Forget Me Not

Reflect, today, upon how willing you are to be merciful to others in need.  Are you willing to give without expectation of repayment from them?  If so, you will find far greater blessing in this selfless act than in anything else for which you obtain worldly recognition.

Merciful Father, we ask that You have pity on those who are being purified in Purgatory, especially those who were slow to fulfill Your will for them because of the deadly sin of sloth.

Reflect, today, upon a simple question: How far am I willing to go to see Jesus?  Are you willing to do anything you have to, so as to see Him, hear Him and be with Him?  It may take an act of humility and you may have to act in a radical way.  Doing so will call out to the heart of our Lord and He will respond to you with much generosity just as He did to Zacchaeus.

Merciful Father, we ask that You have pity on those who are being purified in Purgatory, especially those who had a vengeful heart because of the deadly sin of wrath.

Reflect, today, upon how free you are from the misleading and false opinions of others.  Sure, you need to regularly seek out advice from those you know and love.  But you must allow yourself only to be dependent upon God and His Truth.  When you do that, you will be well down the road of true humility.

Merciful Father, we ask that You have pity on those who are being purified in Purgatory, especially those who were unable to take joy in gifts given to others because of the deadly sin of envy.

As we honor the Apostles Simon and Jude, reflect, today, upon your own calling to follow Christ and act as His apostle to the world.  The only way you can fulfill this mission is through a life of prayer.  Reflect upon your prayer life and do not hesitate to deepen your resolve to imitate the depth and intensity of our Lord’s perfect example of prayer.

Merciful Father, we ask that You have pity on those who are being purified in Purgatory, especially those who were weighed down in life by the deadly sin of pride.

Reflect, today, upon your own commitment to the will of the Father in your life.  Are you fulfilling His will?  If so, do you find that some people come and try to deter you?  Strive to have the same confidence of Jesus and keep focused on the mission given to you by God.

St. Jude, pray for me that I will not lose faith.

Merciful Father, we ask that You have pity on those who are being purified in Purgatory, especially those who repented of their sins only very late in life.

Merciful Father, we ask that You have pity on those who are being purified in Purgatory, especially those who stubbornly resisted Your love and turned from You in especially grave ways, but repented and turned to You before the end of their lives.

Reflect, today, upon any way that you are not being honest with yourself or with others.  Let the shock of the final outcome of any presumption in your life shake you free of this sin so that you can humble yourself before God now, before it is too late.  Remember how deeply our Lord loves you and let that love help you to face your life with honesty and integrity.

St. Jude, pray for me that I will not lose hope.

Reflect, today, upon this image of yeast causing dough to rise.  Do you see this as an image of your soul?  Do you see the Holy Spirit working on you little by little?  Do you see yourself changing slowly but steadily?  Hopefully the answer is “Yes.”  Though conversion may not always take place overnight, it must be constant so as to enable the soul to progress to that pla...

St. Jude, pray that I may put my trust in God, that He knows my needs even better than I do and that He provides.

Reflect, today, upon these two facts.  God knows every need you have and will answer those needs when it is best for you.  Also, when He bestows His grace on you, it will enable you to live in full confidence as His son or daughter.

St. Jude, pray that I may know God’s will in my life.

Reflect, today, upon the prayer of this tax collector: “O God, be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13).  Make it your prayer.  Admit your sin.  Acknowledge your need for the mercy of God and allow that mercy to exalt you within the righteousness of God.

St. Jude, you sacrificed for the Kingdom of God, pray that I may sacrifice like you.

Reflect, today, upon whether you feel as though you are in need of allowing Jesus to “cultivate the ground” around you.  Do not be afraid to let Him provide you with the nourishment you need so as to once again bear an abundance of good fruit in your life.

St. Jude, you are known for answering lost causes, pray for my most impossible needs.

Reflect, today, upon whether or not you are willing and able to let the Holy Spirit cut through the confusion so manifestly present all around us.  Are you ready to allow the Holy Spirit of Truth to penetrate your mind and lead you into all truth?  Seeking the truth in our present time is the only way to survive the many errors and confusions thrown at us each day.

St. Jude, you labored for years, pray that I may have patience in my struggles.

Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against...