“What causes wars among you?” asks the apostle James, and he himself gives the answer: “Is it not your passions that are at war in your members? You fight and wage war” (cf. James 4:1–2).
There are paths to true peace, and James’ words give us a clue. If we want to contribute to the peace that our heavenly Father desires to grant humanity, we must begin with ourselves, restraining the destructive passions that dwell within us. Read More
Dear Father, As I wrote down the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath for today’s reflection, I was reminded that You should always come first in everything we do. In the story, You turned her hardship around because she listened to the prophet. In the days of the Old Covenant, the first fruits were brought to You, and today it should be no different. In fact, with the light of the New Testament and the coming of Your Son, we recognize You and Your love even more clearly. May the first and last words of each day be consecrated to You. We are always called to lift our eyes to You, as Your beloved Son did. He glorified You in everything.
In reality, beloved Father, our life could be so simple, even after the painful loss of Paradise, because You do everything in Your power so that we may live with the dignity You have bestowed upon us. Life with You is, in reality, wonderfully simple: we recognize You as our most loving Father, we listen to Your instructions, and, with Your grace, we put into practice what You tell us. Then peace and happiness dwell within us, even though, during our pilgrimage toward eternity, we have to fight some battles on earth. Even when You make us share in the suffering of Your Son, as St. Paul explains (Col 1:24), in order to cooperate in the salvation of other people who still live far from You and whom You want to lead to their eternal home as Your children, the true joy that is You remains in us!
Beloved Father, in today’s reading You exhort us, through Your apostle, to abstain from all impurity. It is terrible to see how this vice darkens a person’s life and prevents them from perceiving the resplendent light that emanates from the purity of the holy angels, from the many virgins who were willing to give their lives to preserve it, and from the radiant splendor of the most pure Virgin. Moreover, all this is eclipsed when the spiritual impurity of false doctrines penetrates our Church, perhaps even accompanied by other forms of impurity.
Beloved Father, how can our hearts become gardens of gratitude from which the joy we find in You can flow to all people? What a light this could be, when so many today do not know true joy and seek their happiness in the transitory things of life. This would also be a powerful weapon against the forces that seek to darken our lives. We would take the weapons out of their hands with which they so gladly plague people. They will find it difficult to prevail against a grateful heart in which Your joy dwells.
Beloved Father, You guide us in many ways as we follow Christ. Your reminders are among the precious gifts You give us. They carry a serious undertone so that they can awaken us and emphasize their importance. They spring from Your loving heart and are imbued with gentleness. Unlike stirring or frightening warnings, they are more like reminders of what we can easily overlook. Read More
“If a man walks in my statutes, and is careful to observe my ordinances—he is righteous, he shall surely live, says the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 18:9)
Dear Father, we like to speak of Your love and goodness, of Your patience and mercy. Indeed, we live by them. Who could truly live and walk their path to the end if You did not carry them and lift them up again and again in their many weaknesses and falls?
“The queen of the South (…) came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.” (Mt 12:42)
Beloved Father, in this fast‑paced world with its flood of information, who still seeks true wisdom? People strive to accumulate knowledge, sometimes believing that knowledge itself brings power. But what kind of power is that? Those who pursue it in this way already show that they lack wisdom. For our part, it is better to listen to Your Word:
With good reason, beloved Father, Your Son was indignant when He saw that business was being conducted in the Temple in a way that did not correspond to the true beauty and dignity of Your House. He even said they had turned it into a “den of thieves” and drove out the sellers and money changers (Mt 21:12–13).
Your House, beloved Father, must be a “house of prayer,” a place reserved for encounter with You. For us, it can be a small foretaste of Heaven, where we will find the beauty of all beauties in the contemplation of Your glory.
“I will feed My sheep with justice” (Ezekiel 34:16).
Beloved Father, You addressed these wonderful words to Your people Israel, showing Your deep love for Your firstborn. You always remained faithful to Your people, even though they strayed from the path so many times. At times, You had to guide them back with a firm hand and remind them of the covenant You had made with them. Yet You were always willing to forgive their sins if only they had listened to You.
