Happy 16th Birthday Catherine Therese!!

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Although you'll never read this my sweet Catherine, I love you. 16 years ago you changed our life forever. All of your siblings have done this in their own way but you have done so in a very special way. You have made me more empathetic, compassionate, and much more prayerful. Your smile lights up the world around you and we are all blessed by it.  It's not easy living with a saint. You remind me of my weakness and limited time on this earth. You challenge me to go deeper within myself and find what the Lord is trying to teach me...usually patience. You are made in His image and likeness but He uses you so that I can see my own beauty, goodness, and shortcomings.  You struggle mightily against me with every bath, diaper change, and wardrobe change. I struggle mightily with Him against all the changes He wills in my life. You depend on me and your mom for even the simplest of things. You teach me to depend on Him for everything and not rely on my on strength. You teach me that I
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More will be given

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Monday September 25th

Luke 8:16-18

Like most, I struggle with keeping a daily prayer routine. The ways of life, family, and work make excuses readily available. Each day I wrestle with that small yet powerful voice that tells me I am either too busy to pray or that I can put it off until later. After defeating the temptation it seems almost ridiculous that I would even consider not diving into my prayers. But each day brings another struggle and sometimes a victory but not always.

Why is it that I don't want to pray? Why do I resist taking time to speak with the One who loves me more than I can fathom? Why is simply getting the prayer-time started so difficult even without any distractions? I often think of the great saints and mystics of the Church and their prayer life. How is it that they could be so enraptured in prayer that either experienced visions or physical miracles like levitation or bi-location? I am sure that most did not experience that from the very beginning but it was given to them as they fell deeper and deeper into intimate conversation and communion with God.

Today Jesus gives me a quite but firm warning concerning my spiritual life. If I make use of the grace given to me each day, even that little dose that makes prayer possible I will be given more. If I am faithful and put to good use the grace to pray more grace to pray will be given. In contrast, if I begin to believe that I don't need to pray because I am doing other "holy" acts, like writing a daily meditation on the Gospel, that replace the prayer, what I "think" I have "will be taken away."

Lord Jesus, too often I find that I like to pat myself on the back. I imagine that I am a good person and I can put my spiritual life on cruise control. Yet, it is then that I am attacked and often mortally. Help me to pray and to use the grace You have given wisely.

FROM THE SAINTS
"A soul who wants to make progress in the interior life will pray along these lines: "Lord, may I have due measure in everything, except in Love." - Saint Josemaria Escriva

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