March 26, 2025 // Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9 Reflect on the Word //  My parents were rock-and-roll hippies in the years before I was born. They hitchhiked and lived in a commune and my dad played drums for a band that traveled with the Beach Boys and Sam the Sham and a whole host of others. And then, they met Jesus. And everything changed. Within a few months, my dad became Catholic and my mom returned to the faith of her youth. They started living with Jesus at the center, seeking truth and peace that only comes from Him.  I don’t have memories of my parents B.C. I was six months old when their conversion occurred. Moses speaks in the First Reading about not forgetting “the things which your own eyes have seen” (Deuteronomy 4:9). Like my parents, I want to remember their story, for they did not let their conversion “slip from [their] memory as long as [they] lived” (see Deuteronomy 4:9). I remember  hearing their stories as I grew up, stories of who they were before their faith became important to them and what it meant to drop everything to follow Jesus. It meant something to me, because my parents shared how God had transformed them. They never forgot who they were before and what it meant to be set free. They were always great people, but God made life even better.  Today’s Scripture reminds us to share our own transformation—to not forget the things we have seen. We need to share them with our children, and with our “children’s children” (Deuteronomy 4:9) and with those around us.  Do not forget these things that you have seen with your own eyes. Do not let them slip from your memory. We were one way and now we are another, and the Person in the middle was Jesus. Relate to the Lord // Call to mind your witness. What has God done for you? What prayers has He answered? What areas has He healed? Where have you been set free?  

March 25, 2025 // Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10 Reflect on the Word //  “Emmanuel.” This word rolls off my tongue in a prayerful refrain. Whispered in the early morning hours as I reach for my Bible and resist the desire to scroll on my phone. Repeated in the afternoon, as I love, correct, feed, and clean up after my children. Sung in the quiet of the night, as I nurse a baby and listen to the soft sounds of a home finally at rest. Throughout the day, I am consoled and restored by “Emmanuel.” I am reminded of His love for me, and His deep thirst for my soul. I am made aware of His constant gaze, and His steadfast pursuit of my heart. “Emmanuel” sets my feet on firm foundation.  “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us!’” (Isaiah 7:14) The prophet Isaiah proclaimed the glory of the Incarnation, which was to come 700 years after he wrote those words. God made flesh. God with us. The Solemnity of the Annunciation, when Mary became the Mother of God, is a day when we can honor and reflect on our Lady’s fiat. Her glorious role in Salvation History as the model of faithful obedience to the will of God.  We are never alone, because the Blessed Mother gave her fiat. And because He became Man, our beloved Lord is immersed in and has redeemed every moment of our lives. He desires an incomprehensible intimacy with us, so much so that He allows Himself to be consumed in the Eucharist. He is Emmanuel, God with us.  We need this reminder. We live in a time that is rife with shallow connections, and from that has emerged a multitude of souls tormented with loneliness. In this fallen world, we will encounter suffering and will feel alone. But we do not belong to the world. We belong to the Savior, and He is Emmanuel.  Relate to the Lord // Make Emmanuel your prayer today, too. Whisper, sing, or say it—and, just as the Blessed Mother experienced, remember that He is with you.  

March 24, 2025 // Monday of the Third Week of Lent Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4 Reflect on the Word //  “It was Holy Week, but extended to twelve months.”   “Wow!” I exclaimed in a whisper, as the words of the priest resounded powerfully through the small, but nearly packed, movie theater.   The documentary was called Radiating Joy, but tears welled up in my eyes as I continued to watch Michelle Duppong’s story of joyful suffering unfold. A newly named Servant of God, Michelle was a campus missionary whose indomitable joy and radiant witness while dying of cancer touched the life of every person she met.   More and more moved as the film rolled on, I was reminded of my own health struggles and the redemptive power I had found in uniting every procedure with the Cross of Christ. I felt like a friend had entered into the midst of my suffering as I followed the young and vibrant Michelle through a yearlong cancer battle fraught with progressively painful and intense treatments, often requiring her to go several days without food or water.  And yet, in nearly every frame, this suffering servant was smiling, full of the light of Jesus and leading all those who encountered her to hunger and thirst more for Him.   “Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?” (Psalm 42:3) The cry of the Psalmist in today’s Scripture embodies the depth of longing every human heart experiences in this valley of tears. It is a thirst that can only be satiated when it is joined with the holy thirst of our Lord on Calvary. Paradoxically, the more we quench His thirst, the more thirsty we become. For love. For souls. For the “running waters” (Psalm 42:2) of mercy pouring from His pierced Heart.  Sister, it is only at the Cross that we can drink freely, quenching our own thirst and that of others for God’s love. Michelle Duppong knew this and found joy in drinking the cup of suffering to the very dregs. The question is, are we thirsty enough to do the same?   Relate to the Lord // How’s your thirst? Ask the Lord to increase your desire for Him, for love, and for souls.

Saturday, March 22, 2025 Happy Saturday, friend! We are so excited to share with you what's coming up this week as we all prepare our hearts by praying with readings for Sunday, the day of rest with our Lord. Live Liturgically // This Week’s Feast Days Sunday, March 23 // Third Sunday of Lent Tuesday, March 25 // Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Letter from the Editor //  Dear Sister,  On the Third Sunday of Lent, Jesus tells us a parable about a fig tree in an orchard, one that is bearing no fruit. When the owner of the orchard decides to cut it down, the gardener asks for another chance for the tree, saying, “I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future” (Luke 13:8-9). Sister, we are like fig trees in the orchard of the Church, and Jesus is our Gardener. During Lent especially, He wants to cultivate the ground of our hearts to fertilize us with His Word and grace. He wants to help us to repent of our old ways and bear fruit. As we press on through the first half of Lent, let us be careful to not let the spiritual fertilizer being offered to us go to waste. We are warned by Saint Paul about how the Israelites were not faithful even as the Lord nourished them, grumbling and falling into temptation. The Lord knows our afflictions. He sees our struggles. Like He did for those in slavery in Egypt, “I AM who am,” Who is existence and the source of all created things, wants to lead us to “a good and spacious land” (Exodus 3:14, 3:8), to be united forever with Him. When we stay close to the Lord and His mercy, we will be able to join the Psalm and praise the Lord, Who “redeems your life from destruction, crowns you with kindness and compassion” (Psalm 103:4). In Christ’s Love, Susanna Read the readings for the Third Sunday of Lent (Year C):  First Reading // Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15 Psalm // Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11. Second Reading // 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12 Gospel // Luke 13:1-9 Prayer Practice // What bad fruit is the Lord asking to prune in your heart and life this Lent? What good fruit is being cultivated?  

March 21, 2025 // Friday of the Second Week of Lent Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46 Reflect on the Word // Standing in the Florida heat, my grade school class picked teams for a thrilling game of kickball basketball. As each classmate was chosen to be on one team or another, I waited, hoping that I would be selected next. But I wasn’t picked. Not until the very end. A feeling of rejection washed over me. It was the first time I remember being self-conscious about my size. Over the past year, I gained some weight. In part because I was an awkward pre-teenager. But also because my home life was falling apart, and I turned to food for comfort. I knew I wasn’t the fastest runner, but I used to love running around the neighborhood with my friends. It made me feel alive and free. Now, all I felt was stuck, isolated, and alone in my grief. The game was close, and I was up to kick. As the pitcher released the ball, I ran up to it and kicked it with all of my might. And I kicked it far, so very far. I ran around the bases, back home, and scored as my team cheered for me. We ended up winning the game, and I was part of the victory. But the real victory had nothing to do with the game. It was about so much more than that. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a parable that foretells what would inevitably happen to Him. Jesus was rejected in the most real sense of the word, even by His closest friends. But He reminds us that “[t]he stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes” (Matthew 21:42). As we pray with this passage, Jesus reminds us of His promise to take our rejection, pain, and shame, and make it foundational to our redemption. Just like Christ’s rejection resulted in resurrection, if we unite our suffering to His—meeting Him in that place of rejection—ours will too. That day, playing kickball basketball, the Lord did this for me, and because of it I became part of His fruit-bearing vineyard. Sister, He wants this for you too. When we offer those rejected parts of our lives to Him, we will be amazed by the fruit His redemption will bear in us. Relate to the Lord // Have you experienced the sting of rejection? Turn your heart to Jesus rejected on the Cross and offer Him your pain.  

March 20, 2025 // Thursday of the Second Week of Lent Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 Reflect on the Word //  Confession: The Responsorial Psalms used to be my least favorite part of the Mass. I didn’t like the musical settings, didn’t appreciate the repetition, and certainly didn’t grasp the riches in the words.  I couldn’t hear the Lord’s voice for me in the Psalms. Of course He was always speaking, gently and patiently pouring His love over me week in and week out. All those years I spent daydreaming at Mass, I didn’t even notice how He tenderly planted seeds in my heart, doing hidden work to form me.  “Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked [. . .] But delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). I’m still prone to distracted thoughts in my adulthood, but living in imitation of the “blessed man” of Psalm 1 keeps me focused on “what is above, where Christ is” (Colossians 3:1).  The Lord isn’t asking me to meditate on His law in order to become an academic expert, nor has He invited me into a religious community (I’m married with children). The invitation, rather, is to make knowledge of God and His law a part of my life, to let it form me from the inside out as I grow more into the woman God made me to be.  In whatever way our daily lives take shape—with academics, work, caring for family—we can delight in God’s law and meditate on it. It can be as simple as choosing one verse to ponder, allowing those words to root in our souls. Our lives can be changed with this simple habit. This is why we’re blessed to meditate upon the law day and night, especially with the Psalms. We’re blessed because the Lord speaks love and life into our souls. He renews our true identity as His beloved daughters, made imago Dei—in the image of God. The Lord invites us to turn fully to Him, because our restless hearts will find their delight and rest in Him alone. Relate to the Lord // (Re)Read today’s Psalm. What verse will you meditate on today?  

March 19, 2025 // Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Second Reading: Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22  Reflect on the Word //  My husband died without warning four years ago on the vigil of the Solemnity of Saint Joseph. His death shook our life to its core, leaving my three children and me with grief and trauma that will continue in waves of varying intensity for the rest of our lives. In the years since that terrible day, we have walked together in faith, believing that the promises of God for His children were still for us, even though so much had been torn apart. We believed, unwaveringly, that God would redeem us, would use this suffering for our sanctification and for His kingdom. I had no idea what the next chapter of my life would look like when tragedy struck. I only knew that God is good. I knew the promise—that “those who follow the faith of Abraham [. . .] would inherit the world” (Romans 4:13, 16). Walking forward in faith, I knew I could trust the promises that were whispered in the depths of my heart: I can provide for all of your needs. I can heal you. I can be a Father to your fatherless children. I will send foster fathers to guide them and help them. And so He did. God sent holy men into my children’s lives, men who nurtured them for a season, who reminded them what fatherly love felt like and provided a balm for their aching hearts. And then our meandering path of faith led me to a new love and a permanent foster father who loves them as his own, who takes his cues from Saint Joseph, the foster father par excellence. We walk forward in faith together now, believing that all of this is a gift. We all have places in our hearts that we are tempted to feel are beyond redemption. Hurts that are too deep, hopes that seem too impossible. But our God “gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist” (Romans 4:18). His promises are for you too. Relate to the Lord // What promises has the Lord kept? What promises are you waiting to see fulfilled? Pray in gratitude and with hope today.  

March 18, 2025 // Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent // Optional Memorial of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20 Reflect on the Word //  As a teenager, slowly and humbly crawling back into her faith, there was a part of my heart where I desired to rebel against any “rules” in our faith. I didn’t want to feel chained to what felt like a checklist of all the things I needed to do in order to be holy, such as what the prophet Isaiah writes in today’s First Reading: “Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged” (Isaiah 1:16-17). I saw the strictures and commands of our faith as a set of unrealistic expectations placed upon myself.  It was easy for me to get caught in the trap of comparison, especially when looking at the lives of other Catholic women on social media.  Why is it so easy for her, but not for me?  I could never be holy.  I assumed that it was up to me to become holy, that I had to grasp and control a story that isn’t even mine to control. For my story belongs to the Lord. Friend, we cannot become holy without Him and without realizing His desire to transform our hearts. You don’t have to grasp or control. You can allow Him to do the heavy lifting and submit to the practices He asks of us through the Church. Sister Miriam James Heidland from the SOLT community spoke at a Blessed is She retreat that I attended in  2023, and I remember her words, “We are not shamed into a conversion, but we are loved into one.”  Sister, He will never shame you into transformation, but He will love you into it. Not that we shouldn’t put in any effort or ignore our shortcomings, but we should know that our littleness is where He wants to reveal His goodness, mercy, and redemption. His love purifies our hearts, and only by His love will our hearts be transformed.  Relate to the Lord // Notice the Lord’s gentle and reassuring tone, imagine His loving and pure gaze upon you as He says, “Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).   

March 17, 2025 // Monday of the Second Week in Lent // Optional Memorial of Saint Patrick, Bishop Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Luke 6:36-38 Reflect on the Word //  A friend of mine in college used to play a game in which anytime someone would compliment or express appreciation for something that she owned, she would immediately give that thing to that person. I learned of this game when I suddenly became the recipient of her Irish tartan scarf after having remarked how beautiful it was. Right then and there, she gave it to me, wrapping my neck in its cozy softness and bestowing me with a surprise gift that chilly autumn day.  Intrigued by this game, I committed to play as well. I winced a little the first time I gave away a loved sweatshirt,  but the fun of the freedom of giving was a joy in itself. It wasn’t too long before my new scarf made its way to another owner, continuing this joyful game of detachment. The game had its limits, of course, but my friend played with regular consistency. She had not only given away clothes, jewelry, and everyday objects, but she had also given joy and delight to so many people. The blessings were returned to her a hundredfold. Today Jesus shares with us the secrets of abundance. He commands us to “Give” (Luke 6:38). He tells us to “be merciful” and to “stop judging”  (Luke 6:36). In living a life where we let go of judgment, condemnation, and unforgiveness, and give mercifully and generously to those around us, our own lives become rich and overflowing.  Saint Patrick, whose Memorial is today, is our example in his generosity of his entire life to the teaching, conversion, and salvation of the country of Ireland. We can ask Saint Patrick to pray for us, that we would imitate him in asking God to guide us in how He wants us to walk our unique paths to sainthood. Maybe we are not called to be a missionary to Ireland or to give away our possessions to anyone who likes them, but then again, maybe we could consider expansive ways to give to the Lord and others with more generosity than we initially thought possible.  Relate to the Lord // Ask for Saint Patrick’s intercession to live with radical generosity today and always.

Saturday, March 15, 2025 Happy Saturday, friend! We are so excited to share with you what's coming up this week as we all prepare our hearts by praying with readings for Sunday, the day of rest with our Lord. Live Liturgically // This Week’s Feast Days Sunday, March 16 // Second Sunday of Lent Monday, March 17 // Optional Memorial of Saint Patrick, Bishop Tuesday, March 18 // Optional Memorial of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Wednesday, March 19 // Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary Letter from the Editor //  Dear Sister, Last Sunday we compared Lent to a desert; on the Second Sunday of Lent the Church compares our time of Lent to a mountain. In the Gospel, we go with Jesus, Peter, John, and James “up the mountain to pray” (Luke 9:28).  Jesus is transfigured before them as the Father proclaims, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him” (Luke 9:35). While the Transfiguration demonstrates the divinity of Jesus, it also points to a truth about the Lord’s will for us. Saint Paul tells us that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). As adopted children of God, adopted into the promise of Abraham, the Lord wants to transfigure us as well. He will transform us in this life to be united with Him, and He will ultimately “change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body” at the end of time  (Philippians 3:21). This Lent, let us continue to “wait for the LORD with courage,” believing that we “shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13-14). The Lord has proved His promise to us through His Sacrifice on the Cross, one that Abram anticipates in his offering of “a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon” (Genesis 15:9). Abram’s sacrifice was first fulfilled in the Law given to Moses, and finally by Jesus Himself. Let us live into that promise, believing that as baptized Christians, we are meant to be one of the stars of Abram’s descendants.In Christ’s Love, Susanna Read the readings for the Second Sunday of Lent:  First Reading // Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 Psalm // Psalm 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14. Second Reading // Philippians 3:17-4:1 Gospel // Luke 9:28b-36 Prayer Practice // How have you been transfigured into Christ’s likeness? How do you hope to be transfigured in this season?

March 14, 2025 // Friday of the First Week of Lent Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26 Reflect on the Word //  I don’t know about you, but for most of my life I have belonged to parishes of the humble variety. There are no towering ceilings, flying buttresses, or walls of colored glass. There are, however, plenty of cinder block walls, commercial carpeting, and felt banners in these churches. That is why I’m always struck by references to the temple in Jerusalem—especially in the Gospels, when Jesus refers to it. An awe-inspiring place meant for the worship of God, where the people would bring actual physical sacrifices and gifts in the forms of first fruits and animals.  To then hear Christ say, “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24), brings such a real importance to how we treat others we are in relationship with. To go through the planning and preparation of bringing our gifts to the temple, entering the holy of holies, offering what we have grown or created that we feel to be the best to God, only to have to leave it on the steps all because we’re mad at someone??  But the reality is, that whether our parish is a baroque cathedral or a newer suburban structure, there is a real sacrifice being represented at every Mass and we are meant to make our offering of ourselves along with Christ’s. So often we want our plans, our offerings to God, and our good works to be what God sees when we go to Church. But we can’t hide what is happening in our relationships from Him. How we treat everyone in our lives, from our spouse to strangers on the street, affects our hearts. God desires worship of our entire hearts given over to Him in love, and that means even the corners where we hold anger and resentment towards others. Relate to the Lord // What will you offer to the Lord today?  

March 13, 2025 // Thursday of the First Week in Lent Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 7:7-12 Reflect on the Word // I came into His Eucharistic Presence saying, Lord,  please give me energy. I don’t know how I’m going to make it through the night. I’m so tired. I went to Him needing more than a little break. A two-week cold/flu thing disrupted my plans for what was supposed to be a very simple party for a program I was running. That night was “go-time,” and in a few hours, over a hundred people would be on campus. I had been fighting discouragement mingled with brain fog all morning.  But I was so grateful He gave me the grace to pry away from the office to go to pray. When I looked up at Him to genuflect, my heart felt a familiar relief.  I exhaled as He reminded me that He is our gentle, good, Almighty God. I rested in that gaze, and He quietly responded by giving a gentle surge of energy. There You go being God! Thank you, Jesus! I was amazed. Then I felt Him say, You don’t ask Me to help you enough. I knew it was His voice because it was encouraging, simple, and without a tinge of condemnation. His goodness pierced my heart.  It is true, O Jesus, I can do nothing without you. It was a moment of profound reconnection.  “Ask and it will be given to you . . .” (Matthew 7:7). The Gospel passage today can feel so familiar that we tune it out. But when our good Jesus says, “Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish?” (Matthew 7:9-10) are we not struck to the core? Our dear Jesus doesn’t need you or me to work harder without Him. Our greatest talents are like everything else: pure gift. Our Jesus wants us to ask, seek, and knock because He wants us to spend our time—all of it—growing and learning how to live in, of, and with Him. He is the source of all life. He Himself will supply for our every need if only we ask.  Relate to the Lord // Turn to Jesus in faith and ask Him for what you need and desire today.

March 12, 2025 // Wednesday of the First Week in Lent Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Jonah 3:1-10 For one year, I knelt before our Eucharistic Lord every day just before six o’clock in the morning. Some mornings I was barely awake but I had to be there anyway. I was a postulant with cloistered Carmelites and my world was being rocked. I was deeply aware of my need for Him. I thought I knew what humility was. I thought I knew what it meant to rely solely on the Lord, until I realized that I did not. Every fiber in my being grew tired from hard labor, silence, prayer—some fun times too—yet I had to keep showing up. Bowing low before Him, I would ask Him to change me, to heal me, to help me on this new journey. He was the sign I was looking towards. When I read today’s account of the king rising from his throne, setting aside his robes, and putting on sackcloth to sit in ashes (see Jonah 3:6), I know that this awareness of my sin and repentance is something I must repeat daily. Not only while in Carmel discerning religious life, but also here and now in my daily tasks as wife, mother, sister, and daughter. I must look to the sign and change my ways to live differently (see Jonah 3:10). While I look upon Him, Jesus lovingly invites me to repent and rise from the throne of self-reliance. He helps me to take off the robe of shame, pride, and false humility, in order to put on His heart, His humility, His disposition.  I want to put on a spiritual sackcloth of repentance and sit in His presence, allowing Him to transform me in the Eucharist, through His Word, in the Sacraments, through day-to-day encounters, and in seasons of penance and fasting. I want to allow Him to be the sign, the One that changes the trajectory of my life—from halfway living to becoming fully alive—a Nineveh, repented and restored.  Relate to the Lord // Take time before bed tonight to talk to Jesus about when you were close to Him and when you chose to sin. Tell Him you are sorry and thank Him for His love. Consider making an examen at the end of the day as part of your daily routine.  

March 11, 2025 // Tuesday of the First Week of Lent Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11 Reflect on the Word // The first raindrop fell, and before I knew it, a soft drizzle enveloped me on my hike. The rain fell with a quiet rhythm, slowing time itself. Each warm droplet soaked into my hair and clothes, yet it did not hinder my progress or dampen my mood. The foliage deepened into shades of emerald green, and then, as if on cue, a rainbow stretched across the sky in all its glory. In that beautiful stillness, the rain was quietly doing its transformative work, nurturing the earth, making it fertile and ready for new life. This subtle yet powerful scene mirrored a deeper truth: God’s Word is like that rain—always transformative, never empty, always bringing forth new growth. Isaiah describes the Word of God as rain and snow that fall from Heaven, not to return until they have accomplished the task for which they were sent (see Isaiah 55:11). God speaks, and His Word works in our lives—quietly, faithfully, and persistently. It bears fruit. It nourishes. It changes things. Today, there is a deeper invitation to trust in the power of God’s Word in my life. Lord, Your Word is like rain. Let it water the dry places of my heart. Let it sink deeply into the soil of my soul, bearing fruit that will bring glory to You. Even when I don’t immediately see or feel the effect of Your Word, I can trust that You are at work. Help me believe, Lord, that Your Word is always achieving Your will in me, even when I can’t see it yet. God’s Word is always working in our lives. When we need nourishment, He sends His Word like rain to restore us. It is a Word of hope and action, never returning empty. So that we, too, can trust in the Word that works quietly and wonderfully in all of us. Relate to the Lord // Sit in silence for five minutes meditating on the Word today. Let it nourish and refresh you.

March 10, 2025 // Monday of the First Week of Lent Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 Reflect on the Word //  We were walking to the ballpark when my phone chimed. It was another hot desert day in July. My pregnant belly was starting to affect my stride, and I had traded my usual flip flops for tennis shoes. We stopped at the crosswalk and I looked at the message. It was our turn to cross. I tried to push through the unfortunate timing of the news, but the loud music and fan enthusiasm for the Savannah Bananas wasn’t enough to keep my head in the game. I even waddled over to take a picture with a banana cardboard cutout with the kids. The joy that radiated from kids of all ages was no match for the anger and betrayal that was muffling the excitement around me. Why couldn’t she have said this to me in person? We had been walking closely on our spiritual journey, and I felt betrayed by her actions. “You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. Though you may have to reprove him, do not incur sin because of him” (Leviticus 19:17). Help me, Lord, to take this grievance and leave it at the altar. “Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:18). The Lord shows me that I may not have the power to restore this severed relationship; however, I can allow forgiveness to seal the cracks of my heart to love, and hope that when I have wronged someone they will do it for me too. That’s not to say that the hurt isn't there, but God knows my desire isn’t to grow hatred.   This is the life of a Christian: to love and continue loving and learning to love our neighbor over and over again. Love is bigger than my human hurt and I know that because I see it when I look at Jesus crucified. He loves me and my neighbor, and He speaks this message of love to me straight to my heart and through the best kind of text message: Holy Scripture.  Relate to the Lord // If the Lord were to send you a loving text from Scripture today, what would it say?  

Saturday, March 8, 2025 Happy Saturday, friend! We are so excited to share with you what's coming up this week as we all prepare our hearts by praying with readings for Sunday, the day of rest with our Lord. Live Liturgically // This Week’s Feast Days Saturday, March 8 (today) // Optional Memorial of Saint John of God, Religious Sunday, March 9 // First Sunday of Lent Letter from the Editor //  Dear Sister, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13), Saint Paul writes to us on this First Sunday of Lent. In these Readings we see the merciful Heart of the Lord, hearing us, pursuing us, dying for us to be close to Him. He wants to lead us from the desert of our sin into the Promised Land. Jesus in the Gospel goes out to the desert for forty days, and we join Him there during Lent. While He goes to pray, He also encounters temptations—ones that appeal to His human needs and desires. And because His human will was always completely aligned to His divine will, He rebukes the tempter. But we, dear sister, are only human.   When we are tempted in the desert of our lives, we must rely on God’s help. In the First Reading, Moses tells the Israelites what to say when offering the first fruits of the Promised Land to the priest: “[The LORD] heard our cry and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. He brought us out of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 26:7-8). We can relate to these words, as we remember all the times the Lord has forgiven our sins, delivered us in moments of temptation, and brought us deeper into His Heart, which is for us a “land flowing with milk and honey” (Deuteronomy 26:9) and blood and water flowing from His wounded side. Let us cling to Him, and He will deliver us (see Psalm 91:14). In Christ’s Love, Susanna Read the readings for the First Sunday of Lent:  First Reading // Deuteronomy 26:4-10 Psalm // Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 Second Reading // Romans 10:8-13 Gospel // Luke 4:1-13 Prayer Practice // What temptations are you already facing this Lent? Tell Jesus about your struggles and ask Him to lead you through.  

March 7, 2025 // Friday after Ash Wednesday // Optional Memorial of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 9:14-15  Reflect on the Word // I will be the first to admit that fasting is not my favorite thing to do. I have complained and whined my way through many seasons of Lent and other fasting days throughout the liturgical year. My internal disposition is one of misery and pain rather than one of desire for growth in virtue. I have simply just avoided the concept of fasting.  In today’s Gospel, the disciples of John come to Jesus and ask why His disciples don't fast, so it seems evident that Jesus' disciples were not fasting while He was with them. Considering the importance of this tradition, it seems a bit peculiar. Jesus answers with a word picture. He says, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they?" (Matthew 9:15)  What was Jesus emphasizing? And what does He mean? He teaches us two things: one is that fasting was associated with mourning in that day. Most of all, it was meant to be an expression of an inner hunger for God. This is the second thing He teaches: The Messiah has come and His coming is like the coming of a bridegroom to a wedding feast. God has sent His Son, the Messiah, and He has come as the Bridegroom. They just can’t fast in this situation. The absence of fasting in the band of disciples was a witness to the presence of God in their midst. As Jesus foretold, the days then came in which the Bridegroom was taken from them, and then they did fast and suffer—and many became martyrs.  We live in a time of both knowing the Bridegroom is with us and waiting to be with Him fully in Heaven. There is great joy and grace that comes from seasons of fasting, because we know He has the victory. But we cannot forget why we’re fasting. May our prayer and fasting reveal a sorrow for our sins and an inner hunger for Him. And in the times where we don’t fast, may that, too, be a witness of the presence of God to those around you.  Relate to the Lord // What fast has the Lord invited you into this Lent? How is it revealing your hunger for Him?