July 31: St Ignatius of Loyola

O God, who raised up Saint Ignatius of Loyola in your Church to further the greater glory of your name, grant that by his help we may imitate him in fighting the good fight on earth and merit to receive with him a crown in heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
St Ignatius, pray for us.

July 29: St Martha of Bethany

Almighty ever-living God, whose Son was pleased to be welcomed in Saint Martha’s home as a guest, grant, we pray, serving Christ faithfully in our brothers and sisters, we may merit to be received by you in the halls of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen

Praise God for a New Day

“Sunrise is an event that calls forth solemn music in the very depths of our nature, as if one’s whole being had to attune itself to the cosmos and praise God for the new day, praise him in the name of all the creatures that ever were or ever will be. I look at the rising sun and feel that now upon me falls the responsibility of seeing what all my ancestors have seen, in the Stone Age and even before it, praising God before me. Whether or not they praised him then, for themselves, they must praise him now in me. When the sun rises each one of us is summoned by the living and the dead to praise God.” ~Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander

Desire

“Are not our desires inseparably intertwined with the continuation of life? Even the idea of eliminating desire is fruitless. The desire to eliminate all desire is still itself a desire. How can we find release and peace by replacing one desire with another? Surely we shall find peace not by eliminating desire, but by finding its fulfillment and satisfaction in the One who created it.” ~Sadhu Sundar Singh, Wisdom of the Sadhu

July 26: Sts. Joachim & Anne

Lord, you bestowed on Saint Joachim and Saint Anne this singular grace: that their daughter, Mary, should become the Mother of your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant, at their intercession, the salvation you promised to your people. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Sts. Joachim and Anne, pray for us.

July 25: St. James, Apostle

Lord God, you accepted the sacrifice of Saint James, the first of your apostles to give his life for your sake. May your Church find strength in his martyrdom and support in his constant prayer. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
St. James, pray for us.

Christ’s Light Shines

 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. ~2 Corinthians 4:6

July 22: Feast of St. Mary Magdalene

O God, whose Only Begotten Son entrusted Mary Magdalene before all others with announcing the great joy of the Resurrection, grant, we pray, that through her intercession and example we may proclaim the living Christ and come to see him reigning in your glory. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

July 21: St. Laurence of Brindisi

Lord God, you bestowed on Saint Laurence of Brindisi the spirit of counsel and fortitude, so that your name might be glorified and souls be saved. At the intercession of Saint Laurence grant that we may see what we have to do, and, in your mercy, give us the strength to do it. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
St. Laurence, pray for us.

 

 

The Hermit’s Calling

“The Hermit is not called either to govern, or to preach, or to do good works. In absolute anonymity he has to pray, to suffer for his fellow-men and to make sure that the office of prayers and praise is performed on their behalf. For him to stand day and night in the presence of God’s august majesty, his purity and the fervor of his charity must make him fit to be an ambassador acceptable to God. Hence a special obligation lies on him to be holy.” ~Excerpt from The Hermitage Within