Day #2 Topic: Amazement
Scripture (Psalm 114) “Tremble earth before the Lord…who turned rock into pools of water, stone into flowing springs.”
(Psalm 139:14) “I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works.”
(Luke 5:26) “Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
(Psalm 86:10) “For You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God.”
(Psalm 118:23) “This is the LORD’S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.”
(Luke 8:25) In amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) CCC 1842 – “By faith, we believe in God and believe all that he has revealed to us and that the Holy Church proposes for our belief. CCC 1843 – By Hope we desire, and with steadfast trust await from God, eternal life and the graces to merit it. CCC 1844 – By Charity we love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves for love of God, Charity, the form of all the virtues “binds everything together in perfect harmony. (Col 3:14)
Reflection Questions: ▪ Have you ever had an experience of wonder which led to some kind of an encounter with God? ▪ What are some things that stifle your sense of wonder? ▪ What can you do about them? ▪ Think of someone you know who had a sense of wonder. In what ways does this individual give evidence of a sense of wonder?
Quotes to Ponder “At the back of our brains, so to speak, there is a forgotten blaze or burst of astonishment at our own existence. The object of the artistic and spiritual life is to dig for this sunrise of wonder.” (G.K. Chesterton)
“Open your eyes and see” Thomas Merton
“I did not ask for success; I asked for wonder.” Abraham Heschel
“If we can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, our spirituality is dead too!” Sr. Melanie Svoboda, SND
“One who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe is as good as dead.” Albert Einstein
“Awareness of the divine begins with wonder. The beginning of our happiness lies in the understanding that life without wonder is not worth living. What we lack, is not a will to believe but a will to wonder.” Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel.
Prayer Dear God, I ask for wonder. The kind of wonder that looks not down at or against, but up to and for. The kind that sets my fee on the ladder that leads to you. Give me wonder to perceive the dignity of all things, and to glimpse in creation the intimations of your own goodness. Let me never think I know it all or even most of all there is to know. May ‘Wow” That’s neat!’ (awesome) be often on my lips. God, help me to make time to stop and take a closer look at everything around and inside of me, trusting you so much I can risk exploring all the burning bushes of my everyday world. Dear God, I ask for wonder for I believe all wonder is but a prelude to meeting you. Amen. (by Sr. Melanie Svoboda, SND)
Day #3 Topic: Gratitude
Points to Ponder “Do this and you will be saved; rejoice always, pray constantly, and no matter what the circumstances, give thanks.” Abba Benjamin
Once you realize life doesn’t owe you anything, everything in it becomes a gift.
Deep gratitude opens us up so we can have a new sense of perspective- no matter what happens in life.
Who have you met in your life that has struck you as a very grateful person? What affect did this have on you?
Reflection by Henri Nouwen “We are really grateful for all the good things…we simply have to accept or try to forget the painful moments. The attitude expressed in these words made me aware of how often we tend to divide our past into good things to remember with gratitude and painful things to accept or forget. Once we accept this division, however, we quickly develop a mentality in which we hope to collect more good memories than bad memories, more things to be grateful for than things to be resentful about, more things to celebrate than things to complain about. But this way of thinking, which at first glance seems quite natural, prevents us from truly allowing our whole past to be the source from which we live our future. Is this the gratitude to which the Gospel calls us?
Gratitude is not a simple emotion or an obvious attitude. It is a difficult discipline to constantly reclaim my whole past as the concrete way in which God has led me to this movement and is sending me into the future. It is hard precisely because it challenges me to face the painful moments – experiences of rejection and abandonment, feelings of loss and failure – and gradually to discover in them the pruning hands of God purifying my heart for deeper love, stronger hope and broader faith. Jesus says to his disciples that although they are as intimately related to him as branches are to the vine, they still need to be pruned in order to bear more fruit (John 15: 1-5) Pruning means cutting, reshaping, removing what diminishes vitality….
Grateful people are those who can celebrate even the pains of life because they trust that when harvest time comes the fruit will show that the pruning was not punishment but purification.
I am gradually learning that the call to gratitude asks us to say, “everything is grace.” When our gratitude for the past is only partial, our hope for a new future can never be full…If we are to be truly ready for a new task in the service of God, truly joyful at the prospect of a new vocation, truly free to be sent into a new mission, our entire past, gathered into the spaciousness of a converted heart, must become the source of energy that moves us toward the future.” From All is Grace
Gratitude Practices:
❖ Keep a gratitude journal. Who or what inspired me today? What brought me happiness today? What brought me comfort and deep peace today?
This practice can help us find more meaning and joy in our lives and lead us to experience profound inner transformation.
❖ Write a thank you letter.
❖ Take a gratitude walk (remember social distancing)
As you walk, consider the many things for which you are grateful
A Pledge for Grateful Living by Bro. David Steindl-Rast O.S.B.
• In thanksgiving for life, I pledge to overcome the illusion of ENTITLEMENT by reminding myself that everything is a gift and, thus, to live GRATEFULLY.
• In thanksgiving for life, I pledge to overcome my GREED, that confuses wants with needs, by trusting that enough for all our needs is given to us and to share GENEROUSLY what I so generously receive.
• In thanksgiving for life, I pledge to overcome APATHY by waking up to the opportunities that a given moment offers me and so to respond CREATIVELY to every situation.
• In thanksgiving for life, I pledge to overcome VIOLENCE by observing that fighting violence by violence leads to more violence and death and, thus, to foster life by acting NON-VIOLENTLY.
• In thanksgiving to life, I pledge to overcome FEAR which is the root of all violence by looking at whatever I fear as an opportunity and, thus, COURAGEOUSLY to lay the foundation for a peaceful future.
SUGGESTION:
Check out Bro. David Steindl-Rast O.S.B. on YouTube
Day #4 Topic: Courage
SCRIPTURE Joshua 1:9 “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
Psalm 27:14 Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 56:3-4 When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
Matthew 10:26–28 "But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all ... Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
QUOTES TO PONDER CS Lewis; “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscious, but shouts in our pains”.
Pope Francis asks people not to give up in this time. He says to remember that God is bigger than any problem that could arise.
POPE FRANCIS “This is a different type of “contagion.” It's a message transmitted from heart to heart – for every human heart awaits this Good News. It is the contagion of hope, “Christ, my hope, is risen!” This is no magic formula that makes problems vanish. No, the resurrection of Christ is not that. Instead, it is the victory of love over the root of evil, a victory that does not “by-pass” suffering and death but passes through them.” Urbi et Orbi – April 12, 2020 “Sister, brother, even if you buried hope in your heart, don't give up! God is greater. Darkness and death don't have the last word. Courage, with God nothing is lost!” Easter Vigil – April 11, 2020
“If you are weak and fragile on the way, if you fall. Do not be afraid! God holds out your hand and says to you: "Courage!" You cannot give it to yourself, but you can receive it as a gift. Just open your heart in prayer, just lift that stone placed at the mouth of the heart a little, to let the light of Jesus enter. Just invite Him, "Come, Jesus, into my fears and say to me too, Courage!" Easter Vigil – April 11, 2020
“We must pray incessantly for the gift of perseverance.” - St. Philip Neri
“The principal act of courage is to endure and withstand dangers doggedly rather than to attack them.” St. Thomas Aquinas
“Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.” St. Catherine of Siena
QUESTIONS TO REFLECT UPON
1. What are some of the minor adversities that you find difficult? What helps to endure them? 2. Reflect on a major struggle you experienced in the past. What helped you face this trial or struggle? Were you able to see any good that came from this experience of adversity? If so, what? Who helped you through those difficult times? How does this help in these days of the pandemic? 3. Can you think of someone that exemplifies courage for you? If so, in what way do they do this?
PRAYERS FOR COURAGE
Dear God, life is difficult. Help me to realize this great truth and not moan and groan and complain about my problems as if life were easy or should be easy. Teach me to name my real problems, to face them squarely, and to work untiring towards solving them, or if this is not possible to endure them with courage. Help me to be open to all the ways you come into my life; whether a gentle breeze, tumultuous earthquake or something in between. May the difficulties I experience bear only good fruit: sensitivity, compassion, patience, humility, and growing realization of my absolute need for you. God, I ask for all these things through Jesus and the gentle, yet earth-shaking power of the Spirit. Amen
Heavenly Father, I know that persecutions, afflictions, hardships and disappointments are the textbooks of Your schoolroom. Give me boldness as I walk through this life, knowing that even during hardships, I can walk in joy, peace, service and triumph. With the indwelling Holy Spirit leading and guiding me, may I proclaim Your name with boldness, both in prayer and in speech. May I always live to please You, Lord, and not man. Help me to spread the glorious gospel of salvation to all those I meet, knowing that there is no other Name under heaven by which we must be saved but by the blessed Name of Jesus, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen. (Peter Ainslie)
Heavenly Father, the struggles and difficulties of life seem to be swirling all around me, like a misty fog in the blackness of night and at times I just don’t know which way to turn. Father at times I just feel like giving up and walking away from everything, and yet I know that in life, “giving-up” is not an option. Give me courage and strength to face the future with You, and to trust You to walk with me every step of the way– for I know that the Bible tells me that You are with me every moment of the day. Give me the courage to take my eyes off the difficulties of life and to unreservedly anchor my faith in You. And Lord from this day forward as I step out into the unknown future, may I have the courage to put my hand into Your hand, and not to fear, knowing that You will never fail me nor forsake me – thank You in Jesus name, Amen
LORD OF THE RINGS - SAM’S SPEECH
Frodo: I can’t do this, Sam.
Sam: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for.”
Day #5: Hope
SCRIPTURE (Psalm 119:114) “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.”
(Psalm 130:7) “O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption.”
(Psalm 147:11) “The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy.”
(Romans 5:5) “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit [which] was given to us.”
(Romans 12:12) “Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.”
(Romans 15:4) “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
(Romans 15:13) “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
(1 Corinthians 2:9) “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
(1 John 3:2) “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
Reflection Questions: 1. How would you define hope? 2. What are some reasons why hope can be difficult? Are you a hopeful person? What are the challenges to your hope? 3. What helps you to be a more hopeful person? Hope opens new horizons and enables us to dream of what is not even imaginable. Hope lets new life blossom, like a plant that grows from the seed fallen on the earth.
The virtues are closely connected - especially faith and hope. Faith begets hope. If faith is strong, if it is genuine conviction, then hope too will be boundless. “If I really believe that God is my Father, that he is eternally faithful, that His love is everlasting, and that His mercy knows no limits – then my hope that he will forgive my sins, that he will guide me safely though this life, that someday he will see me safely into the joys of eternal life, my hope in all this will be boundless too. Then heaven becomes a reality for me. And this faith and hope becomes the source of the joy and peace that Jesus promised, the peace that this world can neither give nor take away. No tragedy, no seeming failure, can take away my joy and my peace, if I truly believe God guides all the events of my life, if I truly believe his is my father, if I truly believe the promises Jesus made to us, about forgiveness, about the father’s loving care, about resurrection and eternal life.
St. Therese of Lisieux gives us a lesson in hope, a lesson in humility and …. She said to the heavenly Father: “In the evening of my life I will come before you with no merits of my own, but clothes in all the merits of Christ” … her hope was based on Jesus.
Pray With: Prodigal Son (Luke 15) Good thief (Luke 23) Woman caught in adultery (John 8)
Help Me Take A Chance God, help me to take a chance on you and on the future. Help me to bet on the good news, to risk everything, and to stake my life on Jesus Increase my hope by revealing to me my deepest desires. When I am downcast or distraught by realities inside and around me, lead me to share my pain and shattered hopes with others along the way. Like the disciples on their way to Emmaus, may I welcome Jesus to walk with me, and walk me through the scriptures. Help me always to find new strength in the breaking of the bread. God, give me the grace to see that which seems to be is not always what is; and where I have been and where I am are not nearly as important as where I’m going: toward you, I hope! Amen by Melannie Svoboda, SND
Day #6 Topic: Love
Scripture
(Luke 10:27) And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.
(John 13:34-35) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
(John 3:16) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
(1 John 4:20) If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
(1 Peter 4:8) Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
(John 14:23) Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Definition of Love (Catholic Encyclopedia)
Any strong affection, closeness, or devotion to things or persons. The Greeks distinguished four types of love: storge, philia, eros, and agape. Storge, familial love, is a word for the bond that exists between one who loves and persons, animals, and the things that surround him. It is compatible with quite a bit of taken-for-grantedness or even of hatred at times. Philia pertains to friends, freely chosen because of mutual compatibility and common values. Eros is passion, not only of a sexual nature, but also of an aesthetic or spiritual nature, for what is conceived of as supremely beautiful and desirable. Agape love is manifested when one person has much to give to another more needy. It is generous self-donation without concern for reward. Such distinctions become especially important in discernments about marriage, because the strength of eros love may blind one to the absence of the types of love needed to experience a good Christian bond that, with God’s grace, can endure “till death do us part.” POPE FRANCIS Love of neighbor must begin with love of God, Pope Francis says “Love to one’s neighbor corresponds to the mandate and the example of Christ if it is based on a true love of God. It is thus possible for the Christian, through his dedication, to make others feel the tenderness of the heavenly Father.”
(Reference Cornovirus) Despite the isolation imposed by social distancing measures, “thought and spirit can go far with the creativity of love.” said Pope Francis.
“Whatever happens, whatever we do, we are sure that God is near, compassionate, ready to feel moved by us,” he said, because God loves his children. When people feel truly loved, they feel able to love, too. Furthermore, if God is infinite tenderness, then people - created in his image - are capable of tenderness, too.” “We feel called to pour onto the world the love received by the Lord, to offer it in the Church, in the family, in society, to join it in serving and in giving ourselves,” while is all done “not out of duty, but out of love.” Pope Francis
For Reflection Do any of the following statements about love speak to you at this time in your life? Why?
▪ God loves US ▪ God loves ME ▪ God loves ME no matter what ▪ Everybody needs love ▪ The purpose of life is to learn how to love ▪ Love is not easy ▪ Love is selfless and sacrificial
Who has taught you the most about love?
Thoughts
Love is the only light that can constantly illuminate a world grown dim.
The secret of Christian living is love. Only love fills the empty spaces caused by evil.
If our hearts and actions are inspired by charity, by divine love, then our communication will be touched by God’s own power.
In prayer let us experience the compassion of God, full of merciful love.
PRAYER
God, I believe you love us. Strengthen that belief. Let me hear anew your words of love, especially as they come to me through scripture, through prayer, and through the words of those who love me. Give me the eyes to see your deeds of love expressed in the events of world history and in all the little happenings of my seemingly insignificant life. And if I turn from you and squander your gifts in loose living, may I have the sense and confidence to return to your open arms, knowing full well that your love is far greater than any sin of mine. God, I believe you love us. Help me to grow in that belief through the love of your son, Jesus, and the power of the Spirit. Amen
Act of Love O my God, I love you above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because you are all good and worthy of all my love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of you. I forgive all who have injured me, and I ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
True Christian love should inspire us all to do both the corporal and spiritual works of mercy:
• To feed the hungry • To give drink to the thirsty • To clothe the naked • To shelter the homeless • To visit the sick • To ransom the captive • To bury the dead.
The spiritual works of mercy are:
• To instruct the ignorant • To counsel the doubtful • To admonish sinners • To bear wrongs patiently • To forgive offenses willingly • To comfort the afflicted • To pray for the living and the dead