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Sunday, October 27 “Do you know who I am?” That’s the question maitre d’s, hotel clerks, even arresting officers occasionally receive from the celebrated and powerful among us whose sense of privilege and entitlement gets the best of them. Contrast that with the question Jesus asks his disciples about the word on the street, “Who do they say I am?” When they answer, “The Messiah,” Jesus swears them to silence. . In the words of the 20thcentury monk Thomas Merton: “Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real.” Strive each day to be who you really are.
Monday, October 28 Feasts of St. Simon and St. Jude, apostles Though we know little of the apostle Simon, he is called “the Zealot” in two gospel accounts. Zealots were Jewish freedom-fighters or insurgents who resisted Roman domination or Jewish collaboration with the occupiers by all means necessary—including in some cases violence. What to make of the fact that Jesus selected such a man to be part of his inner circle? He reminds us often in the gospels that he came to call sinners, not the righteous. Before you condemn someone whose behavior you find objectionable, pause to consider: That person is a child of God, too, and with God redemption is always possible.
Tuesday, October 29 While we can get glimpses of God’s presence now, “at present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face,” in the words of 1 Corinthians 13:12. Nonetheless, this “beatific vision,” as it is called, of experiencing God fully after death is also a reality you can encounter in the present. According to the great 20th-century Catholic theologian Father Karl Rahner, S.J., the beatific vision is the fullness of Christ’s living in you now. How can you let Christ live in you and you in him?
Wednesday, October 30 Have you ever heard someone quote the line (from Saint Paul) that “all things work for good” just after you received some really disappointing news? Be honest: For a moment, did you want to wring the person’s neck? It’s hard to hear these words when things don’t seem to go your way, but often with time and hindsight you see that indeed things have worked
for good. “Life is lived forward and understood backward,” goes the saying. Take some time today to reflect on how some of your keenest disappointments ended up leading to wonderful opportunities. That’s grace at work. Amazing, isn’t it?
Thursday, October 31 In a recent Emmy-nominated documentary, filmmaker Ian Cheney went to places where it still gets dark enough to see the starlit sky in all its majesty. His film, The City Dark, is a reminder that until only about a century ago people could look up into the night sky and gaze upon a fabric of millions of stars and planets—something modern electric light, while a blessing, has made increasingly difficult. If possible, go somewhere where you can see what’s in the night sky and remember the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi: “Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, / In the heavens you have made them bright, precious, and fair.”
Friday, November 1 Solemnity of All Saints It’s easy to miss the “all” part of the Solemnity of All Saints. The big names come to mind, but do we ever pause to add our own name into the litany of saints? “In God’s great plan,” Pope Francis has said, “every detail is important, even yours, even my humble little witness, even the hidden witness of those who live their faith with simplicity in everyday family relationships, work relationships, friendships. There are the saints of every day, the ‘hidden’ saints” (from a homily at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside-theWalls, April 14, 2013). Celebrate your life and the lives of all saints this day!
Saturday, November 2 The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed This time of year is filled with holidays, both secular and religious. Today’s commemoration—what is commonly known as All Souls’ Day—may not be as glamorous as its festive fall counterparts, but it ranks as a sentimental favorite among Catholics across cultures. All of us have experienced the death of relatives or friends to whom we still feel deeply connected. Their continued presence in our lives is a truth the church recognizes and blesses. We pray that their journey toward God is complete, and, in turn, we ask for their prayers as we strive to find God’s peace in our own lives. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of the friends you have in high places. ©2013 by TrueQuest Communications, L.L.C. Licensed for noncommercial use. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Prepare the Word (©2013)