June 3, 2026 // Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: 2 Timothy 1:1–3, 6–12 Reflect on the Word //  I bit my tongue a little harder. I wish my strides toward virtue were more sophisticated by now; however, in the moment when I wanted to respond to a family member with harshness, physical restraint helped.  I thought, You have a choice to make here, and that choice will have a lasting impact. Who do you want to be? I want to be rooted in the reality that I am God’s daughter. And I want to act like it. I want to consider my responses and to choose ones that reflect what I actually desire: to be more like my Father.  Saint Paul wrote today’s First Reading from prison. He was kept under lock and key because he would not keep his belief in Jesus Christ to himself. He was maligned and doubted, yet he had no doubt in the One for Whom he was imprisoned. Saint Paul was not afraid or deterred from what he wanted: life with Christ. Further, he encourages Timothy to bear his own share of hardship for the Gospel. How? Not by his own abilities or cleverness, but “with the strength that comes from God” (2 Timothy 1:8).  This strength is the opposite of cowardice. In fact, it is this strength, poured out by the Holy Spirit, that allows God’s children to move in “power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).  I am not locked in prison like Saint Paul. But I can suffer my own share of hardship for the Gospel each day.  Every time we hold our tongues through self-control, every time we understand the power of our actions, and every time we choose to respond in love, we live by the Holy Spirit.  In these little sufferings—in these little deaths to self—we become more like “our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life” (2 Timothy 1:10).  Relate to the Lord // Ask the Holy Spirit to be with you in all of your interactions today.

June 2, 2026 // Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time // Optional Memorial of Saints Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Psalm: Psalm 90:2, 3-4, 10, 14, and 16 Reflect on the Word //  Utterly drained, I climbed into bed, turned my heart toward the Lord, and let the tears come. Nothing was seriously wrong—just a hard, ordinary day: congested traffic, school calls, messes from the littlest one, sibling squabbles, and a to-do list left unfinished. In more moments than I’d like, I lacked the virtue to carry it well. These are my days. This life with my family is what I longed for, yet its demands draw out my impatience. Too often, my vices outweigh my gratitude—and I find myself in tears. I relate to the words of the psalmist in today’s Responsorial Psalm: “Seventy is the sum of our years, or eighty, if we are strong, And most of them are fruitless toil, for they pass quickly and we drift away” (Psalm 90:10). They are the perfect expression of what I feel at this moment. But I do not want to wallow, nor to remain focused on myself and my brokenness. I want light. I want the fruit that comes from abiding in God’s vine. And so my tears become my gift of prayer to my Lord. Aloud I say (reminding myself), “In every age, O Lord, you have been [my] refuge” (Psalm 90:1). I cling to the promise of that refrain. As I pray, I picture myself at daybreak, waiting for God’s kindness to come and shine upon me. Light splits the horizon, and I plead that it may also split my weary heart. Sister, emptiness is difficult—especially when a season lasts longer than we’d like. But emptiness has a purpose too. It makes room to be filled. The question is what we will pour into our ache. There is only one true remedy for our pain; it lies waiting for us in the refuge of Jesus. Relate to the Lord // Make this Psalm your prayer today: “In every age, O Lord, you have been [my] refuge” (Psalm 90:1).

June 1, 2026 // Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: 2 Peter 1:2-7 Reflect on the Word //  A few years after I was married, I bought a custom print for our home with an excerpt from the Second Reading from our wedding Mass. It was from Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans, where he encourages us to “[h]old fast to what is good; love one another . . . outdo one another in showing honor . . . Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:9–12). I love encouragement and lists like these, and the rhythm it seems to have when you read through it. It reminds me to live out these practices in the daily rhythms of my life—not necessarily like a box to check on my to-do list, but as something to consider, to always remember—as I go about my day.  We see this same rhythm in today’s First Reading from Saint Peter’s second letter, in which he offers an encouraging list of his own, urging us to “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love” (2 Peter 1:5–7).  Peter was nearing the end of his life and wanted to encourage Christians that striving for holiness and faithfulness is worth it. I think he was specifically encouraging us to be intentional about it throughout our days—to make the fruits that he mentions something we intentionally plant in our lives, nurture, and continue to share with others. These things, like the most beautiful flowers in a garden, can’t grow accidentally, but only with care and devotion. Relate to the Lord // What fruit do you want to bear in your character and life? Make a list and consider how, by God’s grace, you can cultivate these virtues.

May 30, 2026 // Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Mark 11:27-33 Reflect on the Word // My husband is a master conversationalist. We met in grade school, so I can accurately say that he has developed this gift for deep and meaningful conversation over many years of practice. I attribute it to his gift for making friends with other men who love to talk about meaningful things. Yes, he can chat about sports or movies, but he really comes into his own when talking about politics or social issues. He is naturally curious about the thoughts of others and unemotional about his viewpoints. I am happy to sit back quietly and witness his gift for encouraging people to get beyond the rhetoric or dichotomous thinking and into a deeper reflection on the true issues and complexity of the situations being discussed. Jesus’s words in today’s Gospel remind me very much of my husband’s style. He answers one question with another question. Jesus refuses to be baited into answering a question that He does not desire to answer at that moment. He knows the motivation of those who ask Him and recognizes the consequences of answering the question.  Jesus knows the intent of the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders who approach Him. They do so with accusation in their hearts. And after posing a counter question, Jesus rightly refuses to answer them. Everyone is not entitled to know everything, especially when it could be damaging for a situation or a relationship. And this is true for your life too. You can refuse to answer the questions of others. Not everyone is entitled to know everything about you and your life, your thoughts or your ideas. You can retain some privacy, even when engaged with a master conversationalist. The world generally does not appreciate the truth.  The Lord wants us to be free to process and know the truth, to bring our thoughts to Him. When it comes to the Lord, however, don’t refuse Him. He is worthy of our time and attention. He is always ready to talk, to listen, and to help us come to a deeper understanding of ourselves and of Who He is in our lives. Relate to the Lord // Spend some time in prayer today speaking to Jesus honestly from your heart. What do you want to share with Him? Listen for His loving response.

May 29, 2026 // Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time // Optional Memorial of Saint Paul VI, Pope Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Mark 11:11-26 Reflect on the Word //  I paused as the word on the page leapt out at me: “home.” Heart racing with joy, I quickly jotted down what I perceived the Lord was revealing to me—this word, and no other, was what He wanted to use to shape and sanctify my soul in the year to come.  A common spiritual practice among Catholics, adopting a word (and Saint!) of the year had recently become one of my favorite ways to partner with God’s plans for my life and ponder the hard questions necessary to grow in holiness.  This year was no different. While “home” held many connotations known only to Christ and me, it also challenged my heart to examine my domestic habits. Did I recognize my home as holy ground? Was I rightly honoring it as a sacred space set apart for loving and serving Him and others? Or was a proper table-turning cleanse in order (see Mark 11:15)?  “My house shall be called a house of prayer [. . .] But you have made it a den of thieves” (Mark 11:17). In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls out the inordinate worldly customs eclipsing the honor due to His Father alone, and He is swift to deconstruct the “den of thieves” that His beloved sons and daughters have built outside of worshiping Him.         Friend, what are the “thieves” that rob your attention, your time, your headspace, your heart? The Lord is well aware of what is in us and what needs to be driven out. What if we invited Jesus to purge everything in us that is not of Him? What if it could be said of our souls, “He did not permit anyone to carry anything through” (Mark 11:16)? What if we could be fully cleansed by and for His love?  Sister, we can be.  In my holy imagination, I picture it playing out like this: Entering the temple area of our hearts, Jesus “[looks] around at everything” (Mark 11:11) and, pleased with what He sees, exclaims, “My house is, indeed, a house of prayer.” And we, His unworthy hosts, respond with joy, “Welcome home.”  Relate to the Lord // Welcome Jesus into the home of your heart again and again today.

May 28, 2026 // Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Mark 10:46-52 Reflect on the Word //  The nurse gently wheeled me into the recovery room, and the light blurred as my eyes fluttered open post-surgery. Shapes came before clarity. Sound before sight. Soft, muddled voices floated past as we moved down the hall. The steady beeping of monitors. Doors opening and closing. The quiet rhythm of wheels rolling beneath me. I couldn’t see clearly yet, but I was aware—deeply aware—of my environment, even if I couldn’t fully perceive it. Though my vision lagged behind, I had faith that this was where I needed to be in order to heal. Bartimaeus, though he could not see, knew and believed that he was exactly where he needed to be to receive the healing he had desired for so long. He cries out, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me” (Mark 10:47). He is silenced, and yet persists. It is his persistence in faith that draws Jesus’ attention as Bartimaeus calls out all the more. Jesus literally stops in His tracks. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asks (Mark 10:51). And Bartimaeus replies without missing a beat, “Lord, let me receive my sight” (Mark 10:51). Bartimaeus, though blind, was familiar with his surroundings. He listened to the crowd. He heard the name of Jesus and saw with his heart. How did he know of Jesus? Had Jesus passed him by before? Had he asked to be healed before? How long had he waited for this moment? Bartimaeus did not wonder if Jesus could heal him— he already knew. It is through Bartimaeus’ direct request that I realized that I often approach Jesus with caution, reluctance, and doubt—is my need worthy of Jesus’ attention? What if He doesn’t come through? How long must I persist? Jesus will not pass you by. He never has and never will. Perhaps we keep trying to make sense of our circumstances with our physical eyes, and He's inviting us—instead—to see with our hearts. We can trust Him with our healing. We can let go of control today and, like Bartimaeus, believe that He will not pass us by. Relate to the Lord // Have you been reluctant to share with God how you feel and what you need? Tell Jesus about it.

May 27, 2026 // Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time // Optional Memorial of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: 1 Peter 1:18-25 Reflect on the Word //  I can still smell VoVo’s Old Spice aftershave, see his face, and hear his distinctive Portuguese accent: “Hello, Beautiful!” To his dying day that is how my paternal grandfather greeted me whenever I saw him. Isn’t that what every girl wants to hear? “You are beautiful. You are lovely, worthy, precious, beloved.” I didn’t know it for the thirty-two years I had my grandfather in my life, but he formed my identity, reminding me of my beauty and my belovedness whenever he saw me. I hear the echo of that truth when I encounter the Scriptures, even today. In every line there is a proclamation to us from our Savior reminding us that we are loved and even worth fighting for to the ultimate price—His Blood (see 1 Peter 1:19). Some people talk about Scripture as a love letter from God. His every word pouring out upon us the truth of our identity, the reality that in Him alone we can firmly anchor our faith and our hope (see 1 Peter 1:21). Beloved, you were ransomed with the Precious Blood of Christ (see 1 Peter 1:18). A precious ransom is not offered for something that is not precious. One is not ransomed with something precious if she is not precious. That we are bought and freed with His Blood reveals that we are worth the most perfect offering. We are worth the Blood of the spotless, unblemished lamb (see 1 Peter 1:19). You have been washed and born anew in that sweet tide flowing from the Heart of the Word, which neither withers nor fades. You have been brought into an imperishable life, proclaimed to you by the mouth of the Lord, the Word Who remains forever (see 1 Peter 1:25). How often we lose sight of the beauty given us by God, of our belovedness that flows from a rebirth in Christ. The Lord’s Word covers us today, reminding us of our worth, our identity, our beauty, our belovedness. May you remember again that you are one who has been made pure through love and born anew: ransomed, redeemed, and restored.  Relate to the Lord // Read and pray with today’s First Reading: 1 Peter 1:18-25. Reflect on His personal love for you.

May 26, 2026 // Memorial of Saint Philip Neri, Priest Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: 1 Peter 1:10-16 Reflect on the Word // It is a weighty matter to tell a child about a sin. As a student teacher this past year and as a mother of three teens, a ten-year-old, and a newborn, I have found myself often in the position of advising young people in moral matters. It almost seems easier at times to let them continue on in ignorance than to shape their consciences with advice and God’s law. But on the other hand, as a parent and educator, I have been given a special call to share the Good News and to trust the Holy Spirit to guide me in saying the true and correct thing. Our first pope, Saint Peter, writes about the prophets in the First Reading, how they knew that the words they were being given were for the salvation of the souls of those to whom they spoke. The Holy Spirit was sent to them to show them what to say. The Holy Spirit is also sent to us, and in our Baptism we are also prophets, called to listen for God’s promptings and speak the truth to others. The Lord tells us to “[b]e holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). And He does not abandon us to do this alone. When we set our hopes on His grace, we can trust that He will help us lead others out of the darkness of ignorance. We can trust that those who receive our advice will have the help they need to live in the light of truth. Only when we know the truth can we live in true freedom. Sister, the world will always tempt us to take the easy way out—to look the other way when we notice people doing wrong (even our children or students) or to give into slothful negligence of our own duties. But we are no longer ignorant. We are meant to live in the light of truth. We are meant to be holy, and He Who calls us will help us every step of the way. Relate to the Lord // Ask the Holy Spirit to inspire your words today. Strive to speak with truth and charity. 

May 25, 2026 // Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church // Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 19:25-34 Reflect on the Word // There’s a glorious place I go in imaginative prayer: a cozy cottage at the base of a heavenly castle, which just so happens to be Mary’s house. There, I not only visit and learn from her, but get to live with and be mothered by her. I have a room of my own and know the grounds by heart. I’ve had pivotal conversations with Saints at backyard garden parties. On sick days Mother Mary stands vigil, tenderly caring for me. On desolate days, she helps me revisit hard memories and find lasting healing. I don’t have the greatest imagination, so praying this way takes extra effort—but the Lord blesses those efforts to help me truly know our Lady, who leads me ever closer to the Heart of Jesus. No mother and child have ever loved each other more than Jesus and Mary. In their generosity, we’re invited directly into this love by Jesus’ words from the Cross in today’s Gospel: “Woman, behold your son. [. . .] Behold, your mother” (John 19:26-27).  Here, at the Foot of Christ’s Cross, Mary becomes the Mother of all humankind—teaching us what it truly means to be part of God’s family. In her agony of heart, our Lady stands firm at the Foot of the Cross for boundless love of her Son. In His excruciating Passion, Christ lovingly spends His last breaths for His precious Mother. Seeing her profound grief, Jesus selflessly entrusts Mary with a new joy, a greater mission, an all-encompassing motherhood.  He commends His own Mother to His beloved disciple, and by extension, all of us—so desperate for a pure mother’s love. He then gives His newborn Church to her, for her joy as the perfect mother lies in giving herself for the good of her children. It is here at the Cross that Mary irrevocably becomes your Mother too. Here, she waits patiently with open arms—inviting you into her life, her home, her heart. Here, she comes to listen to you, comfort you, and console you. Here, she remains—to forever guide you to the Love of Jesus that you were made for.  Relate to the Lord // Spend some time with our Lady in imaginative prayer. Where are you? What does she have to say to you?

May 23, 2026 // Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 21:20-25 Reflect on the Word //  My husband and I were seated at a restaurant, planning celebrations for each month of the year in honor of our fifty years together as husband and wife. Suddenly, qualms about what others might think of our plans intruded into my thoughts. When I voiced these qualms to my husband, he redirected me back to our life together and God’s faithfulness to us, reminding me that it’s ultimately Him we are celebrating. In today’s Gospel, Peter and the other disciples have been with the Risen Christ all day. They’ve eaten breakfast with Him on the seashore and Peter has thrice clearly professed his love for Jesus, after which Jesus commands Peter to follow Him. Something about seeing John leads Peter to ask, “What about him?” (John 21:21) But Jesus patiently redirects Peter: “What concern is it of yours? You follow me” (John 21:22) . Part of me cringes at Jesus’ response to Peter. Then a question arises. Do I sometimes cloak my own inordinate concerns about others’ lives under the guise of compassion while forgetting the one thing Jesus asks of me in the moment? When I look again, I see Jesus’ patience and kindness toward both Peter and John. He knows well their temperaments and gifts  and asks of each only what they can give. Following, for John, is not the same as it is for Peter; each disciple’s relationship with God is distinctive. Each has their role to play in God’s plan for them and for the world. It’s the same for you and me, dear sister. We each have an essential and unique role in God’s plan. We needn’t be scared of what He may require. He takes into account our temperaments, our experiences and our gifts and provides everything we need. He only asks us to follow wherever He leads.  Relate to the Lord // Where has comparison been sneaking in and stealing your peace? Tell Jesus about it and rest in His unique and perfect love for you.

May 22, 2026 // Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter // Optional Memorial of Saint Rita of Cascia, Religious Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel for the Memorial of Saint Rita: Luke 6:27-38 As we made the Sign of the Cross and began to thank God for the day, my husband shifted the prayer to intercede for someone who had passed away. It was a person few would think to pray for; others might feel repulsion at the thought. Yet, at that moment, my husband’s heart was not filled with opinions, politics, prejudices, or judgment. His heart was filled with mercy. “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you” (Luke 6:27-28). This was not a recommendation. It was a command given by the One we proclaim is King and Lord. He asks me to love my enemy and do them good (see Luke 6:35).  The greatest good I have and could wish for another is the Lord. Therefore, to pray for my enemies, to beg for mercy for them, to intercede on their behalf is me giving the best gift I have (see Luke 6:38) and it returns in abundance to me. To pray for my enemy—to wish them good even when I don’t feel that they deserve it or when my emotions would have me do or say otherwise—this act of obedience to His call and the work of His grace in me, blesses them and changes me. I am transformed by His mercy to the measure that I can be merciful and forgiving to others, especially to the ones who are my “enemies.”  Yet, the “enemy” we are called to love (see Luke 6:27) is not always the big bad monster that first comes to mind. The enemy that needs loving is sometimes simply our neighbor who let her dog walk on our lawn, the stranger who drove past us drenching us with dirty rain water, or the colleague who made rude remarks about our efforts. Sometimes the enemy that needs loving, forgiving, prayers, and mercy looks a lot more like ourselves than we’d like to admit.  May we ask the Lord for strength to be kind and merciful as He is. So that in giving mercy radically, we might also receive it generously (Luke 6:35,48). Relate to the Lord // Today’s Saint, Saint Rita, forgave the men who killed her husband (source). Ask her to intercede for you to have a more forgiving heart. Saint Rita, pray for us.

May 21, 2026 // Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter // Optional Memorial of Saint Christopher Magallanes, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 17:20-36 Reflect on the Word // When I think of the most memorable moments where I have heard God’s voice speaking directly to me, it was when I was alone in prayer, probably on a random weekday. No momentous occasion or harrowing event, no dramatic conversion experience, just simple words spoken specifically to me with the intimacy and love only Jesus can give. When I let the words of Jesus’ prayer from today’s Gospel wash over me, I am astounded by how beautifully He expresses His love for me. It truly is amazing that the God Who created a fully functioning and ordered universe from star nebulae to the intricacies of particles would become human and feel and express such love for me. My impulse is to wish that I could respond in a more fabulous fashion. What have I to give? How do I respond when my life is so ordinary? But through Jesus’ very words, “Father, they are a gift to me, I wish that where I am they also may be with me” (John 17:24), comes the answer I am looking for in how to respond to such immense love: to simply be with Jesus. To desire to be with the Lord and to love Him in return is all that I need to do. I can’t create with powerful gestures or perform miracles to show God that I love Him. But I can live in the truth that I was created as a gift, a gift by and for the Lord. I have been created by the Father, and given as a gift to the Son through love!  We can spend our whole lives discovering and understanding what it means to be one with the Lord through the gift of our existence. We may uncover it slowly day by day, through the very small and the very ordinary. Because it is not through grand gestures that we become one with the Lord, but through simply loving Him. Relate to the Lord // What would it look like to simply be with Jesus today? 

May 20, 2026 // Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter // Optional Memorial of Saint Bernardine of Siena, Priest Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel for the Memorial of Saint Bernardine: Luke 9:57-62  Reflect on the Word // “Imagine how Jesus must feel.” I was surprised when Father seemingly diverted the conversation away from my heart to Jesus’. Spiritual direction had been tender over the last few days of my silent retreat, but through it all His Sacred Heart was there to console me. There it was in an image above my bed in the retreat center, delicately painted in deep red and gold on the chapel tabernacle, exposed on His chest from a statue in the garden. The Sacred Heart of Jesus, it seemed, had been given to me from Heaven as the theme for my retreat.  And as wounds came up, my longings and hopes, I began to see that not only was His Sacred Heart being offered to me in my need, but that He wanted me to offer Him my heart back. I had been invited to share in His own wounds, longing, and hope. Today’s Gospel for the Optional Memorial of Saint Bernardine is full of would-be followers of Jesus. They’ve been invited but, like us, they already have full lives. Responsibilities, desires, and fears keep them from responding to Jesus fully. Perhaps we, too, think we could follow Him radically if we had more time . . . Once we graduate, or when the kids are grown, or after we finish the new season of our favorite show, then we will have more time for prayer. But time ticks on and Jesus’ Heart is left out in the cold. We stare at our phones instead of looking into His eyes in daily prayer. We drive past the church or Adoration chapel because we only have a few minutes anyway. We favor a podcast (yes, even a Catholic one) over communing with Him in silence. I do it too. And all the while “the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head” (Luke 9:58). But friend, there is no better time to follow Jesus than today. We have no greater need of His help than we do right now. And there is no more satisfying reward than His friendship. Choose Him. Say yes to following Jesus today and every day after. In doing so, He will heal your heart and you will console His. Relate to the Lord // Look up images of the Sacred Heart today. Which one resonates with you and why? 

May 19, 2026 // Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Acts 20:17-27  Reflect on the Word //  Dinners with my college roommate are some of my most cherished memories. The two of us shared a cramped, corner apartment with a cracked window and a long hallway trek. Our schedules looked vastly different by day, but by the evening, we both ended up back in our living room, perched on floor cushions and chatting about life. She is not Catholic. So at first, I was tempted to water down stories from Bible study and revelations in prayer. But as time went on, and she began to ask me more questions about my faith, I realized that my friend wanted to know me deeper. She was not shrinking from the truth, but I was. In today’s First Reading, Paul, preparing to depart, boldly addresses the elders of the Church in Ephesus saying, “I did not at all shrink from telling you what was for your benefit” (Acts 20:20). Paul, having experienced a life-changing conversion himself, saw people as the Lord sees them—curious and deserving of the Gospel. He relentlessly pursued their hearts and hid nothing from them, because he recognized all that he had been given as a gift to be shared.  At times, our lives with God can become detached from our lives with friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. We say that we are walking with the Lord, but we leave Him at the door of dinner parties, work events, and college classes. Our Lord wants to be invited into these spaces. He wants to know our friends, and their curious hearts crave to know Him. This doesn’t always look like preaching the Gospel from a podium, but it often sounds like sharing encouraging, biblical truths to an anxious friend, or asking a colleague what drives their purpose. You can bring Jesus into fluorescent-lit rooms and crowded restaurants, surfing the natural ebbs and flows of conversation and paying heed to His gentle nudges to share His Word. Our Heavenly Father does not want you to hold back, for He has entrusted much to His humble servant. Relate to the Lord // Where have you been holding back with the Lord or in your life? Talk to Him about it today.

May 18, 2026 // Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter // Optional Memorial of Saint John I, Pope, Martyr Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 16:29-33  Reflect on the Word // I pulled into a parking spot and turned off my car, reaching for my phone to check voice memos. Alone on an errand, I finally had space to listen to my friend’s message. During a season of brokenness and sorrow, I needed her voice of reassurance. “Let’s look for little miracles each day. We’ll share them with each other and find hope together,” she said. We also agreed to seek Saint Josemaria Escriva’s intercession. His words, “Cling tightly to our Lord's hand and remember that God does not lose battles,” inspired us (Friends of God, 214). He became our go-to prayer warrior as we praised God for His work in our lives and petitioned Him to help us with our struggles. Saint Josemaria’s confidence in the Lord echoes Jesus’ own words from the Gospel. I imagine the scene: eleven of His most-trusted companions sitting together for Passover in the Upper Room, listening to Jesus teach them. Jesus’ life had been threatened; yet, He came to Jerusalem anyway. Some Apostles appear uneasy. “In the world you will have trouble,” Jesus says, and the Apostles’ heads nod in agreement. I, too, nod my head in agreement. So many troubles, Lord. Jesus continues, “. . . but take courage, I have conquered the world” (John 16:33). Every time I read the words, I exhale and release some stress. Jesus offers peace and tells me to have courage. Not anxiety, not fear, not self-pity. Courage, because He has already won all the battles. I’ve practiced a quiet kind of courage, actively looking for God’s work in my life, like my friend and I did. When I see God at work, I learn to trust His way. The more I trust, the more cooperative I am to follow where He leads me, and the closer I walk with Him.  Courage, I find, is clinging tightly to the Lord. Our lives may be messy and chaotic, doubts may threaten our faith, fears may steal our peace. But no troubles can undo Jesus’ work, ruin His plan, or overwhelm Him. Our Lord doesn’t lose battles, sister. He has already conquered the world. Let us take courage in Him. Relate to the Lord // Cling tightly to the Lord today. What might that look like?

May 16, 2026 // Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 16:23b-28 Reflect on the Word // Recently, our friends experienced a deep and sudden loss in their family. Their younger sister, beloved aunt, baby daughter—in other words, someone whom they were in no way prepared to lose—was snatched from life too soon. As I grieve with and pray for them, I’m brought back in memory to the sudden loss of my husband just over five years ago, and how excruciating it has been to guide my children through their grief. I want to believe that I have something to offer, some wisdom to share, but I still find myself grappling with Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel: “Whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you” (John 16:23b). My little daughter once asked me how that could be true, since the only thing she wanted was her daddy back. I was speechless, praying silently that the Holy Spirit would offer her solace where I couldn’t. But little by little I have come to see that Jesus wasn’t giving us a magic word, a formula for getting whatever we want whenever we want it. He was teaching us to pray, as he did in the Sermon on the Mount, “your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven” (Matthew 6:10). When we ask in Jesus’ name, we are not asking for our will to be done, but for our will to be conformed to the Father’s. Recall Jesus’ words in Gethsemane: “not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus promises, “ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete” (John 16:24b). What would that look like? Total gratitude for the present moment. This day’s opportunity to share Christ’s life and love with everyone we meet. Honest and humble acknowledgement of our own littleness, because “when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10b). Relate to the Lord // Be honest with the Lord about what you desire. Holding it up to the Father, pray with Jesus, “Not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).

May 15, 2026 // Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter // Optional Memorial of Saint Isidore [in the dioceses of the United States] Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 16:20-23  Reflect on the Word // As I walked, my pace matched the dreariness of the sky, reflecting the darkness that enveloped my heart. It was the first week of Lent, and the weight of my suffering felt unbearable. Yet, the Lord in His generosity would surprise me with glimmers of the Resurrection. Whether it was a rainbow, a blooming flower, laughter, etc., I was surprised to experience these bits of joy, during such a dark time in my life. Little did I know, joy doesn’t depend on my circumstances, but it deeply depends on Him.  In today’s Gospel, Jesus communicates the reality of suffering to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve” (John 16:20). However, Jesus isn’t inviting his disciples to fall into despair, but to hope. He continues, “Your grief will become joy” (John 16:20). Jesus isn’t promising His disciples that it’ll be easy, but He’s also promising that joy is to be experienced, which is what I received during that Lent. He didn’t create me to remain melancholic on this earthly pilgrimage, but to live into an abundant life with Him here on earth, and, one day, fully in Heaven. The joy He speaks of can only be provided by Him, and it doesn't depend on my circumstances or how I feel. Through His generosity, this gift of joy will never grow weary or become outdone. It’s a supernatural joy that will never be taken away (see John 16:22), and can shine though the darkest of places.  Sister, don’t be afraid to ask the Lord for an increase of joy this Easter. Jesus invites us to ask, “Whatever you ask the Father in my name He will give you” (John 16:23). We can’t produce this joy ourselves. True joy cannot be experienced or received without Him. It’s not scarce or restricted. The Lord Himself will provide it, and provide abundantly.  Relate to the Lord // Go on a joy treasure hunt today. Let Jesus surprise you with rainbows, flowers, or laughter–whatever delights your heart!