Thursday, March 01, 2012 (Lenten Weekday)

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Our Lord knew that to draw strength and efficacy from fasting, something more than abstinence from prohibited food is necessary. Thus He instructed His disciples and, consequently, disposed them to gather the fruits proper to fasting. Among many others are these four: fasting fortifies the spirit, mortifying the flesh and its sensuality; it raises the spirit to God; it fights concupiscence and gives power to conquer and deaden its passions; in short, it disposes the heart to seek to please only God with great purity of heart.
-- St. Francis de Sales

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: 1 Esther 12: 14-16, 23-25
14 In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s chamberlain, who kept the concubines: she came in to the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.
15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.
16 So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

Thursday, February 02, 2012 {The Presentation of the Lord (Feast)}

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
We must neither doubt nor hesitate with respect to the words of the Lord; rather we must be fully persuaded that every word of God is true and possible, even if our nature should rebel against the idea -- for in this lies the test of faith.
-- St. Basil the Great

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Malachi 3:1-4
1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, he comes!” says Yahweh of Armies.
2 “But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like launderer’s soap;

Thursday, January 26, 2012 {(Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops (Memorial)}

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that I have committed to Him against that day, being a just Judge.
-- 2 Tim. i. 12

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: 2 Timothy 1:1-8 or Titus 1:1-5
2 Timothy 1:1-8
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers.

Thursday, January 12, 2012 {St. Bernard of Corleone, Religious (Memorial)}

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Attempts to be virtuous that are joined to disobedience to the will of God, no matter how good they may appear, will actually work for our damnation.
-- St. Thomas More

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: 1 Samuel 4:1-11
(The Capture of the Covenant Box)
1 The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.
2 The Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was struck before the Philistines; and they killed of the army in the field about four thousand men.
3 When the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has Yahweh struck us today before the Philistines? Let us get the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of Shiloh to us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies.