Daily Thought

Proclamation of Thanksgiving By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation. The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions ...

Our Life Is A Book Written By The Holy Spirit The books the Holy Spirit is writing are living, and every soul a volume in which the divine author makes a true revelation of his word, explaining it to every heart, unfolding it in every moment. Jean Pierre de Caussade

Consolation Every time I hear anyone speak of the Sacred Heart of Jesus or of the Blessed Sacrament I feel an indescribable joy. It is as if a wave of precious memories, sweet affections and joyful hopes swept over my poor person, making me tremble with happiness and filling my soul with tenderness. St. John XXIII

We Can Be Set Free The story of Joseph and his brothers highlights so many of the sins that end up wounding our relationships: pride, envy, resentment, and deception, to name a few. His story also tells us that no matter how deeply we have been hurt, our heavenly Father wants to help us. He wants to heal our broken hearts and free us from attitudes of resentment, cynicism, or mistrust. No matter who we are, we have all been wounded through relationships. We have all been hurt or treated unjustly. Some of these wounds may be quite deep, while others may be more superficial. But whatever our situations, we can learn from Joseph. He kept his eyes fixed on God, and God helped him forgive his brothers and bring reconciliation to his family. At the start of his ministry, Jesus told the people that God had sent him “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” (Luke 4:18). Surely we can apply...

Gratitude It is the spirit of gratitude which draws down upon us the overflow of God's grace, for no sooner have we thanked Him for one blessing than He hastens to send us ten additional favors in return.  Then, when we show our gratitude for these new gifts, He multiplies His benedictions to such a degree that there seems to be a constant stream of divine grace ever coming our way. This has been my own personal experience; try it out for yourself and see.  For all that Our Lord is constantly giving me, my gratitude is boundless, and I try to prove it to Him in a thousand different ways. Saint Therese of Lisieux

Simple But Powerful For those who love, nothing is too difficult, especially when it is done for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Do You Want To Be Healed?  Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethzatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?"                                                   John 5:2-6  This seems like an absurd question. The guy has been lying there for thirty-eight years. What kind of person wouldn't want to be healed? Maybe one who has become attached to his sickness, who prefers his own way to a better way, or who refuses help because he wants to do things himself, on his own terms.  Jesus' question is not "Are you sick?" or "Are you suffering?” but "Do you want to be healed?" Jesus isn't as...

Do You Know What I Have Done To You?  When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."  John 13:12-17  One night, a companion of Saint Francis of Assisi was struggling mightily to keep to his fast. His body was weak. He just couldn't persevere. Francis, recognizing his weakness, offered him some bread. But then Francis did something really surprising: He ate a piece of the bread first. He didn't need to, but he did.  The next morning, when the rest of his...

Put This Into Practice! Laugh and grow strong. St. Ignatius of Loyola

Experiencing The Peace That Surpasses Understanding “Although temptations are strong, a whole wave of doubts beats against my soul, and discouragement stands by, ready to act. The Lord, however, strengthens my will, against which all attempts of the enemy are shattered as if against a rock. I see how many actual graces God grants me; these support me ceaselessly. I am very weak, and I attribute everything to the grace of God.”  St. Faustina Divine Mercy Diary #1086

Patience “Resist your impatience faithfully, practicing, not only with reason, but even against reason, holy courtesy and sweetness to all, but especially to those who weary you most.” St. Francis de Sales ( Here is a great article on The Saints And Patience where I found the quote for today.)

Climbing The Mountain Live each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance toward the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point. So climb slowly, enjoying each passing moment; and then the view from the summit will serve a more rewarding climax for your journey. Venerable Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Trust In God's Help To be conscious of one's weakness and to trust in God's help is the way to authentic strength and victory. Alice Von Hildebrand

Why The Saints Are Important In today’s feast, we have a foretaste of the beauty of this life fully open to the gaze of love of God and neighbor, in which we are sure to reach God in each other and each other in God. With this faith-filled hope we honor all the Saints, and we prepare to commemorate the faithful departed tomorrow. In the Saints we see the victory of love over selfishness and death: we see that following Christ leads to life, eternal life, and gives meaning to the present, every moment that passes, because it is filled with love and hope. Only faith in eternal life makes us truly love history and the present, but without attachment, with the freedom of the pilgrim, who loves the earth because his heart is set on Heaven. Pope Benedict XVI - Angelus November 1, 2012