September 1, 2025 // Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Luke 4:16-30 Reflect on the Word //  My family was in the midst of immense, simultaneous hardship—from unemployment and family stress to health issues and the passing of my father-in-law. It was all too much to bear. During prayer, I begged God for a reprieve from the pain and suffering. But it did not come. As time went on and the hardship continued, my begging turned into rage against God and the difficult circumstances He was allowing. Similar to the response of the Nazareans in today’s Gospel, I was “filled with fury” when Jesus’ response was not what I wanted to hear (Luke 4:28). My heart closed off to His divine will, to His grace to endure, to the possible good that could come from such pain. Slowly, through the grace of God, I recognized that my resistance to the Lord was making my situation worse. By not accepting God’s will, I was not living in cooperation with “the Spirit of the Lord” working in my life (Luke 4:18). Instead, I was obstructing and protesting His movements, His grace, His ways of purification. In today’s Gospel, Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecy that proclaims Him as Messiah and Lord. Jesus came to save us, because we need saving. This life is too hard to bear on our own, but Jesus came to bear it with us on His Cross. Thus, Jesus came “to bring glad tidings to the poor [. . .] to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord” (Luke 4:18). And we are the poor to whom He brings glad tidings. We are the oppressed captives that He sets free. And when we turn inward and focus on our will, He restores our sight to see His. Today, my dear sister, as we pray with this Gospel passage, let us surrender our resistance, rise above our circumstances, and allow God’s grace to deepen our trust in Him. For He uses all things, even the hardships, for our greater good. Relate to the Lord // Do you relate to your heart being closed off to God’s will? Today, be honest with the Lord about what you truly feel and think.  

Saturday, August 30, 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, August 31 // Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Wednesday, September 3 // Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church Friday, September 5 // Optional Memorial of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Virgin Letter from the Editor //  Dear Sister,  On the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time we hear a call to “conduct your affairs with humility” (Sirach 3:17)—to see ourselves as little and as loved as we truly are, created by an omnipotent God Who gave us all we have. But He is also a God Who wants to give us more and more. He wants us to love and serve Him humbly, so that He can raise us up beside Him in Heaven at the “wedding banquet” that will be our life in Heaven. Like those in the Gospel, we are “the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind” who are invited to the Lamb’s Supper and are unable to repay the Lord for the gift of being created by Him, loved by Him, and redeemed by Him (Luke 14:13-14). He does not ask us to make ourselves great, but simply to receive and return His love.  He shows His love with His grace, which is a “bountiful rain” that is “showered down” upon us (Psalm 68:10). It is given to us through “Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant” and His “sprinkled blood” which makes the “spirits of the just” perfect (Hebrews 12:23-24). When we willingly receive this gift of grace, our lives are changed—we are changed now and into eternity. It is only because God humbled Himself to become a Man that we can now approach the heavenly Jerusalem, never fearing to touch and be touched by the living God in the Holy Eucharist where Heaven touches earth. Sister, let us humbly accept this gift and never take it for granted. In Christ’s Love,  Susanna Read the Readings for the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time:  First Reading // Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 Psalm // Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11 Second Reading // Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a Gospel // Luke 14:1, 7-14  

August 29, 2025 // Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 Reflect on the Word //  One of our sons recently came clean to my husband and me about a season in his life where he had been dishonest. Despite our best efforts to help him live in the light, he had been finding ways to break a few family rules and get away with sneaky behavior. “It feels so much better to not lie,” he sighed, talking about his shift. He felt the relief that comes with doing things the right way. My son and I ended up talking about rules and obedience, and how sometimes we think being obedient will be boring and restrictive, only to discover this virtue actually offers freedom. Sometimes we trust the rule to keep us from harm; and, other times, we go against what we should do and discover the hard way how it feels to make wrong choices. In today’s First Reading, Saint Paul, with Silvanus and Timothy, writes to the Thessalonians and encourages them to live with godly behavior: “Brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God—and as you are conducting yourselves—you do so even more” (1 Thessalonians 4:1). We are created to conduct ourselves to please God, to hold ourselves to a high standard, to become like Him through following Christ’s example on earth and obeying His commandments given to us in Scripture and Tradition. We learn a lot of this in our formative years when our parents guide us and teach us right from wrong. And then we spend a lifetime continually striving to do the right thing in our thoughts and actions and behaviors.  God doesn’t create these rules and this standard of godly behavior to make life boring and dull. Conduct that is pleasing to God is not only in our best interest—it sets us free to be fully alive and in union with Christ. We seek the Lord’s voice in any areas of growth He has in store for us, asking Him to guide our feet onto the path of peace.  Relate to the Lord // Have you been dishonest with someone or with the Lord? Let the truth set you free today. 

August 28, 2025 // Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13 Reflect on the Word // I was feeling worn out—heart tired in a way that even sleep couldn’t fix. I had been showing up, doing the next thing, but inside I felt spiritually dry and disconnected. I hadn’t had the energy to pray, and I honestly wasn’t sure if God saw me in it. Then a simple message popped up on my phone: “Thinking of you. God put you on my heart.” It came from a friend I hadn’t spoken to in weeks. I didn’t realize how much I needed it until tears welled up. That one act of faithfulness—listening to the Holy Spirit’s nudge—lifted the weight I’d been carrying. Her faith reminded me that I’m never forgotten, never walking alone. Even when I’m not feeling strong, someone else’s faith can steady me. In his letter to the Thessalonians, Saint Paul writes with Silvanus, and Timothy, “We have been reassured about you [. . .] through your faith. For we now live, if you stand firm in the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 3:7–8). Paul was going through distress and affliction, yet hearing about the steadfast faith of others brought him renewed life. That phrase—“we now live”—strikes a deep truth. It’s easy to believe our faith is just about us and God. But this passage reminds us how deeply communal faith is. When I couldn’t find words to pray, my friend’s simple obedience gave me the strength I didn’t know I needed. Paul doesn’t pray for control or even for outcomes—he prays that the Thessalonians' love would increase and abound, and that their hearts would be strengthened in holiness. Love is what holds us. Not polished perfection, but love rooted in Christ, overflowing into the lives of others. This is the kind of love that sustains us when we’re weary, the kind that revives us when we feel alone. We’re not meant to journey alone. Our faith—imperfect and ordinary as it may seem—can be the very thing that steadies someone else. When we respond to God’s nudge, when we love faithfully, we help others stand firm. And in doing so, we find that we ourselves are made more alive. Relate to the Lord // Whose friendship has reassured you? Thank the Lord for that person and let them know how much they mean to you.

August 27, 2025 // Memorial of Saint Monica Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 23:27-32 Reflect on the Word // I waited for her to say something, some sort of signal that would allow me to drop my guard and offer the truth of what I actually thought. Our conversation danced over all of the pleasantries while dinner dragged on in an awkward effort to find commonality. We spoke of future trips and powerful wins and mundane drudgeries. We talked our way around just about everything that didn’t matter while missing the truth at the heart of each of us.  Authenticity can be risky. It can open you up to misguided assumptions or unfair critiques. Frequently, we dodge expressing our heartfelt beliefs in an effort to protect ourselves, often at the expense of our faith. We want to be accepted and so we adjust our outward presence to mimic what we perceive as safe. We become the hypocrites in today’s Gospel, always shapeshifting ourselves to fit into a perfectly packaged mold with a shiny exterior, “like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth” (Matthew 25:27). The problem that we so often miss is that while we’re trying to find the right mold in exchange for the approval of the right person, we overlook the very unique space that God has crafted for our hearts. It is in that space that acceptance has already been given by the One Who matters most. And when we reject who He made us to be, we live in lies instead of the truth. When we rely on ourselves and who we want to be, we are dead inside and not alive in Him.  There is no reason to hide your heart, dear sister. So when you feel the need to craft a “whitewashed tomb” for yourself in order to be accepted, remember that acceptance has already been granted to you. And it is there that true authenticity can flourish.  Relate to the Lord // Where have you been tempted to create a facade? Tell the Lord about your desire to live more authentically.  

August 26, 2025 // Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Psalm: Psalm 139:1-6 Reflect on the Word // She will never know all I do for her. It’s the consuming thought I grappled with as I visited my grandmother at her memory care facility. Is it worth being here if she never remembers I came? I quickly snapped myself out of my ruminating and returned to my grandma and the flowers she held in front of her.  When I turned the corner, her smile had grown. As I handed her the bouquet of colorful daisies, her demeanor had shone brighter. Even though these things were true, I knew that by the next day, she would have forgotten I had come at all due to her dementia.  But if she doesn’t remember, does that mean this visit wasn’t worth it at all? The Lord reminds us through today’s Psalm that the answer is a resounding no.  “You know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar“ (Psalm 139:2). God knows us and everything about us, catching all those acts of kindness or faith that those around us miss or overlook. God knew I took time out of my weekend to visit my grandma. “You have searched me and you know me,” the Psalm reads, and it’s true. He sees and acknowledges every sacrifice, even if I don’t feel it deeply or hear it loudly in the moment, for “with all my ways you are familiar” (Psalm 139:3). The same is true for my grandmother—He sees her and knows her too—and spending time with her myself allows His love to shine through and be felt. While her mind may forget in this lifetime, her heart might remember in the next. Sister, God thoughtfully pursues knowing us, our hearts, our actions, and our intentions—and He’ll always remember. And when we offer these things to Him, uniting them to Christ’s saving act on the Cross, our acts of love have worth evermore in His eyes. And I can’t think of any better reward than to be personally seen and known by our Lord. We can rest in the knowledge that God sees all that we are and “knows the whole of it” (Psalm 139:4). Relate to the Lord // Read Psalm 139 slowly, maybe even out loud. Notice what verse or image sticks out to you and carry it in your heart throughout the day.  

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.  

Saturday, August 23, 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, August 23 (today!) // Optional Memorial of Saint Rose of Lima, Virgin Sunday, August 24 // Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Monday, August  25 // Optional Memorial of Saint Louis of France // Optional Memorial of Saint Joseph Calasanz, priest Wednesday, August 27 // Memorial of Saint Monica Thursday, August 28 // Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Friday, August 29 // Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist Letter from the Editor //  Dear Sister,  On this Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Readings open with a beautiful image of the Lord gathering people from “nations of every language,” and then sending from them fugitives out to “distant coastlands” so that His glory is proclaimed to the nations (Isaiah 66:18-19). We see how from before the coming of Christ, the Lord planned to bring all people to Himself and to His “holy mountain” to make an offering of worship (Isaiah 66:20). We see this same hope repeated by Jesus in the Gospel as He prophesies that “people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God” (Luke 13:29).  Sister, the Lord invites us to be a part of the people coming to live with Him forever. However, responding to His invitation is only the first step. The second step is the actual journey—the journey of our lives as daughters of God. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us how many will strive for Heaven “but will not be strong enough” (Luke 13:24). Thankfully, the Lord offers us His grace to help us on the way. He loves us so much as His children, that He helps us love Him more through offering us “discipline” which we receive with docility and let it change us. The Lord allows us to experience our hardships so that we can offer them to Him, unite them with Jesus’ redemptive act of suffering. They can become a means of sanctification if we “endure [our] trials as ‘discipline’” (Hebrew 12:7). When we think about it in this way we can see that “the fidelity of the LORD endures forever” (Psalm 117:2). In Christ’s Love,  Susanna Read the Readings for the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time:  First Reading // Isaiah 66:18-21 Psalm // Psalm 117:1, 2 Second Reading // Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13 Gospel // Luke 13:22-30

August 22, 2025 // Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14b-16, 22 Reflect on the Word // Usually, when I read the book of Ruth or hear her declaration of loyalty read at a wedding, I am drawn to the person of Ruth—the heroine and strong, faithful daughter-in-law who bound herself to Naomi and became the great-grandmother of King David and the ancestor of Jesus. But this time it is Naomi who comes into sharp focus. As I ponder the words departed, died, left, died also, good-bye, go back, abandon, and forsake, which are woven together in today’s First Reading in an almost dispassionate account of Naomi’s life, the themes of loss and bitter disappointment emerge. There is so much for Naomi to bear: exile from her native people and land of Israel, the deaths of her husband and sons, the loss of her second home in Moab, and the departure of her daughter-in-law Orpah. Scripture describes Naomi as “the woman [who] was left with neither her two sons nor her husband” (Ruth 1:5), underlining the dire circumstances of a destitute widow without social standing, protection, support, or financial provision. I can’t even imagine the deep grief, pain, and disappointment she experienced. In a place far away from the home and life she hoped for, she must have felt alone, forsaken, and afraid.  The Holy Spirit gently leads me to the places in my own heart that are filled with recent losses and bitter disappointments, which I have allowed to become occasions for complaining, self-pity, sadness, and fear. Jesus comes close and places His healing hand upon my battered heart. As He gently but firmly uncurls my fingers from tightly held plans and expectations, I surrender to Him again like our Blessed Mother Mary: Not my will, but Thy will be done. Naomi’s story ends with the hope and promise of a future restoration beyond what she could have imagined. Our stories, though tinged with hardship and loss, do not end there, but are meant to end in Heaven, being crowned as daughters of God like Mary on today’s feast. Sister, join me today in surrendering your litany of losses and disappointments to the only One Who can heal our hearts, fill what is empty, restore what is lost, and transform them into glorious possibilities.   Relate to the Lord // Is there a loss or disappointment in your life that keeps you from loving or trusting the Lord? Share your heart with Him.  

August 21, 2025 // Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope Read the Word// Open your Bible to today’s Psalm: Psalm 40:5, 6-10  Reflect on the Word // “Here I am Lord, I come to do your will (Psalm 40: 8-9),” I prayed, as usual, to begin my time with the Lord. But this day, I felt great resistance towards God’s will. I didn’t want to do it, to let go of the man who had been a great gift to me, a strong support and a wonderful friend throughout our dating relationship. I was reluctant to release someone who meant so much to me. We had shared so many treasured memories and walked with one another through a difficult season that had been blessed by our connection together. At the same time, the truth was, we were not the right fit for each other. We were not fully aligned on the matters that matter most. And although God had blessed our time together, I knew deep within my heart that God now wanted me to be honest, to let this relationship go, and to open myself to God’s best for me.  It is not always easy to follow the Lord’s will and have “ears open to obedience” (Psalm 40:7). At times, it can feel like following His will comes at a great cost and includes a heavy cross. We don’t know if the sacrifice will be worth it or if we will have the strength to do what God is asking of us. But situations do not always have to turn out to be as painful as we might think.  After mustering the courage to have that difficult conversation, I felt a great relief as well as peace. God came with His presence and poured out great blessings in my decision to align myself to His desires for me. Perhaps we truly can sing with the Psalmist, “To do your will, O God, is my delight!” (Psalm 40:9) When our hearts are aligned to God’s will for us, we will experience the richness of God’s peace and delight within us. We truly are blessed when we make the Lord our trust (see Psalm 40:5). Relate to the Lord // Pray the words from the Psalm from your heart: “Here I am Lord, I come to do your will” (Psalm 40: 8-9).  

August 20, 2025 // Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16 Reflect on the Word // The baby on one hip, I stirred the soup on the stove after adding a splash of cream. The toddler was begging for a snack while I assured him that dinner would be ready any minute and offered some veggies to munch on while he waited (he vehemently declined). The timer on the oven beeped at me that the rolls were ready. The six- and eight-year-old decided that the kitchen was the best place to play soccer. Weary from playing “obstacle course” while cooking, I ushered the family to the dinner table. At dinner, I listened to my daughter’s pre-teen drama, I ooohed and ahhhed at the right places as my sons talked about their new game. My husband and I told the kids about—what they call—the olden days in which we grew up. And after bedtime, I attempted an actual adult conversation with my husband. I gave my energy, time, love, and expertise to my family and patients all day. And I was exhausted. With the hum of the day in my veins, I attempted to fall asleep and, of course, insomnia hit. I placed myself in the presence of the Lord and in His gentleness and care; I imagined Him wrapping His arms around me and lulling me to sleep. “What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? [. . .] Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last" (Matthew 20:14-16). These words in today’s Gospel bring me comfort in knowing the Lord will pour His love back into me after I’ve poured myself into my family and work. I am the nine o’clock laborer, and the noon laborer, and the three o’clock laborer, and the five o’clock laborer (and let’s be honest, the 12 a.m. and 3 a.m. laborer too). We pour and labor and toil all day in our homes, our jobs, our communities, and our parishes. Yet, we still have more to give, because the Lord in His perfect generosity does not forget us. Wherever and whenever we labor in His vineyard, we are first in His eyes in the Kingdom of Heaven, and He will always give us what we need to give more. Relate to the Lord // Where do you need more grace to love and serve today? Ask Him and receive.

August 19, 2025 // Optional Memorial of Saint John Eudes, priest Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 19:23-30 Reflect on the Word // The smiling friar with a patchwork of different grays on his habit approached me and gave me a fatherly hug. He whispered, “I’m proud of you m’hija”—I was like a daughter to him and he was like a father to me. I wasn’t the only one. There were many “children” of this kind, fiery priest all around.  When I think about Jesus’ consoling yet challenging words in today’s Gospel, my mind goes immediately to all of the religious sisters and brothers I have been blessed to meet in my life. They have given up so much for Him and yet, they would be the first to tell others how much they have received in return. They vowed a life of poverty and have become truly rich in what matters before the Lord—rich in peace, devotion, love, repentance, selflessness. In leaving their comforts, their countries, families, and everything else, they gained hearts of singular devotion to Christ. They became poor to the things of the world so that they might “pass through the eye of the needle” (Matthew 19:24) and enter the Kingdom of God, which begins in this life. I think of these dear religious friends of mine with a bit of jealousy, if I am honest. Because I want more of their devotion, more of their time spent with Jesus in the Eucharist, more of their silence during prayer times, more of their fraternal correction to grow in virtue. Yet, in my life, I can see how the Lord has made me poor also; He has stripped me of comforts, of status, of relationships, of my own plans through my ordinary day-to-day. And in those moments, I can testify that the Lord truly gives us back a hundredfold.  Sister, we can ask Him today to make us more like them who have “given up everything and followed” Him (Matthew 19:27)—rich in love and poor in what matters to the world—that we may be under the sweetness of His yoke and enter into the goodness of His Kingdom which is His holy will—on earth, as in Heaven. Relate to the Lord // How have you experienced the richness of the Lord’s love and will?

August 18, 2025 // Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 19:16-22 Reflect on the Word // Several months before my husband and I became engaged, I was sitting at a dinner table with a group of friends and one of them was wearing a new sparkly ring. She had just recently gotten engaged herself  and she was one of the first people I knew who had, so I had all sorts of questions for her. Did she know this was coming? Did her boyfriend ask for her father's blessing? How did he know what ring size she was? I wanted to hear it all—especially the logistics and details. I was so curious—and, of course, while I was listening, I was thinking about my boyfriend and myself. This memory comes to mind today as I envision this young man who approached Jesus with great curiosity. One question and one answer didn't satisfy him. He asked for more—more details, more logistics. Perhaps he thought that's where he would find relief—in a certainty that he hoped he would reach in this discussion. But after his final question—which again, didn't satisfy—he walked away sadly.  Sometimes we might find ourselves asking questions to truly understand and uncover what God wants to share with us. Other times, I wonder: Are we asking questions only with the hope that the answer will be exactly what we want it to be, like this young man who was ultimately disappointed?  I'm grateful that Jesus welcomes our questions nonetheless. To be seeking Him and speaking to Him is always a good thing. And though we may not find the relief or certainty we hope for through our questions, we can keep coming back to the conversation—just to find Him.  He has shared His Word so that we can spend time with it every day, as He repeats to us what He said to this curious young man: "Come, follow me" (Matthew 19:21). And maybe, the young man found in himself what he needed in order to do what the Lord asked and did just that. Relate to the Lord // What question(s) do you have for the Lord? Bring them to Him—and then follow Him.

Saturday, August 16, 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, August 16 (today) // Optional Memorial of Saint Stephen of Hungary Sunday, August 17 // Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Tuesday, August 19 // Optional Memorial of Saint John Eudes, priest Wednesday, August 20 // Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church Thursday, August 21 // Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope Friday, August 22 // Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary Letter from the Editor //  Dear Sister,  In the Readings for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, we witness the zeal of Jesus to draw all people to Himself. “I have come to set the earth on fire!” He cries out in the Gospel (Luke 12:49). But He also recognizes the reality of free will and sin. The truth causes division, anger, and hate, because when we are attached to sin and set in our ways, we find the person who speaks the truth to be intolerable. Like the princes in the First Reading from Jeremiah, we tend to criticize someone who speaks the truth to us. Rather than humbly face our faults, we cast that person out and wish him or her to leave us alone. Only when we let the blazing fire of love burn away our selfish desires, do we become open to the Lord and the truth. With the example of the “cloud of witnesses” of the Saints who came before us to those running this race alongside us, we are not alone in our desire to become holy; we can be inspired and helped by our fellow members of the Body of Christ to “rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us” and “persevere in running the race” (Hebrews 12:1). Within the Church and united to Jesus, we will endure His Cross with Him, as we give up our attachments to sins and face our trials. We can “look on in awe and trust in the LORD,” Who is our help and deliverer (Psalm 40:4). May we press on, bearing it all, “for the sake of the joy that lies before us” (Hebrews 12:2). In Christ’s Love,  Susanna   Read the Readings for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time:  First Reading // Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10 Psalm // Psalm 40:2, 3, 4, 18 Second Reading // Hebrews 12:1-4 Gospel // Luke 12:49-53

August 15, 2025 // Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10 Reflect on the Word //  The airport swelled with voices, the clatter of rolling suitcases, and the sharp cadence of boarding calls, yet I remained motionless, staring out the tall windows as the sun set over the runway. My flight would not board for another hour, but I was already somewhere between what had been and what was coming next. I tried to distract myself with my book, trying to steady the ache in my chest. Lord, is there a place for me in all this unknown? It is there, in the raw middle of an unraveling, that the Word enters with unexpected gentleness: “The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God” (Revelation 12:6). The woman—clothed with the sun, crowned with stars, laboring through pain—she flees. Not to escape in fear, but to trust. Because the desert is not desolation. It is prepared. This passage from Revelation pulses with hope. The red dragon waits to devour. The child is saved. And the woman is not left alone. God prepared a place for her. Prepared. The word will not let me go. It is personal, specific, intimate. The Lord does not find her a hiding spot. He prepares it. He carves out holy ground in the wilderness. He knows what we need before we ask. He makes room in the wasteland for safety, healing, waiting. In His eyes, the desert is not punishment. It is protection. Sister, we all face seasons of desert: loss, betrayal, transition, suffering. And we, too, may feel like everything is spinning. But God has already gone ahead. There is a place. There is provision. And it has your name on it. Together, we can believe this: When our strength fails, salvation and power come (see Revelation 12:10). When the dragon threatens, God prepares. When we flee, we flee into the arms of a Father Who is never surprised, never late, and never indifferent. We are not forgotten. We are not exposed. We are not alone. We are loved, led, and hidden in the heart of the Father, even in the desert. Relate to the Lord // Are you in the middle of something hard? Take heart, He is preparing a place for you.

August 14, 2025 // Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 18:21–19:1 Reflect on the Word //  I was really struggling. I knew I needed to forgive someone who had seriously hurt me and my family. But he was the kind of person who would never admit what he’d done or what a far-reaching effect his choices had on so many. I’d never get an acknowledgment, much less an apology. But, as He does, the Lord kept pressing ever so gently: Forgive him, Liz, from the heart. From your heart. I’ll help you. I wanted to list the infractions, to tally the wounds, to rail against any hint of forgiveness in the face of no apology. Just then, I caught a glimpse of Saint Maximilian’s photo, which hangs next to my desk. There he was, priest and martyr, with his long grey beard and his intelligent eyes tucked behind his spectacles, challenging my unforgiveness. He almost smiled at me. I’m sure you know his story. During World War II, he was arrested and taken to Auschwitz. When one prisoner escaped, ten men were selected for the starvation bunker, a deterrent to future escape attempts. Upon being chosen, one man cried out, “My wife! My children!” and he broke down sobbing. Moved with compassion, Saint Maximilian stepped forward with this request. He said, “I want to die in place of this prisoner.” And off he went. One of the last of the ten to survive, he was finally killed by the Nazis with a lethal injection. Saint Maximilian actually raised his arm to the executioner to receive this shot. He offered his arm willingly, knowing the result. In my mind, I imagine him looking at his executioner and asking the Father, as Christ did Himself, “Forgive him, he doesn’t know what he is doing” (see Luke 23:34). No apology, no acknowledgement of his sin would be necessary. When we want to fight the Lord’s invitation in today’s Gospel to “forgive from the heart” (see Matthew 18:35), let’s never forget the holy help so ready to come to our aid, to help us forgive, even and especially when those who are harming us don’t understand the fullness of their offense.  Saint Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us. Relate to the Lord // Who do you need to forgive? Ask for the intercession of Saint Maximilian Kolbe to help you.

August 13, 2025 // Optional Memorial of Saint Pontian, Pope and Martyr, and Saint Hippolytus, Priest and Martyr Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 18:15-17 Reflect on the Word // Directly going and speaking with someone who has hurt us is difficult. There have been many times when I have thought it would be much easier to go to an arbitrary judge and demand a person be exiled from the community rather than talk to someone about a problem. There is also a perennial temptation to gossip, slander, and malign publicly people who have harmed and sinned against us. It requires no small amount of self-control to rein in our tongues in difficult circumstances, especially when we know we are in the right.  The words of Jesus in today’s Gospel give us fundamental directions in how Christians are to deal with problems with other people.  He tells us, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone” (Matthew 18:15). In telling us to go directly to the person who has sinned against us, Jesus calls us to live with integrity.  The idea is that we treat each other with respect and give each other a chance to explain what is going on personally—we don’t need to air all of our problems with others to the whole world if we can resolve them with Christian charity and mercy. And when we do this in a place of prayer, Jesus promises that He is with us as we work to resolve conflicts: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).  Failing to live with integrity can have lasting consequences to us as individuals and our own failure can ripple out into the wider Church. We do not have to look far to see how complex relationships can be, and how difficult it can be to resolve issues in healthy and constructive ways. Our difficult relationships can be a source of discouragement in our lives, but today’s simple and clear word from Christ can reorient our hearts and keep our focus on this simple call to integrity.  Relate to the Lord // Ask for the grace to live a life of integrity, starting with today.