July 28
"The soul sees what God intended it to be. And the soul sees what obstacles it erected - its selfishness, its cowardice, its shallow satisfactions, its perversions of God's graces and His gifts. All this came between God and the soul in life."
-Susan Tassone
Today's Reflection:
What will I see at the moment of my particular judgment? Will I see that I have created obstacles between my soul and God? What might they be? I pray for the grace to dismantle these obstacles in this life so I will not take them with me to eternal life.
If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith.
DONATE
Read the rest
July 27
"For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you."
-Matthew 7:2- 3"
Today's Reflection:
In the particular judgment, I will be judged in the same way I pass judgment on others. What do I think is the difference between "judging" in the scriptural sense and making healthy conclusions based on the behavior and example of others?
If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith.
DONATE
Read the rest
July 26
"I assure you, on judgment day people be held accountable for every unguarded word they speak."
-Matthew 12:36
Today's Reflection:
Ouch! How many unguarded or idle words have I spoken in my life? How many did I speak yesterday? How many have I spoken already today? Lord, put a sentinel at my mouth and a guard around my lips that I may hold my tongue when it ought to be held. Amen.
If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith.
DONATE
Read the rest
July 25
“I look forward, not to what lies ahead of me in this life and will surely pass away, but to my eternal goal. I am intent upon this one purpose, not distracted by other aims, and with this goal in view I press on, eager for the prize, God's heavenly summons. Then I shall listen to the sound of Your praises and gaze at Your beauty ever-present, never future, never past. But now my years are but sighs. You, O Lord, are my only solace. You, my Father, are eternal. But I am divided between time gone by and time to come, and its course is a mystery to me. My thoughts, the intimate life of my soul, are torn this way and that in the havoc of change. And so it will be until I am purified and melted by the fire of Your love and fused into one with You.”
- Augustine of Hippo, Confessions
Today's Reflection:
St Augustine seems to be in a good place reading this quote until the last three sentences and I realize as I read his thoughts, I am nearing these same ideas – will the thoughts of my soul be torn this way and that in the “havoc of change” as I near death, until I am purified and melted by the fire of God’s love? Is it anxiety for the time to pass quickly or fear of the unknown? This brings to mind his other quote: ““You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.” Lord, help me to be at peace with your will and have the grace of a happy death. St. Augustine and St. Joseph, pray for me!
If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith.
DONATE
Read the rest
July 24
"God wants that everyone be saved; no one is predestined to go to hell; Jesus died for everyone; and everyone is given sufficient grace for salvation."
-Gabriele Amorth
Today's Reflection:
How reassuring are these words! God desires my salvation, has sent His Son so it can be acquired, and is giving me the graces I need to attain it! What grace for salvation is He offering me today?
(Hint: What prompting of the Holy Spirit am I experiencing - the need for confession, a way to help a friend or loved one, an act of charity or almsgiving, etc.)
If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith.
DONATE
Read the rest
July 23
"At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love."
- St. John of the Cross
Today's Reflection:
How much do I love God? What about my life reflects the reality of my love? Where does selfishness, lack of forgiveness & personal sin hold me bound?
If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith.
DONATE
Read the rest
July 22
"At the particular judgment, the soul will be judged about every single thing -
its thoughts, words, deeds, and omissions."
-Cardinal Gasparri
Today's Reflection:
How would my thoughts, words, deeds, and omissions stack up today? Would they show a love of God and neighbor? Why or why not? In light of all this, what interior dispositions need to be converted?
If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith.
DONATE
Read the rest
“On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, 'Let us cross to the other side.' Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, 'Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?' He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Quiet! Be still!' The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, 'Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?'" -Mark 4:35-40
Do recent events in the world or in the Church have you terrified?
We see in the above scripture passage that even the apostles, those who were closest and spent the most time with Jesus, experienced fear, doubt, and terror. When it seemed that Jesus was asleep in the boat as it was being battered by the storm, He assured them that He was with them, and instantly calmed the storm.
Read the rest
July 21
"It is appointed for men to die once and then the judgment."
-Hebrews 9:27
For Reflection:
Our culture is awash with many false ideas about death. One is the concept of reincarnation. How does this scripture passage refute this idea? This verse also talks about "the judgment." What do I think this means? On what will I be judged? How would that go if it were to happen today?
If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith.
DONATE
Read the rest
July 20
"If so many people believe in heaven and hell while also believing that this life will determine which destination will be theirs, why don't we see more
evidence of that belief?
-Regis J. Flaherty
For Reflection:
What do I believe about heaven and hell? Does my life show evidence of that belief?
If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith.
DONATE
Read the rest