A Daily Catholic Moment. Peter Celano

my soul or what my soul deserved. If I had understood then, as I now do, how this great King lives within this palace of my soul, I would not have left Him alone so much. I would have stayed with Him and not let His house get so dirty. It is wonderful that He whose greatness could fill a thousand worlds should confine Himself to so small a space, just as He was pleased to inhabit His most holy Mother’s womb. As our Lord, He has perfect freedom, and because He loves us, He fashions Himself to our measure.” —St. Teresa of Avila

       I will not neglect You, today, Lord. Help me be mindful of Your presence in my life.

      

JANUARY 16

      The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

      —Zephaniah 3:17 (NRSV)

      “By bringing Himself low in this way, God shows His infinite greatness. Just as the sun shines at the same time on the tall cedars and on each little flower as if it were the only one on earth, in the same way our Lord is concerned particularly for every soul as if there were none other like it.” —St. Thérèse of Lisieux

       I love how You love me!

      

JANUARY 17

      Today is the Feast Day of St. Antony the Great

      St. Antony taught: “Let Christians care for nothing that they cannot take away with them. We ought rather to seek after that which will lead us to heaven, namely wisdom, chastity, justice, virtue, an ever-watchful mind, care of the poor, firm faith in Christ, a mind that can control anger, and hospitality. Striving after these things, we shall prepare for ourselves a dwelling in the land of the peaceful, as it says in the Gospel.” —As recorded by St. Athanasius

       What in the world am I clinging to, God?

      

JANUARY 18

      Be still, and know that I am God.”

      —Psalm 46:10a (NIV)

      “[I]n practice … there is only one vocation. Whether you teach or live in the cloister or nurse the sick, whether you are in religion or out of it, married or single, no matter who you are or what you are, you are called to the summit of perfection: you are called to a deep interior life perhaps even to mystical prayer, and to pass the fruits of your contemplation on to others. And if you cannot do so by word, then by example.” —Thomas Merton OCSO

       I want to know You today.

      

JANUARY 19

      If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

      —1 John 1:6–7 (NRSV)

      St. Catherine of Siena recalled the words of Christ: “Forgiveness comes, then, through the soul’s desire to be united to Me, the infinite Good, according to the measure of love attained by the recipient’s desire and prayer. A person receives as much of My goodness as he gives to Me.”

       I want to walk in Your light today.

      

JANUARY 20

      I cry to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

      —Psalm 57:2 (NRSV)

      “[St. Antony] obeyed [all of the holy men of the desert] whom he visited. Eager to learn, he assimilated their various individual gifts. He imitated the self-restraint of one; the cheerfulness of another. He emulated the gentleness of one; the nocturnal devotions of another; and the dedication in reading of yet another. He admired one who fasted and another who slept on the bare ground; praising the endurance of the former and the compassion of the latter. He kept in mind the love they all showed one another, and he returned to his own place refreshed by every aspect of their virtues.” —St. Athanasius

       Focus me, Lord, on imitating the Christian virtue of someone whom I know and respect.

      

JANUARY 21

      Be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

      —1 Corinthians 15:58 (NAB)

      “When the holy father Antony lived in the desert, he was overcome with many sinful thoughts. He said to God, ‘Lord, I want to be saved, but these thoughts will not leave me alone. What can I do in my sickness? How can I be saved?’ A short while later, when he got up to go out, Antony saw a man like himself sitting at his work, getting up from his work to pray, then sitting down to work again, and getting up again to pray. It was an angel of the Lord sent to correct and reassure him. He heard the angel saying to him: ‘Do this, and you will be saved.’ When he heard these words, Antony was filled with joy and courage. He did this, and he was saved.” —The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers

       I will stop and pray today whenever temptations come my way.

      

JANUARY 22

      [Jesus said,] “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.”

      —Matthew 6:1 (NAB)