October 9, 2026 // Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time // Optional Memorial of Saint Denis, Bishop and Martyr, and his Companions, Martyrs //                                               Optional Memorial of Saint John Leonardi, Priest

Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Psalm: Psalm 111:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6. 

Reflect on the Word // 

Trudging through the ankle-deep irrigation water, I wrestle with sleepiness and call to mind the goodness that surrounds me. Thank You, Lord, that we can receive this water in a desert. Thank You for my spouse, who will wake up at 4 a.m. to take care of our property. I begin the litany and let my heart move from the present, tangible things to the sacred and eternal.

The pinkish-purple glow of the sunrise reminds me that this is a new dawn, a new day filled with hope, possibility, and maybe even unexpected surprises. At that moment, as the sun begins to appear and I give thanks to the Lord for the beauty of His works, my chore becomes an adventure.

In today's Psalm, we proclaim that God will remember His covenant forever, and we give thanks (see Psalm 111:5). We marvel at the works of the Lord. Ankle-deep in the water of real life, it can be easy to forget about God's promises and to give thanks in all circumstances. Because God is a truly good and loving Father, He will provide for us. In the drought or in the downpour, He will provide all that we need.

Gratitude starts with awareness and the awareness of God's presence will always inspire thanks. It won't always make the pain stop or bring instant healing, but it can move us to quietly offer our thanks for His presence. We simply need to cast our eyes from the murky water to the heavens above.

Relate to the Lord // Pray with us, “Thank You, Lord, for a new dawn and for all the adventures today will bring.”