Be Still: Daily Devotional

Today is December 10th in the second week of Advent.   Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.     Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence, and say Come Holy Spirit.     Today’s reading is from the book of Ephesians, chapter 5.     “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes u...

Today is December 9th, in the second week of Advent.   May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.      Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence, and say Come Holy Spirit.     Today’s reading is from the book of Isaiah, chapter 60.     “The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you...

PEACE | Second Sunday of Advent Today is the second Sunday of Advent. In the quiet, simple routines of our ordinary daily lives – things like taking a moment for Advent. OR things like: washing dishes, caring for an elderly parent, or playing with a child – the peace of Christ is near to us, and we can learn to be attentive to it, just like we can pay attention to small flames of these advent cand...

This is the Saturday examen for the season of Advent.  I’m glad you’ve joined us for a time of reflection and prayer. Pray along with me. Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas. We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day, We who are anxious over many things… look forward to your coming among...

Today is Dec 6 in the first week of Advent. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.     Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence, and say Come Holy Spirit.      Today’s reading is from the book of Isaiah, chapter 40.     “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that...

Today is December 5th in the first week of Advent.   The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.       Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence, and say Come Holy Spirit.      Today’s reading is from several verses from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15.     “He calls together his friends and his neig...

Today is December 4th in the first week of Advent. May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.       Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence, and say Come Holy Spirit.      Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 3.   “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiber'i-us Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and...

Today is December 3rd in the first week of Advent. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.      Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence, and say Come Holy Spirit.      Today’s reading is from the book of Isaiah, chapter 55.     “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine a...

Today is December 2 - in the first week of Advent The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence, and say Come Holy Spirit. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 1.“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger befor...

HOPE | First Sunday of Advent Today is the first Sunday of Advent. In whatever small moment of stillness you can make as December begins today, I want to invite you to make space for HOPE… through cultivating hope through giving yourself to the simple act of waiting. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; the...

This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced. 1. Become aware of God’s presence. 2. Review the day with gratitude. 3. Pay attention to your emotions. 4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. 5. Look toward tomorrow.

Today is November 29  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.      Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”       Today’s reading is from the book of Isaiah, chapter 42.     “Here is my servant, whom I uphold,            my chosen one in whom I delight;            I will put my Spiri...

Today is November 28  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.     Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”      Today’s reading is from the gospel of Luke, chapter 8.     4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he t...

Today is November 27  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.     Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”      Today’s reading is from Psalm 71.             14 As for me, I will always have hope;            I will praise you more and more.          15 My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,            of your sa...

Today is November 26.    The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.       Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”           Today’s reading is from Psalm 63.    1 You, God, are my God,       earnestly I seek you;   I thirst for you,       my whole being longs for you...

Today is November 25.    The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.        Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”            Today’s reading is from the book of 2 Kings, chapter 23.       24 Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things see...

This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced. 1. Become aware of God’s presence. 2. Review the day with gratitude. 3. Pay attention to your emotions. 4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. 5. Look toward tomorrow.

Today is November 22  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.      Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”       Today’s reading is from the book of Isaiah, chapter 35.     The desert and the parched land will be glad;            the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.            L...

Today is November 21  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.     Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”      Today’s reading is from Psalm 56.           3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.            4   In God, whose word I praise—            in God I tr...

Today is November 20  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.     Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”      Today’s reading is from the book of Acts, chapter 19.     While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did y...

Today is November 19.    The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.       Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”           Today’s reading is from the book of Hebrews, chapter 10.       32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endure...

Today is November 18.    The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.        Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”            Today’s reading is from Psalm 3.    1 Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!   2 Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.”   3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me, m...

This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced. 1. Become aware of God’s presence. 2. Review the day with gratitude. 3. Pay attention to your emotions. 4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. 5. Look toward tomorrow.

Today is November 15   May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.        Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”         Today’s reading is from the book of Acts, chapter 15, read from the MSG version.      Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the Word of God....

Today is November 14   The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.       Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”        Today’s reading is from Psalm 37.              3 Trust in the LORD and do good;             dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.          4 Tak...