Grace: To know all that God has given me in His creation, that it might bring me closer to Him. Text for Prayer: Psalm 104 Reflection: Living in Denver, I am intimately familiar with the grandeur of God’s creation. I almost daily stand in silent amazement as I watch the hand of God painting a sunrise or… Read more »

Grace: That all intentions, actions, and works may be purely directed towards the praise and service of God our Lord. Text for Prayer: Genesis 1:26-31 Reflection: Why did God choose to make mankind? If I were to pose this question to the 8th graders whom I teach, they would likely—using their energetic imaginations—come up with… Read more »

Grace: To ask for the courage and generosity to draw closer to God. Text for Prayer: Psalm 130 Reflection: Why exercise? The simplest answer might be to say that one exercises in order “to be healthy,” and regular exercise can certainly be a good thing when directed towards physical and mental health. There are many… Read more »

Grace: To gain knowledge of what I have lost through sin and to then have the courage to return to the Father who loves me. Text: Lk 15 Reflection: In the three parables from today’s text for prayer, we hear of three people who go searching for what they have lost. Whether each has lost… Read more »

Grace: I ask for the knowledge of the true life exemplified in Jesus Christ, my Lord and my God, and the grace to live my life in his way. Reading: Matthew 17:1-8 Reflection: I recently discovered a fascinating  nugget of trivia from one of those often forgotten coffee table magazines. It stated that the average… Read more »

Grace: To feel intensely the pain of those who are eternally separated from God, so that the very thought of eternal separation from Him would cause me so much sorrow that I would cry out to the Lord for strength to avoid sin. Text for Meditation: Lk 15.25-32 Reflection: A woman writhes and screams in pain… Read more »

Grace: To desire to reform my life and renew my relationship with Christ, recognizing that life is short and I will be judged by the Lord after death. Text for Prayer: Luke 12:16-21 Reflection: Benjamin Franklin once wrote to Jean-Baptiste LeRoy, a prominent scientist during Enlightenment France, “Our new Constitution is now established, and has… Read more »

Grace:  A deep knowledge of my sins and my personal responsibility for them. Text for Prayer:  1 John 1:8 – 2:2 Reflection:  It is not easy to pray on sin.  We find all kinds of ways to avoid looking it straight in the face.  Our minds wander.  We keep glancing at our watch, wondering why… Read more »

Grace: That my heart be on fire with the same zeal as Jesus’ Sacred Heart. Reading: Revelation 3:14-22 Reflection: Did you see any of the commercials during the Superbowl this year? There’s this one in which Sir Elton John sits on a throne, dressed in some kind of ridiculous royal garb, begrudgingly judging whether or… Read more »

Grace: A growing intense sorrow and, if God so wishes, even tears for my sins. Text For Prayer: Matt 25: 31-46 Reflection:  How do we treat our best friend?  For most people, a best friend is somebody that they trust and with whom they share their joys and sorrows.  The relationship, like all human relationships,… Read more »