July 18, 2026 // Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time // Optional Memorial of Saint Camillus de Lellis, Priest [In the Dioceses of the United States]

Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel for the Memorial of Saint Camillus de Lellis: John 15:9-17

Reflect on the Word // 

I love You, Lord, but . . .

The word but is a conjunction to set up contrasting thoughts, and too often it comes up in my conversations with the Lord. 

I love You, but . . .

I know Your will, but . . .

I trust You, but . . .

Whatever follows the word but is a contrasting thought: 

I love You, but I really don’t want to do what You are asking me to do. 

I know Your will, but I really want this other thing. 

I trust You, but I grow impatient. 

How would my prayer life look different if I simply put a period where I use the word but? I love you. I trust you. I believe you. No contrasting thoughts, just expressions of love, trust, faith. 

Jesus’ words in the Gospel today sound so simple. He invites us to remain in His love and assures us that if we keep His commandments, we will remain in His love (see John 15:9-17). The greatest of these commandments, of course, is to love God with all our hearts, our minds, and our strength.  

We remain in that love simply by loving Him with our entirety.

When we find ourselves using the contrasting conjunction but in our prayer, it is a sign that we are struggling to love Him fully. We need to take that to deeper prayer, because it is likely that we are spiritually attached to something of this world that is preventing us from fully remaining in His love. 

We all desire to remain in God’s love. Yet keeping His commandments in order to do so can be hard. The day-to-day temptations of life can press on us. Always remember that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is there waiting for each of us, allowing us to clear away the obstacles that keep us from receiving and remaining in God’s love. 

Relate to the Lord // What is  your “but”? Journal about what’s keeping your from loving or trusting God.