the Lord. I will treat all people with the same mercy I ask God to show me.
.jpg)
[Jesus said to the seventy-two:] “Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.” Luke 10:3
It is our joy and privilege to follow the way of Jesus as we participate in his counter-cultural work and mission. When we advocate for those who are poor, starving, ill, or traumatized, when we speak out to protect the rights of immigrants, refugees, and all those being persecuted, we are carrying out the will of God to risk our lives as we model nonviolence, generosity, and reverence for all people in a world where war, wealth, and winning at any cost are the norm.
Today I will ask the Lord for the grace and courage to take the risk to carry out his mission of peace, love, and reconciliation.
Peter said [to the man crippled from birth], “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.” Luke 9:16-17a
We all have been blessed with the love of God to give each other. We follow the way of Jesus with our kindness, our attentiveness, our generosity, our care for the ill and dying, our compassion for those who are troubled, our patience with those who irritate us, our efforts to pray for and forgive those who have hurt us. When we do our best to love one another, we are carrying out the healing mission of Jesus.
Today I will follow the Lord by giving a bit of myself as an act of love to the people around me.
Mary Ann McSweeny 