September 9, 2025 // Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, Priest
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Colossians 2:6-15
Reflect on the Word //
It was late, but I needed to pray more than eat or rest. I had poured out all my energy, creativity, and patience for a marathon project in ministry. I had been caught up in the busyness of my work, and I knew that I only needed time with Jesus. I knew I made the right decision to stop in for a visit to Jesus in the Eucharist the moment I opened the chapel door.
I knelt in that soothing silence, asking Him to hold me up. His patience and goodness were so familiar, like the warm glow surrounding His Most Sacred and Real Presence. I thanked Him and rested. After a while, words like Saint Paul’s from today’s First Reading echoed and resounded in my soul.
In His steadying presence, He helped me to see how I had been allowing myself to get caught up in thoughts that are the “empty, seductive philosophy according to the tradition of men” (Colossians 2:8). He lovingly convicted me of a lack of trust in Him Who has never failed me. It is true. I realized the source of my exhaustion was that, rather than taking a moment to become surrendered to Jesus and our Lady at the outset of the project and ask for their preference and measures, I immediately started working and became preoccupied, and this disturbed my peace. Now I had a choice. I could allow Him to evangelize, heal, and conquer my heart, or continue my controlling and white-knuckling.
My eyes drifted, gratefully, up to Him on the crucifix. There it is. My soul opened up and felt effortlessly grounded. He helped me to again be “rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith” (Colossians 2:7).
Sister, He simply wants our surrender and our holy indifference again and again. For us to pray, Jesus, I choose You! And to say it every day: Jesus, I choose You! He has conquered every principality and power, as Saint Paul mentions twice in today's Reading. But will we allow Him to conquer these in our own hearts and lives?
Relate to the Lord // Stop by a Catholic Church or Blessed Sacrament chapel today and let Him console and ground you.
Maria Kim-Ngân Bùi, after twenty years in religious life, is discerning a call to found a community of consecrated religious women dedicated to Our Lady and who will pray reparation for sins against the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, pray for conversions, and work for the evangelization of those who have left the Church or feel furthest from the Church.
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