Be Still: Daily Devotional

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 the 9th day of Lent.    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 Psalm 95.   Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;     let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving     and e...

Today is the 8th day of Lent.    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 2nd Timothy.   I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalli...

Today is the 8th day of Lent. 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 Exodus, Chapter 34.   The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the word...

Today is the 6th day of Lent.    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 4.   Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the So...

Today is the 5th day of Lent.    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 32.   Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit...

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 the third day of Lent.   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 Jonah, chapter 4.   But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I wa...

This is the second day of Lent. 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 Psalm 51.   Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity...

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.    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 selections from Joel chapter 2:1-3; 10-13 . Let all who live in the land tremble,     for the day of the Lord is coming. It i...

Today is February 13th.   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 Matthew, 3:1-5 .   In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he...

Today is February 12. 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 Exodus, chapter 19. The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust...

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 February 9th.   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 in two parts, from Genesis 39:1-6 and 20-23.   Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, boug...

Today is February 8th.   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 Psalm 92. It is good to praise the Lord     and make music to your name, O Most High,  proclaiming your love in the morning     and your faithful...

Today is February 7th.   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 John chapter 19. Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus,...

Today is February 6th.   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 2nd Corinthians chapter 4.   But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not...

Today is February 5. 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 4. One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to...

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 February 2nd. 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 Christians celebrate the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2. When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law...

Today is February 1st. 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 Jeremiah 31. “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah....

Today is January 31st. 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 John, chapter 16. “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact...

Today is January 30th. 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 Psalm 43. Vindicate me, my God, and plead my cause against an unfaithful nation. Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked. You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I...

Today is January 29. 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 21. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you...

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.