February 29
“To do penance is to bewail the evil we have done, and to do no evil to bewail.”
-Pope St. Gregory I: Homilies on the Gospels (6th century)
Today's Reflection
It’s tough to admit that we’ve sinned, but admission and confession is the only path to healing and new hope. Take time to ponder the areas of your life in which you have sinned, or fallen short. Make the sacrament of reconciliation a priority during the Lenten season.
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February 28
“Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we
may get to heaven.”
-St. Rose of Lima
Today's Reflection
Accepting the crosses in our lives isn’t easy, but when done so for love of Our Lord, they become remarkably easier to carry. What crosses are you trying to carry alone? Give them to Jesus and let Him lighten the load!
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February 27
“There are ways of being crucified that do not involve rough wood or heavy nails, but a love beyond our capacity to love, which means a love that has been given to us by God…”
-Servant of God Catherine Doherty
Today's Reflection
Only with God’s grace can we truly understand that real love knows how to suffer for the beloved, and it does so joyfully. Where might you suffer more cheerfully for others?
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February 26
“Ash Wednesday is considered the 'door' to Lent.”
-Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
Today's Reflection
Today is the beginning of a 40-day campaign dedicated to ridding ourselves of vice and filling ourselves with virtue. Bring your plans for this Lenten season to the feet of the Crucified and ask for His blessing as you begin this sacred journey.
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February 25
"It is good when a soul loves solitude; it's a sign that it takes delight in God and enjoys speaking with Him."
-St. Jane Frances de Chantal
For Reflection:
How do I respond to solitude? Do I embrace it or flee from it? What does this tell me about my interior life and my relationship with God?
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February 24
"God said: 'Why do you never stop asking to taste of My delights, yet you refuse the tribulations?'"
-St. Margaret of Cortona
For Reflection:
This is a good question to ask myself. What is my response?
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February 23
Feast of St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr (D. 155)
"Leave me as I am. The one who gives me strength to endure the fire will also give me strength to stay quite still on the pyre, even without the precaution of your nails."
-St. Polycarp at his martyrdom
For Reflection:
How is God giving me the strength of endurance today?
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February 22
Chair of St. Peter
"And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it."
-Matthew 16:18
For Reflection:
How have I seen the truth of this statement in light of the history of the Church? How does this speak to the fact that the Catholic Church is the
Church Jesus founded?
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February 21
Feast of St. Peter Damien, Bishop and Doctor (1007 - 1072)
"In serenity, look forward to the joy that follows sadness. Hope leads you to that joy and love enkindles your zeal."
-St. Peter Damien
For Reflection:
The letter to the Hebrews tells us that "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (11:1). How does this help me live out the advice of St. Peter Damien?
(Quote from Graceful Living)
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February 20
"He did not say: You will not be troubled; you will not be tempted; you will not be distressed. But He said: You will not be overcome."
-St. Julian of Norwich
For Reflection:
Dear Lord, So often I feel all but swallowed up by the events of every day life--not to mention those difficult moments of struggle, confusion, and doubt. It is Your grace and Your grace alone that gets me through these moments. Help me to remember that in the midst of every circumstance, You are there. In the midst of every reversal, You are there. In my deepest pain, in my worst distress, in my greatest temptation, You are there. Help me to hold on to this truth, and in You I will overcome. Amen.
(Quote from Graceful Living)
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