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What do you long for in life?  If you could pick one thing that you desire above all else what would it be?  Would it be death?  Probably not.  Surprisingly, the greatest saint would probably desire death over anything else in life.  Not an early death or a death of their own choosing; rather, they would see death as the gateway to their true home and anticipate the joy of that encounter with much hope.  This may not be something you normally think about but it’s worth doing so.  When a person has Heaven as their greatest desire it means, in part, that they have come to such a point in life that the things of this world do not matter to them.  They long for Heaven and to be with God eternally.  This does not undermine their love for family and friends.  This love is eternal and will remain with them in Heaven to an even greater degree.  The key to this desire is the realization that Heaven will be so glorious and fulfilling that there is much excitement about obtaining it.  This may not be your normal way of thinking about death but it is worth pondering and examining your earthly desires in the light of this ultimate goal (See Diary #1573).

Spend time today pondering death.  But do so in a new way.  Look at it not as an end to your life; rather, see it as the beginning of a new and glorious life of perfect fulfillment.  Reflecting upon death does not mean you wish for it to come soon.  We should only desire to obtain Heaven in accord with God’s timing.  But, nonetheless, we should desire it and desire it with all our soul.  In fact, keeping our eyes on this ultimate prize will help us walk through the hardships we endure here and now. 

Lord, of all the many desires and goals I have in life I pray that I may desire Heaven above all else.  Please free me from the foolish desires of this life and set my heart solely on You.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Novena to Christ the King
Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King
Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024

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God gives to each person a unique mission.  Some are called to very public lives; others are called to quiet and simple lives.  Some are called to use their minds in powerful ways; others are called to use their hearts in special ways, but each person has a unique mission from God.  What is your mission?  Seeking to know what the Lord asks of you is essential to your journey of holiness and, therefore, happiness.  When fully embraced, this mission will bring abundant fulfillment to your life because of one simple fact: every mission is a mission of Mercy.  The struggle many people have is that they embark on selfish endeavors in life, failing to commit all their energies to the work of the Lord.  The Lord wants you to work day and night on His mission.  This is not too much to ask.  In fact, it’s what you were made for and the only way to obtain what you truly desire.  His mission will certainly include moments of fun and rest, work and struggle, laughter and tears.  It will also require a complete death to yourself.  But it’s worth it!  Seek the mission God has given you and embrace it with all your heart.  If you do, the Mercy of God will pour forth through your life (See Diary #1567).

Reflect, today, upon this simple question: What is my mission in life?  It may come to you slowly, over time, taking twists and turns as you go.  But never stop seeking to serve our Lord and His perfect plan.  This plan will become the delight of your soul.  Ponder it and if you are on the wrong path, correct your direction in life.

Lord, I thank You for calling me to a blessed and unique mission in life.  I choose, this day, that which You have given to me.  I promise to say “Yes” to You throughout my life and to never tire of fulfilling Your Will.  I love You, Lord.  Help me to love You with my life.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Novena to Christ the King
Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King
Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024

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The Lord, in His abundant Mercy, comes to you day and night and joyfully enters your soul when it is open to Him.  Even the greatest struggles do not deter our Lord from coming to you.  But one thing, especially, keeps our Lord away.  And that is pride.  Pride is the mother of all sins and, simply put, is selfishness.  It’s a way of turning in on yourself as your primary concern.  The problem with this is that you were made, by God, for the purpose of giving yourself away.  It’s in your very nature to become a gift to others.  And only in giving of yourself to God and to others do you discover who you are and, in that act, you become who you were made to be.  So pride, in its attempt to become self-concerned, actually has the effect of destroying you.  Pride leaves you with yourself and allows no room for another, not even God (See Diary #1563).

Reflect upon the sin of pride today.  Here is an examination for this sin: Pride is an untrue opinion of ourselves, an untrue idea of what we are not.  Have I a superior attitude in thinking, or speaking or acting? Am I snobbish?  Have I offensive, haughty ways of acting or carrying myself?  Do I hold myself above others? Do I demand recognition?  Do I desire to be always first? Am I ready to accept advice? Am I in any sense a “bully” or inclined to be “bossy”?  Do I speak ill of others?  Have I lied about others?  Do I make known the faults of others?  Is there anyone to whom I have not spoken for a long time?  Am I prone to argue and be offensive in my arguments? Am I self-conscious?  Am I sensitive?  Am I easily wounded?  Reflect honestly on these sins today and seek freedom from them.

Lord, please free me from the self-centeredness that comes from pride.  May I seek the good of others with all humility and sincerity.  Free me from this sin, dear Lord, and help me to give myself away to You and to others, for in giving of myself I know I will find myself.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Novena to Christ the King
Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King
Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024

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Everyone is called to holiness and in that holiness is able to obtain complete happiness.  But God always chooses some for a special mission of holiness, a higher form of holiness.  These souls could be called “Seraphic Souls.”  The classic example is to compare two glasses of water.  One is large and one is small.  They are both filled to the brim so they are both full.  But one contains more water.  So it is with holiness.  Some are given a special calling to reach a greater height.  All people are to be “full” of the Holy Spirit and, thus, obtain perfect happiness.  But some are invited higher in a unique way.  This is similar to the Nine Choirs of Angels.  The Seraphim are of the highest order and have as their sole purpose the worship and adoration of God.  The Guardian Angels are of the lowest order and have as their primary duty the service of man.  Each celestial being is perfectly happy and rejoices in the unique calling of each (See Diary #1556).

Reflect, today, upon this glorious ordering of holiness for angels and for humanity.  At first, it may not seem fair that some are given a special calling to holiness and even a special sharing in the sufferings of Christ.  We must all ponder this truth and rejoice in it.  And as for those seraphic souls in the world, and those given a special call to share in Christ’s sufferings, we should seek them out and seek the wisdom and grace that flows from their lives.  God has a good reason for such ordering; it’s our duty to embrace it with joy and to benefit from their blessed vocation.

Lord, I thank you for Your perfect wisdom in ordering the holiness of both angels and humanity.  Help me to always seek out those seraphic souls, the special saints, who have reached a glorious level of holiness.  Thank You for their witness and thank You for their freely embraced suffering.  May the world be continually blessed by their lives.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Novena to Christ the King
Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King
Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024

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One of the easiest things you can do in life is be lazy.  Imagine if you had no responsibilities, had all the wealth you could ever want and could spend your days in luxury and relaxation.  This would foster a very lazy heart and it would also foster a very sad heart.  Rest is good, but excessive rest can turn into laziness and laziness ultimately becomes very boring.  This fact reveals the opposite truth also.  Namely, a zealous heart is one that finds great excitement in the activities of the day.  Though some may become obsessed with work, becoming a “workaholic,” an appropriate balance of rest and work produces the virtue of a zealous heart.  Are you zealous?  There are many things one can be zealous about in life, and not all of them good or within the Will of God.  But zeal for the salvation of souls, and the bringing forth of the Kingdom of God is a zeal we must all strive to foster.  In fact, our Lord wants you to have this as the highest priority in life.  As you grow in holiness and closeness to our Lord, He will send you forth cultivating the Earth with His Mercy.  Doing this with great zeal wins many souls for the Kingdom and produces abundant joy in your heart (See Diary #1548).

Do you struggle with a lazy heart or a zealous one?  If lazy, look at the effects of this in your life.  The boredom and dissatisfaction you experience is a direct result.  If, however, you are zealous and diligent in life, what is it you are zealous for?  Reflect upon this honestly today and seek to grow in a burning zeal for the building up of the Kingdom of God. 

Lord, I offer to You all my work and my talents.  Use them for Your glory.  Help me to have true zeal for Your Kingdom and to work tirelessly for Your glory.  Jesus, I desire to be an instrument of Your perfect Mercy in the world.  Use me as You will.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Novena to Christ the King
Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King
Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024

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Loneliness is a deep suffering that many endure.  One reason it is so painful is that the lonely person obviously suffers alone with few people, if any, to help ease their hurt.  If this were not the case, they would not be lonely.  Interestingly, even those who are surrounded by others all day every day can be lonely.  Even the most popular and outgoing person in the community can sometimes struggle with great loneliness.  This may not be easily noticed because they often “wear a mask” covering the loneliness they experience.  Loneliness is real and comes as a result of one particularly deep need we all have.  And this is the need to be known by another.  We want to be known and understood.  We need people who will listen to us, care, understand and love us at our deepest core.  Simply being popular or being surrounded by many people does not meet this need since the “popular” person may not truly have revealed what is inside to anyone.  The best answer to loneliness is the intimate presence of God in your life.  An authentic and deeply personal relationship with your Lord enables you to be at peace, knowing that God knows you, understands you and loves you.  This gift also opens the door for you to find people to whom you can share your joys and struggles.  Seek intimacy with the Lord.  This is the greatest help to a lonely heart (See Diary #1542).

Be honest today and ponder the question of loneliness in your own life.  No matter if you are the life of the party or a quiet bystander, loneliness can affect everyone.  Reflect, also, upon the fact that intimacy with our Lord is the primary cure.  Look at your relationship with Him and open your heart to His love.

Lord, I invite You into my heart.  Come dwell there and reveal Your tender love.  Help me to understand that You know and love me through and through.  I give my heart to You, dear Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Novena to Christ the King
Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King
Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024

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If you were married and you were regularly indifferent to your spouse, this would be a problem.  Indifference means there is a lack of sincere care for the good of the other.  Forgetfulness is a symptom of indifference in that when one cares little, it’s easy to forget.  For example, if you forgot an important anniversary in your marriage this could be a sign of either a very poor memory or an uncaring and indifferent heart.  If it is the latter, this brings much hurt to that relationship.  One reason this brings much hurt is that the cause of the hurt is subtle.  If one were to actively do something hurtful, it’s easier to point it out.  Indifference is a passive action in that something is missing.  But this passive action can be just as hurtful, if not more hurtful, than a more obvious action.  So it is with God.  When we are passively indifferent to Him and His Mercy, and when we “forget” to turn to Him day and night, we are bringing much pain to His Sacred Heart (See Diary #1537).

Examine your conscience today and try to honestly identify any struggle you have with indifference.  It may not be manifestly clear to you.  You may not even realize this is a sin and the cause of much hurt to others.  But this form of neglect causes deep wounds over time.  Try to make an honest examen and if you realize that this is your sin, do not hesitate to do something about it.  Renew your care for those whom God has put in your life, and especially renew your caring heart toward God and the Mercy He wishes to bestow.  If you are indifferent to the Mercy of God, this wounds His Heart and does even more damage to you over time.

Lord, I desire to care to the greatest degree.  Help me to be continually aware of others in my life and to anticipate their needs, lavishing love upon them.  Help me to also be continually aware of Your Mercy and to never be indifferent to this most sacred gift.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Scripture Meditations for Ordinary Time

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It is very easy to pass judgment on another, but it is very difficult to withhold judgment.  Why is that so?  Why might you find yourself easily passing judgment on others when you truly do not know their heart?  There certainly can be many reasons for this sin; one of them is that some people do not even know themselves well enough to judge their own conscience.  When this is the case, the person will be in no position to try to judge another.  Judging another often comes from a heart that has little interior knowledge, understanding or personal insight.  They feel this disorder within and project it out on others.  This is helpful to understand for two reasons.  First, if you tend to judge, stop and look into your heart.  There is a very good chance that you do not know who you are, what your sins are, or how God sees your soul.  Second, if you become the object of another’s judgment, do not be offended.  Instead, use it as an opportunity to have a holy sympathy for them.  Chances are that their judgment of you is a sign of their own interior confusion.  This should evoke compassion toward them, not judgment in return (See Diary #1528).

Reflect today upon these two experiences of judgment.  First reflect upon whether you judge and why.  Also spend time reflecting upon the way you react when others judge you.  Seek the truth in both of these experiences and surrender your own judgments and your experience of others’ judgments to the Mercy of God.

Lord, please free me from having a judgmental heart.  You and You alone probe the minds and hearts of all Your children.  Give me insight into my own soul so that I may continually examine my life in the light of Your Truth, and give me a heart of mercy that I may love others with the Mercy of Your Divine Heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.

November 13: Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin

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There are many images we use to describe the Love of God.  One such image is a “Burning Flame of Love.”  This is seen in the spiritual classic, “Living Flame of Love,” written by St. John of the Cross:

O living flame of love
That tenderly wounds my soul
In its deepest center! Since 
Now you are not oppressive,
Now consummate! if it be your will:
Tear through the veil of this sweet encounter!

Why do we speak of God and His love as a fire burning within us?  This is a powerful image worth spending much time meditating on.  A flame does many things.  It brings light, it purifies, it consumes, it emits heat and energy, it draws us close, it is ever changing and ever new, and so much more.  God’s love must become not only a spark or a flame within you, it must become a raging fire of love, consuming your soul and producing, in its place, the radiance and divine presence of God (See Diary #1523).

Reflect, today, upon this image of the Love of God.  Meditate upon this all-consuming fire raging within you.  What are the effects of such a living flame?  What does it do to your life?  What will others notice when this flame is blazing?  Ponder this holy image and invite the Living Flame of Love to consume you from within.

Lord, come to me and consume me with the burning fire of Your Love.  Purify every sin and transform me into the light of Your grace and Mercy for all to see.  You are a powerful Flame ever burning yet never harming.  You renew me and radiate Your presence from within.  I love You, dear Lord.  Set me on fire with Your sweet Love.  Jesus, I trust in You.

November 12: Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr

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Do you tire of speaking of the Mercy of God?  Do you find that it becomes repetitive and unimpressive?  If so, speak of Mercy all the more and ponder it with new zeal.  You must never tire of the Mercy of God.  The Mercy of God is so great and abundant that, in Heaven, you will see clearly how vast and wide it is.  You will comprehend that it is incomprehensible and will never tire of contemplating its beauty.  On Earth, you may find yourself tempted to dismiss Mercy as impractical and unimportant.  It may be perceived as something old and outdated.  When this happens, be reminded that this is foolishness and irrational.  Understanding God’s Mercy must become your daily goal and daily mission.  You must seek it day and night and never relent in your pursuit of this unending and unfathomable gift of God (See Diary #1521).

Ponder, today, these three simple words: Lord, have Mercy.  Say them often and intentionally.  Remind yourself that if you grow weary thinking about and speaking about the Mercy of God then you are failing to understand its depth and beauty.  God’s Mercy must engage your mind and will so forcefully that it is ever present and ever new.  Its newness, especially, will help to keep you engaged in this gift and it will enable you to continually probe its depths.  Lord, have Mercy, Christ, have Mercy, Lord, have Mercy.  Say this over and over and realize that you can never exhaust this glorious mystery of love.

Lord, you are never changing but always new.  Help me to never tire of the simple yet profound truth of your Divine Mercy.  Help me to always see the beauty and splendor of Your Divine Love.  I do love You, dear Lord, and I pray that I may love You more every day.  Lord, have Mercy on me.  Christ, have Mercy on me.  Lord, have mercy on me.  Your Mercy, Lord, is great and glorious.  Jesus, I trust in You.

November 11: Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop

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