Category Archives: Prayer and Meditation

Psalm of the Day

Posted on February 4, 2009 by Deacon Bob

We prayed this psalm in Morning Prayer today.  A lovely psalm for all deacons, and everyone else dedicated to service to the poor. Psalm 146 Praise the Lord, my soul I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing … Continue reading →

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A Lesson from Moses

Posted on January 31, 2009 by Deacon Bob

We read today from Deuteronomy in the Office of Readings.  God was talking to Moses right before his death on Mount Nebo.  God said: “You will die on the mountain which you are about to ascend….because you did not manifest … Continue reading →

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St. John of Naples

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Deacon Bob

St. John of Naples wrote about the light of Christ, and the confidence it gives us.  One of his sermons fits so nicely with my New Year’s resolve to live without fear and in confidence with the Lord and with … Continue reading →

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St. Basil’s Fear

Posted on January 27, 2009 by Deacon Bob

St. Basil the Great, after reflecting on the great gifts of God given to us in Jesus his Son, said: “When I think of all this, I am left terrorized and swallowed up with fear that, because of fickleness of … Continue reading →

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Poverty of Spirit and Diaconal Service

Posted on January 24, 2009 by Deacon Bob

A wonderful little book, Poverty of Spirit by Johannes Metz is jam-packed with theological wonders.  I have read it many times in the last 24 years, and will read it many times in the future. I would encourage all of … Continue reading →

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Quote for the Day

Posted on January 13, 2009 by Deacon Bob

“The sooner we realize our predicament, that we are indeed lost, then the sooner God can put us to work for Him.”  –Warren Rose, OFM I agree with Warren to a degree.  We truly are lost without Christ whom we … Continue reading →

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Wisdom and Awe of God

Posted on January 12, 2009 by Deacon Bob

The Office of Readings for the start of Ordinary Time begins with the book of Sirach, and Sirach begins with a discourse on Wisdom. Most of us have read and heard this before, but it is worth reading and hearing … Continue reading →

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Miracles and Faith

Posted on January 11, 2009 by Deacon Bob

Our pastor this morning, fresh from retreat, put this question to us at Mass:  “Is our faith deep enough to expect a miracle in answer to our prayers?”  He said God never forces his love on us; we must be … Continue reading →

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Wisdom as We Conclude the Christmas Season

Posted on January 10, 2009 by Deacon Bob

I was struck by the reading for Morning Prayer today. Tomorrow ends our Christmas season, and today, the second to the last day, our scripture from Lauds is taken from the book of Wisdom.  It reads: “Wisdom is the refulgence … Continue reading →

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Quote of the Day

Posted on January 9, 2009 by Deacon Bob

“The more you lose yourself in contemplation of God, the more yourself do you really become” –Murray Bodo, OFM I would be interested in how my readers would describe their own experiences of contemplation and becoming more fully who they are called … Continue reading →

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Live Without Fear!

Posted on January 6, 2009 by Deacon Bob

Life’s events of late have brought me to thinking about finding the will of God by letting go of my attempts to control the future.  The attempts I often make to control only lead to increased fear and anxiety despite the fact I would … Continue reading →

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Lessons from the Magi

Posted on January 4, 2009 by Deacon Bob

There is a lot to meditate on when it comes to the three wise men, but the one thing I would like to suggest is how each of them, kings according to legend, somehow knew that they themselves had to … Continue reading →

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Daily Reflections

Posted on January 2, 2009 by Deacon Bob

If you haven’t already discovered it, the United States Council of Catholic Bishops provides a daily video reflection on the Mass readings.  Today’s reflection is about John the Baptist knowing who he is and who he isn’t, and how we need … Continue reading →

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Benedict XVI – The Holy Family

Posted on December 28, 2008 by Deacon Bob

The Pope said today: “The family of Jesus truly merited the title of ‘holy’, because it was completely caught up in the desire to fulfill the will of God, incarnate in the adorable presence of Jesus.” (My translation of the … Continue reading →

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Poverty of Provisionality and Finiteness

Posted on December 23, 2008 by Deacon Bob

Many years ago, a friend gave me the little book, Poverty of Spirit, by Johannes Metz.  A short read, but one you want to take your time and savor.  One of the ideas Metz had was there are various poverties … Continue reading →

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