August 25, 2025 // Optional Memorial of Saint Louis of France // Optional Memorial of Saint Joseph Calasanz, priest
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8b-10
Reflect on the Word //
My parents didn’t talk about God much while I was growing up. We said our prayers at night and before dinner, went to our neighborhood Protestant church each Sunday, and participated in the life of our congregation. Serving was simply expected, so Sundays were often much longer than just the one-hour service.
I grew up exploring the old mission-style building that housed our Sunday school and fellowship hall, searching for secret passages and playing hide-and-seek. We baked cookies for the fellowship hour, and my parents volunteered in the choir, nursery, stewardship committee, and diaconate. My dad played racquetball with the pastor, and the congregation watched me grow up—even hosting a wedding shower for me. The church was truly an extension of our family.
Saint Paul wrote in today’s First Reading, “Our Gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction” (1 Thessalonians 1:5). The Gospel was lived out on those church grounds as we developed a heart for service by witnessing the faithful service of my parents. It was also lived out in our home, where my parents prayed quietly and lived their faith with humble conviction. Their faith, commitment to the Lord, and deep love for one another were evident to all—both within our little nuclear family and beyond.
Now, in the twilight of her life, my mother often reflects on their legacy of faith, which has been passed down through the generations. Her reflection causes me to pause and ask: What will my legacy of faith be? As a writer and speaker, my proclamation of the Good News often comes through words—but if not empowered by the Holy Spirit, they are just that: words. Some of us find it easy to speak about the Lord and our faith, while others live it quietly, through consistent action and love. But all of us are invited to serve the living and true God each day in our own way, persevering and united in prayer. And the legacy we leave will be found in the hearts of those who witnessed our lives.
Relate to the Lord // Reflect with the Lord on what you want your legacy of faith to look like.
Dr. Mary Ruth Hackett is a writer, national speaker, and podcast host covering topics in psychology and faith. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology and works at the important intersection of faith and developmental science, blending them in the original harmony God intended. Dr. Mary Ruth is the author of Daughter by Design: Discovering Your Identity as God's Beloved Daughter, and co-coauthor of Spiritual Discernment for Beginners: Learning to Hear God and Defeat the Lies of the Enemy. She is a contributing author to All She Had and our children’s devotional prayer book called Rise Up. Find out more about her here.
Walk With Us this Advent
Get Your Prayerful Planner
