November 9, 2026 // Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 2:13-22 Reflect on the Word //  She’s overheating, and it’s all my fault! My anxiety was normally a quiet hum in my brain, but in that moment, it roared louder as I ran for more ice cubes.  My cousin’s golden-retriever-husky Leia and I had just finished a mile walk in what I had thought was a cooled-down summer evening, yet by the time we made it back home, she was panting so hard I was worried I had given her heatstroke. Panicking, I grabbed all the nearest cold items and tried to cool her down. For a short time, her labored panting was so alarming, all I could do was cry, pray for Saint Anthony’s intercession, and frantically follow the Internet’s advice.  Eventually her breathing returned to normal, her body at room temperature again. She was going to be okay! Leia licked my nose in gratitude, and I cried tears of joy.   Both on that day and while reading today’s Gospel passage, I felt a sense of fear then awe towards the Lord. In John chapter two, Jesus said to the Jews in protest to their selling of wares in the synagogue, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). Imagine the emotions of those present.  Jesus shares this massive statement amid His angry response, even though He really was “speaking about the temple of his body” and the soon-to-be miracle of His Resurrection (John 2:21). Like my frantic prayer for Leia, the fearful experience and escape of those Jesus drove out of the temple started with confusion and desperation, but later, on that Easter Morning, ended with awe when Jesus did exactly as He said He would.  Jesus promises the impossible, and through our ongoing relationship with our Lord, we come to see that He keeps His promises—even if we have to experience fear first to get there. What in your life do you need Jesus to save, to raise up? Maybe it’s your spirit, your compassion and empathy, your creativity or drive for excellence. Ask Jesus to show you today amid any and all your emotions, and check in with Him in three days’ time. Relate to the Lord // Pray with us, “Jesus, Lord of my life, come raise up all that needs saving in me.”

November 7, 2026 // Saturday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Luke 16:9-15 Reflect on the Word // Our car chugged up the winding hill, dusty from the back roads and a long week of camping. As a nine-year-old, my heart was full from days of amusement park rides, cousin time, and freedom to run around. It was Sunday morning and thanks to a Google search of churches in the area, we stumbled upon a hidden gem: a Benedictine monastery in rural Indiana. We wandered around the grounds in awe, following the bell towers to the church.  The Mass was even more beautiful. The melodic unity of the monks' voices washed over me, and wonder struck me as I pondered all that my mom had told me earlier in the car about the monks. My little head couldn’t quite wrap around the fact that this was their home, their work, their family, and their mission partners. This was their everything. The Lord’s presence can be so tangibly felt in the midst of religious brothers and sisters for many reasons. One of the most notable is the visible sacrifice of their worldly lives. Their prayer and example lead many to realize that what Jesus tells us in the Gospel is still true today.  “No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13). To serve means to recognize an honorable cause and devote yourself to it. The soldiers in history willing to die for their nation’s cause did not often switch sides, but when they did, it was steeped in deep betrayal.  We cannot be fickle about serving our Lord.  The world can entice us to strive with vanity toward beauty, with greed toward wealth, and with ambition toward fame, but these causes lie to us, speaking of the top of the ladder, when we will never really reach the final rung. The Lord’s cause is honorable and truthful. In serving this Master, we will be saved. Relate to the Lord // Think of ways to express your devotion to the Lord today. Consider a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and accompany your Master there.

November 6, 2026 // Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Philippians 3:17–4:1 Reflect on the Word //  “Is it a crisis or is it a potential crisis?” I asked.  His eyes met mine and he gave me a glimmer of a smile. “I guess it is a potential crisis but it could very easily become a crisis if—”  I gently cut him off with the raise of my hand and suggested we address it when it becomes a crisis. I assured him that we had done everything we could. The likelihood of it becoming a crisis was very small and we were currently powerless to affect the situation. A potential crisis would not take center stage in our morning.   The tempo of modern life often moves us from disaster to disaster where we have little power, control, or influence. It can be easy to live with heightened anxiety, trying to stay alert to the next catastrophe. We waste time, focus, and energy on problems we can’t solve, becoming distracted with things that are none of our concern, rather than tending to those who are in need right before us.  In today’s First Reading, Saint Paul gives us a better way. We are instructed to stand firm in the Lord and our citizenship in Heaven, and to not let our minds become occupied with earthly things (see Philippians 3:19-20). There will always be struggles to persevere through, problems to solve, and situations that are less than ideal. In those moments, we call upon the Lord and His guidance to help us figure it out. But until then, we keep our focus on being a sister of Christ, a friend of the Cross (see Philippians 3:18), and continue standing firm in the Lord.  Relate to the Lord // Identify the things that are occupying your mind. Lift your eyes off the crisis and towards Heaven. 

November 5, 2026 // Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Luke 15:1-10   Reflect on the Word // I can still remember the fear that struck my heart as my mind raced with questions: Where is my mom? How will I find her? What will happen to me? While the moment of losing my mom in the store was quickly resolved, it felt like an eternity waiting to be reunited with her. I wondered why my mom left me. However, I was the one who had wandered off, not my mom. She and I shared great relief at our reunion. Yet, a wanderer I continued to be. I suppose on some level I knew Jesus would always be there, but I pushed limits as a teen and young adult, testing my parents’ rules. I questioned the Church’s “rules,” now understood as teachings to be embraced as our path to Heaven. As a young mother, I questioned what my parents taught me all those years. I needed to find understanding for myself.  With one foot out the door of the Church, and fairly miserable, I decided I needed a plan to get back on track and get healthy. I created a little list of what I could implement to ensure better mental and physical well-being. The list contained typical items: eat healthier, exercise, and get better sleep. I shared this with my husband, who silently took the list and added “Eucharist.” My husband’s gentle response quietly reminded me that the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is what I needed most. It was a sobering moment. At the time I did not realize it was part of my journey back to Jesus, fully in communion with His Church. Jesus, like in the parable in today’s Gospel, came after me, His lost sheep. And He did so through my husband’s invitation. Jesus perpetually comes after us. Because we are imago Dei, we have inherent value and dignity (Source). He, in His unfathomable love for us, will never let us go. Our Good Shepherd will relentlessly pursue our hearts and He will rejoice with all of Heaven when we return to Him (see Luke 15:10). Relate to the Lord // Have you felt far from the Lord in this season of your life? Pray, “Jesus, Good Shepherd, come for me.”

November 4, 2026 // Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bisho Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Philippians 2:12-18  Reflect on the Word //  Meal planning, cleaning toilets, scrubbing the shower. Among all my homemaking duties, those three usually elicit a grumble from me. It’s not a matter of having the right tools for the tasks; it’s more like needing to apply a “just do it” attitude to my chores.  But I don’t often do them without a fuss. I’m annoyed that chores interrupt what I’d prefer to be doing, or what seems more worthwhile. This morning, for example, I wanted to pray quietly, but my son broke the silence telling me we’re almost out of milk, reminding me that I have a grocery list to write. Being at peace with tedious tasks and interruptions is not easy, so I’m grateful for the reminder from today’s First Reading to do everything without grumbling (see Philippians 2:14). Whether it’s my meal planning, an unexpected call, or something more serious like an ill family member, the work to be done is an occasion to cooperate with God’s will. The interruptions are the work to which He calls me. As C.S. Lewis wrote to a friend: “The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one’s real life—the life God is sending one day by day” (The Collected Letters of CS Lewis, p 595).  My grocery list shouldn’t be treated like an interruption. Feeding my family well is part of my vocation. All my chores are the work God asks me to do; if I believe that, there should be no reason to grumble. Perhaps I should be more grateful to know His will so clearly!  As Saint Paul wrote, God is at work in us (see Philippians 2:13). Each chore, appointment, and unexpected situation which we consider an interruption offers us a chance to cooperate with His will. The less we grumble, the more we can lean into His grace and shine His light around us in all we do. Relate to the Lord // Read about the life of Saint Charles Borromeo. Pray for the grace to work without tiring or grumbling, as he did.

November 3, 2026 // Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time // Optional Memorial of Saint Martin de Porres, Religious Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Philippians 2:5-11 Reflect on the Word //  I was filled to the brim with unquenchable anguish as I spent months pouring out my heart for an intention that weighed heavily on my heart. That intention wasn’t being resolved in the way I desired. My self-reliance and control shifted my intercession into a place where I tried to “be” God. I was convinced that the outcome was all up to me. As time went on, and even now, I still have to face my littleness, which is discouraging at times. Yet, it has allowed my heart to open up to a deeper reality of Who He is.  In today’s First Reading, I was captivated by Saint Paul’s encouragement to “have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Then describing Jesus’ humility in the Father, Paul writes, “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped” (Philippians 2:6). Jesus was not using His identity to control; instead He was humble and obeyed the Father’s will.  Jesus knows Who He is and Who the Father is. Our faith journeys require humility with one another, and humility with God, as the Catechism states, “Humility is the foundation of prayer” (CCC 2559). I’ve wrestled with this virtue, often mistaking it for self-loathing. But I’m learning that humility is turning my heart outwards towards God. It’s remembering Who God is and who I am. The Lord delights in littleness because it invites the heart to be completely dependent on Him, Who provides more than imagined. Our Lord’s greatness is not based on control; He acts only out of pure and sacrificial love: “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death” (Philippians 2:8). Humility allows us to acknowledge our areas of weakness, which is necessary for our spiritual growth, but this virtue is more than looking inward. Humility roots us in our identity and reveals our never-ending need for the Lord. It opens up our hearts to allow Him to do only what He can do. Let us remember who we are, and Who He is.  Relate to the Lord // Meditate on the virtue of humility and pray to have an increase in the knowledge of who God is and who you are.

November 2, 2026 // The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 6:37-40 Reflect on the Word //  I sang and played piano for a funeral Mass recently. I have probably been to more funerals than the average person by being part of the music ministry at my parish. What continues to surprise me when I attend funerals of people I did not know, is how personal the liturgy is each time. The Church offers a beautiful liturgy not only to pray for the soul of the person who has died but also as an important and sacred ritual for the family and friends who mourn the loss of an important person in their lives.  The personal aspect of the liturgy doesn’t usually come directly from the priest preaching the homily, the funeral directors who help in so many different ways, and it most definitely does not come from the music being played and sung. What makes the funeral liturgy feel so important and personal each time is Christ’s presence to those who mourn at such a difficult time. Through the liturgy of the funeral Mass, Jesus touches the hearts of the brokenhearted in intimate and beautiful ways. It’s usually evident on the faces of the family members in the front pews and in the changing intonation of the priest as he prays.  When we hear Jesus say today that God the Father has promised, “that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day” (John 6:39), we are given the promise that we are personally loved and tended to by Jesus. This care is not only while we are alive on earth but after we die as well (see John 6:40). Christ, through His Church, has not left us to walk through the difficulties of death alone. He has given us the sacred liturgies that help us process, remember, and commend the souls of our loved ones to Him, just as the Church gives us a solemn commemoration to pray for the souls of all our dearly departed today. In praying for the souls of those we have lost, let it bring them closer to Jesus and let it bring Jesus closer to us in our sorrow and grief. Relate to the Lord // Remember today the loved ones you have lost and offer a prayer for their repose and the consolation of all who still mourn them. 

October 31, 2026 // Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-11 Reflect on the Word //  Our kitchen table is a beautiful one-hundred-fifty-year-old antique. It was the find of the century and the inspiration for our kitchen remodel. When our family of five sits down, though, it forces one of us to sit off-set from everyone else. For the longest time, I sat in this “sad” solo seat, mildly annoyed. Then one day, my husband started sitting there because he thought I should have a better spot. I was touched by his thoughtfulness but chagrined at my attitude, realizing what an opportunity that little spot had been for humility and just how much I had squandered it. Eventually, I reclaimed that solo spot again as an attempt at greater humility. It’s been a journey, this learning to take the “lower” place (see Luke 14:10). While I need to be specific about some things for my health in order to carry out my God-given mission, I’ve realized that for most things, I don’t actually need my preferred way. It’s far better for my heart and soul—and my slow growth in the virtue of humility—when I surrender my preference for the sake of love. That chipped glass or bent spoon? I can choose it for myself instead of leaving it for someone else and reaching for a “better” one. The wobbly chair? It’s the perfect companion for my solo spot at the table. My favorite spot on the couch? Rather than feel affronted when someone else claims it, I can relinquish it and stockpile my back-support pillows elsewhere. It’s human nature to want the best. We have real inherent dignity and desire that others recognize that dignity—especially in this fallen world where it’s constantly under attack. Still, it's a short leap from owning our dignity, imperfect as we are, to believing we deserve better than others who are equal in dignity. Our Lord, the only perfect Man and One deserving of all the honor, contented Himself with a dusty stable, exile, poverty in ministry, and the Cross. How much more content can we be then, knowing that every time we choose humility, a greater reward in Heaven awaits (see Luke 14:11)?  Relate to the Lord // Pray with this line from the Litany of Humility, “From the desire of being honored, deliver me, O Jesus.”

October 30, 2026 // Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Philippians 1:1-11  Reflect on the Word //  Halfway through folding laundry, I remembered. I had promised a friend I would pray for an important meeting that morning. The clock on the microwave told me the meeting had probably already started. I laughed at myself, abandoned the pile of socks, and paused for a minute. Lord, please be with her right now. Friendship has a funny way of interrupting us. A song reminds us of someone. A birthday pops up on the calendar. We pass her favorite coffee shop and wonder how she is doing. Those little interruptions are often invitations where the Lord is gently asking us to pray. Saint Paul had that habit. When people came to mind, gratitude came first (see Philippians 1:3). He held his friends in his heart, even from a prison cell. He did not need perfect circumstances to love them well. He trusted that God was already at work in their lives (see Philippians 1:6). Rather than asking the Lord to make everything easy, Saint Paul desired something deeper. He wanted them to grow in love, to become who God created them to be (see Philippians 1:9). That changes the way I think about friendship. Loving someone is not only showing up with soup, sending a funny meme, or remembering how they take their coffee, although all of those things certainly help. It is quietly carrying them to Christ, believing that His love reaches places mine never could. Sometimes the greatest gift I can offer a friend is a few faithful seconds of prayer between the laundry and the next item on my to-do list. We all carry people in our hearts. What if those little reminders throughout the day are not distractions at all? What if they are invitations from the Holy Spirit to love more deeply? A grateful heart notices its friends. A faithful heart remembers to entrust them to the Heart of Jesus. I can hold my friends in my heart for a moment. Jesus can hold them in His Sacred Heart forever. Relate to the Lord // Is there a friend that comes to mind today? Pray for their needs and entrust them to Jesus.  

October 29, 2026 // Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Ephesians 6:10-20 Reflect on the Word //  How could he say that about me? When I heard the false accusation a relative had made, everything in me wanted to fight back. But I knew that would only make things worse. It took some time, a conversation with my husband, and a good Confession before I could once more view my loved one as being for me instead of against me. As I pondered today’s First Reading, the Lord made it clear that I sometimes think it’s me and my prayers against the devil. Although I know that life is full of spiritual battles and no person is my enemy, I am quick to forget what is true. Paul addresses the Ephesians in the plural: “Brothers and sisters: draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10).  It would be a fatal mistake to think I could interpret Scripture or profess my faith or even pray all by myself. I’ve tried on my own to use the armor God provides—faith, justice, the Word of God, the good news of peace, prayer, salvation, an awareness of the Saints—to fight against evil. I have learned that I need the wisdom and encouragement of others to stand with me. Sister, together we are strengthened to shift our perspective from lies to truth and learn what the Word of God has to say to us. I need my husband’s admonition and a priest to hear my Confession and offer absolution. I need brothers and sisters to study God’s Word with me and encourage me in the faith because we never fight alone.  Only rarely does spiritual battle involve exorcisms or dramatic encounters with demons. More often the battle requires us to speak truth. It might mean staying up late to have a face-to-face conversation with someone who needs a listening ear. It could be identifying and renouncing a lie we have believed and replacing it with truth from God’s Word. All the tools Saint Paul gives us make a difference in our ability to stand together in the midst of whatever the enemy of our souls throws our way.  Relate to the Lord // Is there a lie you have been believing in this season? Share it with a friend you trust and pray together about it. 

October 28, 2026 // Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Ephesians 2:19-22  Reflect on the Word //  When my kids were small, we lived in an amazing neighborhood on the north side of Chicago. There were many young families in our parish, and we all lived within walking distance. These were truly beautiful, special years in our life—strollers parked in the back of church every Sunday, walking to the park to chat while the kids played, meeting up to discuss books and life, celebrating liturgical seasons together and learning how to cultivate rich faith traditions in our homes. In today’s First Reading, Saint Paul says, “You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone” (Ephesians 2:19-20). The community we built in our parish, because it was rooted in Christ, became our spiritual home. We belonged. And because of that, even as people moved away, our friendships remained strong. We continue, even years later, to turn to each other in joy and sorrow, for support and encouragement, because we know the Spirit dwells among us. This remains in my mind and heart as my children grow older. I pray all the time that Jesus will be present in our home and in our relationships with each other. My prayer is that our home will be such a powerful “dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (see Ephesians 2:22) that even when my kids have grown up and moved out, they will know their identity in Christ and in our family.  What if we made it our business to make sure everyone in our parish had the opportunity to feel that same sense of safety and belonging? I can imagine what the world would look like if each follower of Christ knew their membership in the household of the Lord, not just theoretically, but through the radical love of intentional, in-person love and community. It would look a lot like holding one another up and growing together into “a temple sacred in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21).  Relate to the Lord // Think of one concrete way you can help someone feel welcomed at your parish this Sunday. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you. 

October 27, 2026  // Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Luke 13:18-21 Reflect on the Word // The earliest memory I have of experiencing delight was when my father crafted a koi pond in our backyard. Though I was only five years old, I still remember the day he built it. It started small. One shovel full of dirt became twenty, then one hundred, until a giant hole formed where there used to be level ground. With intentionality, I watched my father carefully place the rock and foliage, and with great joy, the new thriving ecosystem was complete.  I would sit beside that pond for hours. Merrily humming a song, I would let myself be mesmerized by the rings in the water, as the fish danced underneath the surface. I fondly remember the feeling of koi nibbling my fingers and begging my father to feed them just one more time. I hoped I could catch a glimpse to see how many speckles were on each fish. I delighted in what my father had made.  In today’s Gospel, Jesus offers a child-like parable to describe the Kingdom of God. “It is like a mustard seed,” He says (Luke 13:19). When sown in the ground, the little mustard seed will grow. It will become a tree and even be able to offer the birds of the air a place to nest (see Luke 13:19). Like a seed, by God’s very own design, His Kingdom is meant to grow.  In God’s perfect plan, every living thing within His boundaries would not only find refuge, but be the recipients of abundant life. And suddenly, my childhood backyard would serve as a beautiful image of the Lord’s intentions for those who delight in Him—to wondrously enjoy the work of His hands.  It is a privilege to be in the Kingdom of God—to live and move and have our being (see Acts 17:28) within the borders of His love. It is also a great blessing to watch as the Father builds His Kingdom. Every detail, for our good and for His glory. We have permission to delight in Jesus as we behold Him renewing the face of the earth and His Kingdom becoming “fully grown” (Luke 13:19).  Relate to the Lord // Think of a moment recently when you experienced delight in something you made. Now think about how the Lord delights in His handiwork–including you!

October 26, 2026 // Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Ephesians 4:32-5:8 Reflect on the Word //  Recently I found myself in the middle of a misunderstanding that seemed to grow faster than I could keep up with it. Suddenly, my integrity was being questioned. Conversations I wasn't a part of had somehow become conversations I was responsible for. I replayed every interaction in my mind, wondering if I should defend myself one more time, explain myself differently, or somehow convince everyone of what was actually true. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I was fighting for something deeper than my reputation—I was fighting to be understood. And if I wasn't careful, I could spend all my energy trying to manage what other people believed about me instead of remaining rooted in what God knew to be true. In today's First Reading, Saint Paul urges us to "be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another," before warning us not to be deceived by "empty arguments" (Ephesians 4:32, 5:6). That phrase stayed with me. Some conversations don't produce truth; they simply produce more noise. Some accusations cannot be untangled by saying one more thing. Sometimes the invitation isn't to win the argument but to remain in the light. Living as "children of light" (Ephesians 5:8) doesn't mean people will always understand our motives or interpret our actions correctly. Jesus Himself was misunderstood. Instead, Paul points us toward something far more freeing: a life marked by love, forgiveness, gratitude, and integrity. Those are things no rumor can take away. I'm learning that peace isn't found in convincing everyone of my character. It's found in entrusting my character to the Lord. There is freedom in letting go of the need to manage every perception and resting in the One Who sees the whole story. We all experience moments when we're tempted to defend ourselves endlessly or become consumed by what others think. May we instead choose to live as children of light—anchored in truth, generous in forgiveness, and secure enough in God's love that our peace is no longer dependent on someone else's opinion. Relate to the Lord // Pray the Litany of Humility and entrust your character and growth to the Lord.

October 24, 2026 // Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time // Optional Memorial of Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Ephesians 4:7-16  Reflect on the Word // I sat across from a dear friend—fresh tears rolled slowly down her face. Her eyes searched for words that would somehow make sense of the suffering she held tenderly in her heart. I sat and listened instead of trying to fix it. As she shared, I recognized parts of my own story within hers—moments of waiting, disappointment, betrayal, and questions that once felt too heavy to bring to God.  As we sat together, I remembered just how faithfully the Lord had met me there, not by removing every hardship, but by remaining with me through them. His presence became the anchor among the waves. And a quiet realization became the only comfort I had to offer: He knows. He truly knows. Saint Paul writes, "Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift" (Ephesians 4:7). Before speaking about the gifts Christ gives, he reminds us that Jesus first "descended into the lower regions of the earth" before ascending in glory (Ephesians 4:9-10). Christ did not save us from a distance—He became Man and entered every part of our human experience. Christ our Lord knew grief, rejection, loneliness, exhaustion, and sorrow. There is no suffering we carry in our lives that is unfamiliar to Him. Because He entered our humanity so completely, we can entrust Him with every part of our hearts. He can then become our anchor when life feels uncertain. Yet He doesn't only meet us in our suffering—He transforms us through it. Christ gives each of us grace "for building up the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12). The places where we have encountered His faithfulness often become the places from which we can encourage others. In Christ's hands, no suffering is wasted. He forms us through it, then uses our stories to reveal His hope and faithfulness to the world. Each of us has been given unique gifts through Christ, and many are shaped in the hidden, quiet places where we have encountered His love most personally. The Lord Who entered our humanity is still at work, strengthening us, maturing us, and using our lives to build up His Church with hope. Relate to the Lord // Pray with us the refrain from the Surrender Novena: “Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything!”

October 23, 2026 // Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time //Optional Memorial of Saint John of Capistrano, Priest Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Psalm: Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6  Reflect on the Word //  On an average day I probably see over three hundred faces before 10 a.m. Faces tell us a lot about people. With a quick glance across my classroom I can take in the faces of all my students and know, generally speaking, how class is going to go that day. I know especially that if a certain student in the corner has a mischievous grin there’s a scheme afoot to derail the lesson with some hypothetical, “Sister, what if . . . ?” I have to ask myself, though, as I take in all the faces I encounter throughout a day, am I seeking the One face that truly matters? “Lord this is the people that longs to see your face” (Psalm 24:6). Do I recognize that in every face, in every person I encounter throughout the day, I can seek the face of the Lord? In every circumstance, every decision, in every moment, am I seeking the face of the Lord present in time and in eternity? As the Creator of the universe, His “are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it.” (Psalm 24:1). It is easy to glance superficially at my day and miss out on opportunities to recognize the ways the Lord is speaking to me through a conversation with a friend, an interaction with a student or co-worker, a beautiful sunset. How often I let those things roll off my back and move on to the next encounter without pausing to ask the Lord to show me where He was in that moment. We are “the race that seeks for Him” (Psalm 24:6), seeking to “stand in his holy place . . . [desiring] not what is vain” (Psalm 24:3-4). To do that, though, we have to look beyond what we notice at first glance. We have to be a people who acknowledge that He is present to us always, longing to show us His face in a myriad of ways so that we can truly come to know His love for us and, gazing upon His face, to truly know Him, our Savior and Redeemer. Relate to the Lord // Pray for the grace to “seek His face” in the faces of those you meet today. 

October 22, 2026 // Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time //  Optional Memorial of Saint John Paul II, Pope Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Ephesians 3:17-19. Reflect on the Word //  On September 19, 1987, we waited with our seven-month-old daughter and 93,680 people for the arrival of Pope John Paul II. As the popemobile entered the Pontiac Silverdome (normally home to loud football fans), a quiet, awed hush fell over the crowd as we recognized the tangible presence of holiness and greatness. Smiling and waving, the Pope made his way to the stage for the papal Mass, and then quite unexpectedly, stopped directly in front of our seats. We thrust our daughter high in the air and John Paul II extended his hand towards baby Sarah, bestowing on her a papal blessing! Today as we celebrate the Memorial of Pope Saint John Paul II and I ponder today’s Mass readings, I am reminded of our brief but powerful encounter with him almost forty years ago. In the First Reading, Saint Paul prayed fervently that believers in Christ might be given a deep understanding of God’s sacrificial love, resulting in perfect union with Him. Saint Paul’s prayer was beautifully embodied in the life of Pope John Paul the Great. Christ dwelt in Pope John Paul the Great’s heart through faith (see Ephesians 3:17) and, although the Saint was a brilliant theologian and writer, he did not merely give an intellectual assent and articulation of truth. His faith was also expressed in deep trust and faithfulness to Jesus, despite much suffering and loss. God’s love, conveyed through his loving family and the extraordinary motherly protection and care of the Blessed Mother, was the foundation on which young Karol Wojtyła’s life was built and the soil in which he was planted and grew. God’s power (see Ephesians 3:18) enables us, like it did John Paul II, to personally experience the great dimension of Christ’s infinite, sacrificial love expressed upon the Cross. Amid a darkening world, Divine Love compelled him to fight for human freedom and a renewed call to holiness. And we too are compelled by that same Divine Love. Sisters, today let us ask Saint Paul and Saint John Paul the Great to pray for us! May we also be rooted and grounded in Christ’s love, and have the power to know and to witness to this love that surpasses knowledge. Relate to the Lord // Consider praying this prayer of Saint John Paul II today. 

October 21, 2026 // Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Ephesians 3:2-12 Reflect on the Word //  “Frustration is the price we pay for wisdom.”  These words were from an instructor of a leadership course at work, and they still follow me around to this day. As someone who tries to understand right and wrong very clearly, I often struggle with the weight and duty of seeing this wisdom and acting accordingly. At work, in my personal life, in my relationships, everywhere—I get frustrated that others don’t see choices and decisions the way I do. Why doesn’t anyone else understand it this way? In today’s First Reading, Saint Paul shares that he too was blessed with action-driven wisdom all those years ago: “You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation” (Ephesians 3:2-3). The spiritual knowledge revealed to Paul wasn’t only for him—it was also for those around him to be impacted by that gift of the Holy Spirit. The disciple goes on, “Of this I became a minister [. . .] so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church” (Ephesians 3:7, 10). Saint Paul’s letter empowered me: Maybe the things I get to know and see are for the benefit of others too, and frustration may just be the tuition we pay for learning and doing extraordinary things. Like my instructor, and Saint Paul in his letters to the Ephesians, we should be grateful for the things revealed to us and see the goodness behind them and their subsequent call for action. What a gift—that God would trust us with His knowledge and that we would do good with it! Sister, take some time today to pray about what you see clearly, where your Holy Spirit-gifted wisdom leads you, and discern what God may be asking you to do with that unique perspective you have been blessed with. Relate to the Lord // Write down the fruit of this prayer today and what it seems God is asking you to do. Ask for the wisdom to discern and the grace to accomplish it.