.

      “A poor person is seldom honored by the world, no matter how worthy of honor he might be. The world will more likely despise this person than honor him. A different kind of honor, to which no one can object, comes with true poverty. If one embraces poverty solely for God’s sake, only God has to be pleased. A person who does not need anyone has many friends; I have found this to be true from my own experience.” —St. Teresa of Avila

       You are the friend I want, Lord. You are the only one I hope to impress.

      

JANUARY 23

      The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

      He makes me lie down in green pastures;

      he leads me beside still waters;

      he restores my soul.

      He leads me in right paths

      for his name’s sake.

      Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

      I fear no evil;

      for you are with me;

      your rod and your staff—

      they comfort me.

      —Psalm 23:1–4 (NRSV)

      “I find myself at a point in my life when I can take a look back at the past. My soul has matured in the crucible of outward and inward trials. Now, like a flower strengthened by the storm, I lift my head, and I see that the words of the twenty-third psalm are coming true in me.” —St. Thérèse of Lisieux

       You are my Shepherd, Lord. Thanks for caring for me.

      

JANUARY 24

      He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

      —Micah 6:8 (NIV)

      “Let our houses be small and poor in every way. Let us be like our King, who had no house except the porch in Bethlehem where He was born and the cross on which He died. These were houses where little comfort could be found. Those who build large houses no doubt have good reasons for doing so; they are moved by various holy intentions. But any corner is sufficient…. God preserve us from building a large ornate convent with a lot of buildings. Always remember that these things will fall down on the Day of Judgment, and who knows how soon that will be?” —St. Teresa of Avila

       Help me focus on what matters, and to put aside what doesn’t.

      

JANUARY 25

      And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.

      —1 John 2:28 (NRSV)

      “Some work hard, yet make no progress. Others seek profit in what is not profitable. Still others are disturbed and make no progress precisely because of the favors that God grants so that they may make progress. Yet there are others who make great progress by remaining at rest and in quietness. There are many other things on this road that come to those who follow it—joys and afflictions and hopes and grief. Some come from the spirit of perfection and others from imperfection.” —St. John of the Cross

       Show me, Christ, how to make progress in the spiritual life, today.

      

JANUARY 26

      Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

      —Colossians 3:12–14 (ESV)

      Christ spoke to St. Catherine of Siena: “You achieve every virtue and every defect by means of your neighbor. Those who hate Me, therefore, injure their neighbor and therefore themselves, who are their own chief neighbors. This injury is both general and particular. It is general, because you are obliged to love your neighbor as yourself. Because you love your neighbor, you should help him spiritually, through prayer and by counseling him with words. Assist him spiritually and temporally with your good will, according to his needs.”

       I am part of Your great, compassionate Church.

      

JANUARY 27

      Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made.

      —Romans 1:20a (NRSV)

      “[T]he whole philosophy of St. Francis revolved around the idea of a new supernatural light on natural things, which meant the ultimate recovery not the ultimate refusal of natural things.” —G. K. Chesterton, writing about St. Francis of Assisi

       Help me discern when and how to show disdain for “the things of the world,” and when to praise what is truly You.

      

JANUARY 28

      No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

      —1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

      “While Antony was busy with doing all these things that caused so many to love him, the devil, who could not bear to see a young man with such outstanding virtues, began to attack him. First, he tried to drag Antony away from the life to which he had committed himself. He made Antony remember his wealth … and