“For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?” // Matthew 5:44 When I was in graduate school, an administrative assistant in our program was very rough around the edges. She was blunt, abrupt, and made me cry on more than one occasion. She held a great power which came from her knowledge of the systems at the University. I frequently found myself at her mercy as I was navigating uncharted waters, so I made the commitment to kill her with kindness. She had given me nothing but grief from the moment I applied to the program, but with seven years ahead of me, I needed her as an ally. I committed to alway begin a conversation with her with a compliment. Rather than approaching her with demands and requests, I would pop into her office just to say hello or wish her a good day. I would bring her bouquets of smiles instead of complaints. As the weeks turned into months, I found her to be rather delightful. She slowly softened and, over the years, she became a friend. Frequently those who are most difficult to love need our love the most. People who love us in return are easy to love. Our Gospel today invites us to love those who persecute us. Perhaps this is a family member, a coworker or an acquaintance. Most of us have someone in our life who is prickly or difficult to love, yet we are asked to do just that—to love him or her. Consider beginning today simply by praying for this person. Ask the Lord to soften both of your hearts, consciously choose to be kind and loving without expectation of return, and then be nice. Even when it is hard. It is easy to be nice to those who are treating us well, loving us deeply, and showing us kindness. Although it is much more difficult to love those who treat us poorly, it is a far better choice to love because the Lord desires it. [bctt tweet="It is a far better choice to love. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

You have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears. // James 4:14 I am, and have always been, a planner. I like knowing what the day holds and having clear objectives. I sleep well knowing that my week is planned and all the tasks that would otherwise be floating around in my brain are clearly penciled into in my calendar. As a mom of four, life is teaching me that even the best plans need to be adjusted, or, in some cases, thrown completely aside. I have noticed a tendency in our family life that when things get super busy, something always seems to happen that leads me to clear the schedule and simply respond in the moment. Today's First Reading resonates deeply with me because I need to more frequently bring the Lord into my day—to consecrate each day to Him and to surrender much of the control. Living with a spirit of trust and surrender does not mean we should go through life without intentionality or plans; rather, we are to surrender the ultimate control to Him. We leave room for flexibility and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Practically speaking this begins with those words “if the Lord wills it,” which invites Him into the moment. This also leaves room for the Lord to change our plans, which requires us to live with more flexibility. It also provides a greater confidence that what we are able to do is the will of the Lord. Lent is just around the corner, and it is a time for intentional surrender to the Lord. Perhaps the words “if the Lord wills it” can be incorporated into your daily or weekly planning as you enter into this new season. [bctt tweet="Leave room for the Lord to change our plans. // @MaryRuthHackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

“You are in the right rather than I; you have treated me generously, while I have done you harm. Great is the generosity you showed me today . . . . I know that you will certainly become king” // 1 Samuel 24:18, 21 Bring God glory through your actions. It is probably going to my epitaph, not because I live it perfectly, but because it is a regular instruction I give my children. I tell them as often as I can because I want it to be ingrained in them. Good intentions are not enough. Good intentions are the starting place, but the spiritually strong follow those good intentions with action. It is by our actions that we are judged. It is through action that we live out our love. I want them to believe it. I want them to live it. The actions we choose to do are influenced by our thoughts, and our thoughts are influenced by a confluence of other things, people, situations, and our very lifestyle. We form our intentions in response to our interactions in this world. If we want to more easily choose actions to bring God glory, the first step is to cultivate a healthy environment for our thoughts and prayers and intentions to be brought into alignment with the will of God. This is both hard and necessary for progress in the spiritual life. In the reading today, it is because of David’s actions that he was able to stand blameless before Saul. He tells Saul, “I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead.” Because David showed patience and prudence in his response and because he ignored his initial thoughts and instead acted with virtue, Saul recognized David as the future king. What did your actions say about you this week? Did your actions proclaim you as a daughter of God or are there places you need to improve? [bctt tweet="Bring God glory through your actions. // @MaryRuth Hackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

“This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'" // John 1:15 I must admit that I have never been a big fan of New Year's Eve. I don't like resolutions, or large group gatherings, and I really don't like staying up late. That said, after reflecting on today's Gospel, I had to pause a little as we find ourselves at the end of another year. In today's reading, John writes an introduction that seems like a conclusion. John gives us a new look at creation. He gives us a preamble to the creation of the heavens and the earth, and then brings us all the way through to the saving power of Jesus Christ, Word made flesh. New Year’s Eve can be like that as well. A beginning that starts with a conclusion. We look to the New Year by first reflecting on the past with our earthly eyes. We ask ourselves what we need to change. We start new healthy habits and try to quit the unhealthy ones. Maybe we promise ourselves we will eat well, move more, or spend less. Could we instead evaluate our spiritual lives this year? Where do you struggle to trust? What are your moments of weakness? When do you feel His presence the strongest? How can you invest more fully in a relationship with the Lord? Whether today is about changes, or reflection, or is just another day on the calendar, I want to enter it with thanksgiving that I get to live this life with the Lord, for the Lord, in community with others. If you look to your New Year and resolve to change, think of your whole self, not just the part other people see. Start anew this year mind, body, and spirit. A new beginning is something we should all be ready to celebrate. [bctt tweet="Live this life with the Lord. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

"Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?" At that time Jesus cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; he also granted sight to many who were blind. And Jesus said to them in reply, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard." // Luke 7:20-22 “It doesn't matter what you say, if your actions don't reflect your words.” I wasn't sure what to say in response, which is ironic because I am not often at a loss for words. I have always been a fairly verbal communicator. My mother and sister are talkers as well. We process things verbally and communicate with a lot of words. More words than others perhaps, but speaking and writing is how we figure things out. And now, this guy, who very well could be The Love of My Life, was telling me that what I said was not particularly important. At least it wasn't as important as what I did. What I did mattered more. Throughout Jesus’s ministry, He was asked questions which He did not answer with words alone. His detractors and attackers sought to trip Him up and find fault in His words. In today's Gospel, we see followers of Saint John the Baptist ask a very direct question and receive a very indirect answer. The two disciples of Saint John the Baptist asked Jesus directly, and He responded by pointing out the miracles as evidence of the answer. He showed them the truth rather than telling them. The truth of Jesus' identity is not revealed by what He claimed to be. It is revealed through His life and actions. What Jesus did, how He lived and how He died, are what saves us because we are redeemed by His life, death, and resurrection, not by His words alone. Are you a sayer or a doer? Perhaps as we enter more fully into Advent we can focus less on what we say, and more on what we do. [bctt tweet="He showed them the truth. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

I remember when my parents decided to start tithing in our church. I remember it clearly because they increased our allowance slightly as well and suggested that we give a little to the offering plate each Sunday. Embarrassingly I admit that I never gave. That money went straight into my pocket. I was surprised when my parents decided to tithe because we weren't rich. Growing up, we never quite seemed to go without, but I was always conscious that we also did not have an abundance of wealth. My parents were always careful and very intentional about our finances, without being miserly. When I pray through the Gospel reading today, I can't help but think of the difference between the widow who gave two coins and the wealthy who gave their offerings. I want to be that widow, giving her whole livelihood with confidence, and yet I know I am more like the one who gives from her surplus. And for me, it isn't just the financial offering, it is the other ways in which I give as well. I should give myself purposefully with deep faith that the Lord will continue to direct and provide, not just accept my leftovers. How do I decide what time I give? How do I decide what energy to expend? Which relationships do I cultivate and develop? What professional or ministry avenues do I pursue? We have many opportunities to give of our time, talents, and treasures. Have I learned to say no to the areas, environments, or friendships that are not fruitful and yes to the places where the Lord is calling me to a deep generosity? Sister, learning to say yes to the Lord, sometimes means learning to first say no. When we have said no to the world and entered into a deeper poverty, we can meaningfully say yes with utter dependence. [bctt tweet="Say yes with utter dependence. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

I took a deep breath and tried to focus on the needs of the individual across the table from me. I had thus far succeeded in shutting out the sounds of family life, but now I had a real person sitting beside me with expectant eyes peeking up over the cereal bowl. My bible, journal, reading glasses, and cold coffee lay in an arc around my laptop beckoning me back like the Sirens from Greek mythology. Indignantly I asked myself: Was I really expected to drop everything when someone else wanted to chat? Had I completely failed thus far to teach my favorite people how to read my mood? Yet how do I turn away from the immediate requests from those in my home? How can I justify holding back a smile or a helping hand as I pursue higher intellectual thoughts? As I asked myself these questions, I found that I was on the path of the hypocrite, not the path of the righteous. Much like the sailors who were called to their death by the sweet song of the Sirens in Homer’s Odyssey, we can sometimes set off seeking something good and only be drawn further into the darkness. We can sometimes withdraw seeking peace when in fact it is only isolation we find. Peace is only found in and through the Lord. Peace is an internal state which leads to an outward disposition that emanates around us. Through the frustrations, conflicts and little struggles in life, we find the path of virtue. We grow in patience, fortitude, prudence, and temperance. Through these little daily interactions, we find the opportunity to recognize that peace is not found in the outward circumstances, it is found only in the love of Christ Jesus. Sister, the next time you get pulled off your path, take a moment to call upon the Lord for He will rescue you and you in turn will glorify Him through your actions. [bctt tweet="Find the path of virtue. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Did he just honk at me? I glanced over my shoulder to see a middle-aged man waving his hands impatiently and pointing at my husband’s truck. I took a deep breath, conscious of the presence of my thirteen-year-old daughter watching how I would respond. I had carefully navigated the huge vehicle through the mostly empty parking lot and pulled all the way through a space so that I wouldn't have the embarrassing task of trying to back out. I felt victorious that the front bumper lined up almost perfectly with its neighbors and I was centered perfectly. And now I was being honked at. The man was infuriated that my back bumper was not fully into my parking spot. He had, unbeknownst to me, pulled in behind me and was concerned that I was taking up part of the space he was attempting to occupy. The August heat reflected off the ground as I walked back to the truck. I weighed my options. Flipping him off was tempting but definitely not charitable. Approaching an angry man in a parking lot was definitely not prudent. So I swallowed my pride, practiced my temperance, and swung my middle-aged backside into the truck to move it forward six inches. How we respond to others, criticism, critique, horn honking, gives us a chance to show our true character. Do I want to be a hypocrite like the Pharisee pointing out the sin of the other and boasting of my own righteousness? Do I do this to my friends and family? Am I more likely to honk my horn at someone, or do I extend a little more grace and offer someone else some space? Do I answer rudeness with more rudeness? Sister, when you are confronted with difficult people in your life, take a moment and think about your role. Is it your role to instruct, or is it to learn and grow in virtue? [bctt tweet="Grow in virtue. // @MaryRuthHackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

“Just ignore her talk about angels and everything. She is sort of weird.” That is the only comment about angels I remember hearing as a child; I sort of lumped angels together with fairies and leprechauns. Culturally depicted, angels are chubby faced winged figures with the bow and arrows, or pretty glass figurines for your home décor, or maybe an adorable little winged child in the Christmas pageant who stumbles over his line that starts with "Hark." How could any of those images help me spiritually? Like many, I discounted anything that I didn’t understand. Mysteries were for novels, not my spiritual life. And yet we can grow so much when we open ourselves to the fullness of the faith in all its complexities. In today’s Scripture readings alone, we see a bit of the varied roles played by angels. We have Saint Michael and his angels as they battle in Revelations, the angels witness our praise in the Psalms, they do “His work” in the responsorial, and in the Gospel, we curiously hear Jesus speak that the angels ascend and descend on the Son of God. Angels are not fairytale creatures or holiday accouterments. They are a diverse group of spiritual beings created intentionally for purpose. They enlighten, guide, and protect us. Angels are important enough to get two special days in our church calendar: today, which is the Feast Day of the Archangels, and Oct 2nd, the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels. Perhaps you can spend a little time today meditating on these spiritual beings and the invisible role they play to bring glory to God. Let us all give thanks that we have such supernatural friends on our side. [bctt tweet="Let us all give thanks. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

My heart ached for them. A family I loved was fractured and breaking under weight of personal sin. My job was simply to love them through it. I couldn’t fix anything. I couldn’t change minds or offer pardons. I couldn’t make the pain go away. And so I sat in the shade of the Our Lady of Sorrows statue and let my heart love them in the midst of their mess. It was the first time I began to understand Our Lady. I came to the Faith from a Protestant background, and I admit to having very little interest in the Blessed Mother. She didn’t bother me, and I was okay with people honoring her. I just didn’t have any attachment to her personally. Mary was an enigma to me, but one I didn’t really want to contemplate. Like an independent youth, I wanted to carve out my own relationship with the Lord separate from her, or my earthly family, or anyone else. I wanted it to be just Jesus and me. Yet, Our Blessed Mother never lost sight of me. She knew there would come a time when I wasn’t sure what to do with the pain I felt because of the sufferings of loved ones, and she would be there to help. When I read the Gospel today, I have a deep appreciation that some of Jesus’ last words uttered were about his mother as He was dying on the Cross. He gives us Mary our mother, as a gift to the world. Mary is there to love us through our messes. She is there to pray for us, to hurt with us, and to point us to her Son. I invite you to invite her into your prayer life and offer a Hail Mary or a Rosary today for all the sorrows of the world. [bctt tweet="Mary is there to love us through our messes. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

The sparse hospice room was lit with filtered light, and the hall was empty. There was only the sound of the shallow breath of my loved one laying near, his hand cold in mine. I slowly slid to the foot of the bed and rubbed his feet gently through the thin blanket, thinking of how much he had liked that just days before. We had laughed then as I gave him a pedicure—his only pedicure after eighty-six long years of living. He was my first loved one to die, and he slipped away from this life much as he had lived it. Peacefully, contently, patiently waiting until we were all gathered to say our silent goodbyes. In some situations, death comes as a shock and in others it arrives in a more expected way, giving us time to process the loss and say our goodbyes. Goodbye for now, but not forever. Believing in the mercy of God’s love and the reality of His salvation gives us the confidence that death is not the end. Although we may yet be reunited with love ones in the presence of the Lord, there is deep and very real pain at the loss of a loved one. The more we love, the more it hurts when we have to say goodbye. Saint Paul in First Thessalonians today gives us reason to continue to pray for those even after they have passed, and especially for those who have no one to pray for them. The prayer for the departed souls is a beautiful prayer to add to your daily routine. Consider offering this prayer today for a loved one and for those who have been forgotten: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. [bctt tweet="Death is not the end. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

I was shaking with self-righteous furry as I looked at the text thread. Did he really just say that? How could a grown man put those words together in a text message and hit send? A string of insults and expletives filled my mind as the tears formed around my lashes. I took a shaky breath and responded with more kindness that I wanted, but less than he deserved. The messages we send and the words that we use come not just from our heads but from our hearts as well. This text exchange was not a standalone experience—it occurred in the middle of a painful time where rather than forgive, I distanced myself. Rather than seek to understand the pain of another, I claimed a sanctimonious justification for my own thoughts, words, and actions. I daily dug my defense deeper rather than lifting up the hurting soul of a loved one. When a relationship is fractured, frequently one or both of the people in the relationship have been hurting before the fracture appears. Sin claims advantage over the pain, takes root in our hearts, and seeks to destroy relationships. The fracture in a relationship can be both the result of the pain and the source of it. We aren’t responsible for healing the pain or sins of others, but we are asked to love others through their mistakes. We are instructed to forgive. Only by seeking to see the other as the Lord sees them and striving to love the other as the Lord loves them, can reconciliation be found. We are asked to forgive, and then forgive again, and again, and again. And it is hard. It is supernaturally hard. We can’t do it without the grace of God. Forgiveness does not mean a return of the relationship to its prior state, but rather it is a restoration in the ability to love. Who is in need of your forgiveness and your love? Cover them with love and prayers today and let the Lord take care of the healing of hearts. [bctt tweet="We can’t do it without the grace of God. // @MaryRuthHackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

A friend told my husband that we had changed. He didn’t say it as though it was a good thing. Since my conversion we had become "too religious." I think he meant it as a jab, but it was a confirmation. How could coming into the fullness of the faith not change us? I know I am a Jesus Freak, and I love that. I more than embrace the stereotype. I strive to be worthy of the association. And yet there are times when I fail to recognize the miracles, the answered prayers, the presence of God in my midst. I pass things off as coincidence. I try not to read too deeply into things. I fail to fully understand or appreciate the miracle of the Mass and the beauty of the Sacraments. Jesus Himself performed mighty deed and was still met by unbelief and lukewarm attitude of some who witnessed the miracles. And the fact that Matthew states is still true today, if the mighty deeds had been done elsewhere we would believe them (Matthew 11:23). But when we witness the little miracles and big graces in our own lives, we tend to reject the reality of what is happening. Doubt, confusion, disbelief, skepticism, they are all the response of a bitter and jaded people. At times those adjectives describe me as well. Sometimes I don’t fully appreciated the active role that the Holy Spirit is playing in my daily life. I can fail even to recognize the role of the Holy Spirit. We know that the Lord does mighty deeds each day. Strive to recognize and embrace the mighty deeds done in your midst this week and allow them to give you hope for the future. Hope changes our outlook and gives us a new understanding of how grace operates in our daily life. "If you hear his voice today, harden not your hearts" (Psalm 95:8). Turn to the Lord with thanksgiving and in full expectation that He will continue to perform wondrous deeds for you. [bctt tweet="Turn to the Lord. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid. Jesus says this three times in today’s Gospel, Matthew 10:24-33. When Jesus says things once we should listen. When He says things three times we should stop and really listen. I have had a lot of fear this year. Fear of losing friendships was pretty high on the list. Fear about my children’s well-being is always there too. Fear I am not doing enough and not good enough. Fear about the health of my aging parents and in-laws. Fear about losing a loved one before I have all the time I want to have with her. Some of you share these fears; others of you have different ones you could add to the list. Our fears are very real and can be immobilizing at times, leaving us to feel like we are walking in a dreamland. It can be tempting to give into despair—to pull away, to forget the spiritual gifts we were given, to listen to the lies whispered in the darkness, to retreat into the shadows, to allow our souls to be corrupted. Yet we are children of God. He knows the number of the hairs on our heads. If we remain in Him, and continue to live boldly for Him despite our fear, He will shine a light in the darkness. How do we do remain in Him? Stay obedient to His commands. Continue to strive for truth dismissing the lies we hear and acting with courage to confirm love. Read Scripture. Draw closer to Him in prayer, adding to rather than subtracting from our time in relationship with the Lord. Build good and holy friendships with people who affirm the goodness in this world. Surrender everything else to the Lord with confidence. He is here with you always. You are not alone. Do not fear, sister, for you are known, seen, and loved. [bctt tweet="Remain in Him. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Many years ago, someone close to me was involved in a serious car accident. It changed her life dramatically as she suffered a closed-head injury as well as other serious injuries. It was a long and unfortunately incomplete recovery. At some point in her healing, she was lamenting with a friend and asked, “Why would God put me through this?” He responded, “Maybe this isn’t about you.” She digested the thought awhile and then put it aside. About five years later, she and her husband gave birth to a sweet baby girl. After the first few months, it was clear that this sweet little girl suffered from some pretty serious cognitive delays. And it all clicked. Her own accident, emotional suffering and physical pain, doctor appointments and rehab sessions—they were in preparation for things to come once she became a parent. Sometimes we are asked to endure trials, or as Saint Paul in today's reading (2 Corinthians 1:1-7) calls them "afflictions," so that we may be able to encourage those who are experiencing affliction as well. It is very difficult to have empathy if we lack experience. Even if we love someone deeply, it is impossible to walk the path of grief for example, if we have never experienced grief. We can sympathize, but we cannot empathize. We can witness and listen, but we lack a level of understanding. Jesus, fully Man and fully Divine, experienced great suffering, and He understands in a supernatural way the depth of suffering we experience. As you share in the sufferings of this world, may you also share in the encouragement and hope that endures through all. It is impossible to have foresight regarding our own growth through the struggle, but if you are in a dark moment now, remain hopeful and be encouraged. May Christ’s sufferings and encouragement both overflow to you. [bctt tweet="Remain hopeful. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion  

As I look at the date on the calendar, I feel a squeezing in my heart. My oldest graduates from high school this weekend. The emotion isn’t so much pain or sadness, but rather a fullness. Sometimes we can love so big that our heart hurts in a good way from the very act of loving so much and for so long. I guess this is what is supposed to happen. I was supposed to get married, and have children, and raise them to leave the home, to venture out on their own and leave the nest. The little one who used to demand to be put in the carrier on my back while I cooked is now able to fend for himself, feed himself, provide for himself in this world outside my home. Today’s Old Testament reading is about lineage and legacy in a family. I don’t think I am one of those godly men of our ancestors whose legacy is remembered by all. I feel like one of those others about whom the memories will fade. Yet when I look at my son, grown strong and healthy in mind, body and spirit, I know that I cooperated with the Lord in some good for this world. That is my legacy. Whether you are called to a physical or spiritual motherhood, the world can be a better place because of your life and the virtue you show. We all have people or projects that we are invited to mother. This is part of what it means to be a Catholic woman. And as we mother, we often grow and nourish these people or ideas through to a place of independence. They are part of our legacy long after we have left the earth. Whom or what are you being invited to nourish? Of what are you being asked to let go? Lord, help us to see the larger picture and how our day-to-day virtue works for Your greater glory. [bctt tweet="Lord, help us to see the larger picture. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion Mother Mary, guide me to mother and nourish those in my life.  

I am a rule follower by nature. It seems to be woven into my DNA. For a very brief time period in my late teens, I tried to be rebellious. I laughed at authority, crossed lines that were not meant to be crossed, ignored many of the principles with which I had been raised, and moved out of the light of the Lord. I rejected His commandments and stepped out of God’s light in order to move towards something seductive. It was disastrous for my mind, body, and spirit. Twenty-five years later I still carry scars of the pain and suffering endured that year. We hear in today’s Gospel, "If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love" (John 15:10). Being in His love does not mean we won’t suffer. Many of the Saints' lives give testimony as to how one can keep His commandments, remain in His love, and still endure great trials. The difference is how we endure that suffering. When we keep the Lord's commandments and remain in His light, it is our dependence on Him that gets us through. When we sin we turn away from His outstretched arms, but He is always there to welcome us back. God is always beside us. Sister, if you have chosen to dismiss or ignore some of God’s commandments, I encourage you to return to Him. Pay attention to when you feel tempted to turn away from Him, and instead seize this moment and step into His light and love. [bctt tweet="God is always beside us. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion Lord Jesus, draw me close to Your Sacred Heart.