Luke 1

Selected Lectio Reading:
Luke 1:26-56


Meditatio/Reflection:

Elizabeth said to Mary, "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled" (Lk 1:45).  Fulton Sheen, in his book The World's First Love, made this connection: "Eve had believed the serpent; Elizabeth now praises Mary for blotting out the ruin of Eve by believing in God."

This idea of belief struck me this time through this reading.  Two things immediately came to mind.  The first is simply the seeming degradation of society.  It seems to be falling apart in so many ways.  It's almost as if nothing can be talked about without risking offense.  Things have become so polemical and so heated that it appears as if we're on the brink of a major downfall or conflict.  It scares me, to be frank.  But, in the midst of this fear, I have to remember that God has promised that his Church would never fail, that the "gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Mt 16:18).  And belief in this promise gives me hope.  And when we meditate on the mysteries of the Annunciation and the Visitation, we are ultimately encountering stories of the fulfillment of hope.

The second thing that comes to mind is that the theme of my classes this semester is trust.  Adam and Eve didn't trust God and so ate from the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen 3).  Abram didn't trust God's promises and so used Hagar to have Ishmael (Gen 16).  Rebekah didn't trust God's promises and so had his son Jacob trick Isaac to steal the blessing (Gen 27).  Moses didn't trust God's promises at the Burning Bush and so involved Aaron who would eventually craft the Golden Calf (Ex 4, 32).  Yet, Mary believed and trusted that what the angel said would be fulfilled.  In this one simple act, she invites us to undo all of our disbelief and distrust.  Thanks be to God for that!


Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Lord, thank you for giving us Mary as our model of faith and as our mother.  Thank you for gracing her so abundantly that her immediate response was to proclaim her Fiat to you.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, bless us with the graces we so desperately need to trust in you, to rely upon you, and to abide in you.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Marian Grace, "Ave Maris Stella"

Saint Quote of the Day:

"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe."
      - St. Augustine

Genesis 6-9

Selected Lectio Reading:

Genesis 8:1


Meditatio/Reflection:

"[A]nd then God remembered Noah..." (Gen 8:1).  Imagining this scene unfold this time around, I had a profound sense of the sadness Noah and his family must have experienced.  They watched as the entire human community rejected God so thoroughly and so completely that they were subject to the devastation of the flood.  The wholesale descent into sin (see Gen 6:5) is just so tragic.

Ashley and I had a scare yesterday.  We had a positive pregnancy test on Friday and were so excited to be welcoming "Baby Bear #5".  And then we had all the indications of a miscarriage.  When we had some blood tests run, it showed that the pregnancy test had given us a false positive.  On the one hand this was a significant relief, as we hadn't lost a baby.  But on the other hand, it felt like we had lost a baby.  I felt as if I had already fallen in love with this kiddo and so I was deeply saddened to get the call from Ashley that we might be miscarrying.  But this morning, reflecting on this passage, and now after getting the news that the pregnancy test was wrong, I have a renewed sense of peace.  I was able to focus on this passage that God remembered Noah in his affliction.  God remembers me and is with me in my affliction, in my sadness, in my grief.

I'm still not entirely sure how to grieve over this situation, but I know that God is with me and will never abandon me.


Oratio/Thanksgiving:


Lord, thank you for the gift of life and the possibility to join in your creative work in bringing forth new life.  Thank you for the kids you have given us and any that you have yet to give us.  Thank you for being present in our times of heartache and distress to give us peace.


Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, continue to be with us and help us to know of your love and presence.  May we never succumb to feeling you are far from us and help us to always hope in you.


Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Casting Crowns, "Praise You in the Storm"

Saint Quote of the Day:

"Pray, hope, and don't worry.  Worry is useless.  God is merciful and will hear your prayer."
      - St. Padre Pio

Psalm 84

Selected Lectio Reading:
Psalm 84:11-13


Meditatio/Reflection:

As I first read this, I thought that my attention would be focused on the image of God's courts, but I was surprised that I was rather moved by the image of being on the "threshold of the house of my God" (v. 11).  I've been watching a lot of saint movies over the last few months, and I've been moved by the poverty that they so frequently encountered and so frequently embraced, such as St. Francis of Assisi.  I was so attracted to the simplicity which he devoted himself to and the great joy which he found in having only God.  I also watched a movie on St. Philip Neri, which portrayed him as having the motto (for lack of a better word) "I prefer heaven."

This idea of needing nothing other than God is one that I can understand intellectually, and I often teach it to my students, but I don't always live it out.  I'm often attached to various habits or comforts in my life, which may not all be necessarily bad, but have become distractions in many cases.  Or I wonder what my life would be like if I were to give these things up, and I can intellectually see the benefits, but I have a hard time actually following through with it.

However, in all of this, I try not to be overly scrupulous.  I want to enjoy the things God has provided for me so that I can be authentically grateful.  Maybe then I'll be able to appreciate the simplicity and poverty of the saints, that simply being on the "threshold of the house of my God" I can understand St. Philip Neri's preference for heaven.


Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Lord, thank you for the simplicity of your saints and the wonders you worked through their holy lives.  Thank you for your great love which invites us not just to the threshold of your house, but into your heavenly kingdom.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, grant me the grace to know and love and serve you in the simple ways that I am able.  Help me to avoid the temptation of pride in scrupulosity and to know your love for me.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

"Preferisco il Paradiso" from the movie "St. Philip Neri: I Prefer Heaven"

Saint Quote of the Day:

"He who wants anything other than Christ does not know what he wants."
      - St. Philip Neri

Mark 1-4

Selected Lectio Reading:

Mark 4:35-41


Meditatio/Reflection:

A couple of years ago, I led the March for Life trip to Washington, D.C. for a group of seniors.  One of the evenings we were reflecting on our experience at the march.  The discussion turned to what we can do about life issues, especially because they seem so much bigger than us.  I brought up this story, and how we can look to Jesus' disposition on the boat which was about to capsize.  He is sleeping.  He is at peace.  Even in the midst of the storm, he is not anxious.

This also reminds me of when Liam (our second oldest, currently 4 years old) was going through a period where it took at least an hour each evening to put him to bed.  I think he was around 14-18 months at the time (my memories are not so clear from the kiddos' early years...).  Every night, I would pray with him, sing songs, and put him in his crib where he dutifully lay down.  But then any time I tried to leave, he would start screaming.  It got to the point where I would kneel down and slowly back out of the door and very slowly close the door so that he might not see me leave.  One night, I had been trying to get him to sleep for about 45 minutes.  I lay him down, I very slowly left the room, I closed the door.  I didn't hear anything for about five seconds and so I silently rejoiced.  And suddenly Liam started screaming.  And so in my prayer, I shouted at God, "What do you want from me?"  And his response, clear as day, was, "Just be."  And I was flooded with peace, knowing that I was not alone and that I could be at peace in the midst of this storm.  And so I went back in and worked for another hour to get him down.

That statement, "Just be," has been with me since.  I try to recognize when I'm getting overly anxious about something at work, or if I'm being short-tempered with my kids, and I ask God again what he wants from me.  And that same peace that he offered a couple years ago is available in those moments.

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Lord, thank you for my kiddos and how you call me to love them.  Thank you for how you are present to me in the hard moments when I feel like I can't take it anymore.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, bless all of those who have a hard time seeing you in difficult times and help them find the peace that you offer in those moments.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Jonny Diaz, "Breathe"

Saint Quote of the Day:

Matthew 5-9

Selected Lectio Reading:
Mt 7:1-5


Meditatio/Reflection:

Who am I to judge?  Don't judge me!  I cringe every time I hear these phrases, and I hear them all too often.  How often when we hear someone tell us to not judge them, it seems like they're looking to excuse a certain action, behavior, attitude, etc.?  Do we no longer have the capacity to discern right from wrong?

What is Jesus saying here?  Is he telling us to not recognize the true faults and failures of each other?  Hardly.  Otherwise, why would he tell us to "take the speck out of [our] neighbor's eye" once we can "see clearly" (Mt 7:5).  I think the emphasis here is twofold.  First, don't condemn your neighbor.  When we condemn others, we tend to reject any sort of relationship which could result in conversion.  Second, don't get all high and mighty and point out other people's faults and failures without considering your own.

But we must consider the good of others, even when it means that we have to confront their objectively harmful choices.  Would we want someone to leave us in an addiction to something detrimental to our physical, spiritual, or psychological health?  No, we'd want them to judge the thing as harmful and help us get out of it.  So too, we should care enough about each other to call each other out in charity.  We should also be open to this fraternal correction from others when we are at fault.

It can take a lot of courage and patience to do either.  And it's something that I know I need to work on.

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Lord, thank you for your moral law and for those in my life who offer me fraternal correction in charity.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, help me to be open to those who authentically want what is best for me and who all me out of mediocrity to sanctity.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Matt Maher: Letting Go

Saint Quote of the Day:

"Don't neglect the practice of fraternal correction, which is a clear sign of supernatural virtue of charity.  You may find it hard, for it is easier to be inhibited.  It's easier to behave that way, but it's not supernatural.  And you will have to render an account to God for such omissions."
      - St. Josemaria Escriva

Matthew 1-4

Selected Lectio Reading:
Mt 3:7-12


Meditatio/Reflection:

"You brood of vipers!" John the Baptist says to the Sadducees and Pharisees (Mt 3:7).  As serpents are often associated with Satan, we might hear "You children of the devil!"  We often see in the Gospels, the Jewish leaders investigating a situation which may fall under their jurisdiction, and yet it's often from a position of skepticism or doubt.  How often did they try to impede Jesus in his public ministry?  No wonder John is so critical of them here.  He is trying to get the people ready for the coming of Christ through his baptism of repentance, and yet these people are potentially disrupting that by offering a different teaching.

But what about me?  How am I like the Sadducees and Pharisees?  I hear the admonition to bear good fruit.  I know I try to lead people to Christ, like John, but do I?  Am I more like the Sadducees and Pharisees in their sense of self-righteousness?  A frequent prayer of mine is may nothing that I do cause another to turn away from God.  I pray this especially with for my wife and kids.  I pray it most fervently when I've been harsh or uncharitable or selfish.  It has often led me to seek forgiveness for however I treated them and to mend the relationship.  If I don't, I am no better than the "brood of vipers" John condemns here.


Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Lord, thank you for inspiring me to lead people to you, especially my wife, my kids, and my students.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, may nothing I do today lead a single soul away from you.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Oh Hellos: Dear Wormwood

Saint Quote of the Day:

"Your faith should be for you a light which guides you in all things, and a shining light for those you instruct, to lead them on the path to heaven."
      -St. John Baptist de la Salle

John 13

Selected Lectio Reading:
John 13:1-8


Meditatio/Reflection:

I can just imagine the incredulous sound of Peter's question: "Master, are you going to wash my feet?" (Jn 13:6).  How many times have we seen Peter humbled by Jesus, either through a recognition of Jesus' greatness or a rebuke from Jesus when Peter didn't quite get it right.  To watch someone who I consider to be greater than myself lowering himself to do a task that in certain contexts not even slaves would have to do, I'm not sure how I would respond.  I feel like I can really relate to Peter's protest here.  I would feel uncomfortable having the Lord of the universe seemingly beneath me.

Yet, I know that is only my pride talking.  It's a false humility to say to another, "You're so great that you couldn't possibly deign to serve someone like me."  In rejecting the service of another, we are actually putting ourselves above them, judging who is and who is not capable of offering service.  Who are we to make that judgment?  Who are we to reject the charity of another?  We may even think that we don't need the service being offered.  How utterly arrogant!

When we can enter into a mutual submissiveness to serve one another, how great would that relationship become!  Jesus models for us the need to consider each person higher than ourselves, to be willing to enter into the most demeaning of circumstances to serve them.  When we do this ourselves, and allow others to do it for us, then we have a sense of what Jesus is trying to accomplish here.  For as he anoints them in their priesthood in these moments, he also shows what it means to be a priest, to lay down his life for his flock.  The question I need to ask myself is whether or not my pride gets in the way of all of this, or if in fact I am seeking to follow the example of Jesus washing his disciples' feet.

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Thank you Lord for the model of service that you gave to us in the upper room.  Thank you for providing a standard which inspires me to lose my pride and open myself to what you offer me, to what others offer me, so that I can offer myself to you and them.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, humble me as you did St. Peter.  I'm scared to ask for this, so help me to trust in your provision and grace as you help me to recognize myself in truth.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Matt Maher: Love Comes Down

Saint Quote of the Day:

"Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ, doesn't seek the glory of Christ."
      - St. John of the Cross

Genesis 37-42

Selected Lectio Reading:
Gen 39:6-20


Meditatio/Reflection:

"Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking" (v. 6).  What a way to introduce this section.  How often are we led astray because of something or someone we find attractive.  What are we willing to compromise?  Yet in Joseph we see an amazing example of loyalty, to his master and to his God.  Time after time Potiphar's wife tries to seduce Joseph, and yet he resists saying, "How then could I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (v. 9).  He recognizes that he has been given authority over Potiphar's entire household, everything but his wife.  She is his, and no one else's.

Over the course of the last several weeks as I've prayed for my wife and sought to serve her better, I've been constantly reminded of a fundamental truth of our relationship.  She is God's first.  God's first, not mine.  While she is my wife, she is God's first.  Therefore, the motivation for any way in which I serve her should be to help her see her relationship with God more clearly so she can experience and know his love, care, and provision.

In our marriage, we image this reality to each other, or at least we try.  What could we learn by this example of Joseph, his loyalty to Potiphar and to God?  What should we be willing to risk for the authentic good of the other, this truth that we actually belong to God?  Here Joseph is thrown in prison after being falsely accused.  How much more should I give for my bride and for my God?

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Lord, thank you for my bride.  Thank you for showing me your love for me through her.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, help me to be the husband my wife deserves, to show your love to her.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Jars of Clay: Worlds Apart

Saint Quote of the Day:

"My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love you, I want my heart to repeat it as often as I draw breath."
      - St. John Vianney

Genesis 31-36

Selected Lectio Reading:
Gen 32:22-32


Meditatio/Reflection:

There are two things that stick out to me in this passage.  First, the words, "The same night..." (v. 22) drew me to see what led up to this passage.  Jacob's attitude has shifted considerably during his "exile" in Haran.  Where once he bargained with God's favor and protection in exchange for his devotion (28:20-22), he now approaches God with humility: "O Lord...I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant..." (32:9-10).  I think this humility lends itself to what Jacob sees in his wrestling match with God.  Jacob says two things after his hip is dislocated: "bless me" (v. 26) and "tell me your name" (v. 29).  In Jacob's humility, he recognizes that he is not greater than the one with whom he is wrestling, and thus he seeks a blessing.  Second, he wants to know the name of his opponent.  In considering these points, I wonder if Jacob truly saw in the other an opponent.  Sometimes in wrestling with a major decision, or trying to think of the best way to approach a class, topic, issue, whatever, I have a somewhat unconscious sensation of battling against God.  Often though, this morphs from having God as an opponent to seeking a greater understanding of who God is, what his will is for me, and how I should proceed.  I think that's the nature of Israel, of being "one who wrestles with God."  In our sin, we have an imperfection vision, and so we must sometimes struggle against God to gain clarity.  In our struggle, we realize that we're not struggling so much against God as to better understand him.  Perhaps our "wrestling match" is more with ourselves?

The second item, which serves only to highlight the importance of this passage, is that surrounding it are Jacob referring to seeing someone's face (32:20 and 33:10).  And in the middle of this passage, Jacob recognizes that he has "seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved" (v. 30).  He feared his coming encounter with Esau, but what truly spares him and transforms him into Israel, as one who can be reconciled to his brother, is this meeting with God.

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Lord, thank you for allowing us to struggle with you, to wrestle with what you've given us.  Thank you for the times when I've been able to come to a greater understanding of you and your will for my life through a hardship, trial, or otherwise painful experience.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, please never allow me to be too comfortable in my understanding of you that I stop seeking more.  Draw my heart, soul, and strength ever more to your Sacred Heart.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Carbon Leaf: Let Your Troubles Roll By

Saint Quote of the Day:

"Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly."
      - St. Ignatius of Loyola

Genesis 27-30

Selected Lectio Reading:
Gen 28:1-5


Meditatio/Reflection:

The first thing that stood out to me when reading this passage was the command of Jacob to "Go...and take as a wife...one of the daughters of Laban" (v. 2).  It's almost bizarre to think of this command being necessary.  Only take one wife, son.  I suppose in a culture that was so inundated with polygamy, and that Jacob was going to be heading away from his place of security, this command surely must have been needed.  And of course, Jacob won't obey it, and look what happens: his family life is what we might call a disaster.  Drama, deceit, contests, favoritism, envy.  What could possibly held this together?  Isaac's blessing: "May God Almighty bless you...May he give to you the blessing of Abraham" (v. 3-4).

I love that image of Isaac giving Jacob this blessing.  It reminds me of my own kids.  Each night we have a pretty set routine.  About 7:00 in the evening, I will get the boys together to get ready for bed.  PJs on, brush teeth, etc.  Then I send the older boys downstairs for some quiet reading time while I read a story to John Paul, pray with him, sing him some songs, and then put him to bed.  Then I get the older boys, read them a story (currently The Hobbit), say Night Prayer with them, sing some songs, and then put them to bed.  As I put all three boys to bed, I bless them with a prayer I came up with while I was dating Ashley: "God bless you and may your guardian angels and all the angels watch over you this night and grant you restful sleep."  This routine has become one of my favorite things about being a dad.  To be able to close a day with giving a fatherly blessing.  It's in these moments when I know that I'm fulfilling at least part of what God wants me to be as a dad.

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Thank you, Lord, for your gift of marriage to the world and how you designed that we would be husband and wife, one flesh, indissoluble.  Thank you for the blessing of fatherhood and my kids.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Dear Lord, bless my wife and kids.  May they come to know you, love you, and serve you better with each day.  Bless me as a husband and father, that I may be a blessing to them.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Billy Joel: Goodnight My Angel

Wisdom from the Holy Father:

"To be a good father, the first requirement is to be present in the family.  To be close to his wife, to share in everything, joy and pain, burdens and hopes."
      -Pope Francis, General audience, Feb. 4, 2015

Genesis 24-26

Selected Lectio Reading:
Gen 25:19-23


Meditatio/Reflection:

There are a couple of thoughts which spring to mind as I try to place myself in this passage.  The first is that of many friends, family members, etc. who sought to conceive and either couldn't or only did so after significant difficulty.  As Isaac prayed for Rebekah, I know that many prayers were offered up for these couples.  Sometimes we saw answers to those prayers in the manner of God answering Isaac's prayers.  Other times, our friends and family members continued in their struggle to conceive.  I often hear the question, "Why does God answer some people's prayers, but not others?"  There are so many possible answers to this question, and I think the right one is probably couched in mystery, but when I ask this of myself, I often wonder if we're actually looking for God's will in our prayers.  I'm not saying that it is necessarily contrary to God's will for some of these families to conceive, but I wonder if God is trying to illicit a greater trust, a greater love from those who remain in their "barrenness" by allowing them to stay there.  It sounds counter-intuitive, but I think there's a significant truth in that unique ability of humanity to continue to love through suffering.  That idea of compassion, to suffer with someone, brought the Incarnation, brought Christ to us.  How great can we experience God's love in those moments of suffering through the prayers which open us to it!

The second thought has to do with sibling rivalry, which I've experienced some in the past, but I feel as if my brothers and I have a pretty solid relationship.  We're not perfect by any means, but much of what separated us in our early years faded most considerably when we were separated by war.  My brothers all served in the military while I was in high school and college.  When they left, I think we found that whatever issues divided us were no longer important and our bond as brothers, in the love of God, can get us through just about anything.  I'm thankful and proud to call my brothers my best friends.

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Thank you, Lord, for your provisions in times of suffering and for giving me brothers whom I love dearly.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, please comfort those who struggle with infertility and bless them with your love and presence.  Please offer your mantle of protection to all those still serving in the military or in other service-oriented capacities.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

The Hobbit: Misty Mountains

Saint Quote of the Day:

"God sends us friends to be our firm support in the whirlpool of struggle.  In the company of friends we find strength to attain our sublime ideal."
      - St. Maximilian Kolbe

Genesis 16-23

Selected Lectio Reading:
Gen 18:9-15


Meditatio/Reflection:

"Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?" (v. 14)  This question is highlighted by the placement of the descriptors of Abraham and Sarah as "old, advanced in age" etc. in the center of this episode.  Nothing natural could have provided Abraham and Sarah a son.  How many times did God promise that Abraham would have descendants, heirs, a son, etc.?  I can understand impatience with certain promises, especially those which have so much potential consequence.  I can understand seeing how I could possibly try to see how I could fulfill those promises on my own.  And I an understand how something could seem so impossible that all I could do is laugh in disbelief.

And yet, nothing is too wonderful for the Lord.  Abraham and Sarah, in their old age, conceived and had a son, Isaac.  Isaac's own name, to laugh, has a double meaning: first to remind Abraham and Sarah (and all of us) of God's enduring faithfulness to his promises even when we doubt, and second, to show how God can turn our doubt to faith and our suffering to joy.

How little we take advantage of this.  I was once told that we should ask God for big things, miracles, blessings, etc., because then we show God that we acknowledge his greatness, that nothing is too wonderful for him.  We acknowledge that we're choosing to trust in his greatness.  And we put ourselves before his generosity.  Could Abraham and Sarah avoided some of the pain and hardship they endured when they tried to force God's promises without him if they had only asked him for that miracle?  How much pain and suffering could I avoid if I just turned to God and sought his grace and blessing?

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Thank you, Lord, for those times you proved yourself faithful to me, even when I doubted your greatness.  Thank you for the gifts you've used to show your love, provision, and care for me, especially my wife and kids.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, help me to give you glory by asking you for big things.  Help me have confidence in your generosity.  In practice of this, please heal Ashley's back and provide a healthy labor and delivery for many of our friends who are due within the coming weeks.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Carbon Leaf: What about Everything?

Saint Quote of the Day:

"You pay God a great compliment by asking great things of him."
      -St. Teresa of Avila

Genesis 12-15

Selected Lectio Reading:
Gen 15:12-16


Meditatio/Reflection:

This must have been a terrifying yet oddly comforting experience for Abram.  He encountered a "deep and terrifying darkness" in his sleep.  Ever since I was little, I have had experiences of extreme darkness as I was falling asleep.  In those moments, I dread that passage from consciousness to sleep.   Sometimes, I simply lose the ability to stay awake and fall asleep.  Recently, I've tried to more consciously choose to seek God in the moment, ask for his reassurance, breathe deeply, and actively seek sleep despite the looming darkness.

And it's that promise of God's that at some point, the darkness will end and that ultimately, we need not fear it, which offers comfort and allows me to peacefully drift to sleep.  In this passage, there is the a threefold repetition of the warning regarding Abram's descendants: "shall be aliens...shall be slaves...shall be oppressed" (v. 13).  To think that my kids or theirs will have to undergo such hardship is difficult for me to comprehend or accept.  I want to protect them, keep them safe from such problems.  But if I step back and look at our society today, it's not difficult to imagine that my own kids will have much to endure in their lives.

So what can I do?  How can I prepare them to engage their futures with hope instead of fear and trembling?  Well, we see here that God immediately follows up his warning with his promise: "bring judgment on the nation that they serve...they shall come out with great possessions...you shall go to your ancestors in peace...you shall be buried in a good old age...they shall come back here" (v. 14-16).  Even in those times of "deep and terrifying darkness," God can and will be there to see us through.  I hope and pray that I can impart this hope to my kids.

As an aside, I wonder if the fivefold promise in v. 14-16 has any correlation to the establishment of the Law of Moses (as five often symbolizes the Torah/Law).  Something to ponder...

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Lord, thank you for the hope that you offered here to Abram to comfort any worry that he may have about the future.  Thank you for offering me that hope as well.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, may I never forget the hope that you offer me, especially when I'm facing those dark moments right before I drift to sleep.  Bless my kids with the knowledge that you are always with them.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Chris Tomlin: Whom Shall I Fear (The God of Angel Armies)

Saint Quote of the Day:

"He that is kind is free, though he is a slave; he that is evil is a slave, though he be a king."
      -St. Augustine

Genesis 4-11

Selected Lectio Reading:
Gen 4:1-7


Meditatio/Reflection:

The image that sticks out to me the most as I read through this passage was "Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell" (v. 5).  While I can't number the times I feel like I've gone through a similar experience of disappointment and what might be called depression afterward, I know that I have.  And I wouldn't necessarily say that it was a depression born of sadness, but rather of anger.  Most often that anger was directed at myself.  Often when I fell into one temptation or another, or like Cain, I didn't offer my best effort (sacrifice), either to God or anyone around me, I would turn around and accuse myself of being weak or unable to actually succeed.

It wasn't until I got into college when I heard that one of Satan's titles is "Accuser."  What this means is that Satan first tries to trip us up by tempting us, and then when we fall, he will go on to tell us that we are worthless because we fell.  So these attacks on myself were actually temptations themselves from Satan.  Now, don't get me wrong, in these situations, like Cain, I was clearly in the wrong by not offering the best of myself, and the guilt and resentment I felt should have inspired me to greater action, as God says to Cain, "If you do well, will you not be accepted?" (v. 7).

What I needed to realize, and still do, is that I need God's help, grace, and guidance to do well.  I should turn to God in these times of failure and ask him for this so that I may do well and that I may master the sin that is lurking at the door (v. 7).

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Thank you, Lord, for the times when I've been able to turn to you after I've fallen into the temptation of offering less than the best of myself to you, my family, my friends, or my work.  Thank you for your mercy in helping me back up and seeing that with your help, I can do well and be accepted.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, please bless my efforts to offer the best of myself to you and my family especially this day.  Help me to see my failures as opportunities to seek to grow in your graces.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

The High Kings: The Parting Glass

Saint Quote of the Day:

"He loves, He hopes, He waits.  Our Lord prefers to wait Himself for the sinner for years rather than keeping us waiting for an instant."
      -St. Maria Goretti

Genesis 3

Selected Lectio Reading:
Gen 3: 1-7


Meditatio/Reflection:

As I read through this selection from the beginning of this tragic episode from Eden, I was constantly struck by the idea that the Man and Woman acted as if they could not rely on God.  First we have the serpent twisting God's words as he spoke to the Woman: "Did God say, 'You shall not eat from any tree in the garden?'" (Gen 3:1).  While much of her response was true, she added a prohibition for herself of not even touching the fruit of the tree.  I relate to this quite frequently.  As I am able to recognize how I am tempted (by the grace of God), I will often add these extra barriers so that I don't even come close to being tempted.

For example, I used to spend an inordinate amount of time on Facebook, such that I often felt like I was neglecting my family.  Now Facebook is not an evil thing which must be avoided at all costs, but I saw that I was not using it temperately.  So to avoid getting sucked into the black hole of social media, I decided to delete the app from my phone.  At first it wasn't easy, because I had trained myself to go to Facebook if I was idle.  Now it's not so much a temptation any more.

In light of this, I ask myself what would happen if I relied on God more and these extra barriers less?  What if I sought his grace instead of trying to constantly shield myself and protect myself?  Because I know all too well, that like the Woman, I am not beyond going around, over, or through those barriers to reach what I might find "good for food...a delight to the eyes...to be desired to make one wise" (Gen 1:6).

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Lord, thank you for bringing me through so many of the temptations that I face on a daily basis.  I know that it is by your grace, and not my strength, that I am able to resist them.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, may I never fail to turn to you for your help and grace in moments or periods of temptation.  Please bless those whose welfare I am responsible for and may I be the man, husband, father, son, brother, friend, teacher, etc. that I am called to be for their sake.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Audrey Assad: Fortunate Fall

Saint Quote of the Day:

Genesis 1-2

Selected Lectio Reading:
Gen 2:18-23


Meditatio/Reflection:

Thinking of this reading, at first I expected to consider very heavily my own marriage.  Not that what came of my time reflecting does not apply, but my focus is tending toward some of the word combinations:  "God formed...and brought..." and "call...called...gave names..." and "God...made into a woman and brought..."

My wife likes to remind me, because I often forget when reading Scripture, that Hebrew literature doesn't rhyme with sounds necessarily (although if you look closely, there are puns aplenty) but rather with ideas.  So the repetition of these phrases really struck me today.  First the intentionality of God in creating not only Man but the animals and Woman as well and second the companionship which God invites Man into in naming the animals help me to see God's intimacy with creation.

The ideas of partnership and complementarity in this cooperation in God's creation are incredibly profound.  In thinking that in my marriage I have someone who can journey with me towards God, I am renewed in my gratitude for my wife and our life together.  While there are surely bound to be bumps along the way, I am confident that, by the grace of God, we'll be able to enjoy each other's company long into eternity.  So I guess, in the end, I did consider my own marriage, but I see it anew in light of God's invitation to love and participate in his creation.

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Thank you, Lord, for my marriage and the joys and graces I enjoy because of the Sacrament.  Thank you for the ability to participate in your creation in our children.


Oratio/Prayer intentions:

Lord, bless my wife and children, and may none of my faults or failures impede their ability to seek and see you.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Jim Brickman: Love of My Life

Saint Quote of the Day:

[On what husbands should say to their wives] "I have taken you in my arms, and I love you, and I prefer you to my life itself.  For the present life is nothing, and my most ardent dream is to spend it with you in such a way that we may be assured of not being separated in the life reserved for us...I place your love above all things, and nothing would be more bitter or painful to me than to be of a different mind than you."
      - St. John Chrysostom

Psalm 23

Selected Lectio Reading:
Ps 23


Meditatio/Reflection:

In my reading of this, I was really quite struck by the images of the "right paths" (v. 3), "darkest valley" (v. 4), and the "house of the LORD" (v. 6).  I imagined two paths, one leading into a dark forest, which seems by all accounts utterly terrifying.  I am reading The Hobbit to my older boys as a bedtime story and can't get the image of the spiders in Mirkwood out of my head when I think of that path.  Then there's the other path which is into a bright and open field, flowing with the wind.  This latter image has often been what my mother- and father-in-law would call my "tree house," a place where I find peace and joy.  Yet, I'm disquieted by the thought that the "darkest valley" or the Mirkwood-like forest might be the "right paths," might be what would lead me to "the house of the LORD."  Yet, I'm comforted by the ready hope that the "goodness and mercy" (v. 6) of God will truly follow me "all the days of my life" (v. 6).  What then should I fear if I have to endure some difficulty to truly find peace and joy?

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Thank you, Lord, for the tree houses in my life.  Thank you also for showing me the true peace and joy that you offer in yourself and your goodness and mercy.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, may I allow myself to be led by you down right paths to dwell in your house.  Make me aware of your goodness and mercy in my life and how I can be open to receiving them.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Gladiator Soundtrack: Now We Are Free

Saint Quote of the Day:

"O Soul steeped in darkness, do not despair.  All is not yet lost.  Come and confide in your God, who is love and mercy."
      - St. Faustina

Aug. 21, 2016 Sunday OT Reading: Isaiah 66:18-21

Selected Lectio Reading:
Is 66:18-21

Thus says the LORD:
I know their works and their thoughts,
and I come to gather nations of every language;
they shall come and see my glory. 
I will set a sign among them;
from them I will send fugitives to the nations:
to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Mosoch, Tubal and Javan,
to the distant coastlands
that have never heard of my fame, or seen my glory;
and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations. 
They shall bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations
as an offering to the LORD,
on horses and in chariots, in carts, upon mules and dromedaries,
to Jerusalem, my holy mountain, says the LORD,
just as the Israelites bring their offering
to the house of the LORD in clean vessels. 
Some of these I will take as priests and Levites, says the LORD.


Meditatio/Reflection:

"I come to gather nations of every language...They shall bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations." How easy it is to fall into the trap of self-righteousness, of pride of faith, over and above that of others, to the point that we start to fail to remember that all others, from the other nations (for the Jews, those others being the Gentiles) are truly our brothers and sisters.  We read elsewhere the ease at which even individual families, let alone the human family, falls apart: Cain and Abel probably being the primary example.  But troubled families abound in Scripture as they do in history and today.  But as St. Paul says, "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Rom 5:20).  This is to say that God always offers more grace in any given temptation or trial so we may succeed in overcoming them with His help.

This reminds me distinctly of another of St. Paul's sayings: "No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it" (1 Cor 10:13).  How easy it is to forget that so many of our struggles are common struggles, and yet we feel alone.  I think that is a particular temptation of Satan, who is both tempter and accuser.  Who tempts me and then accuses me of being weak and worthless when I fall to his temptation.  In that moment of feeling weak and worthless, it is so easy to despair of God's presence, of his love.  How could God ever love me?

Our God is a God who comes to seek the lost.  From everywhere imaginable.  From every dark place, every despairing attitude.  From every trial and temptation.  And God will send us to help him seek the lost.  And it should be a great consolation that he wants us to join him in this journey.  What better way to affirm our worth than by including us in this great mission.

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Thank you, Lord, for your constant provision and protection, especially in dark times and in dark places.  Thank you for your gift of hope.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, help me to never to allow myself to fall into a place where I don't seek your graces.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Danny Gokey: Hope in Front of Me

Saint Quote of the Day:

"Whenever we think of Christ, we should recall the love that led Him to bestow on us so many graces and favors, and also the great love God showed us in giving us in Christ a pledge of His love; for love calls for love in return.  Let us strive to keep this always before our eyes and to rouse ourselves to love Him."
     - St. Teresa of Avila

Aug. 14, 2016 Sunday OT Reading: Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10

Selected Lectio Reading:
Jer 38:4-6, 8-10

In those days, the princes said to the king:
“Jeremiah ought to be put to death;
he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in this city,
and all the people, by speaking such things to them;
he is not interested in the welfare of our people,
but in their ruin.” 
King Zedekiah answered: “He is in your power”;
for the king could do nothing with them. 
And so they took Jeremiah
and threw him into the cistern of Prince Malchiah,
which was in the quarters of the guard,
letting him down with ropes. 
There was no water in the cistern, only mud,
and Jeremiah sank into the mud.

Ebed-melech, a court official,
went there from the palace and said to him:
“My lord king,
these men have been at fault
in all they have done to the prophet Jeremiah,
casting him into the cistern. 
He will die of famine on the spot,
for there is no more food in the city.” 
Then the king ordered Ebed-melech the Cushite
to take three men along with him,
and draw the prophet Jeremiah out of the cistern before
he should die.


Meditatio/Reflection:

The princes sought to kill Jeremiah, the king could do nothing to prevent them, and yet a Cushite ended up defending Jeremiah.  What a horror to be so demonized by one's own!  I have a hard time when I have to endure even the slightest offense.  But to bare the claim that I am no interested in the welfare of others, only their ruin; to have my motives questioned to the point that I am rejected outright; that I would have a hard time dealing with.  And then to have those who should defend me cower in fear?  Well, now...that's Christ-like.  What did Christ endure in the Garden of Gesthemene?  What else than this complete rejection, this complete and utter lack of understanding, and this desire for his death that Jeremiah faces here?

Jeremiah sought to remind the people of their covenant with God and that yes, it binds them to certain modes of thought, word, and deed.  When he warned that not following these laws would lead to their downfall, he is accused of wanting the people's ruin.  How quick we are to jump to the conclusion that if someone is trying to correct us in one way or another that they must hate us?  Especially in our modern society, we have completely lost the ability to be disciplined, to be corrected.  Granted, the Israelites of Jeremiah's time didn't do much better, but how much more would I long to be in the place of Jeremiah and Jesus, even in the case of them being rejected and sent to their deaths, than to be caught among those who were so hard-hearted as to be closed to correction.

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Lord, thank you for the opportunities I have each day to see your law, to see your will, and to recognize where I have fallen short of both.  Thank you for the example of your fatherhood in gently guiding me as I seek to be a better father to my own children in gently guiding them.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Lord, help me to be open to correction, from you and from those who have my good as their goal.

Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Matt Maher: You Were on the Cross

Saint Quote of the Day:

"To be pleased at correction and reproofs shows that one loves the virtues which are contrary to those faults which he is corrected and reproved. And, therefore, it is a great sign of advancement in perfection."
      - St. Francis de Sales

Aug. 7, 2016 Sunday OT Reading: Wisdom 18:6-9

Selected Lectio Reading:
Wisdom 18:6-9

The night of the passover was known beforehand to our fathers,
that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith,
they might have courage.
Your people awaited the salvation of the just
and the destruction of their foes.
For when you punished our adversaries,
in this you glorified us whom you had summoned.
For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice
and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution.


Meditatio/Reflection:

I keep coming back to the first sentence and to the ideas of the oaths, faith, and courage.  The Passover in Egypt must have been a frightening time.  The Egyptians, by the Pharaoh's lead, had stubbornly fought through the previous nine plagues and were about to face yet another.  God forewarned the Israelites to complete the Passover sacrifice and meal in order to be spared from the death of the their firstborn sons.  This foreknowledge, in conjunction with the oaths, remind me of the promises to Abraham to make his descendants as numerous as the stars, to make him into a great nation.  What faithfulness our God has!  What confidence we should have in him!  What courage should this inspire us to embody!

Yet I often find myself timidly living out my end of the covenant.  I fear the loss of the things I'm attached to: my leisure, my security, my comfort, etc.  And yet what do I have to fear in light of the glory that awaits me if I but surrender those things which, in the end, can never fulfill me or provide for my happiness?  How can I enter more deeply into the mystery of God and allow him to bring rest to my restless heart?  Have faith in the oaths of God and have courage.  In the words of St. John Paul II: "Be not afraid!"

Oratio/Thanksgiving:

Thank you, Lord, for your enduring faithfulness and your constant compassion, especially in light of my weakness and timidity.

Oratio/Prayer Intentions:

Help me to see your provision and companionship in times when I find myself afraid.  Help me to model to my children a trust in your love and goodness which will not betray or prove unworthy.


Mr. Crane's Song of the Day:

Mumford and Sons: Sigh No More

Saint Quote of the Day:
"You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you."
       - St. Augustine