Scripture | Reflections | Prayer

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Friday, December 16, 2011

2011-12-16T06:43:00.000-08:00

The habitual difficulty in prayer is distraction...To set about hunting down distractions would be to fall into their trap, when all that is necessary is to turn back our heart: for a distraction reveals to us what we are attached to.
- CCC No. 2729

Reflection: The thoughts that come to distract our prayers can tell us much about ourselves and reveal where our heart lies. We can sanctify these thoughts when we offer them up to the Father along with our prayers.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, inspire single-minded focus in our prayers.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Thursday, December 15, 2011

2011-12-15T06:57:00.001-08:00

Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. It always presupposes effort. The great figures of prayer...all teach us this: prayer is a battle. Against whom? Against ourselves and against the wiles of the tempter who does all he can to turn man away from prayer, away from union with God.
- CCC No. 2725

Reflection: Anything of value must be protected. So it is with the divine life. We must fight for it with vigilance against enemies with-out and enemies within.

Prayer: Jesus, strengthen our spiritual will.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Wednesday, December 07, 2011

2011-12-07T06:43:00.000-08:00

Beginning with Mary's unique cooperation with the working of the Holy Spirit, the Churches developed their prayer to the holy Mother of God, centering it on the person of Christ manifested in his mysteries.
CCC No. 2675

Reflection: All Marian prayers, the Hail Mary, the Rosary, the Angelus, etc., find their center of gravity in Jesus and the mystery of his life. The placement of his sacred name and the meditation on his life provoked by Marian prayers gives them a Christocentric focus which Mary herself desires.

Prayer: Mary, reveal to us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Friday, November 25, 2011

2011-11-25T06:36:00.001-08:00

By prayer of petition we express awareness of our relationship with God. We are creatures who are not our own beginning, not the masters of adversity, not our own last end.
CCC No. 2629

Reflection: There are those who feel that prayers of petition are somehow selfish or lacking the fullness of devotion for God that praise and adoration express, and yet, petition is an important manifestation of our own sense of right relationship to God, our need for his help, and our faith in his love for us.

Prayer: Lord, help us to value you above all the gifts you give us.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Monday, November 21, 2011

2011-11-21T06:15:00.000-08:00

The Gospel reveals to us how Mary prays and intercedes in faith. At Cana, the mother of Jesus asks her son for the needs of a wedding feast; this is the sign of another feast--that of the wedding of the Lamb where he gives his body and blood at the request of the Church, his Bride.
- CCC No. 2618

Reflection: In the wedding at Cana, Scripture shows us both Mary's intercessory power with her son and her ultimate message to those serving Christ, "Do whatever he tells you."

Prayer: Mary, pray to your Son for us.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer Friday, November 18, 2011

2011-11-18T07:15:00.001-08:00

"Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will." Such is the power of prayer and of faith that does not doubt: "all things are possible to him who believes."
- CCC No. 2610

Reflection: Faith is the key that unlocks the door to all our truest desires; but faith is not just praying with more strength or willpower. Mountain-moving faith is the result of a long and loving relationship with our God, to the point of sharing in the trust that exists between the Father and the Son.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, increase our faith!

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Wednesday, November 09, 2011

2011-11-09T11:25:00.001-08:00

The arguments of [Moses'] prayer...will inspire the boldness of the great intercessors among the Jewish people and in the Church; God is love; he is therefore righteous and faithful; he cannot contradict himself; he must remember his marvelous deeds, since his glory is at stake, and he cannot forsake this people that bears his name.
- CCC No. 2577

Reflection: Moses' intercession starts with God, not with the people he is interceding for. Moses urges God to intercede not primarily for the people's sake, but for God's sake, the sake of his name and holiness.

Prayer: Lord, remember your love for your people.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Monday, November 07, 2011

2011-11-07T08:05:00.000-08:00

Abraham's first prayer in words [is] a veiled complaint reminding God of his promises which seem unfulfilled. Thus one aspect of the drama of prayer appears from the beginning: the test of faith in the fidelity of God.
- CCC No. 2570

Reflection: The harsh reality of unanswered prayer is neither a sign that we are unworthy nor proof that God does not exist; it is part of the mystery of the relationship between God and man. To give up when our prayers are not answered is to treat God like an out-of-order vending machine.

Prayer: Lord, hear our prayer.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Friday, November 04, 2011

2011-11-04T08:09:00.000-07:00

In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit...Thus, the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion with him.
- CCC No. 2565

Reflection: To get used to the company of the people we live and work with takes time. The same is true of our relationship with God. We need to pray often to become comfortable in God's company.

Prayer: Holy Trinity, make a home in our homes.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer Monday, October 31, 2011

2011-10-31T09:17:00.001-07:00

Desire for true happiness frees man from his immoderate attachment to the goods of this world so that he can find his fulfillment in the vision and beatitude of God.
- CCC No. 2548

Reflection: Once you taste the true joy of the spiritual life and compare it with the passing happiness of transitory things, the commandments aren't as difficult. Lying, cheating, stealing, and adultery seem like an awful lot of trouble for anything less than true happiness.

Prayer: Jesus, teach us to desire true happiness.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Monday, October 24, 2011

2011-10-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

By its very nature, lying is to be condemned. It is a profanation of speech, whereas the purpose of speech is to communicate known truth to others.
- CCC No. 2485

Reflection: The Catechism suggests that the whole point of speech organs is to pass on the truth to others. This does not rule out humor, son, or story, for the best of these contain deep abiding truths.

Prayer: Lord, may we always speak the truth in love.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Thursday, October 20, 2011

2011-10-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

Sexuality, in which man's belonging to the bodily and biological world is expressed, becomes personal and truly human when it is integrated into the relationship of one person to another, in the complete and lifelong mutual gift of a man and a woman.
- CCC No. 2337

Reflection: The sixth commandment ("You shall not commit adultery") protects the divine image in man, for to have sexual relations outside of marriage, that is, apart from a lifelong, exclusive relationship of one man and one woman, is an act that is offensive to the dignity of marriage and a grave sin.

Prayer: Father, teach us how to honor our bodies.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Wednesday, October 19, 2011

2011-10-19T06:11:00.001-07:00

Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life...We are the Stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not our to dispose of.
- CCC No. 2280

Reflection: The fifth commandment forbids suicide and other self-destructive and risky behavior. A culture that does not respect all forms of life will soon be a culture in which no life is sacred, even one's own.

Prayer: Lord, help us to form a culture of life in our world.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Thursday, October 06, 2011

2011-10-06T05:46:00.000-07:00

The fifth precept ("You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church") means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.
- CCC No. 2043

Reflection: As more and more lay people take roles in the Church, there is less free labor in the form of priests and sisters to serve the people of God. This makes it more important than ever that parishioners support their parish "according to their ability."

Prayer: Father, make me a cheerful giver to the work of the Church.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Wednesday, October 05,

2011-10-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

The fourth precept ("You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.
- CCC No. 2043

Reflection: The fourth precept also underscores the importance of the Easter season and that we ought to prepare for it. The return of the Lenten fast is a yearly examination of our life and a chance to improve ourselves to better serve the risen Christ.

Prayer: Lord of the desert, help us to make use of the season of Lent.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Tuesday, October 04, 2011

2011-10-04T06:33:00.000-07:00

The third precept ("You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season") guarantees as minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.
- CCC No. 2042

Reflection: Notice how the Church separates the reception of communion (at least once a year) from attending Mass (every week). Two points follow: first, we must be prepared to receive communion, and even if we aren't we still need to gather with the Church.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, sanctify your Church by the gift of the Eucharist.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Thursday, September 29, 2011

2011-09-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

From generation to generation, under the aegis and vigilance of the pastors, the "deposit" of Christian moral teaching has been handed on, a deposit composed of a characteristic body of rules, commandments, and virtues proceeding from faith in Christ and animated by charity.
- CCC No. 2033

Reflection: We can't figure this all out on our own in the small amount of time we've been given--we're not supposed to. That's why the Church preserves the wisdom of the saints and the teachings of the Bible for each generation to learn from and to add to it.

Prayer: Lord, raise up teachers for your Church.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Thursday, September 22, 2011

2011-09-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

The natural law is a participation in God's wisdom and goodness by man formed in the image of his Creator. It expresses the dignity of the human person and forms the basis of his fundamental rights and duties.
- CCC No. 1978

Reflection: Being in God's image we have an innate sense of right and wrong which does not change from time to time or person to person but is fundamental to beings made in God's image, for it is based upon the nature of who God is.

Prayer: Father, open our eyes to see the wonders of your law.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Monday, September 19, 2011

2011-09-19T07:36:00.000-07:00

Authority is exercised legitimately only when it seeks the common good of the group concerned and if it employs morally licit means to attain it. If rulers were to enact unjust laws or take measures contrary to the moral order, such arrangements would not be binding in conscience.
- CCC No. 1903

Reflection: Although the Catechism, following the Bible, directs Christians to be obedient to those in authority, it is careful to point out that one need not remain under an unjust authority.

Prayer: Lord, inspire leaders to desire the good for those in charge.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Friday, September 16, 2011

2011-09-16T05:49:00.001-07:00

To promote the participation of the greatest number in the life of a society, the creation of voluntary associations and institutions must be encouraged "on both national and international levels, which relate to the economic and social goals, to cultural and recreational activities, to sport, to various professions, and to political affairs."
- CCC No. 1882

Reflection: Just as animals gather in herds or flocks, so human beings are meant to form groups. Whether it is softball leagues or the museum society, human beings are meant to be joiners.

Prayer: Lord, strengthen the bonds of the body of Christ.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Wednesday, September 14, 2011

2011-09-14T06:20:00.000-07:00

Sin creates a proclivity to sin; it engenders vice by repetition of the same acts. This results in perverse inclinations which cloud conscience and corrupt the concrete judgment of good and evil. Thus sin tends to reproduce itself and reinforce itself, but it cannot destroy the moral sense at its root.
- CCC No. 1865

Reflection: Just as virtue is habitual, so sin becomes a default setting for those who are not vigilant enough to guard against it. It is easy to go downhill, and few things are easier than to sink slowly, imperceptibly into vice and addiction.

Prayer: Lord, save us from our own evil inclinations.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Tuesday, September 13, 2011

2011-09-13T09:09:00.001-07:00

Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul's progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment.
- CCC No. 1863

Reflection: We should always prefer God to the things he has created. But as we drift away from God, we become more and more self-centered and our desires slide lower and lower on the scale until mere things become more important to us than even the people we love.

Prayer: Father, help us to prefer you over everything else.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Tuesday, September 06, 2011

2011-09-06T11:06:00.001-07:00

Temperance...ensures the will's mastery over instincts and keeps desires within the limits of what is honorable. The temperate person directs the sensitive appetites toward what is good and maintains a healthy discretion.
- CCC No. 1809

Reflection: The ancients spoke of "leisure with dignity," acknowledging the difficulty inherent in the human experience of fulfilling our desires without being controlled by them. Temperance controls and directs our freedom so that we can reach our full potential.

Prayer: Lord, strengthen us until we are stronger even than our own desires.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Friday, September 02, 2011

2011-09-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

Four virtues play a pivotal role and accordingly are called "cardinal"; all the others are grouped around them. They are: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.
- CCC No1805

Reflection: The ancient philosophers who lived long before Christ articulated four commands for those who wanted to live a virtuous (i.e., strong) life: be wise, be fair, be brave, be self-controlled. The Church has always confirmed the wisdom of these counsels.

Prayer: Spirit of God, strengthen us to live the cardinal virtues.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)

Scripture, Reflection & Prayer for Thursday, September 01, 2011

2011-09-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

A virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do the good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions.
- CCC No. 1803

Reflection: The virtuous are in the habit of choosing correctly, until one day it is just natural for them to do the right thing. For the virtuous person, doing good is the default setting.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, set our hearts on fire with a love of holy wisdom.

From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)