Arise and Shine
THE A-B-C-s of Catholicism
is for Guardian Angel
As we continue through the ABC’s of Catholicism, let us reflect on our guardian angels. In His loving providence, God has appointed an angel to watch over each of us. Through the ordinary duties, temptations, sorrows, and uncertainties of our lives, we have a heavenly companion whose care should remind us how precious we are to our Heavenly Father. How often do we remember this gift? How often do we ask our guardian angel for help?
Many of us learned the Guardian Angel Prayer as children. We may remember kneeling beside our beds and asking our angel to watch over us through the night. Yet devotion to our guardian angel belongs throughout our lives. As we grow older, our responsibilities increase, temptations take different forms, and decisions become more difficult. We continue to need the assistance God so generously provides.
Our Lord speaks of the angels when He warns His disciples against despising His little ones. He tells them that their angels in Heaven always see the face of His Heavenly Father. Let us consider the tenderness of this teaching. Those whom the world overlooks or treats as unimportant are under the care of angels who behold God (Matthew 18:10).
The psalmist assures us: “For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways” (Psalm 90:11). We can carry these words into the day ahead. Before entering a difficult conversation, beginning a journey, or facing something that troubles us, we can ask our guardian angel to help us act with prudence, courage, and trust in God.
Angels are pure spirits created by God, possessing intelligence and free will. The holy angels love Him and faithfully carry out His commands. The Catechism teaches that our guardian angels assist us by praying for us, protecting us, and inspiring us to do good. Their loving service directs our attention toward the God who sends them.
The protection of our guardian angel does not mean that we will never experience illness, injury, sorrow, or persecution. Faithful Christians still carry crosses. When suffering comes, we should not conclude that God has forgotten us or that our angel has abandoned his charge. We can ask for protection while also praying for the strength to remain faithful through whatever God permits.
Above all, we should desire help in reaching Heaven. We often give much thought to dangers that threaten our bodies, while paying too little attention to dangers that threaten our souls. A sinful habit, a friendship that draws us away from God, or entertainment that weakens our resistance to impurity deserves serious attention. Let us ask our guardian angel to help us recognize these dangers and respond promptly to God’s grace.
Our guardian angel does not take away our freedom or make our choices for us. We must willingly turn away from sin and choose what is good. When we recognize that we should hold our tongue, leave an occasion of sin, apologize, or return to prayer, let us act without making excuses. We can ask our angel’s assistance and then take the next faithful step.
Our guardian angel can also encourage reverence. We may behave differently when someone we respect is beside us. Let the remembrance of our heavenly companion help us guard our speech, our thoughts, and our conduct, even when no other person is present. Our private choices matter. We can use those quiet moments to grow in purity, honesty, and love for God.
This devotion should also bear fruit in the way we treat others. The impatient driver, the difficult coworker, the elderly person who needs extra time, and the child who interrupts us are all persons entrusted to angelic care. Before speaking harshly or dismissing someone’s needs, let us pause and remember that person’s dignity before God. We can ask for the grace to answer with patience and charity.
We can renew our friendship with our guardian angel through simple, faithful prayer. Greet him in the morning. Ask his help before work, before travel, and when temptation arises. At Holy Mass, ask him to help you pray attentively and adore Our Lord with greater reverence. At night, thank God for his care and ask His protection as you rest. These small practices can help us live with a greater awareness of Heaven.
Today, let us remember the companion God has given us. Perhaps we have neglected this devotion for many years. We can begin again with a sincere prayer and a grateful heart. Our Heavenly Father knows our weakness and the difficulties of our journey. Let us receive this provision with humility and ask our guardian angel to help us love and serve Him more faithfully.
TODAY’S PRACTICE: Pray the Guardian Angel Prayer slowly and attentively. Before one difficult task or conversation, pause and ask your guardian angel to help you do God’s will. Pray: “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.”
PUTTING FAITH INTO PRACTICE: Show particular patience toward someone you find difficult. Remember that this person, too, has a guardian angel, and offer a prayer for his or her spiritual welfare before you speak or act.
STEPS TO GROW IN DEVOTION TO YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL: (1) Remember – begin the day mindful of the companion God has given you, (2) Pray – ask his assistance in your duties and temptations, (3) Respond – act promptly when you recognize the good you ought to do, (4) Reverence – guard your words and actions in his presence, (5) Thank – end the day thanking God for His loving care.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS: Thank Our Lord for the gift of your guardian angel, ask forgiveness for the good you resisted or neglected, and consider: When did I remember to seek heavenly help today, and where do I need to respond more faithfully to God’s grace?
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE A-B-C-s of Catholicism
is for Fasting
As we continue through the ABC’s of Catholicism, let us reflect on fasting. When we willingly give up some food for the love of God, we can offer that sacrifice as an act of penance, join it to prayer, and ask Our Lord to strengthen us against temptation. Even a small sacrifice can help us recognize how often we allow our desires to direct our choices.
We are accustomed to satisfying our wants quickly. When we want something, we often reach for it without much thought. Fasting interrupts that habit. It gives us an opportunity to pause, turn toward God, and remember that our desires must be governed by His will. We can learn to accept a little discomfort without immediately seeking relief.
Before beginning His public ministry, Our Lord fasted for forty days in the desert. When the devil tempted Him to turn stones into bread, Jesus answered by recalling that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from God. Our bodies need nourishment, and our souls need the truth and grace that only God can give (Matthew 4:1-4).
Food is a good gift from our Heavenly Father. In fasting, we willingly set aside some of that good for a spiritual purpose. We acknowledge our sins, practice self-denial, and ask for the grace to love God above our own comfort. The Church places fasting alongside prayer and almsgiving as an expression of interior repentance (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1434).
Our Lord also teaches us how to fast. We should not draw attention to our sacrifice or seek admiration for it. Our Heavenly Father sees what we offer in secret. We can go about our responsibilities quietly, with a cheerful face, allowing our sacrifice to remain between ourselves and God (Matthew 6:16-18).
That cheerfulness may require more effort than we expect. We may give up a favorite food and then become impatient with everyone around us. When this happens, let us recognize another place where we need God’s help. Our sacrifice should lead us to greater charity. We can ask Our Lord for the grace to hold our tongue, answer gently, and bear an inconvenience without complaining.
Fasting belongs with prayer. When we notice the absence of something we have chosen to give up, we can turn that moment into a prayer: “Jesus, help me to desire You more.” We might pray for the conversion of a loved one, for our priests, for someone who is suffering, or for the grace to overcome a persistent sin.
Our sacrifice should also make us more attentive to those who lack the necessities of life. Through the prophet Isaiah, God connects acceptable fasting with justice, freedom from oppression, and care for the hungry and homeless. We can put this into practice by using what we save to provide food for someone in need (Isaiah 58:6-7).
There are other forms of self-denial that can accompany fasting. We can turn off unnecessary entertainment, put away our phones for a time, or give up a purchase we do not need. These sacrifices can free time and attention for prayer, family responsibilities, and works of mercy. Let us choose something definite and offer it faithfully.
We should undertake voluntary fasting prudently, taking account of our health and daily duties. Those who cannot fast from food can offer another suitable sacrifice. A modest act of self-denial, offered humbly and with love, gives us a real opportunity to grow in generosity toward God.
We may discover our weakness very quickly. Perhaps we forget our resolution or begin looking for reasons to abandon it. Let us acknowledge that weakness honestly and begin again. We depend upon God’s grace both to make a good resolution and to carry it out. We can ask Him for perseverance without becoming discouraged by our failures.
Today, let us consider what has too strong a hold upon our hearts. Is it comfort, entertainment, the desire to have our own way, or the habit of satisfying every passing want? Let us bring that attachment to Our Lord and choose one small sacrifice that will help us follow Him more faithfully.
TODAY’S PRACTICE: Choose one modest act of self-denial appropriate to your health and responsibilities. Offer it for a particular intention, and turn to Our Lord in prayer whenever you notice the sacrifice. Pray: “Jesus, help me to love You more than my own comfort. Accept this small sacrifice, strengthen me against temptation, and teach me to serve You with a willing heart.”
PUTTING FAITH INTO PRACTICE: Give food, money, or practical assistance to someone in need. Let your sacrifice become an opportunity to show mercy to another person.
STEPS TO MAKE FASTING FRUITFUL: (1) Choose – decide upon a prudent sacrifice, (2) Offer – unite it to prayer and a particular intention, (3) Persevere – turn to God when the sacrifice becomes difficult, (4) Give – join your self-denial to an act of charity, (5) Examine – ask whether your sacrifice is helping you become more patient, humble, and faithful.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS: Thank Our Lord for sustaining you, ask forgiveness for any impatience or pride, and consider: What did today’s sacrifice reveal about my attachments, and where do I need His grace to become more faithful?
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE A-B-C-s of Catholicism
IS FOR EUCHARIST
As we continue through the ABC’s of Catholicism, let us turn our hearts toward the Holy Eucharist. In this Most Blessed Sacrament, Our Lord gives us Himself – His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. The same Jesus who suffered and died for our salvation invites us to draw near to Him with faith, gratitude, and love.
We may sometimes wish that we could have walked beside Jesus, heard His voice, or knelt before Him as the people in the Gospels did. Yet we can enter a Catholic church and kneel before Our Lord in the tabernacle. Jesus is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. Let us ask Him for the faith to recognize the greatness of this gift.
At the Last Supper, Our Lord instituted the Eucharist and entrusted its celebration to His Church (Luke 22:19-20). At every Mass, His one sacrifice upon the Cross is made present sacramentally. We can bring our prayers, our works, and our sufferings to the altar, uniting them with His offering to the Father.
At the consecration, through the ministry of the priest, the bread and the wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. Their outward appearances remain, but their substance is changed. The Church calls this change transubstantiation. We receive the whole Christ under either species. Our faith rests upon His word and His power to accomplish what He promises.
How easily familiarity can dull our attention to holy things. We may enter the church thinking about our errands, our troubles, or what we will do after Mass. Our Lord knows these concerns. Let us bring them to Him, then ask for the grace to pray attentively and remember whose presence we have entered.
We can prepare by arriving a little early when possible, quieting our conversations, and turning our hearts toward Our Lord. As the Sacred Host is elevated, we can make a simple act of faith: “My Lord and my God!” Even when distractions return, we can quietly bring our attention back to Him.
Our preparation must also include an examination of conscience. Anyone conscious of mortal sin must ordinarily receive sacramental absolution before receiving Holy Communion. If we need Confession, let us ask for the courage to go. We can still attend Mass and pray when we cannot receive. Our desire for Our Lord should move us to seek reconciliation and follow His commandments (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1385).
When we receive Holy Communion worthily, Our Lord deepens our union with Him, nourishes the life of grace within us, and strengthens our charity. We may not experience a strong feeling or a moment of consolation. Let us receive with faith and allow His grace to bear fruit in our daily choices (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1391-1395).
After receiving, let us spend time in thanksgiving. We can speak to Jesus about our family, ask His help with a temptation, or pray for someone who is suffering. We can also be silent before Him. We do not need beautiful words. We need hearts willing to listen, give thanks, and belong more completely to Him.
Our love for Jesus in the Eucharist should shape the way we treat others. When we leave the church, we return to people who need patience, forgiveness, and practical help. Let us ask Our Lord to make us more attentive to them. The person who interrupts our plans may be the very person we are being called to love today.
We can also make time to visit Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. During Eucharistic Adoration, or in a quiet visit before the tabernacle, let us place ourselves in His presence. We can bring Him our weariness, thank Him for His goodness, and ask Him to teach us how to pray.
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TODAY’S PRACTICE: Make a visit to the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, if possible.
Spend a few quiet moments praying: “Jesus, I believe that You are truly present in the Holy Eucharist. Increase my faith, deepen my love, and help me receive You worthily.”
PUTTING FAITH INTO PRACTICE: Choose one act of love to offer Our Lord today. Help someone with a difficult task, visit a lonely person, provide food for someone in need, or respond patiently when you are tempted to be unkind.
STEPS TO LIVE A EUCHARISTIC LIFE: (1) Believe – renew your faith in Our Lord’s Real Presence, (2) Prepare – examine your conscience, seek Confession when needed, and observe the Eucharistic fast, (3) Participate – pray attentively at Holy Mass, (4) Give thanks – spend time with Jesus after Holy Communion, (5) Love – carry the charity He nourishes into your home and daily responsibilities.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS: Thank Our Lord for the gift of the Holy Eucharist, pray for our priests, and ask yourself: How can I prepare my heart more faithfully for my next Holy Communion?
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE A-B-C-s of Catholicism
IS FOR DIVINE MERCY
As we continue through the ABC’s of Catholicism, let us reflect on the mercy of Our Lord: the love with which He reaches out to sinners, calls us to repentance, and offers us forgiveness and new life. Divine Mercy gives us hope and teaches us to place our trust in Jesus Christ.
We may sometimes look at our sins and wonder how God could still love us. We remember promises we have broken, opportunities we have wasted, and people we have hurt. Yet Our Lord calls us to bring these sins to Him with sorrow and a sincere desire to change. We do not have to hide from the One who suffered and died for our salvation.
Throughout the Gospels, we see the mercy of Jesus. He welcomes repentant sinners, heals the suffering, and seeks those who have wandered away. In the parable of the prodigal son, the father welcomes his returning child with compassion. The son acknowledges his sin and comes home. We, too, must have the humility to rise and return to our Heavenly Father (Luke 15:11-32).
God’s mercy does not make sin unimportant. Sin wounds our relationship with God and harms ourselves and others. In His Mercy, Our Lord offers forgiveness and the grace to turn away from what destroys us. To receive this mercy sincerely, we must be willing to repent, accept His help, and begin to amend our lives.
St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish religious sister, helped spread devotion to Divine Mercy through the experiences and spiritual reflections recorded in her Diary. Her message directs our attention to Jesus Christ and calls us to trust in His mercy and show mercy to others. At her canonization in 2000, Pope St. John Paul II announced that the Second Sunday of Easter would be called Divine Mercy Sunday throughout the Church.
The Divine Mercy image shows Our Lord with one hand raised in blessing and two rays coming from His Heart. These rays represent the blood and water that flowed from His pierced side. Beneath the image are the words that express the heart of the devotion: “Jesus, I trust in You.” As we look upon this image, let us remember the love of Our Savior and entrust ourselves to His care.
Trust can be difficult when we are afraid, ashamed, or uncertain about our future. We may pray while still trying to control every outcome. We may ask for forgiveness and then continue punishing ourselves for sins we have sincerely confessed and received absolution for. Trust invites us to rely upon Our Lord’s goodness, follow His commandments, and take the next faithful step, even when we cannot see the whole path ahead.
We encounter His mercy in a special way in the Sacrament of Confession. There we acknowledge our sins, express our sorrow, and receive forgiveness through the ministry of the priest. If we have been away, we can ask Our Lord for the courage to return. If we fall again, we must resist discouragement, repent, and seek His grace once more. (For more information on the Sacrament of Confession, see yesterday’s Arise and Shine – at the bottom).
One of the best-known practices of this devotion is the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, prayed on ordinary rosary beads. Through this prayer, we appeal to the merits of Christ’s Passion and ask for mercy for ourselves and the whole world. We can bring before Our Lord those who are suffering, those who are far from Him, and those approaching death. The Chaplet may be prayed at any time.
At three o’clock in the afternoon, we can also pause to remember Our Lord’s death upon the Cross. Even in the middle of a busy day, we can turn our hearts toward Him, thank Him for His sacrifice, and ask His mercy upon the world. A brief, attentive prayer can help us remember how deeply we are loved. Many people pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet at three o’clock in the afternoon.
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TODAY’S PRACTICE: Pause before an image of Divine Mercy, or spend a few quiet moments recalling Our Lord’s Passion. Tell Jesus honestly what is troubling you, and pray slowly: “Jesus, I trust in You.” Choose one concern to entrust to Him today.
PUTTING FAITH INTO PRACTICE: Perform one concrete work of mercy. Call someone who is lonely, offer practical help to a person in need, pray for the dying, or take a sincere step toward forgiving an injury. Ask Our Lord to help you recognize the needs of the people He places before you.
STEPS TO LIVE DIVINE MERCY: (1) Ask for mercy – bring your sins and needs before God in humble prayer, (2) Return to the sacraments – prepare for a sincere Confession and receive Holy Communion worthily, (3) Practice trust – follow Our Lord faithfully amid the concerns of daily life, (4) Show mercy – respond to others with patience, generosity, and forgiveness, (5) Persevere – when you fall, repent and begin again with the help of God’s grace.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS: Entrust one worry to Our Lord’s mercy, pray for someone who needs His forgiveness, and ask yourself: Have I shown others the mercy I ask of God?
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE A-B-C-s of Catholicism
IS FOR CONFESSION
As we continue through the ABC’s of Catholicism, let us reflect on a sacrament in which Our Lord calls us back to Himself, forgives our sins, and gives us grace to begin again: Holy Confession.
In His mercy, He has given His Church the Sacrament of Penance, also called Confession or Reconciliation, for the forgiveness of sins.
After His Resurrection, Jesus appeared to His Apostles, breathed upon them, and told them to receive the Holy Ghost. He entrusted to them the authority to forgive and retain sins. “He breathed on them, and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.” (John 20:22-23).
We may feel ashamed to confess our sins. We may have been away for many years, or we may be discouraged because we keep falling into the same faults. Yet shame and discouragement must not keep us from Our Lord. He calls us to come with humility, sorrow for our sins, and a sincere desire to amend our lives.
A good Confession begins with an honest examination of conscience. We ask the Holy Ghost to help us see our thoughts, words, actions, and omissions in the light of God’s commandments. Where have we offended God? Where have we failed to love our neighbor? What duties have we neglected? We examine our own conscience and accept responsibility for our choices.
We must also have contrition: sorrow for our sins, together with the resolution not to sin again. This resolution does not mean we can promise that we will never again experience temptation or weakness. It means that we sincerely intend, with God’s help, to turn away from sin and avoid the occasions that lead us into it.
In Confession, we must tell the priest all mortal sins we remember after a careful examination, stating their kind and number as accurately as we can. We must never deliberately conceal a mortal sin. If we are uncertain how to confess, we can simply ask the priest to help us. Someone returning after many years can begin by saying so.
The Church also strongly recommends confessing venial sins. Regular Confession helps us recognize sinful habits, form our conscience, and grow in the Christian life. We should approach this sacrament with a desire to be changed by God’s grace, asking Him to help us become more patient, truthful, pure, generous, and faithful.
The priest gives us a penance, which we should fulfill faithfully. We must also seek, as far as possible, to repair the harm our sins have caused. Forgiveness does not remove our responsibility to return what we have stolen, correct a lie, or make amends for an injustice. Repentance should bear fruit in the way we live.
The priest is bound by the sacramental seal. He must keep absolutely secret the sins revealed to him in Confession. We can speak honestly, knowing that this sacred encounter is protected by the Church’s strict obligation of secrecy.
If you have been away from Confession, take a step toward returning. Find a time when the sacrament is offered, or contact a priest for an appointment. Ask Our Lord for the courage to make a sincere Confession. His mercy is a gift we should receive with gratitude and a faithful response.
TODAY’S PRACTICE: Examine your conscience and make a definite plan to receive the Sacrament of Confession. If you already go regularly, ask God to help you prepare with greater care.
PUTTING FAITH INTO PRACTICE: Spend a few quiet minutes reviewing your life in the light of the Ten Commandments. Ask the Holy Ghost to show you what needs to change. Make an Act of Contrition and choose one concrete step to turn away from a sinful habit.
STEPS TO GO TO CONFESSION: (1) Examination of Conscience – Before entering reflect quietly on your thoughts, words, and actions using the Ten Commandments and Church teachings, (2) Greeting – Enter the confessional. Make the Sign of the Cross and say, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was (weeks, months, or years ago)”, (3) Confession of Sins – State your sins honestly, clearly and concisely, mentioning the type of sin and approximate number of times for serious sins, (4) Penance and Counsel – The priest offers spiritual advice and assigns a penance, (5) Act of Contrition – Recite a traditional prayer expressing sorrow for your sins and a resolution not to sin again, such as the prayer below, (6) Absolution – The priest extends his hands over you and prays the prayer of absolution, forgiving your sins in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, (7) Post-Confession – Promptly perform the assigned penance.
PRAYER OF CONTRITION: O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, I thank You for the gift of Holy Confession. You know my sins, my weaknesses, and the excuses I make. Give me the humility to examine my conscience honestly and the courage to confess my sins sincerely. Grant me true sorrow for having offended You and a firm purpose of amendment. Help me trust in Your mercy and respond faithfully to Your grace.
Holy Ghost, enlighten my mind and move my heart to repentance. Help me recognize the occasions of sin and turn away from them. Give me strength to repair the harm I have caused and faithfully fulfill my penance. Bless the priests who hear confessions, and guide those who have been away from the sacrament back to it. May I receive Your forgiveness with gratitude and show its fruit in a life of greater charity, obedience, and holiness. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS: If you need to return to Confession, find the next available opportunity and prepare to go.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE A-B-C-s of Catholicism
IS FOR BAPTISM
As we continue through the ABC’s of Catholicism, let us reflect on the first of the seven sacraments: Holy Baptism.
Baptism is not simply a family tradition, a naming ceremony, or a symbol of a decision we have already made. It is a sacrament instituted by Our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Baptism, God gives us new life in Christ, cleanses us from sin, and bring us into His Church.
Our Lord tells us, “Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). The Church has always taken these words seriously. In Baptism, water is poured – or the person is immersed – while the minister baptizes in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. God acts through this sacrament, giving the grace He promised.
In Baptism, original sin is forgiven. An adult who receives Baptism is also cleansed from all personal sins committed before Baptism. We become adopted children of God, members of the Body of Christ, and temples of the Holy Ghost. We receive sanctifying grace and the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Baptism opens the way to the other sacraments and calls us to live in communion with Christ and His Church.
Many Catholics were baptized as infants. We may not remember that day, but our parents and godparents brought us to the Church and promised to help us grow in the Catholic faith. Their decision did not make our faithfulness automatic. As we grew, we were called to learn the faith, receive the sacraments, and freely live the promises made on our behalf.
Those who are baptized as adults make their profession of faith themselves. In either case, Baptism is a gift of God’s grace – not something we earn. Yet this gift calls for a lifelong response. We are to turn away from sin, believe in Christ, and follow Him in the communion of His Church.
St. Paul writes: “We are buried together with him by baptism into death; that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Baptism unites us to the death and Resurrection of Jesus. Our old life of sin is not the life we are meant to return to. We are called to live as people who belong to Christ.
At Baptism, the Church asks us to reject Satan, his works, and his empty promises, and to profess our faith in God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (or those responsible for them on their behalf if they are infants). These promises are renewed at the Easter Vigil and on other occasions in the Church’s liturgy. We can renew them in prayer, too.
Baptism also makes us members of the Church. We are not isolated followers of Jesus, choosing only the teachings or practices that suit us. We belong to His Body and are called to worship with the Church, receive the sacraments, keep God’s commandments, and serve our neighbor. Our faith is personal, but it is never meant to be lived alone.
The grace of Baptism does not mean we will never sin. When we fall after Baptism, Christ calls us back. We can repent, seek forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and receive the grace to begin again. Baptism itself is received only once: it leaves an indelible spiritual mark and cannot be repeated. Even when we are unfaithful, God does not erase the fact that we have been claimed for Christ.
Let us thank God for the day of our Baptism. If we know the date, we can remember it as a day of grace and give thanks for our parents, godparents, or all who helped us grow in the faith. Most of all, let us ask for the grace to live as faithful sons and daughters of God and faithful members of His Catholic Church.
TODAY’S PRACTICE: Thank God for your Baptism. Renew your Baptismal promises and choose one concrete way to live more faithfully as a Catholic.
PUTTING FAITH INTO PRACTICE: Pray the Baptismal promises slowly. Renounce Satan and all that leads you away from God, then profess your faith in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Ask yourself: What is one attitude, habit, or choice I need to turn away from so that I can follow Christ more faithfully?
OUR PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the gift of Holy Baptism. Through this sacrament, You cleansed me from sin, made me Your child, and welcomed me into the Catholic Church. Help me never to take this gift for granted. Forgive me for the times I have forgotten that I belong to You, disobeyed Your commandments, or failed to live according to the faith I profess. Give me the grace to reject sin and to follow Your Son with a faithful heart.
Renew in me the grace of my Baptism. Strengthen my faith, increase my hope, and deepen my charity. Help me love the Church Christ founded, receive the sacraments with reverence, and serve others with patience and generosity. Bless my parents and godparents, and all who have helped me grow in the Catholic faith. Holy Ghost, guide me each day. Help me live as a child of God and a faithful member of the Body of Christ. May my words and actions show that I belong to Jesus. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS: Thank God for the grace of your Baptism. Ask Him to show you where you need to repent, seek forgiveness, or live your Catholic faith more faithfully.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE A-B-C-s of Catholicism
IS FOR ADORATION
For thirty days, we have been on a Rescue Mission. Let us continue to remember those souls in our prayers. And now, as we move forward, I would like us to take some time to reflect on what it means to live a truly Christ-centered life.
We speak of following Jesus. We call ourselves Catholic. But how deeply does our faith shape the way we live? Does Our Lord have first place in our decisions, our relationships, our homes, and the way we spend our days? When His will asks something difficult of us, are we willing to obey?
Over the coming days, we will consider these questions through the ABC’s of Catholicism. Each letter will lead us into an essential part of our Catholic faith and invite us to examine our response. Even truths we have known since childhood deserve our attention again. We may know the words very well and still have much to learn about living them.
Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us recognize where we have grown careless, deepen our understanding, and put what we believe into practice. As we begin, may each of us be willing to pray, “Lord Jesus, help me to see what place I have given You in my life – and what needs to change so that You are truly at its center.”
WE BEGIN WITH A: ADORATION.
When the wise men came into the presence of the Christ Child, they fell down and worshipped Him. Before we consider all the things we hope to accomplish, all the problems we want God to resolve, and all the answers we are seeking, we need to remember Who stands before us. He is God. We are His creatures. Our lives come from Him, and we owe Him our worship.
Adoration is the worship we give to God alone. We acknowledge His holiness, His goodness, His majesty, and His sovereign claim upon our lives. We adore Him because He is worthy of our love and worship, even when we are suffering, even when we do not understand His ways, and even when our prayers seem unanswered.
Our Lord tells us, “Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10). Those words should cause us to examine ourselves. We may readily say that we worship God alone, but what receives our deepest allegiance? What are we unwilling to surrender? Whose approval matters so much that we will compromise our faith to keep it?
A Christ-centered life requires us to give Jesus the place that belongs to Him. For us as Catholics, this brings us in a particular way to the Holy Eucharist. Jesus Christ is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. The One before Whom we kneel is the same Lord Who was born in Bethlehem, Who suffered and died for us, and Who rose from the dead.
Do we allow that truth to shape the way we enter a Catholic church? Do we recollect ourselves? Do we acknowledge His presence with reverence? Or have we become so accustomed to speaking about the Real Presence that we seldom stop to consider what it means?
When we come before the tabernacle, we come before Our Lord Himself. When the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration, it is Jesus we adore. His presence does not depend upon exposition or upon what we happen to feel that day. He is there, deserving our faith, our attention, and our love.
I encourage you to make time to be with Him. If you can spend an hour in Eucharistic adoration, do so. If your circumstances allow only a brief visit, offer Him those minutes with love. Enter quietly. Put aside your phone. Kneel if you are able, and make a deliberate act of faith: “My Lord and my God, I believe that You are here.”
Then remain with Him.
You may have many things to tell Him. Bring them. You may be carrying grief, fear, temptation, or concern for the soul you remembered throughout our Rescue Mission. Place those things before Him. But give some of your time simply to adoring Him. Tell Him that you love Him. Thank Him for His goodness. Acknowledge your dependence upon Him.
There may be distractions. You may feel restless or spiritually dry. Gently return your attention to Jesus. Your willingness to remain with Him can itself be an offering of love. We should not judge the worth of our prayer by the comfort we receive.
If illness, caregiving, distance, or another serious difficulty prevents you from visiting a church, turn your heart toward Our Lord where you are. Make an act of spiritual communion and express your desire to be with Him. You can adore God in your home, in a hospital room, or in the midst of your daily duties.
And when we rise from prayer, our response to Him must continue. The Lord we adore is the Lord we must obey. If we have knelt before Him in love, let us ask for the grace to speak with charity, resist temptation, fulfill our duties, and receive His correction.
Today, let us begin here in the presence of God, acknowledging Who He is. Before we ask what comes next, let us give Him our attention. Before we ask Him to change someone else, let us place our own lives at His feet.
TODAY’S PRACTICE: Give Our Lord a deliberate time of adoration. Let your first purpose be to worship Him and acknowledge His rightful place in your life.
PUTTING FAITH INTO PRACTICE: If possible, visit a Catholic church and spend time before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Begin by praying, “My Lord and my God, I believe that You are truly present. I adore You. Help me give You first place in my life.” If you cannot visit a church, set aside a quiet time at home to adore Him. Ask yourself what you have been allowing to take precedence over God, and choose one concrete way to put that right.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, I believe in You, I adore You, and I love You.
You are my Lord and my God. Everything I have has come from Your goodness. Every breath, every opportunity to repent, and every grace that draws me toward Heaven is Your gift. Forgive me for the times I have entered Your presence carelessly, neglected You in the tabernacle, or allowed my own desires to matter more than Your holy will. Forgive me for seeking Your gifts while giving so little attention to You.
Teach me to adore You with reverence and humility. When I am distracted, help me return to You. When prayer is dry, grant me perseverance. When I am tempted to hurry away, deepen my desire to remain with You.
Bring order to my life. Show me what I have placed ahead of You, and give me the courage to surrender it. May my worship bear fruit in obedience, charity, purity, and fidelity to my daily duties.
Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother, help me approach You with greater faith and love. May I learn from her to receive Your word, treasure it in my heart, and respond generously to all You ask. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS: Pause and recall the time you gave to God today. Did you give Him your attention? Did your choices reflect the faith you professed in prayer? Thank Him for His graces, ask forgiveness where you failed, and pray, “Jesus, I adore You. As I rest tonight, keep me close to Your Sacred Heart. Help me begin tomorrow with You. Amen.”
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY THIRTY: Into Your Hands, Lord
Today we complete our thirty-day Rescue Mission. We began by choosing a soul to bring before Jesus. Through prayer, sacrifice, and acts of reparation, we have continued to ask for that person’s conversion. Now we bring this mission to its close with thanksgiving and a renewed act of trust: “Lord Jesus, I entrust this soul to You.”
Perhaps we have seen a change: a conversation we thought would never happen, a greater openness to God, or a step toward reconciliation. Perhaps we have seen nothing at all. We may still carry the same concerns we brought on the first day. Whatever we can see today, we can thank God for hearing our prayers and continue to ask Him to bring this soul home.
In Luke 15:4-7, Jesus speaks of the shepherd who goes after the lost sheep until he finds it. He places it upon his shoulders with joy, and Heaven rejoices over a sinner who repents. As we finish these thirty days, let us remember the love of the Shepherd. The person we have carried in prayer is known and loved by Him. He knows every wound, every resistance, and every need that we cannot see.
We cannot make another person repent. We cannot choose faith for them or force their return to the sacraments. We can pray, offer sacrifices, speak truth with charity, and give faithful witness through our lives. Today we place our efforts, our hopes, and our unanswered questions into the hands of the Savior, asking Him to continue His work.
Let us also give thanks for the grace to take part in this mission. Every day we turned toward Jesus was an opportunity to grow in faith. Every sacrifice offered with love was an occasion to become more generous. Every time we prayed through discouragement, we practiced perseverance. Let us ask His forgiveness for our distractions and neglected opportunities, and thank Him for helping us begin again.
We bring our own souls before Him, too. We need the mercy we have asked for others. We need repentance, forgiveness, and the grace to remain faithful. As we pray for someone else to return to God, may we become more willing to examine our consciences, confess our sins, and follow wherever Christ leads.
Yesterday, we asked that our love for souls would remain. Today, let us give that desire a place in our daily lives. Keep the name of this person among your intentions. Continue the prayer or small offering you have chosen. When an opportunity comes to listen, encourage, invite, or speak about the Faith, ask the Holy Spirit to help you respond with wisdom and charity.
There may still be a long wait ahead. If discouragement returns, remember that we can bring it to Jesus along with the person we love. We can tell Him honestly that we are weary and ask for the grace to persevere. We can renew our prayer without demanding a sign that it is being heard.
Today, through the intercession of Our Lady, we entrust to Jesus the soul we chose, everyone remembered during this mission, and all those who have no one to pray for them. We ask Him to receive every prayer and offering, forgive what was lacking, and bring forth fruit according to His wisdom and mercy.
Our thirty days are complete. Let us close them in peace, grateful that we have been able to bring someone we love before the Lord. May we carry forward a faithful habit of intercession, a greater concern for eternal life, and a deeper trust in Jesus Christ, who came to seek and to save the lost.
TODAY’S MISSION: Complete this Rescue Mission with thanksgiving, entrusting the soul you have carried to the mercy of Jesus and committing yourself to continued prayer.
YOUR THIRTIETH ACT: Read Luke 15:4-7. Speak the name of the person you chose on the first day, and thank Jesus for hearing every prayer offered for this soul. Then pray, “Jesus, I entrust (person’s name) to You. Grant this soul repentance, faith, and the grace of final perseverance. Help me remain faithful in prayer.” Renew the practice you chose yesterday so that your intercession continues beyond these thirty days.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I come before You with thanksgiving as these thirty days draw to a close. Thank You for every grace that helped me pray, every opportunity to make an offering, and every reminder of Your love for souls. Receive all that I have offered, and forgive my distractions, impatience, and failures in charity.
I bring (person’s name) before You once more. You know this soul completely. Heal what is wounded, overcome what resists Your grace, and grant true repentance and reconciliation. Draw the person into the fullness of life in Your Church and Your sacraments. Bring this soul safely home to Heaven.
Where I have seen signs of hope, help me give You thanks. Where I have seen no change, strengthen my faith. Give me patience for the waiting and wisdom to recognize whatever You ask of me. Keep my words charitable, my example faithful, and my prayer persevering.
Have mercy on me also. Bring me to repentance for my own sins, deepen my love for You, and help me live the faith I desire for others. May the concern for souls awakened during this mission continue to shape my prayers and daily choices.
Through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima, receive our prayers and sacrifices for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for sin. Remember the forgotten, the wandering, and those approaching death. Grant them the grace to turn to You.
Into Your hands, Lord Jesus, I place this mission and every soul remembered within it. I trust in Your mercy. Help me to keep praying, keep loving, and remain faithful to You all the days of my life. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be for the soul you have carried and for everyone who has taken part in this Rescue Mission. Then make the Sign of the Cross and pray, “Thank you, Jesus, for these thirty days. I entrust this soul to Your mercy. Keep us close to You, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.”
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TWENTY-NINE: A Love That Remains
Two days remain, including today. We began this Rescue Mission by choosing a soul to bring before Jesus. Day after day, we have spoken that person’s name, prayed for their conversion, and offered sacrifices for their return. What if, through these prayers, the Lord has also been forming something within us – a deeper love for souls? What if this concern for another person’s soul becomes part of how we live long after these thirty days have ended?
In I Corinthians 13, St. Paul teaches us that love is patient and kind. It does not seek its own interests or rejoice in wrongdoing: It rejoices with the truth, it bears, believes, hopes, and endures. This is the love we need as we pray for others: a love willing to persevere, to seek their true good, and to remain faithful through a long season of waiting.
We want those we love to be happy, safe, and well. But we desire their eternal good as well. We want them to know Jesus Christ, receive His forgiveness, and live in His grace. We want them to reach Heaven. As that desire takes deeper root in us, prayer for them becomes a natural expression of our love.
At Fatima, Our Lady called the children to prayer and sacrifice for sinners, and to reparation for the offenses committed against God and her Immaculate Heart. She invited them to offer themselves for others. Their ordinary days became opportunities to answer that call through prayer, sacrifice, and faithful love.
We can answer that call in our own ordinary days. We can offer the discomfort we would otherwise complain about, fulfill a difficult duty with love, or give up small pleasures or comforts while praying for someone’s conversion. In union with Christ, we can offer these acts in reparation for sin, asking pardon for our own offenses and those of others. Love gives us a reason to make the offering.
Perhaps we began this mission with one person close to us. Now let us ask the Lord to widen our hearts. There are souls we have never met who have no one praying for them. There are people who have forgotten God, people who have never been taught to know Him, and people approaching death without being reconciled to Him. We can remember them before Jesus, even when we do not know their names.
When we hear troubling news, we can pray for the people involved. When we encounter someone openly hostile to the Faith, we can ask for their conversion. When we see sin causing harm, we can offer an act of reparation. The sorrow we feel over a world far from God can move us to bring that world before Him.
This is a grace worth asking for as our Rescue Mission draws toward its close: “Lord, keep my heart attentive to souls. Do not let me grow accustomed to their being far from You.” We can carry that concern with trust, remembering that Christ is the Savior and that He invites us to take part through our prayers, sacrifices, and witness.
Tomorrow will be the final day of these thirty days. Today, let us ask that the love awakened during them will remain. May we continue to remember the soul we chose. May we also become more ready to pray for the stranger, the sinner, the dying, and the person whose need for God we might once have overlooked.
TODAY’S MISSION: Ask Jesus to deepen your love for souls and to make prayer for them a lasting part of your life.
YOUR TWENTY-NINTH ACT: Read I Corinthians 13. Pray for the soul you have carried throughout this mission, then pray for those who have no one to remember them in prayer. Choose one practice to continue after these thirty days: a daily prayer for the conversion of sinners, a decade of the Rosary for souls, or a small daily sacrifice offered in reparation and for souls.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, deepen my love for You and for the souls You came to save. Through these days of prayer, teach me to desire their eternal good with greater love and perseverance.
Give me the love St. Paul describes: patient, kind, humble, and faithful. Keep me from bitterness when someone resists Your truth. Help me to speak with courage and gentleness, and to continue praying when I see no change.
I bring (person’s name) before You again today. Grant this soul repentence, reconciliation, and a return to Your Church and Your sacraments. May my love for this person remain steadfast after this mission ends.
Widen my heart to remember others: those who do not know You, those who have abandoned the Faith, those hardened by sin, and those nearing death. Have mercy upon them. Help me remember them in my prayers and offerings.
Through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima, teach me to offer prayer and sacrifice for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for sin. Let these thirty days leave me more generous, more faithful, and more attentive to the needs of souls. Keep this love alive in me, and help me answer Your call each day. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be for the soul you carry and for the conversion of sinners throughout the world. Then pray, “Jesus, let this mission bear lasting fruit in me. Teach me to keep loving and praying for souls.”
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TWENTY-EIGHT: Lord, What Am I Holding Back?
Three days remain, including today. We have spent these days asking Jesus to reach a soul we love. Today, let us also open our own hearts before Him. We have prayed that someone else would answer His call. Where is He calling us? We have asked that another heart be changed. What in our own lives still needs to be surrendered?
In Mark 10:17-22, a man approaches Jesus and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. He has kept the commandments from his youth. Then the Gospel tells us that Jesus looks upon him and loves him. Within that loving gaze, the Lord asks him to surrender his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him. The man goes away sorrowful. He has great possessions, and he cannot bring himself to let them go.
Jesus sees both the man’s desire for eternal life and the attachment that holds him back. His invitation reaches the very place the man has guarded. Today, let us allow the Lord to look upon us with that same love. Let us stay before Him long enough to hear what He asks.
What are we holding back? Perhaps it is a resentment we keep rehearsing. Perhaps it is a habit we excuse, a sin we conceal, or an apology we refuse to make. Perhaps we insist upon having the final word. Perhaps we want to follow Christ while keeping control over which of His teachings we will accept.
We may have become accustomed to saying, “Lord, change this person,” while avoiding the quieter prayer, “Lord, change me.” Yet we, too, need His mercy. We, too, need repentance. The soul we carry is precious to Him, and so is the soul with which He has entrusted each of us – our own.
Surrender becomes real in the choices we make. It may mean bringing an honestly confessed sin into the light of the confessional. It may mean forgiving someone and giving up the desire to repay the hurt. It may mean accepting a difficult duty, making time for prayer, or obeying a teaching we have resisted. Ask the Lord to show you one place where your answer to Him has remained unfinished.
Our own surrender belongs within this Rescue Mission. When we ask someone to return to Christ, our lives should bear witness to the freedom and goodness of belonging to Him. A sincere apology, a changed habit, or a patient response may give someone close to us reason to listen again. Let us ask for the humility to receive the grace we desire for others.
Today, kneel before the Lord, if you are able, and open your hands. Pray, “Jesus, all that I am belongs to You. Show me what I am withholding.” Remain quiet for a few moments. Examine what comes to mind honestly in the light of His commandments and your duties. Then choose one concrete act of obedience.
As these days draw toward their close, may the Rescue Mission leave its mark upon us. May it find us more willing to repent, more generous in love, and more ready to follow wherever Jesus leads. Let us bring Him the soul we carry, and let us give Him ourselves.
TODAY’S MISSION: Examine your own heart. Ask Jesus to reveal one attachment, sin, or resistance that you need to surrender, and answer Him with a concrete act of faithfulness.
YOUR TWENTY-EIGHTH ACT: Read Mark 10:17-22. Spend five quiet minutes asking, “Lord, what am I holding back?” Choose one step you can take today: offer an apology, begin making amends, put aside an occasion of sin, fulfill a neglected duty, or arrange to go to confession. Offer that act with a prayer for the soul you carry.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You look upon me with love. You know my desire to follow You, and You know the places where I resist. Give me the courage to open my whole life to You.
Show me the sin I have excused, the resentment I have nourished, and the obedience I have delayed. Grant me true sorrow for my sins and the willingness to make a faithful beginning today.
I surrender my pride, my comforts, and my insistence upon having my own way. Teach me to receive Your truth with humility and to follow it in my daily choices. When obedience is difficult, strengthen me. When I fall, help me seek Your mercy and begin again.
I also bring (person’s name) before You. Draw this soul home to Your Church and Your sacraments. Make my words and actions a faithful witness to Your goodness. Help me repair the harm I have caused and love this person with patience and truth.
Renew everyone praying this Rescue Mission. Bring each of us to a deeper conversion. May we answer Your invitation with generous hearts and remain faithful to You unto everlasting life. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be for the soul you carry. Examine whether you have taken your chosen step of surrender. Then pray, “Jesus, I give You this soul, and I give You myself. Help us both follow You.”
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TWENTY-SEVEN: Lord, Open This Heart!
Four days remain, including today. We have carried a soul through these days of prayer, placing this person again and again before Jesus. Today, let us bring renewed fervor to our intercession. Call this person to mind. Speak the name you have carried. Ask boldly, “Lord, open this heart!”
In Acts 16:13-15, St. Paul speaks to women gathered beside a river. Lydia listens, and the Lord opens her heart to receive his message. She and her household are baptized, and she welcomes the apostles into her home. Beside that river, the Gospel takes root in a life ready to receive it.
“And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, did hear: whose heart the Lord opened to attend to those things which were said by Paul, and when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there.’ And she constrained us.”
The Lord who opened Lydia’s heart is the Lord to whom we pray today. Bring Him the person who changes the subject whenever faith is mentioned. Bring Him the person who says, “Perhaps someday.” Bring Him the person who once loved the sacraments and now lives far from them. Ask Him to awaken a hunger for His presence.
Some of us have prayed for years. We know the ache of an empty place beside us at Mass. We remember conversations that ended badly and invitations that went unanswered. Bring that ache into today’s prayer. Let it become a fervent appeal: “Jesus, I love this person. Help me persevere. Reach this soul with Your mercy.”
And be ready to serve. If an opportunity comes to listen, give your full attention. If you owe an apology, offer it sincerely. If this person asks a question about the faith, answer with patience and truth. Ask the Lord to make your presence a help to someone finding the way home.
Today, give five undivided minutes to this mission. Put aside your phone. Kneel, if you are able. Speak this person’s name, and pray slowly, “Come, Holy Spirit. Open this heart to Jesus.” Bring before God the particular obstacle that troubles you most. Ask for light, freedom, and a willing response to grace.
Four days remain in our devotion, and we still have prayer to offer, love to give, and opportunities to serve. Let us finish with fervor. The closing day of this series will not end our care for these souls. May it find us more faithful, more hopeful, and more ready to answer God’s call.
TODAY’S MISSION: Pray fervently for an awakening of faith in the soul you carry. Ask the Holy Spirit to stir a desire for God, sorrow for sin, and the courage to return to Him.
YOUR TWENTY-SEVENTH ACT: Read Acts 16:13-15. Then give five quiet minutes entirely to intercession for this person. Pray by name, “Come, Holy Spirit. Open this heart to Jesus. Help this soul receive Your grace and act upon it.”
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I bring (person’s name) before You today with renewed hope. You know this soul. You know the wounds, the resistance, and the longing that may be hidden from everyone else. Let Your truth reach this heart.
Come, Holy Spirit. Awaken a hunger for God. Bring light to what is confused and strength to what is weak. Give this person the humility to acknowledge sin, the courage to seek forgiveness, and the joy of reconciliation with You.
Help this soul answer Your invitation. When a door opens toward confession, prayer, or a return to Holy Mass, give this person the courage to take that step.
Renew our praying group. When we grow weary, strengthen us. When an opportunity to help appears, make us attentive and willing. Fill our hearts with faithful love for every soul we carry, and lead us all into everlasting life. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be for the soul you carry, Speak this person’s name once more, and pray with hope: “Lord, open this heart. Help this soul come home.”
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TWENTY-SIX: Entrust the Soul to the Good Shepherd
With five days remaining, including today, we continue bringing a soul before Jesus. Yesterday, we entrusted this person to the maternal care and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today, let us ask Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to seek the soul we carry and lead this person home.
In Luke 15:1-7, Jesus tells the parable of a shepherd who goes in search of a lost sheep. When he finds it, he places it upon his shoulders with joy. This parable reveals the tenderness of God toward sinners and the joy of heaven over repentance. The person we carry in prayer is known and loved by Him.
We may see distance, silence, or resistance. We may remember the faith this person once practiced and wonder whether a return is still possible. Jesus sees more than we do. He knows the wounds, the choices, the fears, and the hidden struggles of every heart. He knows where grace is needed.
On this Sunday, bring the person you carry into your prayer at Holy Mass. As you prepare for Mass, speak this person’s name to the Lord. Ask that the graces this soul needs may be received with a willing heart.
If you receive Holy Communion, pray for this person during your thanksgiving. Ask Jesus to deepen your own love for Him and to draw the soul you carry toward reconciliation and the life of grace. Let your prayer be simple: “Lord Jesus, seek this soul. Help this person hear Your voice and follow You.”
There may also be something Jesus asks of you. A patient conversation, a sincere apology, or a gentle invitation to Mass may help prepare the way. Ask Him to guide your words and your timing. Speak the truth with charity, listen carefully, and leave room for the person to respond.
Today place the person you carry before the Good Shepherd. Ask Him to strengthen what is weak, illuminate what is confused, and awaken what has grown indifferent. Trust His mercy, remain faithful in prayer, and be ready to serve when He gives you an opportunity.
TODAY’S MISSION: Entrust the soul you carry to Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Ask Him to lead this person away from sin and into the peace of reconciliation with God.
YOUR TWENTY-SIXTH ACT: Read Luke 15:1-7 slowly. At Sunday Mass, pray by name for the person you are carrying and unite your intercession to the Holy Sacrifice. Ask for the grace of sincere repentance and a return to the sacraments.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd, You know every soul by name. You came to seek and save the lost, and You laid down Your life for our salvation. I praise You for Your mercy and for the love with which You continue to call us home.
Today, I place (person’s name) before You. You know this person’s heart more fully than I ever could. Seek this soul with Your grace. Help this person recognize Your voice and respond to Your call.
Bless our praying group and every soul we carry. As these days draw toward their close, strengthen our hope and deepen our commitment to prayer. Keep us close to Your Sacred Heart, and lead us all into everlasting life. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be for the soul you carry. Thank Jesus for His mercy, and ask Him to give this person the courage to take the next step toward Him.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TWENTY-FIVE: Bring the Soul to Jesus through Mary
With six days remaining, including today, we continue bringing a soul before Jesus. Yesterday, we carried this person into His Eucharistic presence. Today, let us entrust the soul we carry to the maternal care and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Mary always leads us to her Son. At Cana, she noticed the needs of the wedding feast before others understood the situation. She brought the need to Jesus and then gave the servants a simple instruction: “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5). These words reveal the heart of Mary’s mission. She directs every soul toward Jesus and helps us respond to Him with faith.
When we worry about someone who has grown distant from God or the Church, we may feel helpless. We cannot force conversion, remove every obstacle, or choose faith for another person. But we can place that soul in Mary’s hands and ask her to pray with us. A mother’s intercession does not replace our prayer; it strengthens and accompanies it.
At the foot of the Cross, Jesus said to the beloved disciple, “Behold, your mother” (John 19:27). The Church has long received these words as a gift of Mary’s spiritual motherhood. She stood near Jesus during His suffering and remained faithful when others fled. We can ask her to remain near the person we carry, especially in moments of temptation, confusion, loneliness, or resistance to grace.
Take time today to pray the Rosary slowly and attentively. Before beginning, speak the person’s name and entrust that soul to Mary. You might pray, “Blessed Mother, I place this person in your care. Lead this soul to Jesus. Help this person hear His voice and respond to His grace.”
As you meditate on the mysteries of Christ’s life, ask Mary to help this soul encounter Jesus in His joy, light, suffering, and glory. If distractions come, return gently to the name of Jesus and the mystery before you.
Let this prayer also renew your own willingness to follow Mary’s counsel. Ask yourself whether Jesus is calling you to greater patience, forgiveness, courage, or trust. Perhaps there is a loving word to speak, an invitation to extend, or an apology to make. Prayer for another person should also make our own hearts more obedient to Christ.
Entrusting a soul to Mary is not an act of fear or desperation. It is an act of confidence in God’s grace. Mary does not draw attention away from Jesus; she helps us look toward Him. She teaches us to wait without losing hope, to intercede without trying to control, and to remain faithful when we cannot yet see the fruit of our prayer.
TODAY’S MISSION: Entrust the soul you carry to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Ask her to intercede for this person and to lead both of you into deeper obedience, trust, and love for Jesus.
YOUR TWENTY-FIFTH ACT: Read John 2:1-11. Then pray at least one decade of the Rosary for the person you are carrying. Before beginning, speak the person’s name and ask Mary to help this soul “do whatever He tells you.”
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I praise You for the gift of Your mother. From the Cross, You entrusted her to the beloved disciple, and through her maternal care, You continue to draw souls closer to Your Sacred Heart.
Today, I entrust (person’s name) to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Blessed Mother, carry this person in your prayers. Remain near this soul in moments of confusion, temptation, loneliness, and fear. Help this person recognize the voice of Jesus and receive the grace to follow Him.
Blessed Mother, intercede for healing where there are wounds, humility where there is pride, courage where there is fear, and hope where there is discouragement. Lead this person toward prayer, repentance, the sacraments, and the fullness of life in Christ.
Teach me also to follow your words at Cana: “Do whatever He tells you.” Help me pray without trying to control the outcome. Give me patience when I see no immediate change, wisdom in my words, and clarity in every encounter. Make my life a faithful witness to your Son.
Bless our praying group. Place every soul we carry beneath your maternal care. Keep us united in hope, strengthen our perseverance, and lead us always to Jesus, who lives and reigns forever. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray three Hail Mary’s for the soul you carry: one for faith, one for repentance, and one for a return to the sacraments. Ask Mary to guard this person and lead this soul to her Son.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TWENTY-FOUR: COME BEFORE JESUS IN ADORATION
With seven days remaining, including today, we continue bringing a soul before Jesus. Yesterday, we asked Him to search our hearts. Today, let us spend time with Him in Eucharistic adoration, bringing the person we carry into our prayer before His Real Presence.
There is something deeply personal about entering a church, kneeling before Jesus, and speaking the name of someone we care about deeply. The concerns we have carried through the day can become a prayer: “Jesus, I have come to be with You. I bring this soul before You. You know what this person needs.”
In the Holy Eucharist, Jesus is truly present – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. When we adore Him, we place ourselves before our Savior who gave His life for us and for the person we carry. Let us take a moment to recognize Whose presence we have entered and offer Him our love.
In Mark 2:1-12, four men bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. Unable to reach Him through the crowd, they open the roof and lower their friend before Him. Their love moves them to bring someone who needs His help into His presence. We, too, can bring another person before Jesus through our intercession. During adoration, let us ask Him to forgive, heal, and draw that soul to Himself.
Begin your visit by adoring Jesus. Thank Him for remaining with His Church in the Blessed Sacrament. Then tell Him about the person you are carrying: the struggles you know, the concerns you have, and the graces you hope this soul will receive. Ask especially for the grace of conversion and a return to the sacraments.
Then spend a few minutes in silence. You do not need to fill the entire visit with words. Attend to Jesus’ presence. If your mind wanders, gently return to Him. You might pray, “Jesus, I love You,” or “Jesus, draw us both closer to You,” and then rest quietly before Him.
Let this time with Jesus make room for your own response to His love. Ask Him to deepen your reverence for the Eucharist, your gratitude for Holy Mass, and your desire to receive Him worthily. As we pray for another soul to come home, we can renew our own love for the Lord who waits for us in the tabernacle.
If you can, visit a chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration. You can also adore Jesus present in the tabernacle when exposition is not available. If you are unable to reach a church today, set aside quiet time at home to pray, make a spiritual communion, and plan a visit when circumstances permit.
TODAY’S MISSION: Spend time with Jesus in Eucharistic adoration. Adore Him, thank Him, and bring the soul you carry before His mercy. Ask Him to draw this person into the fullness of life with Him.
YOUR TWENTY-FOURTH ACT: Make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament. Begin with an act of adoration. Read Mark 2:1-12, and name the person you are carrying in prayer. Spend several minutes in silence, then close with an Our Father for that soul’s conversion.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament, I adore You. I thank You for the gift of Your presence and for the love with which You receive us. Increase my faith and help me approach You with reverence and gratitude.
Today, I bring (person’s name) before You. Like the friends who carried the paralyzed man into Your presence, I ask for Your mercy upon this person I carry. You know this soul’s wounds, sins, questions, and fears. Grant healing where healing is needed, forgiveness where there is sin, and light where there is confusion.
Draw this person toward You. Awaken a desire for prayer, repentance, and the sacraments. Open a path home to Your Church, and give this soul the courage to follow it. Receive me, too, Lord. Quiet my distractions and teach me to spend time with You. Deepen my love for the Holy Eucharist, and help me carry the charity of this encounter into my words and actions.
Bless our praying group. Lead us closer to Your Eucharistic Heart, and help us make time to adore You. Receive every soul we bring before You, and guide us all toward eternal life. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray one decade of the Rosary for the soul you carry. Ask our Blessed Mother to deepen your love for her Eucharistic Son and to help this person recognize and receive His love.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TWENTY-THREE: Let Jesus Search Your Heart
With eight days remaining, including today, we continue bringing a soul before Jesus. Yesterday, we asked Him to nourish our own souls. Today, let us ask Him to search our hearts. As we pray for someone else to respond to His grace, we can ask where He is inviting us to respond more faithfully, too.
It is often easier to recognize another person’s spiritual needs than to acknowledge our own. We may see someone’s stubbornness while overlooking our impatience. We may pray for someone to forgive while holding tightly to an old resentment. Our concern for another soul can become an occasion to ask Jesus for the grace of our own conversion.
In Matthew 7:3-5, Jesus teaches us to attend to the beam in our own eye so that we can see clearly to help our brother. These words invite us to humility. We need the mercy we are asking Him to give the person we carry. We need His light to recognize our sins and His strength to turn away from them.
Today, let us make a simple examination of conscience. Have I been faithful to prayer? Have my words been charitable? Have I judged another person’s motives too quickly? Is there someone I need to forgive, an apology I need to offer, or a sin I have been reluctant to confess? Ask these questions quietly, in the presence of the Lord who loves you.
We can be honest with Jesus because He desires our salvation. When He helps us recognize a sin, He also invites us to receive His mercy. We do not need to excuse what we have done or surrender to discouragement. We can acknowledge it, ask His forgiveness, and take the next faithful step. If we have fallen into serious sin, let us seek sacramental Confession promptly.
This work within our own hearts matters to the rescue mission. As Jesus teaches us patience, our conversations can become gentler. As He helps us surrender resentment, we can pray with greater charity. As we receive His forgiveness, we remember how much every soul needs His mercy.
The person we are carrying may never know about today’s examination of conscience. Yet that person may experience its fruit in a kinder word, a patient response, or a willingness to listen. Let us ask Jesus to make our lives a more faithful witness to the love we want that soul to discover.
TODAY’S MISSION: Invite Jesus to search your heart. Ask Him to show you one place where you need His mercy and one concrete step you can take in response. Continue praying for the conversion of the soul you carry while opening your own heart to conversion.
YOUR TWENTY-THIRD ACT: Spend ten quiet minutes with Matthew 7:3-5. Make a brief examination of conscience and ask Jesus for forgiveness. Choose one act of repentance today: offer an apology, correct an uncharitable word, begin to forgive an injury, or make plans for Confession. Then entrust yourself and the person you are carrying to His Sacred Heart.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I bring (person’s name) before You again today. Grant this soul light to recognize Your truth, humility to receive Your mercy, and courage to respond to Your grace.
Search my heart, too. Help me recognize the sins I excuse, the resentments I hold, and the ways I resist Your will. Give me the humility to acknowledge my faults and the courage to repent. Draw me to Your mercy in the Sacrament of Penance, and help me receive Your forgiveness with gratitude.
Make my words charitable and my actions faithful. When I am impatient with the person I am carrying, remind me of Your patience with me. When I am tempted to judge, help me remember how much I need Your mercy. Teach me to speak truth with love and to pray with a humble heart.
Strengthen our praying group. Help each of us respond to the grace You give today. Purify our hearts, deepen our trust, and make our lives a faithful witness to Your saving love. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray one decade of the Rosary for the soul you carry. Ask our Blessed Mother to help you respond to her Son with humility and to persevere in prayer.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TWENTY-TWO: Let Jesus Nourish Your Soul
With nine days remaining, including today, we continue carrying another soul before Jesus. We have prayed for that person, offered sacrifices, and asked for the grace to persevere. Today, let us also bring our own souls to Him. The Lord who loves the person we are carrying loves us, too. He knows when we are weary, and He invites us to draw near.
Sometimes we become so concerned about someone else’s spiritual needs that we give little attention to our own. We pray for that person’s peace while carrying our own anxiety. We ask for that person’s healing while leaving our own wounds unspoken. Today, we can tell Jesus honestly what is weighing upon us and ask Him to nourish us with His grace.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites those who labor and are burdened to come to Him. He promises rest for their souls and asks them to learn from His meek and humble Heart. This invitation is for us today. We can come with our fatigue, our concerns, and the sorrow of loving someone who seems far from God.
Taking time to be with Jesus belongs within our rescue mission. Our own souls need prayer, nourishment from His Word, and the grace He gives through the sacraments. As we receive His love, we learn to love others with greater patience and generosity.
Today, seek a few quiet moments with the Lord. If possible, remain before Him in the Blessed Sacrament. If you cannot, find a quiet place at home, open the Gospel, and turn your heart toward Him. Ask Him for consolation. There is nothing wrong with asking our loving Savior to comfort us. We may need reassurance of His love, courage for a difficult conversation, or peace amid a burden we have carried for a long time. Let us make that request with confidence and leave room to receive what He gives.
Consolation does not always come as a strong feeling. We may rise from prayer still tired, yet more willing to trust. A passage of Scripture may help us see our next step. We may receive the grace to forgive, to be patient, or simply to continue faithfully.
TODAY’S MISSION: Take time to nourish your own soul in the presence of Jesus. Ask Him for the consolation and strength you need to continue loving and praying for the person you are carrying.
YOUR TWENTY-SECOND ACT: Spend ten quiet minutes with Matthew 11:28-30. Read slowly. Tell Jesus where you feel weary and ask Him to give rest to your soul. Then entrust both yourself and the person you are carrying to His Sacred Heart.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I bring (person’s name) before You again today. Grant this soul light to recognize Your truth, humility to receive Your mercy, and courage to respond to Your grace.
Today, I also bring You my own soul. You know my weariness, my worries, and the wounds I sometimes keep hidden. Nourish me with Your Word. Draw me closer to You in prayer and the sacraments. Grant me the consolation that will help me love You more deeply and serve You more faithfully.
Teach me to receive Your care and to entrust my burdens to You. When I feel comfort in prayer, help me receive it gratefully. When prayer is dry, help me remain near You with faith. Make my heart more patient, gentle, and generous toward the person I am carrying. Strengthen our praying group. Refresh those who are weary, comfort those who are sorrowful, and draw each of us closer to Your Sacred Heart. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray one decade of the Rosary for the soul you carry. On this feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, ask our Blessed Mother to help you receive her Son’s love and find rest in His presence.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TWENTY-ONE: When Things Seem to Stay the Same
With ten days remaining, including today, we may find ourselves wondering whether our prayers are making a difference. We have carried someone before Jesus, offered sacrifices, and asked for mercy. Yet perhaps that person still seems distant from God. Today, let us ask for the grace to persevere.
It can be difficult to pray for someone we care about when nothing appears to change. We may long for a conversion, a return to Mass, a willingness to go to Confession – some sign that the heart is opening. When that sign does not come, discouragement can quietly enter our own hearts.
In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus teaches His disciples to pray always and not lose heart. He knows that waiting will test us. He teaches us to bring our petitions faithfully before God, trusting His goodness even when we cannot see how He is working.
We do not know everything taking place within another soul. A person who seems unmoved may be wrestling with a question, remembering a truth once learned, or beginning to recognize the emptiness of life without God. We cannot assume that these things are happening, but neither should we conclude that nothing is happening simply because we cannot see it.
God knows this person completely. He knows the wounds, the resistance, the fears, and the choices that have led that soul away from Him. We can ask Him to grant the light to recognize the truth and the courage to respond to His grace.
Today, let us also examine how we speak about the person we are carrying. Have we begun to say, “He will never change,” or “There is no hope for her”? Such words can harden our own hearts. We can acknowledge the seriousness of someone’s condition while continuing to hope for repentance and conversion.
Our thirty days give us a definite commitment to prayer. They do not set a deadline for God or for another person’s response. When this mission ends, our love and intercession can continue. Today’s task is to remain faithful to the prayer entrusted to us.
TODAY’S MISSION: Persevere in prayer for the person you are carrying, especially if you have seen no outwward sign of change. Ask Jesus to strengthen your hope and keep your heart generous.
YOUR TWENTY-FIRST ACT: Spend a few quiet moments with Luke 18:1-8. Name the person you are carrying before Jesus, and tell Him honestly where you feel discouraged. Then pray: “Lord Jesus, You know this soul and You love this soul. Grant the grace of conversion, and help me persevere in prayer.”
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I bring (person’s name) before You again today. You know everything I cannot see. You know the burdens this person carries, the sins that need repentance, and the wounds that need healing. Grant this soul light to recognize Your truth, humility to receive Your mercy, and courage to return to You.
When I grow discouraged, strengthen my faith. Keep me from speaking as though this person were beyond Your mercy. Give me patience, faithful charity, and wisdom to know when to speak and when to listen. Help me continue praying with hope while entrusting the outcome to You.
Strengthen our praying group. Sustain those who have prayed for a loved one for many years, and help each of us remain faithful to the souls we carry in Your presence. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray one decade of the Rosary for the soul you carry. If discouragement returns, name that person before Jesus once more and ask for the grace to keep praying.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TWENTY: Offering Something for Another Soul
On Day Ten, we were asked to offer a small sacrifice for the person we are carrying before Jesus. Today, with eleven days remaining, including today, let us revisit that offering and consider how our sacrifices and sufferings can become an expression of love for another soul.
Jesus redeemed us through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. His sacrifice is perfect and complete. Yet He invites us to take up our cross and share in His offering. Through His grace, suffering united with His can bear fruit for others. This is redemptive suffering: bringing what we endure into union with Christ’s saving love and offering it for the good of souls.
St. Paul writes, “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you” (Colossians 1:24). Even in suffering, He continues to serve those entrusted to Him. We, too, can bring our difficulties before Jesus, asking Him to use our offering for the healing and conversion of the person we are carrying.
Perhaps today’s offering will be setting aside entertainment to pray, or giving our time to someone who needs help. Perhaps it will be a difficulty already present: pain, weariness, sorrow, or the patient fulfillment of a demanding duty.
The offering need not be great in the eyes of the world. A small sacrifice made with love can become a prayer: “Lord Jesus, I unite this with Your sacrifice and offer it for the soul I am carrying.”
TODAY’S MISSION: Unite one sacrifice or difficulty with Christ’s Passion, offering it for the healing and conversion of the person entrusted to your prayers.
YOUR TWENTIETH ACT: Spend a few quiet minutes with Colossians 1:24. Name the person you are carrying before Jesus. Choose one modest act of self-denial, or offer a hardship you are already bearing. When it becomes difficult, renew your offering with a brief prayer.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I place (person’s name) before You again today. Receive my prayers, sacrifices, and the sufferings of this day. Unite them with Your perfect offering on the Cross. Grant this soul the grace to repent, receive Your mercy, and grow in Your love.
Give me a generous heart and patience when my offering is difficult. Help me fulfill my duties with love and persevere when I cannot see the fruit of my prayers. Strengthen our praying group, and draw each of us close to You as we carry others into Your presence. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray one decade of the Rosary, and offer an act of self-denial or suffering for the soul you carry.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY NINETEEN: Placing Them – and Ourselves – in God’s Hands
Yesterday, we examined the love with which we carry the person entrusted to us. Today, with twelve days remaining, including today, we return to surrender. On day seven, we surrendered this soul’s response to the mysterious and powerful work of grace. Today, let us renew that surrender and deepen it: “Lord, I entrust this person to Your holy will, and I entrust my whole life to You.”
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI: A LIFE SURRENDERED TO GOD
On this Solemnity of St. Francis of Assisi in the Franciscan calendar, we remember a man who placed his life in God’s hands. Francis relinquished his inheritance and embraced poverty to follow Jesus. His renunciation expressed a deep trust in his heavenly Father, to whom he entrusted his future.
His example invites us to examine our own trust. We have brought another person before Jesus, asking for healing and conversion. Can we entrust that person to Him even when we cannot see what He is doing? Can we also allow Him to lead our own lives when His will asks something difficult of us?
SURRENDERING THE PERSON WE ARE CARRYING
We may have a clear picture of what we hope will happen for this person. We may long for a return to the sacraments, freedom from a destructive habit, reconciliation with someone, or a renewed faith. These are intentions we can bring earnestly before the Lord. Let us continue asking for the graces this soul needs.
But alongside our petitions, let us pray: “Father, Thy will be done.” God desires this person’s salvation. We can trust His goodness while acknowledging that we do not know every wound, every obstacle, or every movement of grace within this soul.
Surrender asks us to release our insistence on a particular timetable or a particular way of answering our prayer. Perhaps we want to be the person who reaches them. Perhaps we want reassurance that our sacrifices are bearing fruit. Perhaps our concern has become an effort to manage their response. Today, let us place those desires before Jesus too.
We remain responsible for loving, praying, and responding faithfully to whatever God asks of us. We entrust to Him what belongs to His wisdom and power. The friends who carried the paralytic brought him before Jesus; they could not give him the healing he needed. We, too, must trust the Lord to do what we cannot.
SURRENDERING OUR WHOLE LIFE
As we place this person in God’s hands, let us place ourselves there as well. Our rescue mission calls us to open our own hearts to the grace we seek for another. Where is God asking us to repent? What fear, resentment, attachment, or plan are we reluctant to surrender?
In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but thine be done” (Luke 22:42). We can bring Him our sorrow and uncertainty and ask for the grace to make that prayer our own. Our surrender takes shape in daily obedience: forgiving an injury, confessing a sin, fulfilling a neglected duty, or accepting a change we would not have chosen. We offer God our relationships, work, health, possessions, and future, asking Him to guide how we use and care for all He has entrusted to us.
Today, let us hold both offerings together. We surrender the person we are praying for to God’s holy will, and we surrender our own lives to that same holy will. As we continue carrying this soul to Jesus, we ask Him to lead us too.
TODAY’S MISSION: Renew your surrender of the person entrusted to you to God’s holy will. Then offer your whole life to the Lord, asking for the grace to trust and obey Him in both.
YOUR NINETEENTH ACT: Spend a few quiet minutes with Luke 22:39-46. Name the person you are carrying and entrust that person to the Lord. Pray: “Lord Jesus, I place this person and my whole life in Your hands. Help me to say with You: ‘Not my will but thine be done.'” Choose one concrete act of trust or obedience for today.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I place (person’s name) before You again today. I ask for this soul’s healing and conversion. Grant the grace to receive Your mercy and respond to Your love. I surrender this person to Your holy will. I entrust to You the needs I can see and the wounds I cannot. Help me release my demands about how and when my prayers should be answered. Give me patience to persevere, wisdom to know how to help, and faith to trust Your work when it remains hidden from me.
I also surrender my whole life to You. Receive my plans, relationships, fears, and future. Show me where I resist Your will, and give me the courage to repent and obey. Through the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi, teach me to follow You with a generous and trusting heart. Strengthen our praying group through these remaining days. Keep us faithful in carrying others into Your presence, and draw each of us closer to You. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray one decade of the Rosary, and offer your quiet act of charity. Renew both offerings: the person entrusted to your care and your own life. Ask Jesus to help you remain faithful to the act of trust or obedience you choose today.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY EIGHTEEN: Carrying the Weight in Love
Today we pause to look back over our rescue mission. We have prayed, made sacrifices, asked for help, and entrusted a soul to Jesus. With thirteen days remaining, including today, let us remember each step and consider how we are carrying the person entrusted to us.
THE PATH WE HAVE WALKED
DAY ONE: Through prayer, we received a name – a person entrusted to us to pray for throughout these thirty days.
DAY TWO: We took up the weight of that person in love, just as the friends took up the paralytic on his bed and carried him to Jesus.
DAY THREE: We considered the obstructions in the way and sought to remove them, remembering the friends who opened the roof so they could lower the man into the house where Jesus was.
DAY FOUR: We lowered the soul before Jesus, placing the person we were carrying into His care.
DAY FIVE: We trusted that Jesus saw our faith – the faith with which we brought another person before Him.
DAY SIX: We trusted the authority of Jesus over that soul, bringing before Him what we could never heal by our own power.
DAY SEVEN: We surrendered the soul’s response to the mysterious and powerful work of grace.
DAY EIGHT: We stood amazed with the crowd who said, “We never saw the like.” We asked for hearts attentive to mercy, quick to thank God, and willing to let another person’s healing point beyond us to Him.
DAY NINE: We resolved to love without reward. We added a small act of kindness to our prayers, or, if we could not reach the person, offered a quiet good deed for the soul we were carrying.
DAY TEN: On an Ember Day, we offered a small sacrifice – perhaps a modest fast or an act of self-denial – for that person.
DAY ELEVEN: We prayed for someone else to reach them: someone who might have a particular place in their journey to Jesus.
DAY TWELVE: We invited a saint to join us in praying for this soul. We chose carefully and began getting to know that saint.
DAY THIRTEEN: We let the example of the saint we had chosen guide one choice we made that day.
DAY FOURTEEN: On Michaelmas, we turned our attention to the angels and asked for their help.
DAY FIFTEEN: We brought before the Lord a particular difficulty that might be keeping the person we were carrying from Him.
DAY SIXTEEN: We remembered St. Monica’s prayers for her son and drew encouragement from her perseverance.
DAY SEVENTEEN: We heard St. Therese’s account of praying for Pranzini. Her confidence in God’s mercy, even before receiving a sign, encouraged us to continue praying for the soul entrusted to us.
TODAY, DAY EIGHTEEN: ARE WE STILL CARRYING THEM IN LOVE?
Let us return today to the commitment we made on day two. We took up the weight of another person and began carrying them to Jesus. What does it mean to keep supporting that weight?
At the beginning, we may have felt eager and hopeful. Now we may feel tired. Perhaps we have seen no change. Perhaps the person does not know we are praying, or has given us no encouragement to continue. Perhaps our prayer has become hurried. Today, let us stop long enough to notice where we are. Are we praying with attention? Are we growing impatient with this person? Are we willing to continue loving them when we receive nothing in return?
In I Corinthians 13, St. Paul teaches us that love is patient and kind. It does not seek its own interests or brood over injury. It bears, hopes, and endures. These qualities give us a way to examine the love with which we carry this soul. Patience makes room for the time we cannot measure. Kindness guards the way we think and speak about this person. Love without reward keeps us faithful when our efforts are unnoticed. Perseverance brings us back to prayer when we would rather set the burden down.
Supporting another person’s weight can mean bringing their name before Jesus again when we are weary. It can mean offering a small sacrifice without seeking acknowledgment. It can mean asking God to soften our own hearts when disappointment has made us resentful. The friends who carried the paralytic had to keep hold of his bed as they brought him to Jesus. Today, let us renew our willingness to keep hold of the commitment we have made. We can ask for help with our weariness, confess our impatience, and begin again with greater love.
We also surrender this person to God’s will. We bring them to Jesus because He knows their heart and loves them more deeply than we can. We ask for their healing and conversion, trusting Him with the ways and times of grace. For this one day, let us give renewed attention to how we carry this person.
TODAY’S MISSION: Bring the person entrusted to you before Jesus again. Ask Him to renew your love and show you where you need greater patience, kindness, or surrender.
YOUR EIGHTEENTH ACT: Spend a few quiet minutes reading I Corinthians 13:4-7. Choose one quality of love that you especially need today. Say the person’s name and pray: “Lord Jesus, teach me to carry this person with love. Give me the grace to remain faithful, and help me surrender to Your will.” Let that quality guide your quiet act of charity today.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I place (person’s name) before You again today. You know this soul completely. You know the wounds, fears, and difficulties I cannot see. Grant the grace to receive Your mercy and respond to Your love. Renew my love for the person You have entrusted to my prayer. Give me patience when I grow restless, kindness when I feel disappointed, and perseverance when I become weary.
Help me support this weight with a generous heart. Deepen my prayer and teach me to surrender to Your holy will. Refresh our praying group. Keep us faithful through these remaining days, and draw us closer to You as we carry others into Your presence. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray one decade of the Rosary, and offer your quiet act of charity. Remember the quality of love you chose this morning, and ask Jesus to help you practice it again tomorrow.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY SEVENTEEN: AN ANSWER RECEIVED
Yesterday we heard about St. Monica’s prayers for her son. Today we turn to a rescue story that St. Therese of Lisieux recorded in her own book, Story of a Soul. It concerns a man she had never met, but whose soul she took to heart.
Therese heard about a man named Pranzini who had been sentenced to death for several murders. She recounts that he remained unrepentant, and she feared for his salvation. She began praying for his pardon, offering to God the merits of Our Savior and the spiritual treasures of the Church.
She told God that she trusted His mercy even if Pranzini gave no outward sign of sorrow. Nevertheless, she asked for one sign of repentance to encourage her to continue praying for souls.
THEN SHE READ THE NEWS.
The day after his execution, Therese opened the newspaper and read that Pranzini had mounted the scaffold without confessing or receiving absolution. Then, at the last moment, he turned, took the crucifix offered by the priest, and kissed the sacred wounds of Jesus three times. Therese described being moved to tears. She understood those kisses as the sign she had requested. Her account gives our praying group a particular encouragement today: she prayed with confidence in God’s mercy before she had any sign to encourage her.
TODAY’S MISSION: Remember the person you have chosen for our rescue mission. Bring that person before Jesus again, asking for the grace of repentance and a willing heart to receive His mercy.
YOUR SEVENTEENTH ACT – Spend a few quiet minutes before a crucifix. Say the person’s name and pray: “Lord Jesus, through Your sacred wounds, grant this soul the grace to turn toward You.” Continue your quiet act of charity today.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank You for the souls You have brought home and the saints whose stories encourage us. I place (person’s name) before You again today. Grant the grace to receive Your truth and love.
Refresh our praying group. Give us patience, cheerful hearts, and renewed trust in Your mercy. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray the Chaplet, offer your quiet act of charity, and thank Jesus for one rescue mission story that gives you hope.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY SIXTEEN: A RESCUE STORY TO RENEW OUR HOPE
As we continue praying for the person we have brought before Jesus, let us take a little encouragement from another rescue mission. It does a praying group good to hear stories of souls who found their way home. Today we visit St. Monica – a mother whose prayers accompanied one of the most remarkable conversions in the Church.
St. Monica’s son, Augustine, was brilliant, ambitious, and convinced he had found truth outside the Catholic Faith. Monica saw his gifts, but she also saw how far he was wandering. She prayed and sought help. Once, she pleaded with a bishop to speak to him. The bishop advised patience and continued prayer, finally offering words she would treasure, “It is not possible that the son of these tears should perish.” Augustine later recorded this encounter himself.
THE STORY GETS BETTER.
In Milan, Augustine began listening to St. Ambrose. At first, he admired the bishop’s skill as a speaker. But while listening to how Ambrose spoke, he began to hear what he was saying. The Faith Augustine had dismissed began to make sense. Grace was reaching him through a door he had opened for another reason.
Eventually Augustine surrendered to Christ and received Baptism from Ambrose in 387. Monica lived to see it. The son she had carried in prayer became a priest, a bishop, and one of the Church’s great Doctors.
Imagine Monica’s joy! For years, she had known the unfinished story. We know the saint.
TODAY’S MISSION: Let St. Monica’s rescue story renew your hope. Thank God for the grace at work beyond what you can see.
YOUR SIXTEENTH ACT – Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for the soul entrusted to your prayers. As you repeat, “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world,” remember that our little mission belongs within the vast mercy of Christ. Continue your quiet act of charity today.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank You for the souls You have brought home and the saints whose stories encourage us. I place (person’s name) before You again today. Grant the grace to receive Your truth and love.
Refresh our praying group. Give us patience, cheerful hearts, and renewed trust in Your mercy. St. Monica, pray for us and for those we carry in prayer. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – Pray the Chaplet, offer your quiet act of charity, and thank Jesus for one rescue mission story that gives you hope.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY FIFTEEN: Bring Their Questions to Jesus
“I do believe, Lord: help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:23)
For fourteen days, we have carried one soul before Jesus. We have spoken that person’s name, prayed for grace, offered quiet acts of charity, and asked for the prayers of the saints and the protection of God’s holy angels. Today, we bring before the Lord a particular difficulty that may be keeping our person from Him.
Perhaps your person has told you something that helps you understand their struggle. “Why did God let that happen?” “How can I believe after what I have seen?” “I don’t understand why the
Church teaches that.” You may remember a conversation that ended without an answer, or a question you wished you knew how to answer better. Today, bring that concern to Jesus along with the person’s name.
In the Gospel, a father comes to Jesus seeking help for his suffering son. During their encounter, he cries out, “I do believe, Lord: help my unbelief.” He brings his need before the Lord honestly, acknowledging the weakness of his own faith. His words have become a prayer for countless souls who want to believe and find themselves struggling.
Your person may not yet be ready to make that prayer. You can ask Jesus to help this soul receive the light and grace needed to turn toward Him.
Sometimes a question concerns something that person has never been properly taught. Sometimes it arises from grief or a painful experience. Sometimes accepting an answer would require a change the person finds difficult to make. We may know what was said without understanding everything behind it. Jesus knows the whole story.
If your person has spoken of a particular difficulty, listen again in your memory. Take the concern seriously. A patient, truthful answer may be needed. So may compassion, time, and the example of someone who lives the Faith faithfully. Ask the Lord to provide what will help this soul.
Our Catholic Faith can withstand honest questions. We need not fear someone’s desire to understand. Nor do we need to soften the truth to make it easier to accept. We can ask God to bring truth and charity together: a clear answer offered with patience, and a heart willing to consider it.
You may realize that you do not know the answer yourself. Bring that to the Lord, too. If an opportunity to speak comes, there is humility in saying, “That is an important question. Let me find a sound answer.” Ask for guidance from a faithful priest or seek an explanation in reliable Catholic teaching. Let your desire to help lead you to understand the Faith more deeply.
But perhaps your person has never explained the distance from God. You may have little contact, or the subject may be one your person refuses to discuss. You do not have to uncover a hidden reason in order to pray. Leave what you do not know in the hands of the One who knows this soul completely.
Pray simply, “Lord, You know what is keeping this person from You. Bring Your light there. Grant the grace needed to recognize Your truth and respond to Your love.” Today’s act does not require you to begin a conversation or ask your person to explain. Begin with what has already been entrusted to you. If you know a difficulty, pray for it specifically. If you do not, ask Jesus to reach the need known to Him.
At the halfway point of this thirty-day mission, let your prayer become attentive to this particular soul. Speak the name. Remember the person. Bring the question, the confusion, or the unknown obstacle before Jesus, and ask Him for help.
TODAY’S MISSION: Bring before Jesus one known difficulty that may be keeping your person from Him. If you do not know the difficulty, entrust it to His wisdom and mercy.
YOUR FIFTEENTH ACT – Recall one concern your person has actually expressed about God, the Faith, or the Church. Pray specifically for light and grace in that matter. If you do not know of one, pray: “Lord, You know what stands in the way. Please help this soul turn toward You.” Pray one decade of the Rosary for this intention, and continue the daily quiet act of charity offered for your person.
Pray: “Lord Jesus, I bring (person’s name) and this difficulty before You. You understand what I do not. Where an answer is needed, provide faithful guidance. Where there is a wound, bring healing. Where there is resistance to Your truth, grant humility and courage. Help this person receive Your grace, and teach me how to love wisely. Amen.”
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, Divine Savior and Physician of souls. I bring before You again the person You have entrusted to my prayers. You know this soul’s needs more fully than I do, and You love this person more perfectly than I can. Hear the name I place before You today.
You know every question, every sorrow, and every difficulty in this person’s heart. Look with mercy upon what is keeping this soul from You. Dispel error, heal wounds, and grant the grace to seek and receive Your truth.
Provide faithful guidance where it is needed. Give this person the courage to ask honest questions and the humility to consider the answers. Lead this soul toward repentance, the sacraments, and a faithful life in Your Church.
Guide me, too. Keep me from making assumptions about what I cannot see. Teach me to listen patiently, speak truthfully, and seek sound guidance when I do not know an answer. Help me recognize when to speak and when to continue quietly in prayer.
Receive the small act of charity I offer today for this soul. Bless the priests who serve Your people, and raise up faithful laborers for Your harvest. Keep me steadfast through the remaining days of this mission. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have spoken your person’s name before Jesus, prayed for one known difficulty or entrusted the unknown obstacle to Him, offered one quiet act of charity, prayed one decade of the Rosary, and prayed the Mission Prayer.
You may remember a question you could not answer. You may not know what your person is struggling with at all. Bring this soul to Jesus today and ask Him to give the light and grace that are needed.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY FOURTEEN: Who Is Like God?
“And there was a great battle in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought, and his angels.” (Apocalypse 12:7)
Today is Michaelmas, the Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel. The feast takes its name from the dedication of an ancient church built in his honor near Rome. For centuries, the Church has marked this day by honoring St. Michael and giving thanks for the ministry of God’s holy angels. Yesterday, we remembered the saints who have gone before us. Today, on the feast of St. Michael the Archangel, we turn our attention to the angels: powerful servants of God who worship Him, carry out His commands, and take part in His care for souls.
There was a rebellion in Heaven, and Satan and the angels who followed him chose to turn against God. Their refusal was final. Sacred Scripture gives us a breathtaking vision of Michael and the angels who followed him fighting the dragon, who is identified as “the devil and Satan” (Apocalypse 12:9).
St. Michael’s name means “Who is like God?” That question answers the pride at the heart of the rebellion. No creature, however powerful, can take God’s place. Satan is not God’s equal; he is a fallen creature. The Lord alone is God, and Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death.
The angels’ part in God’s work did not end with that battle. Throughout Scripture, they appear at moments when human beings most need heaven’s help. Gabriel brings the news of the Incarnation to Mary. Raphael accompanies young Tobias on a journey whose dangers he cannot see. An angel strengthens Jesus in the garden during His agony. An angel comes to Peter in prison and leads him out. The angels do not draw attention to themselves; they serve the Lord and His saving purposes.
And they are not concerned only with the great events of Scripture. Jesus speaks of the angels of His little ones who behold the face of the Father (Matthew 18:10). The Church teaches that human life is surrounded by the angels’ watchful care and intercession. The person you carry – whether young or old, close to the Church or far from it – is known to God, and has a guardian angel as a companion.
Think of what you cannot see. You do not know which memory might awaken a longing for God, which temptation your person faces in private, or which moment of grace may come today. You cannot stand beside your person in every moment. But you CAN bring that person to the Lord, ask St. Michael’s prayers, and trust God with the hours beyond your reach.
Fourteen days into this mission, you may feel the strain of waiting. St. Michael’s feast is a call to stand firm. Pray with confidence, resist discouragement, and take the next loving step the Lord places before you. WHO IS LIKE GOD? Remember the answer whenever you are tempted to believe that a soul is beyond His help.
TODAY’S MISSION: Entrust the person you carry to God’s protection and ask St. Michael to pray for that soul.
YOUR FOURTEENTH ACT – Write the person’s name on a piece of paper and place it where you pray. Speak that name aloud to Jesus. Ask Him to protect this person from evil, to make His truth recognizable, and to provide help at a moment of need. Pray one decade of the Rosary for that soul. Then take one courageous step in love: reach out gently, if it is welcome, or offer a quiet sacrifice if not.
Pray: “St. Michael the Archangel, you fought against the dragon and his angels. Pray for (person’s name). Ask the Lord to protect this soul from evil and lead this person toward Jesus Christ. Pray for me, too, that I may be faithful and never surrender to discouragement. Amen.”
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, Divine Savior and Physician of souls. I bring before You again the person you have entrusted to my prayers. You know this soul’s needs more fully than I do, and You love this person more perfectly than I can. Hear the name I place before You today.
You are Lord of heaven and earth. The angels worship You and serve Your holy will.
Send Your holy angels to watch over the person I carry. Through the prayers of St. Michael, protect this soul from the snares of the evil one. Where there is fear, bring courage; where there is confusion, bring light; where there is resistance, prepare an opening for Your grace.
Keep me faithful in this rescue mission. Teach me when to speak, when to listen, and when to be still and pray. Let me never mistake a delay for defeat or forget that this person belongs first to You.
Bless the priests who serve Your people, and raise up faithful laborers for Your harvest. Keep me steadfast through the days of this mission. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have entrusted your person to God’s protection, asked St. Michael’s prayers, taken one loving step, prayed one decade of the Rosary, and prayed the Mission Prayer.
When you cannot see what is happening in a soul, remember St. Michael’s question: WHO IS LIKE GOD? Keep bringing your person to the One who can reach where you cannot.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY THIRTEEN: Surrounded by a Cloud of Witnesses
“And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us.” (Hebrews 12:1).
This great cloud of witnesses is the saints who intercede for us. Yesterday you got to know a saint and asked for that saint’s prayers for the person you carry. Today, let that saint’s example encourage you as you continue this mission. As it says in Hebrews, “let us lay aside every weight,” today and look to Jesus, and realize that we are being cheered on by saints and angels.
The Letter to the Hebrews says that we are surrounded by “so great a cloud of witnesses” and urges us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. We can take heart from those who followed Him before us. They knew sorrow, uncertainty, and the need to persevere. Their lives show us what faithfulness can look like in our own circumstances.
Think about the saint you met yesterday. What quality in that saint’s life stood out to you? Perhaps it was perseverance in prayer, courage, patience, or trust in God. Choose one quality to practice today. As you pray the Rosary, remember that you are joined to the whole Church in Christ. Ask your saint to pray with you, and ask Jesus to help you follow Him as faithfully as that saint did.
TODAY’S MISSION: Let the example of the saint you met yesterday guide one choice you make today.
YOUR THIRTEENTH ACT – Name one quality you admire in your saint – write it on a piece of paper – and keep it in mind all day today. Ask for that saint’s prayers for you and your person, and ask for help in emulating that quality.
Pray: “Saint (name), you followed Jesus through the circumstances of your life. Pray that I may grow in (name the quality). Join me in asking the Lord to help (person’s name) today.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, Divine Savior and Physician of souls. I bring before You again the person You have entrusted to my prayers. You know this soul’s needs more fully than I do, and You love this person more perfectly than I can. Hear the name I place before You today.
Thank You for the Communion of Saints and for the faithful witnesses who encourage us to follow You. Help me learn from the saint whose life I have begun to know. Through that saint’s prayers, strengthen the person I carry and teach me to keep my eyes fixed on You.
Bless the priests who serve Your people, and raise up faithful laborers for Your harvest. Keep me steadfast through the days of this mission. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have practiced one quality you admired in your saint, asked for the saint’s prayers, prayed one decade of the Rosary, and prayed the Mission Prayer.
You are surrounded by witnesses to Christ’s faithfulness. Let their example give you courage, and keep carrying your person to Jesus in prayer.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TWELVE: Find a Friend in Heaven
“Everyone must have some Saint with whom he or she is on familiar terms, to feel close to with prayer and intercession but also to emulate. I would therefore like to ask you to become better acquainted with the Saints, starting with those you are called after, by reading their life and their writings.” Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, August 25, 2010
Yesterday, you prayed that God would place a faithful person in the path of the one you carry. Today, invite a saint to join you in praying for that soul.
The saints are more than names on a calendar. They are people who faced illness, disappointment, worry for their families, and the struggle to remain faithful. They brought those things to Jesus. Their lives can teach us how to do the same, and the Church asks for their prayers.
Think about the person whose name you have brought to Jesus during this mission. What is weighing on that person? Who might help you pray with greater understanding? Today, open a book of saints if available or look up the life of some saints, not only those who are familiar, but explore the lives of some you do not know well. Read enough to learn what that saint faced and how he or she followed Christ.
A mother praying for her child might get to know St. Monica, who prayed persistently for her son Augustine. If the person you carry suffers from back pain, you might think about St. Gemma Galgani, who endured serious illness and is invoked by people with back pain. You may also choose a saint because something in that life speaks to your own heart. You do not have to find a perfect match.
When you have chosen, say the saint’s name. Tell that saint the name of the person you carry, and ask for prayer. Then ask yourself one more question: “What can this saint teach me about loving Jesus through this mission?” You may find a companion for your own journey as well.
TODAY’S MISSION: Get to know one saint and ask for that saint’s intercession for the person entrusted to your prayers.
YOUR TWELFTH ACT – Read about a saint today. Learn one thing about that saint’s life, and ask the saint to pray for your person, and offer your decade of the Rosary for the person who has been entrusted to you.
Pray: “Saint (name), you know what it is to need the Lord’s help. Please pray with me for (person’s name). Ask Jesus to draw this soul close to Him, and help me learn from your faith.”
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, Divine Savior and Physician of souls. I bring before You again the person You have entrusted to my prayers. You know this soul’s needs more fully than I do, and You love this person more perfectly than I can. Hear the name I place before You today.
Thank You for the saints who followed You through the joys and trials of their lives. As I learn about one of them today, let that life deepen my faith. Through this saint’s prayers, help the person I carry receive the grace needed now. Give me patience when I cannot see what You are doing and hope that continues to pray.
Bless the priests who serve Your people, and raise up faithful laborers for Your harvest. Keep me steadfast through the days of this mission. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have read about one saint, asked for that saint’s prayers for your person, prayed one decade of the Rosary, and prayed the Mission Prayer.
Keep the saint’s name close. A life you first encountered today may become a source of encouragement long after this mission ends. Keep carrying your person to Jesus in prayer.
“As you know, I too am especially attached to certain Saints: among them in addition to St. Joseph and St. Benedict, whose names I bear is St. Augustine whom I have had the great gift to know, so to speak, close at hand through study and prayer and who has become a good ‘traveling companion’ in my life and my ministry.” Pope Benedict XVI
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY ELEVEN: PRAY FOR THE PERSON WHO CAN REACH THEM
“And he brought him to Jesus” (John 1:42).
Yesterday, you offered a small sacrifice for the person you are carrying. Today, we pray for someone else who may have a place in that person’s journey to Jesus.
Andrew had met the Lord, and he wanted his brother Simon to meet Him too. Scripture tells us simply that Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. We know what Simon would become. Andrew did not know all that lay ahead when he went to find his brother. He took the opportunity he had.
We may long to speak to the person we are praying for, yet find that our words are unwelcome or that we live too far away to be present. Sometimes love calls us to wait. That does not mean the person is beyond the reach of grace. The Lord can place a faithful friend, a patient priest, or an unexpected conversation along the way.
Today, pray for that person. Ask Jesus to send someone who will speak truth with kindness and listen with care. Ask Him to prepare the soul entrusted to you to receive that help. You may never know who answered this prayer. The encounter may look ordinary to everyone who sees it.
Pray also for the grace to recognize your own part if an opportunity comes. You may be called to speak, to listen, or simply to keep praying. There is no need to force a conversation today. Place both the person you care about and those who might reach that soul in the Lord’s hands.
Andrew’s small act became part of Simon’s story. We cannot write the next chapter for the person we carry, but we can ask God to provide a companion for the road.
TODAY’S MISSION: Pray for a faithful person to cross the path of the one entrusted to you.
YOUR ELEVENTH ACT – Speak your person’s name before Jesus. Ask Him to send someone who can offer friendship, truth, and encouragement at the right time. Offer your decade of the Rosary for both souls.
Pray: “Lord Jesus, please send someone who can help this person draw nearer to You. Prepare them to meet, and give each the grace to respond.”
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, Divine Savior and Physician of souls, I bring before You again the person You have entrusted to my prayers. You know this soul’s needs more fully than I do, and You love this person more perfectly than I can. Hear the name I place before You today.
You gave Andrew the joy of bringing his brother to You. I ask You to place faithful people in this person’s life. Send a friend who will remain close, a priest who will offer wise guidance, or someone whose quiet example will awaken a desire to know You. Give them patience and courage for the part You ask them to play.
Prepare the heart of the one I carry. Help this person recognize kindness, receive truth, and take a step toward You. If You ask something of me, help me respond with humility and love.
Continue Your work where I cannot see. Bless the priests who serve Your people, and raise up faithful laborers for Your harvest. Keep me steadfast through the days of this mission. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have – spoken the person’s name before Jesus, prayed for someone who can help that soul, prayed one decade of the Rosary, and prayed the Mission Prayer.
Someone may cross your person’s path today. Ask the Lord to make that meeting a gift of grace. Keep carrying this person to Jesus in prayer.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TEN: KEEP CARRYING – ON THIS EMBER DAY
“And he spoke also a parable to them, that we ought always to pray, and not to faint.” (Luke 18:1)
Yesterday, we joined a quiet act of kindness to our prayer for the person we are carrying to Jesus. Today, on Ember Friday, the Church invites us to bring Him something more: a small sacrifice offered with a faithful heart.
We are ten days into this mission, and we may be wondering whether anything has changed. We have spoken a name before the Lord each day. We have prayed and tried to love. Yet the answer we hoped to see may still be hidden.
Jesus tells us to pray and not to faint. He knows that waiting can weary us. He does not ask us to pretend that waiting is easy. He asks us to return to Him, even when we have nothing new to report.
The friends who carried the man in the Gospel met an obstacle when they reached the house. The crowd kept them from bringing him through the door. They did not leave him outside. They found another way to place him before Jesus. We, too, may have days when prayer feels difficult or the way forward seems closed. On those days, we can still speak the person’s name and entrust that soul to the Lord.
Ember Days are set aside at the turning of the seasons for prayer, thanksgiving, and penance. Today is Ember Friday. As we thank God for what He has given us, we remember our need for His mercy. Today, if you are able, choose a modest fast or another small act of self-denial. You might give up a comfort, set aside time you would have spent on yourself, or accept an inconvenience without complaint. Offer it for the person you have brought to Jesus.
A sacrifice is not a way to force an answer from God. It is a way to place more of our own heart in His hands. We pray for the soul we love, and we ask the Lord to deepen our faith while we wait. Yesterday’s kindness and today’s sacrifice can both become part of that prayer.
You do not need to know what is happening in the other person’s heart to remain faithful. For today, it is enough to return to Jesus. Speak the name. Offer what you can. Trust Him with the rest.
TODAY’S MISSION: Offer one small sacrifice with your prayer.
YOUR TENTH ACT – Choose a modest fast or act of self-denial and offer it for the person you are carrying.
When you feel the cost of that choice, let it remind you to pray: “Lord Jesus, I bring this soul to You again. Receive my prayer and this small sacrifice, and have mercy on us both.”
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, Divine Savior and Physician of souls, I bring before You again the person You have entrusted to my prayers. You know this soul’s needs more fully than I do, and You love this person more perfectly than I can. Hear the name I place before You today.
On this Ember Friday, I thank You for the gifts You have given me, including the grace to pray for someone else. Forgive me when I grow impatient or discouraged. Teach me to come back to You with trust, even when I cannot see what You are doing.
Receive the small sacrifice I offer today for this soul. Let it deepen my love and keep my heart open to Your mercy. Give me the faith to carry this person in prayer without trying to carry what belongs to You alone.
Continue Your work where I cannot see. Give this soul light, courage, repentance, and peace according to Your will. Bless the priests who serve Your people, and raise up faithful laborers for Your harvest. Keep me steadfast through the days of this mission. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have – spoken the person’s name before Jesus, offered one small sacrifice for that soul, prayed one decade of the Rosary, and prayed the Mission Prayer.
Ten days have passed, and we are still carrying this person to Jesus. Today, take the next step in prayer. He sees the one you love, and He sees you.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY NINE: LOVE WITHOUT REWARD
“That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee.” (Matthew 6:4)
For eight days, we have brought one soul before Jesus. We have carried that person in prayer, trusted the Lord with the response, and thanked Him for the mercy we can see and the mercy we cannot. Today, our rescue mission takes another small step: we will let our prayer become an act of love.
The four friends in the Gospel did more than wish their friend well. They carried him. Their love took the form of something they could do that day, with the strength they had.
We cannot carry another person into faith by our own effort. We cannot choose repentance or healing on that person’s behalf. But prayer can make us more attentive to the ways we can love. A kindness, a service, or a small sacrifice may be within our reach.
Perhaps you can do something helpful for the person whose name you have been bringing to Jesus. Take care of a task that would ease a burden. Offer a word of encouragement without pressing for a response. Let the kindness be for that person’s good, without asking to be thanked or noticed.
But you may have no way to help that person directly. You may live far apart, have no contact, or need to respect a distance between you. You can still do a good deed for someone else and offer it to Jesus for the soul you are carrying. Help a neighbor, give alms to someone in need, make a meal, visit someone lonely, or take up an overlooked task at home. The person for whom you pray may never know what you did. The Father sees it.
For the remaining days of this mission, let us join one small act of charity to our daily prayer. It need not be grand. On some days it may cost time; on others, comfort or convenience. Whether the kindness is done for the person you are praying for or for someone else, let it be freely given. As you offer it, say: “Lord Jesus, receive this act of love for the soul I have placed before You.”
An unseen act can also guard our hearts. When we pray for someone we love, we may long for evidence that our efforts matter. Quiet charity teaches us to leave the fruit with God. We do the good that is ours to do, and we trust Him with what only He can accomplish.
Today, speak the person’s name before Jesus as you have each day. Then look for one opportunity to help someone without drawing attention to yourself. Ask the Lord to make your love patient, humble, and steady throughout these thirty days.
TODAY’S MISSION: Join one quiet act of kindness to your prayer.
YOUR NINTH ACT – Do one small good deed and offer it for the person you are carrying.
If you can help that person in a welcome and respectful way, do so. If you cannot, do something kind for someone else: ease a burden, give alms, offer encouragement, or take care of an overlooked task.
As you do it, pray: “Lord Jesus, I offer this act of love for the soul I have brought before You. May it please You and draw that person closer to Your heart.”
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, Divine Savior and Physician of souls, I bring before You again the person You have entrusted to my prayers. You know this soul’s needs more fully than I do, and You love this person more perfectly than I can. Hear the name I place before You today.
Thank You for the friends who carried the man to You. Teach me to pray with their faith and to love with their willingness to act. Show me the good that is within my reach, and give me a generous heart to do it.
Receive the small kindness I offer today for this soul. If I can help the person directly, guide me to do so with respect and without expectation. If I cannot, lead me to someone else who needs my help. Accept that act of love as part of my prayer for the person I carry.
Continue Your work of mercy where I cannot see. Give light, courage, repentance, and peace according to this soul’s needs. As these thirty days unfold, keep me steadfast in prayer and ready for the quiet opportunities to love that You place before me. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have – spoken the person’s name before Jesus, offered one quiet act of kindness for that soul, prayed one decade of the Rosary, and prayed the Mission Prayer.
The friends carried the man to Jesus with the strength they had. Today, give what you can. Place both your prayer and your act of love in His hands.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY EIGHT: GIVE GLORY TO GOD
“And immediately he arose: and taking up his bed, went his way in the sight of all: so that all wondered, and glorified God, saying: We never saw the like.” (Mark 2:12)
On the first day, Jesus entrusted a name to us. On the second day, we placed our hands beneath the burden and began to carry. On the third day, we opened the roof. On the fourth day, we lowered the soul before Jesus. On the fifth day, we believed that He saw our faith. On the sixth day, we placed our trust in His divine authority. On the seventh day, we surrendered the soul’s response to grace. Today, we turn our attention to what happened when the man rose: the people glorified God.
The four friends had carried a man who could not walk into a house they could not enter. They had opened the roof and lowered him before Jesus. Then, when Jesus spoke, the man rose, took up his bed, and walked out in the sight of all.
What must those friends have felt as they watched him go? Relief, certainly. Perhaps astonishment. Perhaps joy so great that they could scarcely speak. Yet the Gospel does not tell us what they said. It tells us where the wonder of the crowd was directed: they glorified God.
This is the next lesson for the intercessor. When we love someone deeply and have prayed long for that person, we may imagine the day when everything changes. We may hope for a conversation, an apology, or some sign that our prayers have been heard. Those desires are understandable. But the soul we carry belongs to God. If that person takes even one step toward Him, the first response of our hearts should be thanksgiving.
The man walked out carrying the bed on which he had been carried in. Everyone could see what Jesus had done. His friends had been faithful, but they had not healed him. Their love brought him to Christ: Christ gave him the power to rise.
So it is with our rescue mission. If the person for whom you are praying begins to seek God, give glory to God. If a long silence is broken, give glory to God. If there is an honest confession, a small act of humility, or a first step back toward the Sacraments, give glory to God. Receive the grace with gratitude, and give the person room to keep walking.
You may still have questions. A first step does not settle every difficulty, and healing may unfold slowly. You may need patience, prudence, and the courage to speak truth with charity. Thanksgiving does not require you to pretend that the journey is complete. It helps you recognize that Jesus is at work along the way.
And if you have seen no change yet, you can still give glory to God today. Thank Him for hearing your prayers. Thank Him for loving this soul more perfectly than you can. Thank Him for the grace you cannot see and for the strength to remain faithful to your own calling. Praise does not depend upon receiving news. It rests upon the goodness of the Lord to whom you have brought this person.
The crowd said, “We never saw the like.” They had witnessed something beyond their power to accomplish or explain. Let us ask for hearts ready to respond in the same way: attentive to mercy, quick to thank God, and willing to let another person’s healing point beyond us to Him.
Today, bring the person’s name before Jesus once more. Then thank Him before asking for anything else. Thank Him for every grace He has already given this soul, including the graces known to Him alone. Ask Him to keep your heart free from the need to be credited, consulted, or reassured at every step. Pray that wherever this rescue mission leads, His mercy will be recognized and His name will be praised.
TODAY’S MISSION: Give glory to God for the work of mercy He has begun.
YOUR EIGHTH ACT – Offer one deliberate act of thanksgiving for the person you are carrying.
Write down one grace for which you can thank God today. It may be a visible sign of hope, a good you remember in this person, or simply the certainty that Jesus hears you when you pray.
Then say: “Lord Jesus, I thank You for loving this soul. Every good gift comes from You. Teach me to recognize Your mercy and to give You the glory.”
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, Divine Savior and Physician of souls, I bring before You again the person You have entrusted to my prayers. I thank You for hearing me each time I speak this name. I thank You for every grace You have offered, including those I cannot see.
You know this soul completely. You know each wound, each fear, each longing, and each step that lies ahead. Continue Your work of mercy. Give light where there is confusion, courage where there is fear, repentance where there is sin, and perseverance wherever a new beginning has been made.
Guard my heart as I pray. If I see a change, keep me humble and grateful. If I must wait, keep me faithful and at peace. Teach me to rejoice in every movement toward You without claiming for myself what only Your grace can do.
May the person I carry come to know the freedom of rising at Your word. May those who witness Your mercy glorify the Father. And may my own life bear quiet witness to Your goodness, whether I see the answer to my prayers soon or must continue to trust You. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have – spoken the person’s name before Jesus, thanked Him for one grace, asked Him to continue His work in this soul, offered one decade of the Rosary, and prayed the Mission Prayer.
The friends carried the man to Jesus. When he rose, the people glorified God. Keep carrying the soul entrusted to you, and let every grace you recognize become an occasion for praise.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY SEVEN: TRUST THE WORK OF GRACE
“And immediately he arose: and taking up his bed, went his way in the sight of all: so that all wondered, and glorified God, saying: We never saw the like.” (Mark 2:12)
On the first day, Jesus entrusted a name to us. On the second day, we placed our hands beneath the burden and began to carry. On the third day, we opened the roof. On the fourth day, we lowered the soul before Jesus. On the fifth day, we believed that He saw our faith. On the sixth day, we placed our trust in His divine authority. Today, we surrender the soul’s response to the mysterious and powerful work of grace.
The paralytic had been carried as far as his friends could take him. They had lifted him from the place where he lay, borne his weight through the streets, pressed through the crowd, climbed to the roof, opened a way through the obstruction, and lowered him into the presence of Jesus. But there was one thing they could not do for him. They could not rise in his place.
They could bring him to Jesus, but they could not answer Jesus for him. When Christ commanded: “Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house,” the man himself had to respond. Strength came from Jesus, but the paralytic had to receive that strength and act upon the word spoken to him.
This is one of the most difficult truths of intercession. We can carry another person in prayer, offer sacrifices, plead for mercy, repair what we are able to repair, and place every obstacle beneath the authority of Christ. But we cannot force a soul to love God. We cannot repent in another person’s place. We cannot make another person return to the Sacraments, forgive an injury, abandon a sinful attachment, or answer the call of grace. The human heart cannot be rescued by control. It must be reached by grace.
This does not mean that our prayers are powerless. It means that our prayers must be purified. At first, we may pray only for the outcome we want. But as our intercession deepens, Jesus teaches us to pray for something greater: “Lord, give this soul the grace to see the truth, the humility to receive Your mercy, and the courage to obey Your voice.”
The four friends did not climb down through the opening and pull the man to his feet. They remained where they were and watched the encounter between the paralytic and Christ. Their work of carrying him brought him before Jesus. Now they had to trust the work that only Jesus could accomplish within him. There comes a moment in every rescue mission when the intercessor must loosen the grip of anxiety and allow Jesus to deal directly with the soul.
There are words that only Jesus can speak. There are doors that only grace can open. There are memories that only the Holy Ghost can awaken. There are wounds that cannot be reached by human argument. There are movements or decisions in which the soul stands alone before Christ and must choose whether to remain upon the bed or rise at His command.
The paralytic might have remained upon his bed, staring at Jesus and thinking only of all the reasons he could not move. He might have remembered every failed attempt and every voice that had told him nothing would ever change. But the word of Christ called him beyond his past. He obeyed the One who spoke, and in obeying, he discovered that the power to rise had already been given.
The person for whom you are praying may also be standing before a moment of grace that you cannot see. Jesus may already be speaking within the conscience. He may be placing before that person a truth that can no longer be avoided. Do not assume that nothing is happening simply because nothing has been reported to you. The most important conversation may be taking place in the secret sanctuary of the soul, where God alone can enter.
We are the friends who carry. He is the Lord who forgives, heals, and commands the soul to rise. The intercessor does not seek possession, it seeks salvation.
Today, do not attempt to pull the person to his feet. Place the soul again before Jesus. Ask that the grace contained in Christ’s call may penetrate every place of resistance and fear. Pray that when the Lord says, “Arise,” the soul will recognize His voice, receive His strength, and freely respond.
Set aside a few quiet minutes today. Speak the person’s name in prayer before Jesus. Tell Him honestly where you have become anxious. Name the particular response you have been trying to force or measure. Then pray, “Lord Jesus, I have carried this soul to You, but I cannot rise in this person’s place. Only Your grace can reach the deepest chamber of the heart. Speak the word this soul needs to hear. Give the light to recognize Your voice, the humility to receive Your mercy, and the courage to obey Your command.”
TODAY’S MISSION: Surrender the soul’s response to the work of grace.
YOUR SEVENTH ACT – Release one demand concerning how or when this person must change.
Write down one expectation you have been holding tightly. It may concern the timing of the conversation, the form an apology must take, the way healing must appear, or the proof you believe you need before you can have peace.
Place that expectation before a crucifix and say: “Jesus I surrender this demand to You. I trust Your wisdom. Show me what obedience requires of me, and keep me from interfering with what belongs to You.”
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, Divine Savior and Physician of souls, I bring before You again the person You have entrusted to my prayers. I have carried this soul as far as my love and obedience permit. Now I entrust to You what I cannot accomplish.
I cannot enter the secret chamber of another person’s heart. I cannot force repentance, create faith, or command love. I cannot remove every fear, expose every deception, or heal every hidden wound. But You can reach where I cannot reach. Your light can penetrate every darkness, and Your voice can awaken what appears lifeless.
Forgive me for the times I have tried to control what belongs to You. Show me when to speak and when to remain silent, when to act and when to wait, when to draw near and when to entrust the soul to You from a distance. Keep me attentive to every duty of charity, but free me from the belief that everything depends upon me.
Jesus, I have brought this soul to You. I leave this person neither to chance nor to despair, but to Your Sacred Heart. Complete what You have begun according to Your holy will. May this soul arise, walk in newness of life, and become a living testimony to the power of Your mercy. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have – spoken the person’s name before Jesus, acknowledged what you cannot do for the soul, surrendered one demand concerning how or when the person must change, asked for the grace of a free and faithful response, offered one decade of the Rosary, and prayed the Mission Prayer.
You have carried the soul to Jesus. You have placed every obstacle beneath His authority. Now trust His grace to enter the heart, awaken the will, and give the soul strength to rise.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY SIX: TRUST THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS
“But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy), I say to thee: Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.” (Mark 2:10-11)
On the first day, Jesus entrusted a name to us. On the second day, we placed our hands beneath the burden and began to carry. On the third day, we opened the roof. On the fourth day, we lowered the soul before Jesus. On the fifth day, we believed that He saw our faith. Today, we remain before Him and place our trust in the authority of His word.
The paralytic lay before Jesus, surrounded by those who had carried him and watched by a crowd waiting to see what Christ would do. Jesus had already spoken the words that reached the man’s deepest need: “Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.” But not everyone received those words with faith.
The scribes began reasoning within their hearts. They questioned the authority of Jesus. They did not speak their objections aloud, but Christ knew their thoughts. He saw the doubt hidden beneath their silence just as clearly as He had seen the faith of the four friends.
Two movements were taking place in the same room. Faith had opened the roof and brought a helpless soul to Jesus. Doubt now stood nearby, questioning whether Jesus possessed the power to save Him.
The same conflict often surrounds our intercession. We bring someone to Christ in prayer, but then the voices of doubt begin to rise within us: “This person will never change. The wounds are too deep. The addiction is too strong. Too many years have been lost. The heart has become too hardened. Nothing is happening. Perhaps this soul is beyond rescue.”
These thoughts may remain unspoken, but Jesus sees them. He does not condemn us for the weakness that makes us afraid. Instead, He calls us beyond that weakness and reveals again who He is.
Jesus Christ is not merely a teacher offering comforting words. He is the eternal Son of God. He possesses all authority in Heaven and upon earth. He has authority over sin, sickness, darkness, bondage, despair, and death. There is no wound beyond His knowledge, no sin beyond the reach of His mercy when a soul repents, and no chain stronger than His saving power.
The scribes believed that only God could forgive sins. In this, they were correct. What they failed to recognize was that God Himself stood before them. The One who spoke forgiveness over the paralytic was the Word through whom all things were made. The voice commanding the man to rise was the same divine voice that had called creation out of nothing.
When Jesus speaks, grace is not merely offered an as idea. His word carries power. His command accomplishes what human strength cannot accomplish. “Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.”
The bed that had carried the man would now be carried by him. The visible sign of his helplessness became a testimony to the authority of Christ. The crowd had watched him enter through the roof unable to move. They would now watch him walk out through the door.
This is what Jesus can do with the very place of a person’s bondage. The wound can become a testimony. The weakness can become an occasion of grace. The past can become evidence of mercy. What once carried the soul away from God can, through repentance and healing, become a reminder of the power that brought the soul home.
Yet we must remember that the miracle unfolded according to Christ’s wisdom and command – not according to the expectations of the crowd. Jesus first forgave, then He healed. He restored the invisible before making the miracle visible.
When we pray for another person, we often long for immediate evidence. We want the telephone call, the apology, the return to Mass, the reconciliation, the deliverance, or the unmistakable sign that everything has changed. But Christ may begin in a place we cannot see. He may disturb the conscience, awaken a forgotten memory of grace, create a hunger for truth, weaken an attachment to sin, or place someone in the person’s path who will speak the needed word.
Do not mistake hiddenness for inactivity. The authority of Jesus is not diminished because His work has not yet become visible to you. Your task is not to dictate how the person must rise. Your task is to bring the person to Jesus, remain in faith, and trust that Christ knows what word the soul most needs to hear.
Whatever must be done, Jesus knows. Whatever must be spoken, Jesus possesses the word. Whatever must be broken, Jesus possesses the authority. Do not place your confidence in the willingness of the person, the favorability of the circumstances, or your own ability to carry the burden perfectly. Place your confidence in Jesus Christ. The rescue depends upon His grace – not upon your strength.
TODAY’S MISSION: Trust the authority of Jesus over the soul you are carrying.
Set aside a few quiet minutes today. Speak the person’s name before the Lord, and then name the condition that appears impossible to you. Do not describe it as though Jesus were unaware of it. Place it beneath His authority.
Pray slowly: “Lord Jesus, You have authority over this sin, this wound, this fear, this addiction, this confusion, and every power of darkness seeking to hold the soul. I cannot command this person to change, but You can speak to the deepest place of the heart. Say the word that will awaken this soul and give the grace to respond.”
YOUR SIXTH ACT – Renounce one sentence of discouragement and replace it with the truth.
Identify the discouraging thought that returns most often when you pray for this person. Perhaps it is: “Nothing will ever change.” “It is too late.” Renounce one sentence of discouragement and replace it.
Whenever the discouraging thought returns today, answer it immediately: “This soul is not beyond the authority of Jesus. Lord, speak Your word of mercy and life.”
Then perform one hidden act of obedience for the person you are carrying.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal Son of the Father, all authority in Heaven and on earth belongs to You. You have authority to forgive sins, heal wounds, break chains, cast out darkness, and call the fallen soul to rise. I place before You again the person You have entrusted to my prayers.
You see every obstacle that appears impossible to me. You know the sins that bind this soul, the wounds that remain hidden, the lies that have been believed, and the fears that resist Your grace. Nothing is concealed from You, and nothing is stronger than Your saving power.
Forgive me for the times I have measured Your power by what I could see.
Forgive me for listening to discouragement and allowing doubt to speak more loudly than Your promises. Strengthen my faith so that I may trust Your authority even while Your work remains hidden.
Teach me to intercede without attempting to control the outcome. Keep me faithful when I see no movement and humble when the answer begins to appear. May I seek neither recognition nor gratitude, but only the salvation of the soul and the glory of Your Holy Name.
Blessed Mother, you trusted the word of God even when you could not see how it would be fulfilled. Teach me to believe as you believed. Place this soul beneath your mantle, defend the hidden work of grace, and help this person respond when your Divine Son commands, “Arise.” Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have – spoken the person’s name before Jesus, placed the most difficult obstacle beneath His authority, renounced one sentence of discouragement, replaced it with the truth that Jesus Christ has authority over this, offered one hidden act of obedience, and prayed the Mission Prayer.
You have brought the soul to Jesus. Now trust His authority to forgive, to heal, and to command what has fallen to rise.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY FIVE: Believe That Jesus Sees Your Faith
“And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the sick of the palsy: Son, thy sins are forgiven thee” (Mark 2:5).
On the first day, Jesus entrusted a name to us. On the second day, we placed our hands beneath the burden and began to carry. On the third day, we opened the roof. On the fourth day, we lowered the soul before Jesus. Today, we remain there in faith and trust that He sees.
The four men had completed their part of the rescue. Their friend now lay helpless before Christ. The ropes had been loosened, the burden had been surrendered, and every eye in the crowded house was fixed upon Jesus. Then Scripture tells us something extraordinary: Jesus saw their faith.
He saw more than the opening in the roof. He saw more than the man lying upon his bed. He saw the faith that had carried him there.
Jesus saw every difficult step through the streets. He saw the strain in their arms, the determination in their hearts, and the hope that kept them moving when the doorway was blocked. He saw them climb, labor, persevere, and finally surrender their friend into His presence. Nothing they had done out of love was hidden from Him.
The same is true of your intercession. Jesus sees every time you speak the person’s name in prayer. He sees every sacrifice offered in secret, every tear shed where no one else can see, and every moment when you choose faith instead of discouragement. He sees the prayers that seem unanswered and the acts of love that appear to have changed nothing. Not one of them is lost.
We often think faith must be accompanied by a strong feeling of confidence. But faith is not always felt. Sometimes faith trembles. Sometimes it weeps. Sometimes it has no words left except the name of Jesus. Faith may arrive exhausted, carrying a burden it can no longer bear, yet it still comes to Christ. Jesus sees that faith.
The Gospel does not tell us that the paralytic asked for healing. It does not record a profession of faith coming from his own lips. Perhaps he could not speak. Perhaps suffering had left him without hope. Perhaps he no longer knew how to pray for himself. But his friends believed enough to carry him.
There are souls who cannot – or will not – pray for themselves. Some have been weakened by sin, wounded by suffering, hardened by disappointment, or paralyzed by fear. Others have wandered so far from God that they no longer recognize their need for Him. Yet the faith of another person can still carry them into the presence of Christ.
This does not mean that one person can choose conversion for another. Each soul must eventually respond freely to grace. But love can bring a soul near. Prayer can open a roof. Sacrifice can carry what has fallen. Faith can place a person before Jesus and beg Him to act in the hidden depths of the heart. Notice also that Jesus did not begin by healing the man’s body. He first spoke to the deepest wound: “Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.”
The men may have expected Jesus to command the paralytic’s limbs to move immediately. Instead, Christ first offered forgiveness. He saw a need deeper than the one visible to human eyes. This is why we must not become discouraged when God’s response does not resemble the answer we imagined. We may be asking Him to repair a marriage, end an addiction, restore someone’s health, or bring a loved one back to the Church. These are worthy intentions. But Jesus sees the entire soul. He knows where the deepest paralysis lies, and He knows what must be touched first.
The first grace may be hidden. We may see no outward movement, while Christ is already speaking within the soul. Do not demand to see the miracle before you believe that Jesus is working. Remain beside the opening in the roof. Look upon the person you have placed before Him, and trust the merciful gaze of Christ.
TODAY’S MISSION: Believe that Jesus sees your faith.
Today is Sunday, the Lord’s Day. Attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and spiritually place the person you are carrying before the Lord, and quietly say: “Lord Jesus, I place this soul within Your Sacrifice. You see my faith, my weakness, my hope, and my love. Look upon this person with mercy. Forgive what must be forgiven, heal what must be healed, and accomplish within this soul what only You can do.”
YOUR FIFTH ACT – Make an act of faith when you are tempted to become discouraged.
Each time doubt whispers that your prayers are accomplishing nothing, answer it with the words: “Jesus sees my faith. Jesus loves this soul more than I do. Jesus is already at work.” Repeat these words slowly, not because you can see what God is doing, but because you trust Who He is.
Then offer one sacrifice of praise for this person. Thank Jesus before you see the answer. Praise Him for His mercy, His wisdom, and His perfect knowledge of the soul you have brought before Him. Let your gratitude become an act of confidence in His goodness.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, You saw the faith of those who carried the paralytic and lowered him into Your presence. Look now upon the faith of all who are taking part in this rescue mission. See every prayer, every sacrifice, every tear, and every act of love offered for the souls You have entrusted to us.
When my faith is weak, strengthen it. When I become discouraged, remind me that nothing offered to You in love is ever wasted. When I demand visible signs, teach me to trust the hidden work of grace.
Lord, You see this soul completely. You know the wounds no one else can see, the sins that bind, the memories that torment, and the fears that keep this person from rising. Speak Your word of mercy into the deepest place of the heart. Forgive what must be forgiven. Heal what must be healed. Awaken repentance, restore hope, and prepare this soul to receive every grace You desire to give.
Today I place this person within the offering of Your Cross and unite my prayer to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Let Your Precious Blood wash over this soul. Let the power of Your Resurrection break every chain and call this person out of darkness and into Your marvelous light.
Blessed Mother, you stood faithfully beneath the Cross when all seemed lost. Teach me to remain beside Jesus with unwavering trust. Hold this person beneath your mantle, guard the hidden work of grace, and help me believe that Your Son sees every act of faith offered in love. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have – spoken the person’s name during Mass or united the person spiritually to the Holy Sacrifice, asked Jesus to forgive and heal the deepest wounds of the soul, made an act of faith against discouragement, offered a sacrifice of praise, and prayed the Mission Prayer.
YOU HAVE PLACED THE SOUL BEFORE JESUS. NOW BELIEVE THAT HE SEES YOUR FAITH – AND THAT HIS MERCY IS ALREADY AT WORK.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY FOUR: Lower the Soul Before Jesus
“And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the sick of the palsy: Son, thy sins are forgiven thee” (Mark 2:5).
On the first day, Jesus entrusted a name to us. Then on the second day, we placed our hands beneath the burden and began to carry. Yesterday, on the third day, we opened the roof. Today, we lower the soul before Jesus.
The four men had done everything they could. They carried their friend through the streets, climbed onto the roof, and removed every obstacle standing between him and Christ. But then came the moment when they had to loosen their grasp. They could not heal the paralytic. They could not forgive his sins. They could not command him to rise. They could only lower him into the presence of the One who could.
This may be the most difficult part of intercession. We begin by carrying another person out of love, but without realizing it, we may also begin carrying our own expectations. We decide what healing should look like, how conversion should happen, and when God should act. We bring the soul to Jesus, yet still try to hold tightly to the ropes. But faith must eventually release what it has carried.
The friends lowered the man carefully, trusting that Jesus would receive him. They did not tell the Lord what to say. They did not prescribe the miracle. They simply placed their friend at His feet. And Jesus saw their faith.
He saw the miles they had walked. He saw the weight they had carried. He saw the roof they had opened and the love that refused to turn back. Their hidden faith became part of another man’s encounter with Christ.
We may not know what Jesus is doing within the person entrusted to us. Grace often works silently, in places no human eye can see. A memory may be stirred. A hardened heart may begin to soften. A forgotten prayer may return. A longing for God may awaken quietly beneath years of sorrow, anger, or sin. We do not need to see these things in order to remain faithful. Our responsibility is to bring the person to Jesus. The rest belongs to Him.
TODAY’S MISSION: Lower the soul before Jesus.
Speak the person’s name slowly in prayer. Picture yourself lowering this soul through the opened roof and placing the person directly before Christ. Then say, “Jesus, I have carried this person as far as I can today. I now place this soul before You. I surrender my expectations, my fears, and my desire to control what happens next. Look upon this person with mercy and accomplish what only You can do.”
YOUR FOURTH ACT – Write the person’s name on a small piece of paper and place it beneath a crucifix, beside an image of the Sacred Heart, or near a statue of Our Blessed Mother. Let this be a physical sign that you have placed the soul into the hands of Jesus.
Then offer one act of mercy for this person. Forgive an offense, resist an unkind judgment, speak gently when you are tempted to become impatient, or perform some unnoticed act of charity. Let mercy offered for another soul prepare your own heart to receive the mercy of Christ.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, today I lower before You the soul You have entrusted to me. I have carried this person in prayer, but I cannot heal the wounds, break the chains, or open the heart. Only You can.
Forgive me for the times I have tried to control what belongs to You. Release me from fear, impatience, and the demand to see immediate results. Give me the faith to place this person at Your feet and trust completely in Your wisdom and mercy.
Look upon the faith of all who are praying during this mission. Let every prayer, sacrifice, hidden sorrow, and act of love become an opening through which Your grace may enter. Speak to this soul in the secret place of the heart. Forgive what must be forgiven, heal what must be healed, and call this person more deeply into Your light.
Blessed Mother, help me loosen my grasp upon the ropes. Teach me to surrender this soul without ceasing to love, pray, and persevere. Keep this person beneath your mantle and lead us both to the merciful Heart of your Son. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have – spoken the person’s name before Jesus, surrendered one expectation about how God should act, placed the written name near a sacred image, performed one hidden act of mercy, and prayed the Mission Prayer.
YOU HAVE CARRIED THE SOUL TO JESUS. NOW PLACE THIS PERSON AT HIS FEET – AND TRUST HIM.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY THREE: MAKE AN OPENING
On the first day, Jesus entrusted a name to us. Yesterday, we placed our hands beneath the burden and began to carry. Today we encounter the obstacle.
The four men carried the paralytic through the streets toward Jesus. They had already accepted the weight of their friend. They had already made the journey. But when they arrived at the house, they discovered that they could not reach the Lord.
The doorway was blocked. The crowd was too great. There appeared to be no way through. The Gospel tells us: “And when they could not offer him unto him for the multitude, they uncovered the roof where he was: and opening it, they let down the bed wherein the man sick of the palsy lay” (Mark 2:4).
The men could have turned back. They could have told themselves that they had done enough. They could have carried their friend home and promised to try again another day. No one would have blamed them. The house was full, the entrance was blocked, and the burden was heavy. But love refused to turn back.
They looked beyond the closed door and found another way. They climbed onto the roof while still carrying the paralytic. They began removing what stood between their friend and Jesus. One piece at a time, they made an opening. Then, with great care, they lowered the man directly before the Lord. This is persevering intercession.
When we begin praying for another soul, we may quickly encounter obstacles. The person may resist grace. Circumstances may appear to grow worse. Old wounds may reopen. Our own enthusiasm may begin to fade, and the prayers that felt fervent on the first day may already seem more difficult on the third.
We may also discover obstacles within ourselves. Resentment may rise when we speak the person’s name. Fear may tell us that nothing will ever change. Pride may make us want to decide how God must act. Past disappointments may make us stop carrying the person before we have reached Jesus. These are the tiles that must be removed.
Jesus was not absent. The closed doorway did not mean that the mission had failed. The obstacle simply revealed how determined the men were to carry him to Jesus.
The person entrusted to you may be surrounded by many obstacles. You may not know which obstacle must be removed first. But Jesus knows. Your task is not to force open this heart. You are making an opening in your own heart through which faith, hope, sacrifice, and mercy can rise before God. Prayer makes an opening where human words cannot enter. Sacrifice makes an opening where arguments have failed. Each prayer removes one tile. Each sacrifice clears away a little more debris. Each act of mercy widens the opening through which we lower the soul before Jesus.
We are not trying to earn a miracle through our own efforts. We are placing someone before Jesus and trusting that His love is wiser, purer, and more powerful than our own. We do not tell Him what He must do. We bring him the soul and say, “Lord, this person belongs to You.” And then we remain.
We remain when the doorway appears closed. We remain when the crowd presses in. We remain when no change can be seen. We remain because Jesus is in the house.
TODAY’S MISSION: Make an opening.
Bring the person’s name before Jesus in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal one obstacle within your own heart that may be hindering your prayer. Do not concentrate today upon everything that may be wrong in the other person. Ask the Lord to show you what must be removed from within you. Pray slowly: “Jesus, show me the tile that must be lifted today. Remove from my heart anything that prevents me from carrying this soul with faith, patience, and love.”
YOUR THIRD ACT – Remove one tile today. Then spend five minutes before a crucifix or an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Place the person’s name in front and during those five minutes do not explain the situation to Jesus or ask for a particular outcome – simply remain – and pray, “Jesus, I place this soul before You.”
Then pray three Hail Marys: one for the person’s conversion and protection, one for the healing of hidden wounds, and one for your own perseverance throughout these thirty days.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, today I bring before You the soul You have entrusted to me. The way may appear blocked, the entrance may seem closed, and obstacles may stand between this person and Your healing grace. Give me the perseverance of the friends who refused to turn back.
Show me first what must be removed from my own heart. Reveal my resentment, fear, pride, impatience, judgment, and desire to control. Lift away everything that prevents me from praying with a pure and merciful heart. Teach me to love this person without demanding recognition, gratitude, or immediate change.
Lord, I cannot open another person’s heart, but You can stand at its door and knock. I cannot heal hidden wounds, but no wound is hidden from You. I cannot remove every obstacle, but Your grace can enter places that my words will never reach.
Keep me from discouragement when I cannot see what You are doing. Keep me from abandoning the mission when the road becomes difficult. Give me the humility to carry, the courage to persevere, and the faith to place this person before You again and again.
Blessed Mother, you carried every soul within your heart as you stood beneath the Cross. Teach me to remain faithful when I do not understand. Help me remove every obstacle within myself, and place this person beneath your mantle. Lead this soul through every difficulty and bring us both more deeply into the Sacred Heart of your Son. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have: Spoken the person’s name before Jesus, asked the Holy Ghost to reveal one obstacle within your own heart, removed one tile through a concrete act of surrender, spent five minutes placing this soul before Jesus, and prayed three Hail Marys for the intentions of this mission.
THE DOORWAY MAY APPEAR CLOSED, BUT LOVE WILL FIND A WAY.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY TWO: BEGIN TO CARRY
Yesterday, we asked Jesus to entrust one person to our prayers. We received a name, offered the first decade of the Rosary, and made our first hidden sacrifice. The mission has begun.
But receiving the name was only the beginning. Today, we must take up the weight of love and begin to carry.
The Gospel tells us: “And they came to him, bringing one sick of the palsy, who was carried by four” (Mark 2:3).
The paralytic could not bring himself to Jesus. His weakness had become too great. The journey required the strength, faith, and perseverance of others. Four men lifted him from the place where he lay and began carrying him toward Christ.
They did not stand at a distance and merely wish him well. They placed their hands beneath the burden. They accepted the weight. They adjusted their steps to one another, continued along the road, and refused to abandon their friend before reaching Jesus.
The person entrusted to us may not appear helpless. This individual may be strong, successful, confident, or even openly resistant to God. Yet every soul has wounds that remain unseen. Sin can paralyze the will. Disappointment can weaken faith. Anger can harden the heart, and despair can convince someone that healing is no longer possible. Sometimes a person just does not know how to approach Christ. Sometimes a person has forgotten the way. This is where our mission begins.
We cannot walk another person’s road to conversion. We cannot repent in another person’s place or make the decision for another person to surrender to Christ. But through prayer and sacrifice, we can help carry the burden that has made their journey so difficult. We can place our faith beside another person’s weakness and bring that soul continually before the Lord.
To carry someone does not mean that we deny truth, pretend that serious wounds do not exist, or excuse sin. But carrying a soul means that we refuse to let another person’s weakness or sorrow or wound prevent us from praying for that person.
The person you are carrying may never know what you are doing. There may be no visible gratitude, no immediate change, and no sign that your prayers are accomplishing anything. You may even be treated poorly by the very person for whom you are sacrificing. Do not become discouraged. Hidden love is not wasted love.
Every prayer offered in faith reaches the Heart of Jesus. Every sacrifice united to His Cross becomes an act of love. Every time we resist resentment, refuse to judge, or choose mercy or choose love we loosen our grip upon the burden and allow Christ to carry it with us.
We must also remember that if we try to carry this person through our own strength, the burden will quickly become too heavy. We will begin watching for results, measuring progress, and becoming frustrated when the person does not change according to our expectations. Our task is not to produce a result. Our task is to remain faithful and carry them to Jesus. Jesus carries the weight. We are simply placing our hands beneath one corner of the stretcher.
TODAY’S MISSION: BEGIN TO CARRY
Speak this person’s name before Jesus in prayer today: once in the morning, once during the day, and once before going to sleep. You do not need many words. Simply say: “Jesus, I bring you this soul. Carry what I cannot carry, heal what I cannot heal, and do what I cannot do.” Each time you speak the name, surrender something specific: your fear, your frustration, your desire to control, or your pain over a situation or circumstance. Place it all beneath the Cross.
Do not ask for a sign. Do not demand immediate results. Today is about learning to carry with patience.
YOUR SECOND ACT – Today, accept one burden without complaint for the soul entrusted to you. It may be physical discomfort, an interruption, an unpleasant responsibility, a delay, weariness, or the difficult behavior of another person. When the burden presents itself, resist the temptation to complain. Say quietly: “Jesus, I accept this with You for the soul You have entrusted to me.”
Then pray one Our Father slowly and deliberately for this person. When you say, “Thy will be done,” surrender the entire mission to God. His will may unfold differently from your expectations, but His wisdom is perfect and His mercy is greater than your own.
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, today I take up the name You have entrusted to me. I bring this person before You – not because I possess the strength to save, heal, or change another soul, but because You have invited me to love through prayer and sacrifice. Give me the faith of the friends who carried the paralytic. When the road becomes long, keep me faithful. When the burden becomes heavy, remind me that You carry it with me. When I see no evidence of change, protect me from discouragement. When I am tempted to control the outcome, teach me to surrender.
Receive every inconvenience, disappointment, and hidden sorrow that I offer today. Unite these small sacrifices to Your Cross and use them according to Your holy will. Heal the wounds I cannot see. Break the chains I cannot reach. Remove the obstacles I do not understand. Lord Jesus, carry this soul when I cannot. Seek this person when the way has been lost. Speak in the silence where my words cannot enter. Let Your truth overcome every obstacle, and Your light overcome every darkness.
Blessed Mother, walk beside me during this mission. Teach me to carry this person with patience, tenderness, and hope. Bring us both more deeply into the Heart of your Son. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have: Spoken the person’s name before Jesus in prayer three times, surrendered one fear or expectation, accepted one burden without complaint, and prayed one Our Father for the soul entrusted to you.
Yesterday, the name was received. Today, we place our hands beneath the burden. We do not know how long the road will be, but we know where it leads. We are carrying this soul to Jesus.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE RESCUE MISSION
DAY ONE: RECEIVE THE NAME
For many months, we have risen each morning to seek Christ together. At first, we concentrated upon our own hearts. Each day brought a new challenge and another opportunity to cooperate with the grace of God.
Then we turned our attention to those who followed Christ when following Him cost something. We witnessed the courage of men and women who remained faithful when discipleship demanded their comfort, security, freedom, and sometimes even their lives. But we were never meant merely to admire their courage. We were meant to become courageous.
Today, Arise and Shine begins an entirely new journey. This will not simply be another series of reflections, and it will not be a repetition of what we have done before. It is a mission.
For the next thirty days, each of us will intercede for one particular person who needs the light and grace of Christ. It may be someone who has abandoned the Faith. It may be someone who is caught in sin, sorrow, anger, confusion, or despair. It may be someone we love deeply or someone whom we find very difficult to love.
We are not claiming that we can rescue another soul. Only Jesus Christ can do that. We cannot force grace, manufacture conversion, or enter the secret place where God alone speaks to the heart. But we can carry someone to Jesus. The friends of the paralytic could not heal him, but they could carry him to Christ. When the crowd stood in their way, they opened the roof and lowered their friend into the presence of the Lord.
Scripture tells us: “And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the sick of the palsy: Son, thy sins are forgiven thee” (Mark 2:5). Jesus saw their faith.
For thirty days, we will become like those friends. Through prayer, sacrifice, reparation, perseverance, and acts of charity, we will carry one person to the feet of Christ.
The person’s identity will remain private. We will not discuss the person, expose faults, or attempt to control what God must do. This mission will take place quietly, hidden within the Heart of Christ. But the mission does not begin tomorrow. It begins now.
TODAY’S MISSION: RECEIVE THE NAME.
Go before the Lord and ask: “Jesus, whom are You entrusting to my prayers?” Remain quiet before the Lord. A name may come immediately. Perhaps one came to mind as soon as you began reading. If so, do not dismiss it too quickly. If several people come to mind, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you toward one. This does not mean you will cease praying for the others. It simply means that for these thirty days, you will accept a particular responsibility to carry one person faithfully and deliberately before Christ.
Do not search for the most dramatic story. Do not choose the person whose change would make your own life easier. Ask whom Christ desires you to accompany. When you have discerned the person, write the name somewhere private. This name is now the heart of your mission.
YOUR FIRST ACT – Today, pray one decade of the Rosary for this person. As you pray, picture yourself placing that individual into the arms of Our Blessed Mother and asking her to lead this soul to her Son. Then make one small, hidden sacrifice. It need not be impressive. Give up something you would ordinarily enjoy, accept an inconvenience without complaint, perform an unwanted duty cheerfully, or remain silent when you are tempted to defend yourself. Let no one know what you have offered.
When the sacrifice becomes difficult, say quietly, “Jesus, I offer this for the soul You have entrusted to me.”
OUR MISSION PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, today I place before You the person whom You have entrusted to my prayers. I cannot change this heart, heal every wound, or overcome every obstacle. But You can. Give me the faith of those who carried their friend to Your feet. Teach me to pray without growing weary, to sacrifice without seeking recognition, and to love without attempting to control. Receive everything I offer during these thirty days. Purify it, unite it to Your perfect sacrifice, and use it according to Your holy will. Bless the soul whose name I carry. Defend this person from evil, draw this heart toward truth, and make Your love known. Jesus, I trust this soul to You. Blessed Mother, help me carry this person to your Son. Amen.
BEFORE THIS DAY ENDS – You should have: One name, one decade of the Rosary offered, one hidden sacrifice completed, and one soul deliberately entrusted to Jesus.
The name has been received. The first prayer has been offered. The mission has begun.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
SHE STOOD BENEATH THE CROSS
“And thy own soul a sword shall pierce.” (Luke 2:35)
Today is the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. From the moment Simeon spoke those words, the shadow of the Cross rested upon Mary’s heart.
The Church remembers her Seven Sorrows: Simeon’s prophecy, the flight into Egypt, the loss of the Child Jesus, meeting Him on the road to Calvary, standing beneath the Cross, receiving His lifeless Body, and watching Him laid in the tomb.
Mary knew the anguish of fear, separation, helplessness, and loss. She watched her innocent Son be rejected, mocked, tortured, and crucified. She could not remove the nails or silence the jeering crowd. She could not take His suffering away. But she could remain – and she did.
Mary stood beneath the Cross with a heart pierced by sorrow, yet still surrendered to God. Her sorrow did not become bitterness. Her suffering did not destroy her faith. She continued to love when love had become a sword.
That is the quiet strength of Our Lady of Sorrows. She teaches us that faithfulness does not always mean fixing what is broken. Sometimes it means standing beside someone in the darkness, refusing to abandon them when their cross becomes heavy.
Someone near us may be suffering silently today. We may not have the right words or the power to change what they are facing, but we can listen. We can pray. We can remain. We can help them know that they are not carrying their cross alone.
TODAY’S CHALLENGE: Reach out to one person who is suffering. Do not offer quick answers or easy explanations. Give them the gift Mary gave – a loving presence that will not turn away.
Our Lady of Sorrows, teach us to remain faithful beneath the Cross. Give us hearts willing to suffer with those who suffer, to comfort those who mourn, and to love even when love costs us something.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
LOVE AT THE CROSS
“Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
When St. Maximilian Kolbe was a young boy, he prayed before an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary and asked her what would become of him. Our Lady appeared to him holding two crowns. One was white, representing purity, and the other was red, representing martyrdom. She asked Maximilian which crown he would choose. Without hesitation, he chose both.
Maximilian chose those crowns repeatedly throughout his life. He chose the white crown whenever he sought holiness, remained faithful to his priestly vocation, and placed himself entirely in the hands of the Blessed Mother. He chose the red crown whenever love required sacrifice, courage, and suffering. Eventually that choice brought him to Auschwitz.
One day after a prisoner escaped, the guards selected ten other men to die in the starvation bunker. One of the condemned men, Franciszek Gajowniczek, cried out in anguish for his wife and children. Father Kolbe calmly stepped out of line and asked to take the man’s place. The guards agreed.
In a camp built upon hatred, cruelty, and the denial of human dignity. St. Maximilian performed an act of astonishing love. He could not tear down the fences or overthrow the guards, but he could refuse to allow hatred to have the final word. He freely offered his own life so that another man might live.
The prisoners condemned to the starvation bunker had often died crying out in despair. But Father Kolbe led the men in prayer, hymns, and the Rosary. Through him, that dark cell became a place where Christ was present. Even in Auschwitz, love proved stronger than hatred.
Today, on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Church lifts high the instrument upon which the world tried to defeat Christ. The Cross appeared to be a sign of humiliation, failure, and death. Yet through His willing sacrifice, Jesus transformed it into the throne of His victory and the means of our salvation.
St. Maximilian chose the red crown. The starvation bunker was meant to strip him of hope and dignity. But he entered it as a priest and a willing sacrifice. What was intended as a place of death became the place where his love shone most brightly. By accepting His cross, he showed the world that no darkness is so deep that Christ cannot enter it, and no hatred is so powerful that sacrificial love cannot overcome it.
Most of us will never be asked to make the kind of sacrifice St. Maximilian made. Yet every day we are given opportunities to lay down our lives in smaller ways. We carry the Cross when we put another person’s needs before our own, remain patient when we are tired, forgive someone who has wounded us, defend a person who is being mistreated, or faithfully fulfill a duty that no one else notices. It is easy to admire the courage of the saints. The greater challenge is to imitate them.
Ask yourself honestly: Whose burden can I help carry today? What comfort, preference, resentment, or selfish desire is Christ asking me to surrender? Choose one specific act of sacrificial love and offer it to Jesus without seeking praise or recognition.
The Cross teaches us that love is not proven merely by what we feel. Love is proven by what we are willing to give.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
ARISE AND STAND IN THE BREACH
“And I sought among them for a man that might set up a hedge, and stand in the gap before me in favour of the land, that I might not destroy it: and I found none” (Ezechiel 22:30).
There are words in Sacred Scripture that should stop us in our tracks. These are among them: “And I found none.”
God looked upon a people who had wandered far from Him. Their leaders had failed them. Their priests had profaned holy things. Injustice had spread. Sin had become ordinary. The distinction between what was holy and what was profane was being forgotten. And in the midst of all of it, God searched for someone who would stand in the breach. One man. One faithful soul who would step into the gap and stand before God on behalf of the land. “And I found none.”
There is something frightening about those words. God was looking for someone willing to stand. Someone who would pray when others had stopped praying. Someone who would remain faithful when others had compromised. Someone who would speak the truth when silence was easier. Someone who would love enough to sacrifice, suffer, intercede, and refuse to abandon his post. God was not searching for someone powerful. He was searching for someone faithful. And perhaps that is where this ancient passage suddenly becomes very close to us. Because there are breaches everywhere.
There are breaches in families where faith is disappearing from one generation to the next. There are breaches in marriages wounded by selfishness and division. There are children growing up scarcely knowing the name of Jesus Christ. There are souls we love who have walked away from the Church. There are breaches in our culture, in our communities, and yes, even within the Church herself. We see them. We talk about them. We grieve over them. But God asks for something more.
Who will stand in them? Perhaps we have spent enough time asking why somebody does not do something. Heaven answers with another question: Why not you?
It is easy to look at the enormity of the problems surrounding us and conclude that there is very little one person can do. But Sacred Scripture repeatedly tells another story. Abraham interceded for a city. Moses stood before God for a rebellious people. Esther risked her life for her nation. Our Blessed Mother stood beneath the Cross when nearly everyone else had fled. Again and again, God works through the soul willing to stand. Not necessarily the strongest soul. But the one who remains at his post.
And sometimes standing in the breach will look very ordinary. Never underestimate what God can do through one faithful soul standing in the breach. But there is another side to this passage that we cannot avoid. Standing costs something. The breach is not the comfortable place. It is the exposed place. It is where the wall has been broken. It is where the battle is fiercest. It is where someone must be willing to remain when others have stepped away. It is a call to the Cross.
So perhaps this Sunday we should stop asking God merely to remove the battles from our lives and begin asking Him where He wants us to stand. Where is the breach? And then ask the harder question: Lord, are You asking me to stand there?
Maybe no one will ever know what your fidelity costs. Maybe the person for whom you pray will never know how many tears you shed for his soul. Maybe you will stand for years without seeing the answer you hoped for. Stand anyway. Because faithfulness is never wasted in the hands of God.
Long ago, God looked across a wounded land searching for someone who would stand in the breach. And He said, “And I found none.” May those words never be said of us. When God looks upon our homes, may He find someone praying. When He looks upon our families, may He find someone faithful. When He looks upon His Church, may He find someone unwilling to abandon her. When He looks upon this wounded generation, may He find men and women standing in the breach with the Cross of Jesus Christ firmly in their hands. And when He asks, “Whom shall I send?” may there still be souls courageous enough to answer: “Here I am, send me.”
ARISE AND SHINE, AND STAND IN THE BREACH!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
HER NAME WAS MARY
“And the virgin’s name was Mary” (Luke 1:27).
There are names that the world remembers because they belonged to kings, conquerors, rulers, and men of great power. Their names were carved into monuments. Their victories filled the pages of history. Nations trembled before them. And then there was a young woman in Nazareth.
HER NAME WAS MARY. No armies marched behind her. No earthly crown rested upon her head. The world did not know her name. But Heaven did. And when the angel Gabriel was sent from God, he was sent to MARY.
Today the Church honors the Holy Name of Mary. But why should her name be holy?
Because Mary belonged completely to God. That is the challenge hidden inside this feast.
We can speak Mary’s name with affection. We can place flowers before her image. We can wear her medal, carry her Rosary, and call upon her in moments of danger. These are beautiful things. But Mary does not exist to make comfortable Christians feel religious. She points to Jesus Christ.
Her entire life says what she said at Cana: “Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye.” That is Marian devotion. Do not merely pronounce the Holy Name of Mary. Let that name challenge you.
And when the world asks us to compromise what belongs to Jesus Christ, we must say, “Let it be done unto me according to Thy Word.”
HOLY MARY, MOTHER OF GOD, PRAY FOR US SINNERS.
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE MORNING AFTER
Twenty-five years ago this morning, America woke up to a world that had changed. By the end of September 11, 2001, smoke covered the sky. Buildings had fallen. Thousands of lives had been taken. Families waited for telephone calls that would never come. Churches opened their doors. Strangers prayed together. And an entire nation suddenly remembered something modern man spends much of his life trying to forget: We are not promised tomorrow. But here is something else worth remembering this morning.
The sun came up on September 12. It rose over New York. It rose over Washington. It rose over Pennsylvania. It rose over grieving homes and empty chairs and exhausted firefighters digging through rubble. The darkness had been terrible. But the darkness could not stop the dawn. And it still cannot.
There are moments when evil appears enormous. We see violence, hatred, confusion, suffering, betrayal, sickness, division, and death, and we begin to wonder whether darkness is winning. Catholics should know better. We worship a Savior whose enemies once believed they had finally silenced Him. They arrested Him. They scourged Him. They mocked Him. They nailed Him to a Cross. They watched Him die. They sealed His Body inside a tomb. And for a little while, darkness seemed to have won.
Then came morning. The stone was rolled away. The tomb was empty. Jesus Christ was alive. That is the great truth Christians carry into every darkness the world can produce. Evil gets its hour. Christ gets eternity.
That does not make suffering unreal. It does not erase the tears of those who have buried someone they love. It does not mean we forget September 11 or any other terrible day in human history. Christ Himself wept. But we do not grieve as people without hope. We remember that death has already met its conqueror.
Perhaps you woke up this morning carrying your own darkness. Maybe something has fallen apart. Maybe someone you love is suffering. Maybe you are frightened about the future. Maybe you have been praying for something so long that you are beginning to wonder whether heaven is listening. Maybe yesterday was simply hard. Then look toward the horizon.
Morning has come. God has given you another day. Another breath. Another opportunity to love Him. Another opportunity to become the saint He created you to be. Do not give darkness more authority than it possesses. Do not surrender today’s joy because of yesterday’s sorrow. Do not allow fear to convince you that God has abandoned His world. He has not.
Twenty-five years after that terrible September morning, we remember those who died. We pray for them. We pray for their families. We honor the courage of those who ran toward danger when everyone else was running away. And perhaps we should remember one more thing. We are still here. The Church is still here. The Cross is still standing. The Eucharist is still being offered. Confessionals are still opening. Bells are still calling people to Mass. Children are still being baptized. Sinners are still becoming saints.
And somewhere this morning, perhaps while much of the world is still sleeping, a priest will lift the Sacred Host and whisper words stronger than every empire, every weapon, every hatred, and every grave. “This is My Body.” That is why we can face the morning with joy.
The darkness does not get the last word. The sun has risen. Now you do the same.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE ONE THING
A man once ran up to Jesus, fell on his knees, and asked Him the question every serious Christian eventually has to ask: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
He was not mocking Jesus. He was not trying to trap him. He wanted an answer. And when Jesus reminded him of the commandments, the man answered with remarkable confidence: “Master, all these things I have observed from my youth.”
He had lived a good life. He kept the commandments. He was sincere. He was searching for God. He even knelt before Jesus. And Scripture tells us something beautiful: Jesus looked at him and loved him.
Then Jesus said the words the man did not want to hear. “One thing is wanting unto thee.” One thing. Not ten. Not fifty. One. “Go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.”
And the man who had run to Jesus suddenly stopped. Scripture says that he went away sad, because he had great possessions. Think about that. He came asking Jesus how to reach heaven. Jesus told him. And he walked away. Not because he did not believe in God. Not because he rejected the commandments. He walked away because Jesus touched the one thing he loved more than God.
That may be one of the most uncomfortable moments in the Gospel because it is possible to be very close to Jesus and still have one locked door. And eventually Christ walks toward that door.
We are willing to follow Christ – as long as He goes where we have already decided to go. But that is not discipleship. The rich young man wanted eternal life. What he did not want was the death of the life he had constructed for himself. And there is the challenge.
Christ does not come into our life merely to occupy a corner of the life we have already arranged. He comes as Lord. He loves us too much to leave untouched the very thing that keeps us from belonging completely to Him.
What is the thing that makes you uneasy when Christ gets too close to it? What would make you sad if Jesus asked you to surrender it today? That may be precisely where He is standing.
Today the question should be: “Lord, what am I still holding back?” Do not answer too quickly. Let Him answer.
DO NOT WALK AWAY SAD. OPEN YOUR HANDS. GIVE HIM THE ONE THING. AND FOLLOW HIM.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
REBUILD MY CHURCH
A young man walked into a crumbling church one day and knelt before a crucifix. He thought he had come there to pray. He did not know that Christ was about to give him a mission that would outlive him by centuries. His name was Francis.
The little church of San Damiano outside Assisi had seen better days. Its walls were deteriorating. It was poor, neglected, and literally falling into ruin. Francis knelt before the great Byzantine crucifix hanging there. And he prayed.
Then came the words that would change his life: “Francis, go and repair My house which, as you see, is falling into ruin.” Imagine hearing that. Francis looked around him and saw what Christ seemed to mean. Broken walls. A neglected sanctuary. A church in need of repair. St. Francis did something wonderfully simple. He obeyed. He began rebuilding San Damiano. Stone by stone.
But Francis did not yet understand the size of the assignment.
That is worth thinking about this moment. Because nearly eight hundred years later, it is very easy to look at the Church and see things that need rebuilding. And it is tempting to stand among the ruins pointing at everything that is broken. But Francis did not stand in San Damiano complaining about the stones. He picked one up.
There is something profoundly challenging about that. Because perhaps Christ is still speaking those words: “Rebuild My Church.” And perhaps we have spent too much time assuming He is talking to somebody else.
The bishops need to do it. The priests need to do it. The Vatican needs to do it. Somebody needs to fix this. But what if Christ is looking at you?
Before Francis could help rebuild the Church, Christ had to rebuild Francis. Francis wanted to repair Christ’s house. Christ wanted Francis’s heart. And perhaps that is where rebuilding always begins. We ask God to renew the Church. God says: Then let Me renew you. We ask God to make the Church holy. God says: Then become holy. We ask God to raise up saints. And God quietly asks: Why not you?
Francis could never have imagined what would follow that afternoon at San Damiano. He could not see the friars who would eventually follow him. He could not see the missionaries who would cross continents. He could not see the poor who would be served. He could not see the saints who would follow his example. He could not see millions of Christians, centuries later, still being challenged by his life.
He saw a broken church. And he picked up a stone.
Never underestimate what Christ can do with one person who stops merely noticing what is broken and begins obeying. There is still much in the Church that needs rebuilding. There are still ruins. And Christ is still speaking.
So perhaps the question this morning is not: “Lord, who is going to rebuild Your Church?” Perhaps the question is: “Lord, where is my stone?” Then listen. Pick it up. And begin.
CHRIST DID NOT ASK FRANCIS TO SAVE THE WHOLE CHURCH THAT DAY. HE ASKED HIM TO BEGIN WITH THE STONE IN FRONT OF HIM.
REBUILD MY CHURCH.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
HELL SHOULD HAVE BEEN TREMBLING
There are days that change the world, and almost no one notices. Today the Church celebrates one of them.
More than two thousand years ago, a baby girl was born. There were no trumpets. No armies gathered. No kings hurried to see her. Rome did not tremble. The powerful of the world did not even know her name. But hell should have been trembling.
Because Mary had been born. The little girl who would one day say yes to God had entered the world. The woman who would crush the serpent beneath her heel had arrived. The Mother who would carry the Son of God beneath her heart was now being carried in the arms of her own mother. And the long night of humanity was beginning to break.
That is why the Church has traditionally spoken of Mary as the dawn. The dawn is not the sun, but when you see the dawn, you know the sun is coming. Mary is not the Savior. Jesus Christ is the Savior. But when Mary appears on the horizon of salvation history, Christ is coming.
Think about that this morning. God began one of the greatest chapters in the history of the world with the birth of a child almost nobody noticed. And perhaps that should challenge the way we look at our own lives.
We keep waiting for God to do something enormous. We want the miracle. We want the answer. We want the unmistakable sign. We want God to open the heavens and show us exactly what He is doing.
But God often begins His greatest works very quietly. A child is born. A prayer is whispered. A Rosary is picked up again. A confession is made. A grudge is finally surrendered. A temptation is resisted. A husband and wife decide to begin praying together. Someone who has wandered from God for twenty years suddenly whispers, “Jesus, help me.” And heaven knows what has begun, even when the rest of the world sees nothing.
That is the challenge of this feast. Do not despise small beginnings. Imagine looking at the infant Mary and knowing what God already knew. She would stand at Nazareth and give Him her fiat. “Be it done to me according to thy word.”
She would carry Jesus in her womb. She would hold Him at Bethlehem. She would search for Him in Jerusalem. She would tell the servants at Cana, “Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye.” And when nearly everyone else fled, she would stand beneath the Cross. She would stand.
That little girl would become the woman of the Magnificat, the Mother of God, the Mother of Sorrows, and the Queen of Heaven. All of that was hidden in a beginning the world could easily have overlooked.
So what might God be beginning in you today? Maybe the thing you think is too small to matter is exactly where God wants to begin. Maybe holiness does not begin with doing something spectacular. Maybe it begins this morning when your feet hit the floor and you decide: Today I will say yes to God.
Mary’s entire life teaches us the power of that yes. Not a yes only when God’s plan was easy. Not a yes only when she understood. Not a yes only when Simeon spoke of glory, but also when he foretold the sword. Not a yes only at Bethlehem, but at Calvary.
Mary gave God her yes, and she kept giving it. That is what holiness looks like. And that is the challenge on Mary’s birthday.
Stop waiting to become the person God is calling you to be. Stop waiting for perfect circumstances. Stop telling God, “Later.” Give Him your yes today. And ask Our Lady to teach you the word that changed history: FIAT. Let it be done.
The world may not notice what happens when you say it. But the devil will. He has seen before what God can do with one human heart completely surrendered to Him.
TODAY WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF THE WOMAN WHO GAVE GOD HER YES. NOW GIVE HIM YOURS.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
“Why stand you here all the day idle?” (Matthew 20:6)
There is a question in the Gospel that is almost impossible to hear without feeling its weight. A landowner goes out early in the morning looking for laborers for his vineyard. He goes again at the third hour. Then at the sixth. Then at the ninth. And finally, when the day is nearly spent, he goes out once more. There he finds men still standing in the marketplace.
And he asks them: “Why stand you here all the day idle?” They answer, “Because no man hath hired us.” And the landowner says, “Go you also into my vineyard.”
There is something about that question that belongs to an Arise and Shine morning. Because every morning God places another day into our hands. Another twenty-four hours. Another opportunity to pray. Another opportunity to forgive. Another opportunity to make right what we have allowed to remain wrong. Another opportunity to speak the words we have been postponing, abandon the sin we keep excusing, and become a little more like the person God created us to be.
And yet how easily we stand in the marketplace. Waiting. Waiting until life becomes easier. Waiting until we feel more motivated. Waiting until we have more time. Waiting until someone notices us. Waiting until someone apologizes. Waiting until circumstances change. Waiting until we are less afraid. Waiting until tomorrow.
But eventually the question comes: “Why stand you here all the day idle?” That is not necessarily a question about laziness. Some of the busiest people in the world may still be standing spiritually idle. We can fill every hour and still avoid the one thing God is asking of us. Because activity and obedience are not always the same thing.
Perhaps there is a work God has placed upon your heart that you keep telling yourself you will begin “someday.” And perhaps someday has become a very comfortable place to hide.
Our days are not unlimited. There will be a last morning when we awaken in this world. There will be a last sunrise we see.
A last opportunity to kneel before God and say, “Lord, I have wasted enough time. Here I am.”
We do not know when that day will come. But we know something else. It is not this morning. Because you are here. The sun has risen again. God has given you another day. And that means the vineyard is still open.
Maybe you entered early in life. Maybe you came at the third hour. It does not matter. The landowner says, “Go you also into my vineyard.” He does not ask the men why they were not there earlier. He sends them into the vineyard.
Do the thing you know you need to do. Love while you still have time to love. Forgive while you still have time to forgive. Pray while you still have time to pray. Serve while you still have time to serve. Become holy while there is still time to become holy.
The day has begun. The vineyard is open. SO TODAY, DO NOT JUST ARISE. ARISE AND GO INTO THE VINEYARD! ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
ARISE AND EAT
“And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said: Arise, eat: for thou hast yet a great way to go.” (3 Kings 19:7)
There are moments in Sacred Scripture when the great figures of faith seem almost larger than life. Elijah had stood before kings. He had confronted the prophets of Baal. He had prayed, and fire had fallen from heaven. He had seen the power of God displayed before an entire nation.
And then we find him beneath a tree. Alone. Exhausted. Afraid. Wanting only to sleep.
There is something deeply moving about this moment because Scripture does not hide Elijah’s weariness from us. The man who had stood so courageously on Mount Carmel had reached the end of himself. He had nothing left. And perhaps Elijah thought that was the end of the story. Elijah lay down beneath the juniper tree and fell asleep. And while he slept, an angel came and touched him.
“Arise and eat.” Elijah opened his eyes, and there beside his head was bread and a vessel of water.
Think about the tenderness of that. God could have awakened Elijah with a command. He could have reminded him of everything that still needed to be done. He could have said, Elijah, where is your faith? Have you forgotten what I did on Mount Carmel? Have you forgotten the fire? Have you forgotten the victory?
But He did not. He gave him bread. He gave him water. And he let him sleep. Elijah ate and drank, and then he lay down again. And God let him.
There is something here that we should not hurry past. Sometimes we imagine that God is impatient with our weakness. We think He must surely be disappointed when we become tired, discouraged, frightened, or overwhelmed. But look at God beneath the juniper tree. He knows exactly what Elijah needs. And when Elijah cannot continue, God does not abandon him. He cares for him.
Then the angel comes a second time. Another touch. Another invitation. “Arise, eat: for thou hast yet a great way to go.”
There is our Arise and Shine for this morning. Not: Arise because you should be stronger. Not: Arise because everyone is depending upon you. Not even: Arise because you have rested long enough. But: Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.
Perhaps those are some of the most consoling words in this entire story. God does not pretend the journey is easy. He does not tell Elijah that he should be able to manage it by himself. He knows the road ahead is more than Elijah can travel on his own strength. “Thou hast yet a great way to go.” And so God feeds him for the journey.
Elijah rises. He eats. And Scripture tells us that strengthened by that food, he walks forty days and forty nights unto Horeb, the mount of God. The exhausted man beneath the tree gets up again. Not because he suddenly discovered some hidden strength within himself. He gets up because God gave him what he needed. And perhaps that is where this story becomes ours.
There are journeys that are simply too great for us. There are burdens we cannot carry indefinitely. There are mornings when we awaken already tired. There are prayers we have prayed for so long that we scarcely know what else to say. There are disappointments that have taken more from us than anyone realizes. There are battles we once thought we could fight bravely, only to discover that even the strongest heart can become weary. And sometimes we find ourselves beneath our own juniper tree.
We may still believe. We may still love God. We may still be trying to remain faithful. But we are tired. And the beautiful thing about Elijah’s story is that God knows the difference between rebellion and exhaustion. He knows when His child is simply weary. And He comes near.
Perhaps this morning you do not need a great spiritual achievement. Perhaps you simply need to let God meet you beneath the tree. To receive what He gives. To rest in His presence. And when He touches your heart and says, “Arise,” you do not have to know you will travel the entire road ahead.
Elijah did not rise with forty days of strength in his own hands. He rose with enough grace for the next step. And then the next. And then the next. Until the man who thought he could go no farther found himself standing upon the mountain of God. Maybe that is why God has brought you to this morning.
You may not be where you thought you would be. You may not feel as strong as you once did. You may be carrying something that has quietly worn you down. But the story is not finished beneath the tree. There is still bread beside you. There is still water. There is still the touch of God. There is still a road ahead. And somewhere beyond what you can see this morning, there is still the mountain of God.
So when you hear Him whisper, “Arise and eat, for thou hast yet a great way to go,” do not be afraid of how far the journey may be. The God who knows the length of the road also knows exactly how much grace you will need to travel it. You do not have to carry tomorrow’s strength today. Receive today’s bread. Receive today’s grace. Because sometimes the holiest thing we can do is not to conquer the mountain. Sometimes it is simply to rise from beneath the tree.
SO TODAY, SIMPLY ARISE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
WHEN HE CALLS YOUR NAME
“Jesus saith to her: Mary. She turning, saith to him: Rabboni.” (John 20:16)
It was still dark when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. There is something about that little detail in the Gospel that has always moved me. The sun had not yet risen. The world was still wrapped in darkness. And Mary was walking toward the place where they had laid Jesus. She had seen him die.
She had stood near the Cross. She had watched the One who had changed her life breathe His last. She had seen His wounded Body taken down. She knew where they had laid Him. And now, early in the morning, before almost anyone else was awake, Mary went back. What did she expect to find there?
When Mary arrived, the stone had been taken away. She ran to Peter and John. They came. They saw the empty tomb. And then the Gospel tells us something easily overlooked: “The disciples therefore departed again to their home” (John 20:10). But Mary stayed.
“But Mary stood at the sepulchre without, weeping” (John 20:11). She stayed. Yesterday we reflected upon those first disciples who “stayed with Him.” And now, in one of the darkest moments of her life, Mary Magdalene stays too. And Mary weeps.
She bends down and looks into the tomb. Two angels are sitting where the Body of Jesus had been. They ask her, “Woman why weepest thou?” And her answer is heartbreaking in its simplicity: “Because they have taken away my Lord; and I know not where they have laid him” (John 20:13).
MY LORD. Not simply “the Lord.” MY LORD. The One she loved. The One who had delivered her. The One she had followed. The One whose voice she knew. And then she turned around.
Jesus was standing there. Alive Risen. Death conquered. The grave defeated. The terrible darkness of Calvary already giving way to the dawn of Resurrection. And Mary looked directly at Jesus Christ – and did not know it was Him. She thought He was the gardener.
There is something deeply human about that moment. Mary is standing in the presence of the very One for whom she is grieving, and her sorrow is so great that she cannot recognize him. Jesus asks her: “Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?” (John 20:15) And Mary, still searching for the Body of Jesus, says to Jesus Himself: “Sir, if thou hast taken him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.”
And then comes one of the most beautiful moments in all of Sacred Scripture. He says one word, “MARY.” Her name. And she knew Him. “She turning, saith to him, Rabboni.”
The voice Mary had heard before. The voice that had spoken words of mercy. The voice that had taught her. The voice she thought had been silenced forever. SPOKE AGAIN. And what she heard from the risen Lord was her own name. “MARY.”
Perhaps she had heard Jesus say her name a hundred times before. And there was something in the way He spoke it that no one else could imitate. She knew that voice. She knew the way He called her. And suddenly the One she had come to mourn was standing before her alive.
The tomb was still there. The tears were still upon her face. But everything had changed. Because He called her name.
There is a beautiful line earlier in the Gospel of John where Jesus speaks of the Good Shepherd: “He calleth his own sheep by name” (John 10:3). BY NAME. Not as a crowd. Not as a number. Not as one more face among billions of human beings who have walked this earth.
He knows His sheep. He knows their names. And long before Mary Magdalene stood weeping beside that empty tomb, God had spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, and called thee by thy name: thou art mine” (Isaiah 43:1).
There are many names the world will give us during our lives. There are names other people give us. There are names we give ourselves. And sometimes we spend an entire lifetime trying to live up to one name or escape another. But beneath all of them there is something far more ancient and far more important. He knew you before the world knew you. He knew you in every moment when you were close to Him. He knew you in every moment when you wandered away.
Mary stood within arm’s reach of the risen Jesus and did not recognize Him. But her inability to see Him did not mean HE WAS NOT THERE. He was closer than she knew.
She discovered that He already knew exactly where she was. AND HE CALLED HER NAME. The darkness was ending. The tomb was empty. Christ was alive. And Mary heard her name upon the lips of the risen Lord.
What a way to begin a morning! ARISE AND SHINE!
AND LISTEN!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
STAY WITH HIM
“They came, and saw where he abode, and they stayed with him that day.” (John 1:39)
Yesterday Jesus said, “Come and see.” And they came. That alone required something of them. They had to leave where they were standing. They had to take the first step. They had to follow.
But today there is another little phrase in this Gospel that we cannot pass over: “AND THEY STAYED WITH HIM.” They did not come, look around, satisfy their curiosity, and leave. They stayed. And perhaps this is where the invitation of Jesus becomes even more demanding. It is one thing to come to Christ in a moment of need. It is another thing to remain with Him when the moment has passed.
We come when we are afraid. We come when someone we love is suffering. We come when our lives are falling apart. We come when we need an answer, a healing, a miracle, a direction. And Jesus receives us. But eventually the question becomes: WILL YOU STAY?
Will you stay when the prayer is not answered the way you hoped? Will you stay when prayer becomes dry? Will you stay when the teaching of Christ is difficult? Will you stay when obedience costs something? Will you stay when following Jesus separates you from the opinions of the world? Will you stay when there is no consolation, no extraordinary sign, no feeling at all – only the quiet certainty that HE IS HERE?
Because Christianity is not built upon a passing encounter with Jesus Christ. It is built upon remaining in Him. Later Jesus will say to His disciples: “Abide in me, and I in you.” (John 15:4) That is the life of the Christian soul. Not simply: I met Him once. I felt close to Him once. I prayed once. I went to Confession once. I returned to Mass once. But: I STAYED.
There will be moments when staying with Christ is beautiful. There will also be moments when staying with Him will lead directly beneath the Cross. Ask Our Lady. She stayed. When others misunderstood Him, she stayed. When the crowds turned against Him, she stayed. When His disciples fled, she stayed.
And today is First Friday, a day when the Church draws us in a particular way toward the Sacred Heart of Jesus – that Heart which has loved mankind so greatly. Perhaps there is no better response we can make to His Sacred Heart today than simply this: JESUS, I WILL STAY WITH YOU.
There is something almost heartbreaking about how little Christ asks of us and how difficult we sometimes make it. He remains waiting in our tabernacles. Day after day. Night after night. The sanctuary grows quiet. The candles burn. People come and go. And He stays. The same Jesus who asked His apostles in Gethsemane, “Could you not watch one hour?” still waits for souls willing to remain near Him.
Not because He needs our company. Because we need His. The world has trained us not to stay anywhere. We hurry from one thing to another. We scroll. We speak. We react. We fill every silence. We reach for another distraction before our souls have had time to hear the voice of God. Perhaps one of the most radical things a Christian can do today is simply to become still before Jesus Christ. No phone. No noise. No agenda. No long list of things we want Him to fix. Just a soul before its Lord. STAY WITH HIM.
Stay long enough for the noise inside you to become quiet. Stay long enough to stop telling Jesus what you want and begin asking what He wants. Stay long enough for hidden sins to become uncomfortable. Stay long enough for old wounds to be placed before Him. Stay long enough for your excuses to disappear. Stay long enough to remember who He is. And stay long enough to remember who you are. Because something happens to a soul that remains with Jesus.
The disciples entered that dwelling as men searching for the Messiah. They came out knowing, “WE HAVE FOUND HIM.” That is not accidental. They had stayed with Jesus. And somewhere during those hours, the question that began their journey – “What are you looking for?” – found its answer.
They were looking for Him. Perhaps we are too. Perhaps beneath all the things we think we need – the security, the recognition, the success, the healing, the answers, the peace – there is a deeper hunger we have spent our lives trying to satisfy. And perhaps it has always been a hunger for God. Today – COME. STAY.
Go to Mass if you can. Go to Confession if you need to. Visit the Blessed Sacrament. Open the Gospel. Turn off the noise. Give Him something the world is constantly trying to steal from Him: YOUR TIME. And when you kneel before the tabernacle, do not feel that you must fill every moment with words.
Look at Him. Let Him look at you.
AND STAY.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
COME AND SEE
“He saith to them: Come and see. They came, and saw where he abode, and they stayed with him that day.” (John 1:39)
Yesterday, Jesus turned around and asked us a question, “What are you looking for?” Today He gives us His answer: “Come and see.” Three words. But contained within those three words is the beginning of an entirely new life.
Jesus does not say, “Stand where you are and I will explain everything to you.” He does not hand the disciples a map. He does not tell them what following Him will cost. He does not show them the miracles they will witness, the storms they will endure, or the crosses they will carry. He simply says: “COME.” And that means they have to move.
There comes a moment in the life of every Christian when standing at a distance is no longer enough. We can read about Jesus. We can talk about Jesus. We can defend His teachings. We can admire the saints. We can lament what has happened to the Church and grieve over what has happened to the world. But eventually Jesus Christ turns toward us and says, “COME.”
Leave the comfortable distance. Leave the excuses. Leave the compromises you have made with the world. Leave behind the version of Christianity that asks nothing of you. COME AND SEE.
The first disciples could have stayed where they were. They could have watched Jesus disappear down the road and spent the rest of their lives wondering where He was going. But Scripture tells us something very simple: THEY CAME. Do not pass over those words too quickly. They came. They moved their feet. They left where they were standing. And because they did, everything changed.
This is where Christianity becomes dangerous to our comfortable lives. Because Jesus does not merely invite us to believe certain truths about Him. He calls us to follow Him. And following always means leaving something behind.
Peter left his nets. Matthew left the tax collector’s table. Zacchaeus left his dishonesty. Mary Magdalene left the life she had known. The saints left countless things behind – possessions, ambitions, reputations, comfort, security, and sometimes life itself. Not because those things were taken from them. Because they had found Someone greater. That is what happens when a soul truly encounters Jesus Christ. The world begins to lose its grip. The things that once seemed so important become smaller.
The approval of others matters less. Sin becomes intolerable. Prayer becomes necessary. The Eucharist becomes precious. Confession becomes a place we run toward rather than avoid. And somewhere deep within the soul a realization begins to burn. I cannot live the way I lived before I knew Him.
That is what “Come and see” means. It is not an invitation to observe Christianity. It is an invitation to encounter Christ. And an encounter with Christ demands a response.
Perhaps that is precisely what the Church needs again. Not another generation of Catholics who merely know ABOUT Jesus. Not Catholics who wear the name but live exactly as the world lives. Not Catholics who want a comfortable Gospel that never confronts sin, never demands sacrifice, and never leads to Calvary. The Church needs men and women who have SEEN HIM. Men and women who have knelt before the tabernacle and have known: HE IS HERE.
Men and women who have heard His words in the Gospel and have known: HE IS SPEAKING TO ME. Men and women who receive Him in the Holy Eucharist and know: THIS IS MY LORD AND MY GOD.
Because once a soul truly sees Jesus Christ, Christianity can never again be merely a habit. It becomes a life. And notice what happens next in the Gospel. Andrew is one of the men who accepts Christ’s invitation. He spends time with Jesus. He sees. And then he immediately goes looking for his brother Simon. “We have found the Messiah.” That is what happens when someone has truly encountered Christ. They cannot keep Him to themselves.
Andrew does not have a theology degree. He does not have every answer. He has not yet witnessed the Resurrection. He simply knows one thing: I HAVE FOUND HIM.
TODAY, COME AND SEE! Come kneel before Him. Come hear His words. Come confess your sins. Come receive His mercy. Come stand beneath His Cross. Come to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Come and discover that everything your heart has been searching for has a name: JESUS CHRIST.
COME AND SEE. ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
“Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith to them: What seek you?” (John 1:38)
For the past several days, we have looked at men and women who followed Jesus when following Him cost them something. They surrendered comfort, reputation, security, and sometimes even their lives rather than turn away from Christ. Their witness should inspire us.
But this morning, I want to turn our eyes away from those who followed Jesus and look again at Jesus Himself. Because ultimately, this journey is not about them. It is about Him. And it is about whether WE will follow Him.
There is a remarkable moment near the beginning of John’s Gospel. Two disciples hear John the Baptist identify Jesus as the Lamb of God, and they begin walking behind Him. Jesus realizes they are following. He turns around. And He asks them a question: “What seek you? What are you looking for?”
Before Jesus tells them where the road will lead, before they see the miracles, before they hear the Sermon on the Mount, before Calvary, before the empty tomb, Jesus begins with a question. And perhaps He is asking us the same question this morning.
What are you looking for? Why are you following Jesus? Are you looking for comfort? Peace? Answers? Security? A solution to your problems? Do you want Jesus to make the life you have already chosen work a little better? Or are you looking for Him? There is a great difference.
It is possible to want what Jesus can give us without truly wanting Jesus. We can want His peace without His cross. We can want His promises without His commandments. We can want His mercy without conversion. We can want Heaven without allowing Him to change the life we are living on earth.
We can even want the renewal of His Church while resisting the renewal He wants to accomplish within us. But a disciple eventually has to confront a much deeper question: If Jesus gave me nothing except Himself, would He be enough?
The two disciples did not have an elaborate answer for Jesus that day. They simply asked Him where He was staying. And Jesus answered, “Come and see.” They went. That was the beginning.
They did not know where following Him would eventually lead. They could not yet see Calvary. They could not imagine Pentecost. They did not know the sacrifices that would someday be asked of them. They only knew that Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they followed.
Perhaps that is where some of us are this morning. We want to know the entire road before we take the next step. We want God to explain where He is leading us. We want guarantees. We want to know what following Him will cost. But Jesus does not always give us the map. Sometimes He simply says: COME. And the disciples must decide whether Jesus Himself is enough reason to go.
Today, before you begin all the things that are waiting for you, allow Jesus to turn around and look at you. Hear Him ask: “What are you looking for?” Do not answer too quickly. Sit with the question. What am I really seeking? What am I chasing? What occupies my thoughts? What do I believe will finally make me happy?
And then ask the harder question: Am I seeking the gifts of Christ – or Christ Himself? The renewal of the Church will not come from people who are angry about what has gone wrong. It will not come merely from people who recognize the crisis. It will come through men and women who have encountered Jesus Christ so deeply that they are willing to follow wherever He leads. That is the kind of disciple the Church needs. That is the kind of disciple the world needs.
And that is the kind of disciple you and I must become. Today Jesus turns around on the road. He looks at us. And He asks: “What are you looking for?” Tomorrow, He will give us the invitation that changes everything: COME AND SEE.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE CHURCH NEEDS SAINTS
Good morning! Yesterday we spoke about renewing the Church together. We need faithful Catholics who will pray together, learn together, encourage one another, fast together, and strengthen one another as members of the Body of Christ. But today, I want us to take that thought one step further. If we truly desire renewal in the Church, then each of us must be willing to allow that renewal to begin within our own soul.
It is easy to look around the Church today and see what needs to change. We can see confusion that needs to be corrected, irreverence that needs to give way to reverence, error that must give way to truth, lukewarmness that must be replaced by zeal, and compromise that must be replaced by fidelity to Jesus Christ.
But there is a question that every one of us must also be willing to ask: Lord, what needs to change in me? That is a much more difficult question.
Throughout the history of the Church, genuine renewal has always been accompanied by holiness. God raises up men and women who take seriously the call to belong completely to Him. They may not begin with great influence or important positions. Often, they begin very simply – on their knees.
They pray. They repent. They fast. They receive the sacraments. They turn away from sin. They learn the truths of the Faith and live according to them. They make sacrifices that no one else sees. They remain faithful when faithfulness costs them something. And little by little, as they surrender themselves to God, He uses their lives to strengthen His Church.
THE CHURCH NEEDS SAINTS!
And saints are not simply extraordinary people who lived centuries ago. Every baptized Catholic is called to holiness. You are called to holiness. I am called to holiness. We are called not merely to admire the saints, but to imitate their fidelity to Christ.
We sometimes imagine that the great problems confronting the Church require great and complicated solutions. Certainly, there are serious problems that must be confronted, and those entrusted with authority in the Church have a grave responsibility to guard the Deposit of Faith and faithfully shepherd the flock entrusted to them. But none of that removes the responsibility that belongs to each one of us.
We cannot demand holiness from the Church while making peace with sin in our own lives. We cannot call others to fidelity while excusing our own compromises. We cannot pray for the purification of the Church without allowing the Holy Ghost to purify our own hearts.
So today, rather than beginning with everything that is wrong somewhere else, begin with your own soul. Spend a few minutes before Our Lord and ask Him sincerely: “Lord Jesus, what in me still needs to be converted? What am I holding onto that keeps me from belonging completely to You?” Then listen. And when He shows you something, do not be afraid to surrender it.
Yesterday I invited you to become part of the renewal of the Church. Today, I ask you to begin where every true renewal must begin. Do not wait for someone else to become holy. The Church needs faithful bishops. She needs holy priests and religious. She needs strong Catholic families. She needs courageous mothers and fathers. She needs young people who will refuse the lies of the world and choose Jesus Christ. She needs men and women willing to live the Catholic Faith without compromise. THE CHURCH NEEDS SAINTS!
And by the grace of God, that is what each of us is called to become. Arise and shine today. Let the renewal of the Church begin in you.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
RENEW THE CHURCH TOGETHER
“Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem: for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold darkness shall cover the earth, and a mist the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”
Good morning! There is much talk about renewal in the Church. We pray for renewal. We long to see a deepening of faith, a return to prayer, a greater love for the Holy Eucharist, a renewed reverence for the sacred, and a stronger commitment to the truths that Christ has entrusted to His Church.
But the renewal of the Church does not happen somewhere apart from us. It begins in the hearts and lives of her people. Throughout the history of the Church, times of renewal have often begun quietly – with men and women who decided to take their faith seriously, to pray more faithfully, to learn what the Church teaches, to encourage one another, and to remain close to Christ and to one another.
The last part is especially important. We were never meant to live the Catholic faith alone. From the beginning, Christians gathered together. They prayed together. They learned together. They encouraged one another. They carried one another’s burdens. They fasted and worshiped together. They became a community centered upon Jesus Christ.
That is part of the reason for Pillars of Faith. Pillars of Faith is our apostolate dedicated to helping Catholics grow in the faith handed down to us through Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church. But we also want Pillars of Faith to be a place where Catholics know that they are not walking this road alone.
If you have not yet become more involved in the Pillars of Faith community, I would like to personally invite you to do so. There are several ways you can begin. You can subscribe and stay connected with the work of the apostolate. You can join our Fraternity and become part of a community seeking to grow together in the Catholic Faith. You can join our Prayer Team, bringing the needs of others before God and knowing that others are praying alongside you. You can join the Nineveh Fast, uniting prayer, fasting, and penance with others who are seeking renewal in the Church and in our world. And you can join our Vatican II reading challenge.
Each of these is different, but they share something important: we are doing them together. We need one another. We need people who will pray with us, learn with us, fast with us, encourage us, and remind us that we belong to something much greater than ourselves. The Church is the Body of Christ. And when one member grows stronger in faith, the whole Body is strengthened.
Look at the opportunities on our website to get involved, and draw closer to our community of Catholics who are seeking the same thing you are seeking: to know Christ, to love His Church, to remain faithful to the Catholic faith, and to do our part in the renewal of the Church.
Arise and shine today. The Church needs faithful Catholics – and faithful Catholics need one another.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
ARISE AND SHINE, AND GET TO WORK – THE RENEWAL OF THE CHURCH BEGINS WITH YOU TODAY
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden … Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14,16)
My brothers and sisters, “Arise and Shine” is not a comforting morning lullaby; it is a spiritual battle cry for the faithful. We cannot sit back and complain about the state of our world, nor can we wait around for a renewed Church, while remaining passive and comfortable in our pews. True renewal never starts from the top down through administrative committees. It starts from the ground up – in your homes, your marriages, your workplaces, and the quiet choices of your daily life.
For too long, many have treated their faith like a weekend hobby, effectively leaving the active mission of the Gospel entirely to the clergy. But Christ is demanding more from you today. If we want a renewed Church, we must be a renewed people. We must shake off the heavy dust of spiritual complacency, step completely out of our comfort zones, and let the searing light of Christ shine through our bold actions.
Stop being a spectator in the pews. Honestly identify the one specific area where you have grown spiritually lazy or compromised – whether that is neglecting daily prayer, failing to stand up for the Faith, or ignoring those in need, and confront it head on. Spend 15 minutes in quiet prayer today, asking the Holy Spirit for the courage to change, and then perform one concrete, difficult act of service or a task that you have been putting off.
Lord Jesus, forgive us for staying on the sidelines and letting our zeal grow cold. Holy Spirit, ignite the hearts of Your faithful. Disturb our false comfort, shatter our complacency, and make us active instruments of Your renewal in the world today. Amen.
Do not merely pray for the renewal of the Church. Let God begin that renewal in you – whatever the cost. ARISE AND SHINE! AND GO TO MASS!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
RENEWAL HAS A COST
“For Herod feared John, knowing him to be a just and holy man.” (Mark 6:20)
We speak often about the need for renewal in the Church. We pray for stronger parishes, holier families, courageous priests, faithful bishops, and a Church unafraid to proclaim the truth. But perhaps the question we do not ask often enough is this: What will that renewal cost us?
Today the Church remembers the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. John did not lose his life because he was confused about the truth. He lost it because he refused to compromise it.
Herod knew John was “a just and holy man.” He even listened to him willingly. But there came a point where listening was no longer enough. The truth John proclaimed demanded a change of life, and Herod was unwilling to pay the cost. That danger is not Herod’s alone.
We can hear the Gospel, defend the Faith, pray for the Church, and desire renewal while still holding tightly to the very things Christ is asking us to surrender. We can want a holier Church without wanting holiness to cost us anything. But there is no renewal without conversion, and there is no conversion without sacrifice.
St. John the Baptist did not ask what would happen to him if he spoke the truth. He knew Whom he served. Prison could not silence him. Herod could not intimidate him. And even the threat of death could not persuade him to call good what God had called sinful.
The renewal of the Church will not begin somewhere else. It begins in us. It begins when we stop asking how little Christ requires and begin asking how completely we can belong to Him. St. John reminds us that following Christ has never been the safe road. The Church does not need comfortable disciples. She needs holy ones.
If we truly desire renewal, then we must be willing to become the men and women through whom God brings it about.
Do not merely pray for the renewal of the Church. Let God begin that renewal in you – whatever the cost. ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DO NOT WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)
St. Augustine knew what it was to want God and yet hesitate before the cost of following Him. He searched, questioned, struggled, and resisted. He knew that if he truly surrendered to Christ, something would have to be left behind. And perhaps that is where many of us find ourselves.
Following Christ costs something. Sometimes it costs our comfort. Sometimes our plans. Sometimes our pride, an attachment, a relationship, an ambition, or simply the life we imagined for ourselves. There are moments when we know where Christ is leading, but we hesitate because we can already see what saying yes might require. Augustine hesitated too.
But when he finally surrendered, he discovered that what he had feared losing could never compare with what he found in Christ. Looking back upon those years of searching, he cried: “Late have I loved Thee, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved Thee!”
There is something almost heartbreaking in those words. Augustine had finally found the One his heart had been searching for all along – and wished he had loved Him sooner. Perhaps that is the challenge for us this morning. Do not wait until tomorrow to give Christ what He is asking of you today.
There will always be a reason to wait. A more convenient time. An easier season. A moment when following Him might cost a little less. But saints are not made by waiting for an easier road. They are made by trusting that whatever Christ asks us to leave behind, HE IS WORTH MORE.
St. Augustine learned that truth – and his surrendered life became something far greater than the life he had been afraid to lose.
Do not wait until tomorrow. Love Him today. Whatever the cost, HE IS WORTH IT!
ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
WE MUST BECOME THE RENEWAL
“And be renewed in the spirit of your mind: And put on the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth.” (Ephesians 4:23-24)
We speak often about the need for renewal in the Church. We pray for holy bishops. We pray for faithful and courageous priests. We pray for our parishes, our families, our young people, and for those who have wandered away from the Faith. We look at the wounds within the Church, and we know that something must change. But perhaps we are asking the wrong question.
Instead of asking, “Who will renew the Church?” perhaps we should be asking, “Am I willing to become a person through whom Christ can renew His Church?” Throughout history, God has renewed His Church through men and women who first allowed Him to renew them.
The saints did not stand at a distance pointing at everything that was wrong. They went deeper. They prayed more fervently. They sacrificed more generously. They loved Christ more completely. And then, because they had surrendered themselves to Him, Christ used their lives to awaken others. This is how renewal begins.
If we desire a holy Church, then we must desire holiness for ourselves. If we desire reverence in our sanctuaries, then reverence must first return to our hearts. If we desire Catholics who know and defend the Faith, then we must learn the Faith and live it. If we desire courageous bishops and priests, then we must become a people who pray for courage, support fidelity, love truth, and encourage our shepherds to lead us toward holiness.
And if we desire a renewed priesthood, we must remember that priests do not simply appear. They come from families. They come from parishes. They come from communities of faith. Somewhere today there may be a young man whom Christ is calling to the altar. Will he grow up among people who speak of the priesthood with love and reverence? Will he see Catholics who treasure the Eucharist? Will he know families who pray? Will he encounter priests whose lives tell him that giving everything to Christ is worth it?
And our priests themselves need renewal. The priesthood will not be renewed merely through new programs, new committees, or new methods. It will be renewed when priests rediscover the tremendous mystery of who they are in Christ – spiritual fathers, shepherds of souls, men of prayer, men of sacrifice, men who stand at the altar of God and bring Christ to His people. But we cannot place the entire burden of renewal upon them.
We must become the renewal.
We need fathers who lead their families in prayer. We need mothers who teach their children to love Jesus Christ. We need young people who would rather become saints than be accepted by the world. We need Catholics who go to Confession, receive our Lord worthily, pray the Rosary, learn the Faith, make sacrifices, forgive one another, defend truth with charity, and live as though eternity really matters.
We need priests who burn with love for Christ and His flock. We need bishops who are willing to be fathers and shepherds, whatever the cost. And we need every one of us to stop waiting for someone else to begin.
The renewal of the Church will not begin somewhere far away. It begins in a heart surrendered to Jesus Christ. It begins in your home. It begins in your parish. It begins on your knees before the Blessed Sacrament. It begins when one Catholic finally says, “Lord, begin with me.”
Christ has not abandoned His Church. He is still calling saints. He is still calling priests. He is still raising up faithful families. He is still transforming hearts. The question is whether we will allow Him to transform ours.
Do not merely pray to see the renewal of the Church. Become part of it. Become the renewal. ARISE AND SHINE!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE LITTLE WAY
“Unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)
There is something wonderfully simple about St. Therese of Lisieux. She did not travel the world preaching the Gospel. She did not found great institutions. She did not perform extraordinary works that drew the attention of the world. She lived quietly behind the walls of a Carmelite convent. And yet the Church would one day declare this young Carmelite nun a Doctor of the Church.
WHY?
Because Therese discovered something that many of us spend our entire lives trying to understand: We do not have to do great things to become great saints. We simply have to do the little things with great love.
Therese called this her “Little Way.” She understood her own littleness. She knew her weaknesses. She knew that she could never climb the mountain of holiness by her own strength. So instead of trying to make herself great, she chose to become small.
Like a child reaching toward her father, Therese placed herself completely into the arms of God. That was her secret. TRUST. She trusted that Jesus could make her holy. She trusted that no act of love was too small to offer Him. She trusted that even the ordinary annoyances and difficulties of daily life could become offerings of love.
And that means the Little Way is not only for Carmelite nuns. It is for us. Most of our lives are made up of very ordinary moments. Making breakfast. Going to work. Answering the phone. Caring for someone who needs us. Being patient when we are tired. Forgiving someone when we would rather remain angry. Doing a task no one notices. Smiling at someone who irritates us. Whispering a prayer when our heart is heavy.
The world may never notice these things. But God does. And when they are offered to Him with love, the smallest things can become acts of great holiness. Sometimes we imagine that holiness is somewhere far away. Perhaps we think we will become holy when life becomes quieter, when we have more time to pray, when our problems are solved, or when we finally become the person we think we ought to be. But Therese teaches us something different.
The path to holiness is already beneath our feet. It is hidden inside the ordinary duties of this very day. The person in front of us. The work that needs to be done. The irritation we can patiently endure. The kindness we can quietly offer. The prayer no one hears. The sacrifice no one sees.
We do not have to wait for a great opportunity to love God. The opportunity is already here. So today, do not worry about doing something extraordinary for Jesus. Do something small. Do it faithfully. Do it quietly. And above all — do it with love. That is the LITTLE WAY.
And sometimes the smallest road leads most quickly to Heaven.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DO NOT BE ASHAMED
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and of love, and of sobriety. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.” (2 Timothy 1:7-8)
Paul was in chains. He had preached Christ throughout the Roman world. He had been beaten, imprisoned, rejected, threatened, and persecuted. Now he was once again a prisoner in Rome, and Paul understood that his earthly journey was nearing its end. He had every reason, at least by the standards of the world, to wonder whether following Christ had cost him too much.
But Paul was not ashamed. From his prison he wrote to Timothy, his beloved spiritual son. Timothy was younger. He had been entrusted with the care of the flock, and Paul knew that Timothy would face pressures of his own. There would be opposition. There would be suffering. There would be moments when remaining faithful to Christ would be difficult. So Paul reminded him of something important.
“God hath not given us the spirit of fear.” And then he told Timothy plainly, “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.” Think about those words for a moment. Paul was not writing them from a comfortable home where following Christ had cost him nothing. He was writing them as a prisoner.
And still Paul said: Do not be ashamed.
There is a lesson here for us. Most of us will never stand before a Roman emperor and be commanded to deny Christ. We may never be imprisoned for the Faith. But every
Christian will eventually face moments when being known as a follower of Jesus Christ costs something.
Sometimes the cost is surprisingly small. It may be an uncomfortable silence around a dinner table. It may be the look someone gives us when we speak about our Catholic Faith. It may be the fear that someone will think less of us because we believe what the Church has always taught. And so we become quiet.
We know the truth, but we hesitate to speak it. We believe in Christ, but sometimes we are careful not to mention Him. We make the Sign of the Cross at home, but perhaps hesitate in a restaurant. We know that someone we love is walking away from God, but we convince ourselves that saying nothing will keep the peace.
This is how fear works. It rarely begins by asking us to deny Christ completely. It simply asks us to hide Him a little. And then a little more. Until eventually the Faith that was meant to shine before the world becomes something we practice quietly when no one can see it. But Christ did not tell His disciples to hide the light. He said, “You are the light of the world.”
But here are some questions:
How will the world discover Christ if Christians are ashamed to speak His name?
How will children learn the Faith if parents and grandparents are afraid to teach it?
How will our neighbors discover the beauty of the Catholic Church if Catholics themselves are embarrassed by what they believe?
How will a confused world hear the truth if those who have received the truth are afraid to speak it?
The renewal of the Church will not come by hiding the Faith so that the world will accept us.
It will come when Catholics once again become unashamed disciples of Jesus Christ.
Not arrogant disciples.
Not angry disciples.
Not disciples who believe they are better than everyone else.
But men and women who know whom they have believed and are no longer embarrassed to belong to Him.
Paul knew something else that Timothy needed to remember.
Just a few verses later he wrote:
“I am not ashamed. For I know whom I have believed.” (2 Timothy 1:12)
There is the secret.
Paul was not courageous because he had an unusually strong personality. He was courageous because he knew Christ.
He had encountered Him.
He loved Him.
And once Paul knew Jesus Christ, the opinion of the world became much less important.
We do not simply need Catholics who know more things about Christ. We need Catholics who know Christ so deeply that they are no longer ashamed to belong to Him.
Because when you know whom you have believed, something changes.
You can lose the approval of others and remain at peace.
You can be misunderstood and remain faithful.
You can be mocked and continue loving.
You can stand alone and know that you are not alone.
And when following Christ begins to cost something, you can look at the price and still say:
He is worth it.
Paul’s chains could not silence him.
The power of Rome could not make him ashamed.
And before he left this world, he made sure that Timothy understood that the Gospel entrusted to him must continue to be proclaimed.
That same Gospel has now been entrusted to us.
This is our time to proclaim it.
This is our time to live it.
This is our time to hand it on.
The renewal we pray for will require Catholics who are willing to stand before a world that has forgotten Christ and lovingly, courageously, and without apology say:
I belong to Jesus Christ.
Know whom you have believed. Love Him. Follow Him. Speak His name.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
GUARD THE TREASURE
“O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust.” (I Timothy 6:20)
Rome wanted the treasures of the Church. It was the year 258, and the Emperor Valerian had begun a fierce persecution of Christians. Pope St. Sixtus II had already been arrested and put to death, and Lawrence, one of the seven deacons of Rome, knew that his own life was in danger.
As a deacon, Lawrence had been entrusted with the material possessions of the Church and with the care of the poor. The Roman authorities knew this – and they wanted what they believed the Church possessed. Lawrence was ordered to surrender her treasures. He asked for a little time to gather them.
Perhaps the Romans imagined chests filled with gold and silver. Perhaps they expected money, sacred vessels, jewels, and other riches that could be confiscated and added to the wealth of the Empire. But Lawrence understood treasures differently.
He went through Rome and gathered the poor, the widows, the orphans, the sick, and those who depended upon the Church for help. Then he brought them before the Roman authorities.
These, Lawrence told them, were the true treasures of the Church. Think about that for a minute. Standing before the wealth and power of Rome were the very people the world considered insignificant. They had no money. They had no influence. They could offer Lawrence nothing in return for caring for them. Yet Lawrence looked at them and saw a treasure.
Why? Because they were souls for whom Christ had shed His Blood. The poor were not a burden upon the Church. They were her treasures. And Lawrence had learned to see them through the eyes of Christ.
There is a lesson for us here too. Lawrence had been entrusted with treasures. So have we. We have been entrusted with the souls God places in our lives – and we must never forget that trust. But we have also been entrusted with another priceless treasure – the Deposit of Faith. The Gospel preached by the Apostles. Sacred Scripture. Sacred Tradition. The Faith handed down from one generation of Christians to the next. They received it. They guarded it. They lived it. And they handed it down.
They did not invent it. They received it. They guarded it. They lived it. And they handed it on to us. Many paid an enormous price to do so. They endured persecution rather than deny it. They lost positions, possessions, homes, freedom, and sometimes their lives rather than surrender what Christ had entrusted to His Church.
Now it is our turn to guard it. This is especially important when we speak about the renewal of the Church. There will always be voices telling us that renewal means changing the Faith to make it more acceptable to the world. Or that difficult truths should be softened. Or that teachings which cost us approval should be left unspoken. But that is not renewal.
We do not renew the Church by changing her treasure. We renew her by learning once again to recognize her value. We treasure every soul Christ died to save. We treasure the poor and forgotten whom the world passes by.
And we treasure the Faith that has been handed down to us. The question is whether we believe these treasures are worth protecting when protecting them begins to cost us something. Will we care for someone who has nothing to give us in return when it costs us our time and comfort? Will we speak the truth when silence would be easier? Will we remain faithful to Christ when His teachings cost us acceptance? Will we teach the Faith to our children and grandchildren – whole and unchanged – when the world tells us that parts of it are outdated.
Lawrence was ordered to surrender the treasures of the Church. He would not. His refusal eventually cost him his life. Most of us will never be asked to pay the price St. Lawrence paid. But if we truly follow Christ, there will be a cost. And when that moment comes, we will discover what we really treasure.
Perhaps this is where renewal begins. Not with inventing something new. Not with making the Church more like the world. But with Catholics once again recognizing the treasures that Christ has placed into our hands. His truth and the souls He died to save – and deciding that they are worth whatever it costs to guard them.
Guard the treasure. Know the Faith. Live the Faith. Hand on the Faith. And never forget the souls for whom that Faith exists – especially the poor, the suffering, and the forgotten whom St. Lawrence so beautifully called the treasures of the Church. St. Lawrence pray for us!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE HEART OF A SOLDIER
“If any man serves Me, let him follow Me, and where I am, there shall My servant be also.” (John 12:26).
Joan of Arc was only a young girl when she heard the call that God wanted her to do something that seemed impossible. She was not born into wealth or power. She had no military training and no political influence. There was no reason to think that kings or soldiers would ever listen to her.
But Joan believed God had called her – and so she went. She left the security of her home and stepped into a world she could never have imagined. She stood before powerful men, rode among soldiers, endured battle, and helped lead the French cause at a moment when defeat seemed certain.
But following God did not lead Joan down an easy road. Eventually, she was captured. The young woman who had ridden beneath her banner at the head of an army was now a prisoner. She was sold to the English and eventually brought to Rouen, where she was placed on trial before an ecclesiastical court. For months, she was questioned, challenged, threatened, and pressured to deny what she believed God had asked of her. Joan was 19 years old at the time.
There were no soldiers standing beside her now. No cheering crowds. No king whose coronation she had helped make possible. Perhaps this is where Joan’s story becomes most important for us. It is one thing to follow God when obedience seems to be leading toward victory. It is another entirely to remain faithful when obedience appears to have led to defeat. Joan had helped Charles VII reach Reims and receive his crown. Yet when she was captured, the king did not rescue her.
She was eventually condemned to death. On May 30, 1431, Joan was taken to the marketplace at Rouen and tied to a stake. As the fire was prepared, she asked that a crucifix be held before her eyes. Think about that for a minute.
Most of us will never be asked to surrender our lives as Joan did. But following Christ will cost us something. It may cost us comfort. It may cost us approval. It may cost us friendships, opportunities, plans, or the life we imagined for ourselves.
Joan died calling upon the name of Jesus. Twenty-five years later, the Church reopened her case. The judgment against her was overturned, and she was declared innocent. The world that condemned her did not have the final word. Neither did the flames. God did.
St. Joan of Arc, pray for us!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
HE WENT TO STAY – St. Damien of Molokai
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:40)
In 1873, Father Damien volunteered to go to Molokai, where people suffering from leprosy had been forcibly separated from their families and sent to live in isolation.
His bishop would not command any priest to go because the mission could become a death sentence. Father Damien freely offered himself. He did not go merely to visit. He went to stay.
He celebrated Mass, heard confessions, cared for the sick, built homes and churches, made coffins, buried the dead, and reminded those who had been rejected by the world that they were still beloved children of God.
Father Damien understood that those suffering on Molokai needed more than food, medicine, or distant sympathy. They needed someone willing to draw near. They needed a priest who would live among them, touch them, pray with them, and call them his own.
Eventually, Father Damien contracted leprosy himself. Standing before his people, he no longer spoke of “you lepers.” He said simply, “We lepers.” Those two words reveal the heart of Christian love. “We lepers.”
There was no longer “us” and “them.” Their suffering had become his suffering. Their exile had become his home. He had drawn so near to those who were rejected that he became one with them.
This is what Jesus did for us. He did not save humanity from a safe distance. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus touched the leper, ate with sinners, wept with the grieving, and carried our sins in His own wounded Body.
St. Damien followed that path. His life became an image of Christ, who entered our suffering and refused to abandon us.
We may never be called to Molokai, but every one of us knows someone who has been pushed to the edges – a person who is lonely, sick, forgotten, unwanted, difficult, or ashamed. We encounter people others avoid and suffering that the world would rather not see. The question is whether we will remain at a comfortable distance or allow love to draw us closer.
Christian charity is more than feeling pity. It means seeing Christ in the person before us. It means sitting beside the lonely, listening to the forgotten, touching the hand of the suffering, defending the dignity of the rejected, and refusing to walk away when love becomes costly.
Father Damien served on Molokai for sixteen years and died there among the people he loved. The world might call such a life lost. Christ calls it a life given.
Today, ask the Lord to show you the person from whom you have kept your distance. Then take one step closer. Go where love is needed – and when others walk away, have the courage to stay. St. Damien of Molokai, pray for us.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
RENEWAL MEETS RESISTANCE
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
We have been speaking about what it means to truly follow Jesus. Today, let us also remember why this matters so deeply. The renewal of the Church and our own conversion are not two separate things. The Church is renewed whenever one of her children decides to follow Christ faithfully, regardless of the cost.
Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres was only a young girl when she left Spain to help establish the Conceptionist convent in Quito, Ecuador. During the ocean crossing, a violent storm arose and the evil one appeared in the form of a terrifying sea monster, threatening to capsize the ship. Mariana remained calm in prayer. She even offered to be thrown over if the sailors thought that would help. She understood that the dragon was not merely attacking the ship – he was trying to prevent a work that would bring glory to God from taking place.
Before the convent was even built, the spiritual battle had begun. Some years later, when some of the sisters within the convent wanted to relax the religious rules, and Mother Mariana resisted, she and the other faithful sisters were imprisoned within their own convent – not just once, but three times.
Mother Mariana could have allowed that injustice to make her angry and bitter. Instead, she prayed. She continued to observe the rule as much as she could. She remained devoted to Christ.
The Church is not renewed by anger, factions, or contempt. She is renewed by saints. We must speak the truth. We must defend what is sacred. At times, we may even have to endure misunderstanding or rejection. But we must never permit opposition to take from us our devotion to Christ.
Today, let us ask ourselves: Have disappointment and frustration begun to harden my heart? Am I seeking the renewal of Christ’s Church – or merely trying to defeat those I believe are wrong?
The renewal we long for begins when we offer ourselves to Christ as living stones with which He can rebuild.
Lord Jesus, purify Your Church, and begin with me. Give me courage without bitterness, conviction without pride, and fidelity joined always to charity. Help me remain faithful when renewal meets resistance. Amen.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
WHEN OTHERS WALK AWAY
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
“Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Will you also go away?’ Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.'” (John 6:67-68)
Yesterday, two crowns were placed before us: the white crown of purity and the red crown of sacrifice. We were asked whether we would choose one, turn away from the other, or have the courage to choose both. But every choice must eventually be tested.
It is one thing to say, “I will follow,” while surrounded by others who are walking in the same direction. It is another thing to remain when the crowd begins to disappear.
There came a moment in the life of Jesus when many who had called themselves His disciples could no longer accept His words. They had listened to Him teach. They had witnessed His miracles. They had eaten the bread He had multiplied. They had followed Him with the crowds. But when His teaching became difficult, they murmured.
When He declared that He was the Bread of Life and that they must eat His Flesh and drink His Blood, they said, “This is a hard saying, who can listen to it?”
Then came some of the saddest words in all of Scripture. “After this many of His disciples drew back, and no longer walked with Him.” They did not merely misunderstand Him. They left Him. Jesus watched them go.
He did not run after them and soften His words. He did not change the truth to make it easier for them to remain. He did not call them back by offering a more comfortable Gospel. Instead, He turned to the Twelve.
Imagine that moment. The crowd was thinning. Footsteps could be heard moving away. Faces that had once looked upon Jesus with wonder were now turned from Him. Then Jesus looked at those who remained and asked, “Will you also go away?”
It was not a command. It was a question. Love does not force. Love asks.
Peter did not pretend that the teaching was easy. He did not claim to understand everything Jesus had said. He did not say, “Lord, we will stay because the road ahead is clear.” He answered with the words of a man who had come to understand that there was nowhere else to go. “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Peter stayed because he knew Who Jesus was. This is the heart of faithfulness. Faithfulness does not mean that we always understand. It does not mean that we never struggle, never grieve, or never feel afraid. Faithfulness means that when we do not understand, we still know to Whom we belong.
There will be moments when Christ’s teachings seem too difficult for the world. There will be moments when remaining faithful costs us the approval of people we love. There may be times when friends walk away, when family members do not understand, when the culture mocks what is sacred, and when even those who once walked beside us choose another road.
And in those moments, Jesus will turn toward us and ask, “Will you also go away?”
Will you remain faithful when the teachings of Christ are called outdated? Will you remain faithful when reverence is ridiculed, purity is despised, sacrifice is avoided, and truth is treated as cruelty? Will you remain faithful to the Holy Eucharist when others no longer believe that He is truly present? Will you remain faithful to His Church when her members disappoint you and her shepherds fail to reflect the holiness of the Good Shepherd?
Will you remain faithful when prayer feels empty, when suffering continues, and when God seems silent?
It is easy to follow Christ when the crowd carries us along. But the true measure of discipleship is revealed when we must decide whether we would follow Him even if we had to follow alone.
Perhaps you know the pain of watching someone you love walk away from the Faith. Perhaps you have watched a child, a spouse, a friend, or someone who once knelt beside you at Mass turn toward another road. Perhaps you have wondered whether you should remain silent about the truth so that the distance between you will not grow.
Love them. Pray for them. Keep the door of your heart open to them. But do not walk away from Christ in order to walk beside someone who is leaving Him. We cannot lead another soul home by abandoning the road that leads there.
Remain. Remain when the crowd thins. Remain when the teaching is difficult. Remain when the world promises you an easier road. Remain before the tabernacle when your heart is breaking and you have no words left to speak.
Remain beneath the Cross when others tell you that hope is lost. Our Lady remained. When others fled, she stood at Calvary. She could not stop the nails. She could not take away the suffering of her Son. She could only remain with Him – and her faithful presence became one of the most beautiful acts of love the world has ever known. Faithfulness often looks like remaining. It is the Catholic who kneels before the Eucharist and says, “Lord, I do not understand everything, but I know that You are there.”
Yesterday, we were asked to choose the crowns. Today, we are asked whether we will remain faithful enough to receive them. The road of discipleship will not always be crowded. At times, you may hear the footsteps of others walking away. Do not allow their departure to make you doubt the One who remains before you.
Look into the eyes of Jesus. Hear Him ask, “Will you also go away?” Then answer – not because the road is easy, but because you know Who He is. “Lord, to whom shall I go? You have the words of eternal life.”
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
THE TWO CROWNS
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
“If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)
Yesterday, we arrived at the threshold of a new part of our journey:
FOLLOW.
Until now, we have been awakening. We have been allowing God to renew our hearts. But today, something changes.
Today, Christ turns toward us and asks whether we are truly prepared to follow Him.
Not merely to listen to His words. Not merely to follow when the road is clear and the cost is small. He asks whether we will follow Him before He tells us exactly where the road will lead.
This part of our journey will challenge us. It will ask more than whether we believe in Christ. It will ask whether we belong to Him. It will reveal what we are willing to surrender, what we are willing to endure, and how far we are truly willing to go.
So before we take another step, imagine that a choice is placed before you. Two crowns are held out to you. One is white. The other is red. You are asked to choose. Would you reach for one? Would you turn away from the other? Would you have the courage to choose both?
When St. Maximilian Kolbe was still a boy, he was mischievous enough that one day his mother cried out in frustration, “Raymond, what will become of you?” Her words pierced his heart.
He went before an image of the Blessed Virgin and asked her that same question: “What will become of me?”
Then Our Lady appeared to him, holding two crowns. One was white, representing purity. The other was red, representing martyrdom. She asked him which one he would choose. The young boy looked at them and answered, “I choose both.” Our Lady smiled – and disappeared. What a tremendous answer from a child.
He did not ask which crown would be easier. He did not ask how much suffering the red crown would require. He did not ask whether he might accept the white crown now and decide about the red one later. He chose both.
But that choice was not fulfilled in a single dramatic moment. St. Maximilian had to choose those crowns again and again throughout his life. Raymond Kolbe became Father Maximilian Kolbe – a Franciscan priest wholly consecrated to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
In his priesthood, we can see the white crown beginning to shine. He gave his life to purity, prayer, obedience, and the salvation of souls. He founded the Militia of the Immaculata, used every means to spread devotion to Our Lady, and desired to win the whole world for Christ through her.
But the white crown was not something he received once and then placed safely upon his head. He had to choose it every day. And all the while, the red crown was waiting.
He chose that crown long before Auschwitz – in every sacrifice, every illness, every hardship, and every occasion when he placed the needs of souls before his own comfort and safety.
Then came the moment when the promise of the red crown would be fulfilled. At Auschwitz, a prisoner escaped. As punishment, ten other prisoners were selected to die slowly in a starvation bunker. One of the condemned men cried out in anguish for his wife and children. Then Father Maximilian stepped forward. “I am a Catholic priest,” he said. “I want to die for that man.” The guards permitted the exchange.
The man who stepped forward at Auschwitz was the same person who, as a boy, had already looked at the two crowns and said, “I choose both.” This is what it means to follow Christ. It is to choose Him before we know where He will lead us. It is to say yes before we know the cost.
Many are willing to follow Christ toward the white crown. We want holiness. We want peace. We want to be close to God. But what happens when faithfulness carries a red edge? What happens when following Christ costs us the approval of others? What happens when obedience overturns our plans? What happens when we must speak while others remain silent, forgive when the wound is still painful, remain faithful when others walk away, or give ourselves when we feel we have nothing left?
We may never be asked to enter a starvation bunker. But every day presents us with smaller opportunities to lay down our lives. The hidden sacrifice. The difficult forgiveness. The truth spoken with courage. The temptation resisted when no one else would ever know. The duty fulfilled when no one notices. The suffering offered to God instead of wasted in bitterness. The person loved when love costs us something. These are the places where crowns are chosen.
So today, imagine Our Lady standing before you with the two crowns in her hands. And she asks as she holds out the white crown, “Will you allow Christ to purify your heart of every attachment that keeps you from belonging entirely to Him?” And holding out the red crown she says, “Will you remain faithful when discipleship costs you something, perhaps even the life you imagined for yourself?” Which crown would you choose? Could you choose both?
Don’t answer too quickly. Let the question follow you throughout this day. St. Maximilian’s final sacrifice began with a child’s courageous answer. Our discipleship begins the same way – with a yes.
THE CROWNS ARE BEFORE US. WHAT WILL WE CHOOSE? OUR CHOICE WILL DETERMINE OUR JOURNEY.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
The Journey Before Us
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Something began on July 2nd as I was in Quito, Ecuador. I was at the site of Our Lady of Good Success, where Heaven had spoken centuries ago about the crisis that would one day wound the Church. Our Lady warned of blasphemy, heresy, impurity, and terrible confusion. But she also spoke of courageous, faithful souls whom God would raise up for precisely such a time.
Standing there, where warnings and promises were given, I began this journey with you. At first, perhaps it seemed like simply another morning reflection – a few moments to turn our thoughts toward God before beginning the day. But as we continued, something larger began to take shape. Day by day, the Lord was leading us along a path. And now – we can see what that path is.
AWAKEN.
RENEW.
FOLLOW.
BE TRANSFORMED.
BE SENT.
We first had to awaken – not merely to the darkness around us or to the crisis within the Church, but to the fact that God has placed each of us here, at this moment in history, for a purpose. We were not awakened simply to recognize what is wrong. We were awakened so that we could carry the light of Christ into it.
Then, on July 21, we began a journey of renewal. We understood that renewal in the Church could not remain something we expected from someone else. It had to begin within our own hearts. So we began at the beginning: by giving God the first moment of every day. But we soon discovered that God did not want only the quiet, orderly moments we had set aside for Him. He wanted to enter the unexpected moments too. And so, we learned to invite Him into our interruptions.
Then our eyes began to turn outward. We were called to encourage others and to make our faith visible – not for praise or attention, but so that those around us might see the light of Christ. We began building holy habits, and we learned to guard the gates of our hearts, being careful about what we allowed to enter and what we permitted to remain.
We embraced silence so that, beneath the noise of the world, we could hear God again. We were reminded to live with purpose, knowing that no day He gives us is empty or meaningless. We opened our hands to God – were challenged to keep them open – and we learned that before we could do great things for Christ, we first had to remain with Him – to abide in Him. Then came the invitation to follow Him without looking back.
We remembered the Day of the Lord and the sacred gift of Sunday. We embraced the little way, learning that holiness is often found in small acts performed with great love. We asked God to make us instruments of His peace. We chose joy – not because life is always easy, but because Christ is always faithful. We stood amazed in His presence and allowed wonder to return to our hearts.
We were reminded not to postpone the good God was asking of us: Do it today. We were called to be faithful exactly where we are. We took up our crosses. We learned to recognize the voice of the Shepherd amid all the competing voices of this world. We were told not to be afraid to stand alone when fidelity to Christ requires it. We were encouraged not to grow weary, even when the road seemed long and the fruit of our efforts remains hidden.
And when peace had been broken, we were challenged to be the first to seek it – the first to forgive, the first to reach out, and the first to make peace. Then, on the vigil of the Assumption, we kept watch with our Mother. On her great feast, she reminded us to look up and to place our hearts in Heaven.
Finally, after all these days of listening, praying, surrendering, and allowing God to renew us, Christ gave us our final instruction: “GO, AND DO THOU IN LIKE MANNER.”
Look how far we have come. What may have seemed like a collection of morning reflections was actually a path the Lord was laying before us, one step at a time: AWAKEN. RENEW. FOLLOW. BE TRANSFORMED. BE SENT.
We first had to awaken – to recognize the hour and understand why God has placed us here. Then we had to allow Him to begin renewing our hearts. That renewal is not finished; it will continue throughout our lives. But renewal was never meant to be the end of the journey. Christ renews us so that we can follow Him. And that is where we are now.
Tomorrow, we begin the next part of our journey. FOLLOW. We will begin to look more deeply at what it really means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ – not merely to believe in Him or admire Him, but to walk with Him, listen to Him, surrender our will to His, and remain faithful when following Him costs us something.
We will ask what we must leave behind, what we must take up, and where Christ is asking us to go. We will learn that a disciple does not ask Christ to bless the life he has already planned. A disciple places his entire life at Christ’s disposal.
As we follow Him, He will transform us. And then He will send us – to our families, our communities, our workplaces, and into His wounded Church.
This is our journey:
Awaken – to recognize the hour.
Renew – to give Christ our hearts.
Follow – to become His disciples.
Be transformed – to become more like Him.
Be sent – to carry Him into the world.
We have awakened. The work of renewal has begun. Tomorrow, we take the next step. Tomorrow, we hear again the words that changed the lives of the first disciples – and that can still change ours. “COME, FOLLOW ME.”
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 28: DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
We sometimes imagine that serving God requires discovering some great mission or performing some extraordinary act. We wait for a clear sign, an important opportunity, or a moment when we feel especially inspired.
Meanwhile, an ordinary duty is waiting directly in front of us.
There is a telephone call that should be made, a promise that needs to be kept, a task we have repeatedly postponed, or a responsibility we have quietly hoped someone else would assume. These things may appear small, but our response to them reveals something about the condition of our hearts. God is found in the duties of the present moment.
Jesus spent most of His earthly life in the hidden years at Nazareth. Before the miracles, the crowds, and the journey to Calvary, there were years of ordinary work and quiet obedience. Nothing done in love and faithfulness was insignificant, even when no one else could see it.
Procrastination burdens the heart. Each neglected responsibility takes up a small space within us. We remember it, avoid it, make excuses for it, and carry it into another day. Over time, the weight of many unfinished things can leave us restless and discouraged.
We may tell ourselves that we will act when we have more time, more energy, or more enthusiasm. But faithfulness does not depend upon enthusiasm. It means doing what love requires, even when we do not feel like doing it.
The spiritual life is built through these small acts of obedience. A room put in order, a debt repaid, an appointment made, a letter answered, or an apology offered can become an act of love when it is done for God. The task itself may be ordinary, but the faithfulness is holy.
Perhaps there is something you already know you should do. You do not need another sign. The quiet uneasiness you feel when you think about it may be enough. God may not be asking you to understand the whole road ahead. He may simply be asking you to take the next right step.
Do not become overwhelmed by everything that remains unfinished. Choose one thing. Begin there.
Today’s action is this: identify one necessary duty you have been avoiding and complete it before the day ends. Do not choose the easiest item merely so you can mark something off a list. Choose the one that has been weighing upon your conscience. Begin with a prayer, offer the task to God, and do it with care.
Arise and shine! Stop waiting for a grand opportunity to serve God. Look at what He has already placed before you. Complete one neglected duty, do it with love, and let faithfulness prepare your heart for whatever God asks next.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 27: GO AND DO LIKEWISE
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
“Which of these three, in my opinion, was neighbor to him that fell among the robbers? But he said: He that showed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go, and do thou in like manner.” (Luke 10:36-37).
In the story of The Good Samaritan, a man who is traveling along the road from Jerusalem to Jericho is beaten, robbed, and left half dead. A priest sees him and passes by. A Levite also sees him and continues on his way. Then a Samaritan approaches – a man whom those listening to Jesus would not have expected to become the hero of the story.
The Samaritan does more than feel sorry for the wounded man. He stops.
He goes near him, binds his wounds, pours in oil and wine, places him upon his own animal, takes him to an inn, and provides for his care. His mercy costs him time, comfort, money, and the inconvenience of changing his plans. He does not merely notice suffering, he allows another person’s suffering to make a claim upon him.
This is the kind of love that renews the heart.
It is easy to speak about charity in broad and beautiful terms. It is much harder to practice charity when it interrupts us. We may sincerely want to serve God, yet become impatient when someone needs our time. We may pray for those who suffer, yet avoid the lonely person who wants to talk. We may defend the truth boldly, yet overlook the wounded person lying directly in our path.
The priest and the Levite both saw the man. Their failure was not blindness – it was refusal. They saw his need, but they did not allow themselves to be moved by it.
Sometimes we pass by because we are hurried. Sometimes because we are tired. Sometimes because helping will be uncomfortable. And sometimes because we have decided that the wounded person is responsible for his own condition and therefore undeserving of our mercy.
But Jesus does not ask whether the injured man made wise choices before he was attacked. He does not tell us whether the Samaritan approved of everything about him. He simply places a suffering human being before us and asks: “Who became his neighbor?” The answer is the one who showed mercy.
Our hearts are renewed when they are turned outward in love. Self-absorption makes the heart smaller; service enlarges it. Every time we stop for another person, we make room within ourselves for Jesus. Every act of mercy becomes a small opening through which His light can enter the darkness of the world.
Arise and shine! Someone along your road needs the mercy of Christ today. Do not pass by. Draw near, bind the wound, and let your love become an action.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 26: SET YOUR HEART ON HEAVEN
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
“And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Apocalypse 12:1)
Today the Church celebrates the glorious Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. At the end of her earthly life, Mary was taken up, body and soul, into heavenly glory. The humble handmaid of Nazareth – the woman who surrendered everything to God – was received into the fullness of the glory prepared for her.
Yesterday, we kept vigil with Our Mother. Today, we rejoice with her.
The Assumption reminds us that we were not created merely to survive this world. We were created for Heaven. Our lives are not meaningless collections of duties, disappointments, sufferings, and passing pleasures. Every choice we make is leading us somewhere. Every act of faithfulness is preparing us for eternity.
Mary’s whole life was directed toward God. She did not live for the praise of others, worldly security, comfort, or recognition. She belonged entirely to the Lord. From her fiat at the Annunciation to her faithfulness beneath the Cross, her heart remained fixed upon Him.
The world tells us to cling tightly to everything we can possess – our plans, our comfort, our reputation, our control. Mary teaches us to open our hands. She shows us that nothing entrusted to God is ever truly lost. Every sacrifice made for love of Him, every hidden act of obedience, every sorrow endured faithfully, and every prayer offered in the darkness is remembered in Heaven.
How easily our hearts become earthbound. We carry anxieties as though everything depends upon us. We cling to resentments as though justice can only come through our anger. We chase approval as though the opinion of others determines our worth. We allow possessions, ambitions, fears, and distractions to occupy the place that belongs to God alone.
Yet Our Lord tells us: “For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also” (Matthew 6:21)
Renewal begins when the heart is reordered – when God is restored to the center and everything else is placed beneath Him. Mary’s heart was perfectly ordered because it belonged completely to God. She loved others deeply, but she loved them through Him. She endured suffering, but suffering did not separate her from Him. She lived in this world, but her heart already belonged to Heaven. This is the kind of heart the Church needs now.
The Church will not be renewed by people who are completely absorbed in worldly fears and divisions. She will be renewed by saints – men and women whose eyes are fixed upon Christ, whose hearts are free from the chains of sin, and whose lives point beyond this passing world toward eternity.
Today, ask the Blessed Mother to help you recognize one attachment that is keeping your heart from belonging entirely to God. It may be fear, resentment, the need to control an outcome, concern about what others think, an unhealthy habit, or something you have repeatedly refused to surrender. Name it honestly. Surrender it to the Lord. And then do one concrete thing to make that surrender real. Let today’s renewal be more than a good intention – let it become an act of obedience.
The Assumption calls us to remember that holiness is not wasted, fidelity is not forgotten, and death does not have the final word. Lift up your heart today. Do not let the troubles of this passing world make you forget your eternal home. Walk with Mary, surrender as she surrendered, and ask her to lead you safely to her Son.
Arise and shine! Set your heart on Heaven, and begin today to live like someone who knows where you are going.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 25: KEEP VIGIL WITH YOUR MOTHER
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Today we keep vigil on the eve of the glorious Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A vigil is more than waiting for a feast to arrive. It is a time to become quiet, attentive, and spiritually awake. It is a time to prepare our hearts for what God desires to show us.
And so today, let us keep vigil with Our Mother.
Whenever the Church has passed through darkness, confusion, or uncertainty, Mary has remained close to her children. She does not draw attention to herself. She always points us toward her Son. Her words at Cana remain her instruction to the Church in every age: “Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye” (John 2:5).
Those few words contain instructions for the renewal of the Church. Listen to Christ. Trust Him. Obey Him. Do whatever He tells you.
We speak about the need for renewal in the Church, and rightly so. But before renewal can take place around us, it must take place within us. Mary shows us where that renewal begins.
It begins with her fiat: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). Before Mary knew where obedience would lead, she gave herself completely to God. She did not ask for every question to be answered or every difficulty to be removed. She trusted the One who called her.
The renewal of the Church will require that same surrender from each of us. It is easy to identify what others must change. It is harder to stand before God and ask: Where have I resisted Your will? Where have I made peace with sin? Where have I allowed fear, pride, resentment, or discouragement to keep me from doing what You ask?
Mary also teaches us to remain faithful amidst suffering, and even death. She did not abandon her Son because following Him had become painful. She stood. There are moments in the life of the Church when we, too, must simply stand.
We stand when the faith is ridiculed. We stand when truth is unpopular. We stand when those around us compromise. We stand when prayer feels dry, when our sacrifices appear fruitless, and when we cannot yet see what God is accomplishing.
We do not stand in bitterness or defiance. We stand with Mary – faithful, prayerful, and close to the Cross.
After the Ascension, Mary was found with the Apostles in the upper room, persevering with them in prayer. The infant Church was not born amid worldly power, careful public relations, or human certainty. She was gathered in prayer around the Mother of Jesus, waiting for the Holy Ghost.
Perhaps this is what we have forgotten.
We have spoken much, argued much, planned much, and worried much. But have we prayed with the perseverance of the Blessed Mother? Have we made room for the Holy Ghost? Have we become quiet enough to hear the voice of God?
The Church will not be renewed by Catholics who merely complain about the darkness. She will be renewed by Catholics who become light. She will be renewed by men and women who surrender themselves to God as Mary did and say, without condition, “Be it done to me according to thy word.”
On this vigil of her Assumption, our Blessed Mother reminds us where fidelity leads. The world may overlook the humble, mock the pure, and dismiss those who live entirely for God. But Heaven does not forget them. What God begins in grace, He desires to bring to glory.
Today, step away from the noise for a little while. Take up your Rosary and keep vigil with your Mother. Ask her to show you what still needs to be surrendered to Christ. Pray for the purification and renewal of the Church. Pray for bishops and priests, for families, for those who have lost their faith, and for those who are struggling to remain faithful. And ask for the grace to become the person through whom renewal can begin.
Let Mary teach you to listen. Let her teach you to stand at the Cross without fleeing and to wait in prayer without losing hope. The Church belongs to Christ. He has not abandoned His Bride, and neither should we. Let us remain with her, pray for her, suffer for her, and work for her renewal – beginning with the conversion of our own hearts.
Arise and shine! Keep vigil with your Mother, and let her lead you once again to Jesus Christ, the only true light and hope of His Church.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 24: BE THE FIRST TO MAKE PEACE
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
“If it be possible, as much as is in you, have peace with all men” (Romans 12:18).
Yesterday we spoke about having the courage to keep going when we have grown weary. Today, let us consider another kind of courage: the courage to take the first step toward peace.
Most of us have someone with whom things are not quite right. Perhaps there was an argument, a misunderstanding, an unkind word, or a wound that was never acknowledged. Perhaps neither person even remembers exactly how the distance began. But pride has kept both sides waiting.
We tell ourselves: I will speak when they speak. I will apologize when they admit what they did. I will reach out when they show that they care. And so we wait.
Days become months, and months sometimes become years. The wound hardens. The silence grows heavier. What began as a disagreement becomes a wall.
Christ does not ask us to wait for the other person to make the first move. He says: “If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath any thing against thee; leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother” (Matthew 5:23-24).
“Go first.” Those two words leave very little room for pride. Notice that Our Lord does not say, “Go only if you were entirely at fault.” He does not say, “Go when the other person deserves it.” He does not say, “Wait until you are certain your gesture will be received well.” He asks us to do what is within our power to seek peace.
But we must understand clearly what making peace does – and does not – mean. It does not mean pretending that nothing happened. It does not require us to deny the truth, excuse wrongdoing, or immediately restore trust where trust has been broken. And if someone has abused, manipulated, threatened, or repeatedly mistreated us, forgiveness does not mean returning to that person or allowing the mistreatment to continue. We may forgive someone in our heart while maintaining firm boundaries and remaining at a safe distance. Forgiveness does not give another person permission to hurt us again.
Forgiveness can be offered by one person, even when reconciliation is neither possible nor prudent. Sometimes the first step toward peace is not renewed contact, but surrendering the person to God, refusing to seek revenge, and asking Him to heal our hearts without reopening the door to further harm.
That is why St. Paul says, “If it be possible, as much as in you, have peace with all men.” We cannot control another person’s response or behavior. But we can make certain that pride, resentment, or stubbornness on our part is not what keeps the door closed.
Sometimes making peace begins with the words, “I was wrong.” Sometimes it means saying, “I am sorry for the way I spoke to you.” Sometimes it means asking, “Can we begin again?” And sometimes it is as simple as making a telephone call, sending a message, or offering a kindness without reopening every detail of the disagreement.
Do not underestimate the power of one humble step. The enemy delights in division. He magnifies offenses, rehearses old injuries in our minds, and continually reminds us why the other person should be the one to come to us. Christ leads us in the opposite direction. He leads us toward humility, mercy, and peace.
We may think that taking the first step makes us weak. In truth, it requires tremendous strength. Pride stands still and waits to be served. Love moves first.
Christ Himself moved first toward us. We did not repair the distance sin had created. We did not make ourselves worthy and then approach Him. “God commendeth his charity towards us; because when as yet we were sinners, according to the time, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
He came looking for us. He bore the cost of reconciliation. He opened the way home. Today, think of one person with whom there is distance, tension, or unresolved hurt. Bring that person before God in prayer. Ask Him to show you what step – if any – you can safely and rightly take today.
Make the call. Send the message. Offer the apology. Forgive the offense. Speak the kind word. But if contact would expose you to further abuse or mistreatment, do not return to an unsafe situation. Pray for that person, place the matter in God’s hands, and ask Him to free your heart from bitterness.
You may not be able to repair everything today. You may not receive the response you hope for. But you can do what is within your power and leave the outcome in God’s hands. Where pride has caused the separation, be the first to make peace. Where abuse has caused it, forgive without surrendering the boundaries that protect you.
Arise and shine. Carry the peace of Christ into a divided world – beginning with the division closest to your own heart.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 23: Do Not Grow Weary
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
“And in doing good, let us not fail. For in due time we shall reap, not failing” (Galatians 6:9).
Yesterday we spoke about having the courage to stand with Christ, even when we must stand alone. But there is another kind of courage the Christian life requires: the courage to keep standing when we have been standing for a long time.
There IS such a thing as spiritual exhaustion.
Sometimes we are not losing our faith. We are simply tired.
We have prayed for something that has not changed. We have fought the same battle again and again. We have watched someone we love walk away from God. We have tried to defend the Faith, help our families, carry our responsibilities, and do what is right – and sometimes we wonder how much longer we can keep going.
That is when the enemy begins to whisper: What difference is any of this making? He does not always have to convince us to abandon Christ. Sometimes he only has to make us weary enough to stop trying.
Elijah knew that kind of exhaustion. After courageously confronting the prophets of Baal, he fled into the wilderness and collapsed beneath a juniper tree. He had reached the end of himself.
And God did not condemn him. He strengthened him. The angel said: “Arise, eat: for thou hast yet a great way to go” (3 Kings 19:7).
Perhaps someone needs to hear that today. You may be tired, but you are not defeated. A tired soldier is still a soldier. A weary pilgrim is still on the road. And a Christian who falls to his knees because he no longer has the strength to stand is still facing God.
Sometimes faithfulness is not dramatic. Sometimes it is simply saying one more prayer. Going to Mass one more Sunday. Making one more good Confession. Forgiving one more time. Resisting the temptation one more time. Praying once more for the child who has wandered away. Getting up once more after you have fallen.
We want to see results, but God often asks us simply to remain faithful. We plant seeds whose harvest we may never see. We offer prayers without knowing what they have accomplished. We make sacrifices that nobody notices. But God notices. Nothing given to Him in faith is wasted.
So when you become weary, do not mistake weariness for failure. Rest when you need to rest. Sit beneath the juniper tree for a while. But do not quit. There is still a road ahead. Yesterday we asked for the courage to stand. Today, let us ask for the grace to keep standing.
Keep praying. Keep loving. Keep fighting the good fight. Keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus Christ. “For in due time we shall reap, not failing.”
Arise and shine. The journey is not over!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 22: Do Not Be Afraid to Stand Alone
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
There comes a moment in the life of every serious Christian when knowing the truth is no longer enough. We have to decide whether we are willing to stand for it.
It is relatively easy to believe when everyone around us agrees. It is easy to speak when our words are applauded. It is easy to defend the Faith when there is no cost attached to defending it. But what happens when obedience to Christ places us in the minority?
What happens when speaking the truth makes the room uncomfortable? When friends disagree? When family members roll their eyes? When the culture calls what we believe intolerant, outdated, unloving, or extreme? What happens when standing with Christ means standing alone?
Sacred Scripture is filled with men and women who faced that moment. Noah built the ark while the world carried on around him. Abraham left everything familiar because God told him to go. Moses stood before Pharaoh. David walked toward Goliath while seasoned soldiers stood back in fear. Daniel continued to pray when prayer could cost him his life.
The three young men stood before the fiery furnace and refused to bow.
Again and again, God has accomplished extraordinary things through people who were willing to remain faithful when faithfulness was lonely. There is a lesson in that for us. We spend a great deal of our lives wanting reassurance that other people agree with us. We look around before we speak. We measure the reaction of the room. We wonder what people will think. But the Christian cannot determine truth by counting heads.
There were times in Scripture when nearly everyone was wrong. The crowd mocked Noah. The crowd worshipped the golden calf.
The crowd cried, “Crucify Him.” The crowd chose Barabbas.
Truth did not cease to be truth simply because it was unpopular. And it still doesn’t. There may be moments in our lives when fidelity to Christ requires us to say quietly but firmly: “I cannot go along with this.” Not angrily. Not self-righteously. Not because we enjoy conflict. But because we belong to Jesus Christ. That kind of courage is becoming increasingly necessary.
We live in a culture that constantly pressures Christians to soften what Christ taught. We are told that certain truths should no longer be spoken because someone may find them offensive. We are tempted to remain silent about sin in the name of kindness. We are encouraged to make peace with things that Christians before us understood clearly to be contrary to God. And little by little, compromise can begin to look like charity. But charity without truth is not charity.
Sometimes love requires us to say what is difficult. Sometimes faithfulness requires us to refuse. Sometimes following Christ means that everyone else walks one direction while we walk another. Our Lord never promised His disciples that the world would approve of them. In fact, He told them precisely the opposite.
The saints understood this. They became saints because they refused to surrender Christ to the demands of their age.
St. Thomas More stood nearly alone when he refused to betray the truth about marriage and the authority of God. He lost his position, his freedom, and eventually his life.
St. Athanasius defended the divinity of Christ when enormous portions of the Christian world had fallen into confusion. His fidelity became so legendary that history remembers the phrase “Athanasius contra mundum” – “Athanasius against the world.” Not because Athanasius wanted to be against the world. But because he refused to be against Christ. That distinction matters.
We are not called to spend our lives fighting everyone around us. We are called to belong so completely to Jesus Christ that when the world walks away from Him, we do not walk with it. And often the hardest place to do this is not on some great public stage. It is in ordinary life.
It may be refusing to participate in gossip when everyone else is enjoying it. It may be defending someone who is being ridiculed. It may be refusing to compromise your values at work. It may be teaching your children the Faith when the culture tells them something entirely different. It may be making the Sign of the Cross in a restaurant. It may be going to Confession after years away. It may be refusing to laugh at something degrading.
It may simply be saying, when necessary, “I am Catholic. I cannot do that.” These small acts matter because courage grows through use. And remember this: when you stand with Christ, you are never truly standing alone.
So perhaps today we should ask ourselves some difficult questions: “Where have I been afraid to stand?” “Where have I remained silent because I wanted approval?” “Where have I compromised because I did not want to be different?” “Where have I known what Christ was asking of me but hesitated because I looked around and realized I might have to do it alone?”
Ask the Holy Spirit today for courage.
The world desperately needs Catholics who know where Christ is standing – and go stand beside Him. Even when it costs something. Even when others misunderstand. Even when the crowd walks away.
Yesterday we asked for the grace to recognize the voice of the Shepherd. Today, ask for the courage to follow that voice wherever He leads.
Arise and shine – and do not be afraid to stand with Christ, even when you must stand alone.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 21: Know His Voice
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
We live in a world filled with voices.
From the moment we wake up, someone is trying to tell us what to think, what to fear, what to desire, what to believe, and even what is true. Our phones begin speaking before our feet have touched the floor. News, social media, advertisements, opinions, arguments, experts, celebrities, politicians, friends, and strangers all compete for our attention.
And somewhere in the middle of all that noise is the voice that matters most. The voice of the Shepherd. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice: and I know them, and they follow Me.”
Notice that He did not say His sheep would never hear other voices. In fact, Our Lord specifically warned about the voice of the stranger: “But a stranger they follow not, but fly from him, because they know not the voice of strangers.”
The question for us, then, is not whether other voices will call to us. They will. The question is: Will we recognize the voice of Christ among them?
Think of a small child in a crowded room. There may be dozens of people talking, but when his mother speaks to him, he turns his head. Why? Because he knows that voice. He has heard it again and again. He recognizes the voice because he knows the person who is speaking.
It is much the same with Christ. We cannot expect to give Him only a few hurried moments here and there and then instantly recognize His voice when confusion comes. We learn the voice of the Shepherd by spending time with Him.
We hear Him in Sacred Scripture. We encounter Him in prayer. We receive Him in the Holy Eucharist. We meet Him in the Sacraments. We come to know His ways through the lives and witness of the saints. And sometimes we simply need to become quiet enough to hear Him.
But Christ has not left us to discern His voice by feelings alone. This is enormously important. Not every thought that enters our mind is an inspiration from God. Not everything that brings us comfort is from God, and not everything that makes us uncomfortable is contrary to Him. Our emotions can change. Our desires can deceive us. The culture around us can influence us so gradually that eventually something contrary to God can begin to seem perfectly reasonable. That is why the Good Shepherd has given us sure guides.
He has given us Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, the Commandments, the moral law, and the truths of the Catholic Faith.
The world may change its definitions of truth, goodness, marriage, family, human life, sin, freedom and virtue. Society may decide that yesterday’s wrong is today’s right. Popular opinion may change. Customs may change. Governments may change. Even voices within the Church may sometimes leave faithful Catholics confused. But Jesus Christ does not change. “Jesus Christ, yesterday, and today; and the same forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
If a voice tells us that something God has called sinful is no longer sinful, it is not the voice of the Shepherd. If a voice tells us that God’s commandments must be adjusted to accommodate the spirit of the age, it is not the voice of the Shepherd. If a voice tells us that truth must be sacrificed in order to appear compassionate, it is not the voice of the Shepherd.
And if a voice tells us that we must abandon what Christ has revealed in order to remain acceptable to the world, we should recognize the voice of a stranger.
The Shepherd is merciful, but His mercy never requires us to deny the truth. He welcomes the sinner, but He also says, “Go, and sin no more.” He searches for the lost sheep, but He does not leave the sheep lost. He carries it home.
And there is something else we should remember: the Shepherd’s voice is not always the voice telling us what we want to hear. Throughout Scripture, God’s voice called people to things that were difficult.
His voice said to Abraham: Go.
His voice said to Moses: Return to Egypt.
His voice said to the apostles: Leave your nets and follow Me.
His voice called the rich young man to surrender the very thing to which his heart was attached.
The Shepherd comforts us, certainly. But He also corrects us. Sometimes His voice says: Forgive. Tell the truth. Go to Confession. Put away that sin. Stop making excuses. Apologize. Be quiet. Be patient. Trust Me. Follow Me.
A shepherd does not simply make the sheep comfortable. He leads them. Sometimes He must lead them away from something that looks attractive but is dangerous. Sometimes He must lead them through a difficult passage to reach good pasture. The sheep may not understand the road, but they know the shepherd. That is why knowing Christ matters so much.
Perhaps one of the greatest spiritual dangers of our time is not that God has stopped speaking. Perhaps it is that we have become so accustomed to noise that we have forgotten how to listen. So before all the other voices begin demanding your attention today, give the Shepherd the first word. And ask Him simply, “Lord, help me to know Your voice so well that I will not follow a stranger.”
The world will have plenty to say to you before this day is over. Some of its voices will be loud. Some will be persuasive. Some will even sound compassionate and reasonable. But there is only one Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep. Learn His voice. Trust His voice. Follow His voice. And when the voices of the world grow loud, stay close enough to the Shepherd that you still recognize His call.
Arise and shine – and follow the voice that leads you home.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 20: Take Up Your Cross
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
There are some words of Our Lord that leave us very little room for comfortable Christianity. “Take up thy cross, and follow Me.” And yet, Christ never promised His followers a life without suffering. In fact, He told us plainly that the Cross would be part of the road.
And yet so much of our lives can be spent trying to escape every cross. We pray for the difficulty to disappear. We wait for circumstances to become easier. We imagine that we could serve God better if only we were not carrying this particular burden. But Christianity was born beneath a Cross.
The Cross is not evidence that God has abandoned us. In fact, it is precisely where He is doing His deepest work with us.
There are crosses we never would have chosen: illness, grief, loneliness, betrayal, financial hardship, family troubles, disappointment, misunderstanding, responsibilities that seem too heavy, and prayers that appear to go unanswered.
There are quieter crosses too: doing our duty when we are tired, remaining charitable toward someone who irritates us, forgiving when we have been wounded, resisting temptation, keeping silent when pride wants the last word, or simply getting up and beginning again when yesterday did not go well.
But there is something the world does not understand about suffering. For the Christian, suffering does not have to be wasted. When suffering is united to the suffering of Jesus Christ, it can become an offering. We can place it into His hands and say, “Lord, I give this to You. Use it for my purification, for the conversion of someone I love, for the souls in Purgatory, for the Church, for sinners, for someone who desperately needs grace today.”
Suddenly, something that seemed useless has been given a purpose. This does not mean that suffering becomes pleasant. Christianity does not ask us to pretend that pain does not hurt. Even Our Lord prayed in Gethsemane that the chalice might pass from Him. But then He prayed: “Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
That is where suffering can begin to change us. It can strip away our illusion of self-sufficiency. It can teach us compassion for the suffering of others. It can loosen our attachment to things that do not last. It can deepen prayer. It can humble us. And when it is accepted and offered with Christ, suffering can become a means of grace.
The very thing we would have thrown away may become something we can place upon the altar. That is one of the great mysteries of the Cross. The world says suffering is meaningless. Christ says, “Give it to Me.” The world says escape every hardship. Christ says, “Follow Me.”
We do not seek suffering for the sake of suffering. Christ Himself healed the sick and comforted the afflicted. But there will always be suffering we cannot remove. And that suffering does not have to be wasted.
Perhaps the cross before you today is not dramatic. Perhaps nobody else even knows you are carrying it. Offer it. Offer it for someone you love. Offer it for a child who has wandered from God. Offer it for the conversion of sinners. Offer it for the Church. Offer it in reparation. Offer it for a soul in Purgatory. Offer it simply because you love Jesus. Then carry it one step at a time.
And when you fall beneath it, remember what happened on the road to Calvary. Christ fell. And He rose and continued. We may fall too. We may discover that we are far weaker than we imagined. But holiness is not found in never struggling beneath the cross. It is found in continuing to turn toward Christ and allowing Him to raise us again.
Perhaps today we should stop asking only: “Lord, when will You take this cross away?” And begin asking: “Lord, how can I give this cross to You?” There is tremendous freedom in that prayer. Because suffering fought against with bitterness can harden the heart. But suffering surrendered to Christ can sanctify it.
So whatever cross has been placed upon your shoulders today, do not waste it. Take it to Jesus. Unite it to His Cross. Offer it with love. And then keep walking. Because on the other side of Calvary stands the Resurrection.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 19: Be Faithful Where You Are
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
“Who knoweth whether thou art not therefore come to the kingdom that thou mightest be ready in such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
It is tempting to imagine that we could serve God better if our circumstances were different. If our family understood us better. If our parish were stronger. If the Church were not passing through such confusion. If our country had not wandered so far from God. If we had more time, more strength, more influence, or fewer burdens. We can look at the world around us and wonder, “Lord, why here? Why now?”
But perhaps we should ask a different question: “Lord, what are You asking of me here?”
Esther did not choose the time into which she was born. She did not choose the crisis that confronted her people. Yet when the moment came, Mordecai reminded her that perhaps Providence had placed her exactly where she was for precisely that hour. The same is true for us.
We were not born one hundred years ago or five hundred years ago. We were born now. God has placed us in this particular moment of history, within a particular family, parish, community, and set of circumstances. We may not understand everything He permits, but we can be certain of this: there is work for us to do here.
We can spend our lives wishing for another battlefield, or we can become faithful on the ground God has given us. Maybe today your battlefield is the kitchen table, the workplace, the hospital room, the classroom, or the quiet room where no one sees you pray. Perhaps it is caring for someone who needs you when you are already tired. Perhaps it is holding your tongue when you would rather retaliate. Perhaps it is defending the truth when everyone around you has decided that truth is negotiable. Perhaps it is continuing to pray for a child who has wandered from God. Perhaps it is simply getting up again after yesterday’s failure and beginning once more.
Do not underestimate these things. The Kingdom of God has always advanced through seemingly small acts of fidelity. A mother teaching her child to pray. A father refusing to compromise what is right. A priest reverently offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. A young person choosing purity when the culture mocks it. Someone quietly kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament praying for a world that has forgotten God. A suffering soul offering pain rather than allowing it to become bitterness.
The world may never notice these things. Heaven does. The saints were not saints because they lived in easy times. Many lived through persecution, corruption, war, disease, division, scandal, and confusion within the Church itself. They became saints because they refused to allow the darkness around them to determine the condition of their own souls. That is important for us today.
We can become so occupied with everything that is wrong – with the Church, the culture, the government, our families, even with one another – that we forget the one soul God has placed most directly into our care: our own.
We cannot control whether the world becomes holy today. But by the grace of God, we can choose holiness today. We cannot make everyone speak the truth. We can speak it. We cannot make everyone forgive. We can forgive. We cannot make everyone return to God. We can turn toward Him. We cannot repair everything that is broken. But we can refuse to contribute to the brokenness.
AND THIS IS HOW RENEWAL BEGINS.
Your circumstances may not be the ones you would have chosen. Your assignment may not be the one you expected. The road before you may look very different from the one you imagined years ago. But God is here. And because God is here, this place can become holy ground. So do not spend today longing for another time, another place, or another assignment. Stand where God has placed you.
Love there. Pray there. Sacrifice there. Speak truth there. Forgive there. Carry your cross there. Bring Christ there. And when the world seems particularly dark, remember: that is precisely when the light of a faithful Christian becomes most visible.
Perhaps you have indeed “come to the kingdom … for such a time as this.”
Arise. Shine. Do not simply endure where God has placed you. Be faithful there. Become holy there. And by your faithfulness, help make that little corner of the world holy too.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 18: Do It Today!
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
It is easy to have good intentions. We intend to pray more. We intend to forgive. We intend to call the person who is lonely, apologize for the words we spoke, begin the good work God has placed on our heart, spend that hour with the Lord, or finally let go of something that is keeping us from Him.
But holiness is not built on intentions. It is built one faithful act at a time.
There is probably something you already know you should do. You may not need another sign, another week to think about it, or a more convenient moment. Perhaps the Holy Spirit has been quietly nudging you about it for some time.
Make the call. Say the prayer. Offer the apology. Perform the act of kindness. Go to confession. Visit the Blessed Sacrament. Forgive the person. Begin the work. Take one concrete step toward becoming the person Christ is calling you to be.
We sometimes imagine that following Christ will require one great heroic moment – and perhaps someday it will. But God usually prepares His saints for the great moments through faithfulness in the small ones. Every quiet “yes” strengthens us for the next one. Every act of obedience loosens the world’s hold on us and teaches our hearts to recognize the voice of the Shepherd.
Think of Our Lady at the Annunciation. She could not see everything her “yes” would require. She did not know all the roads it would take her down, the joys it would bring, or the sword that would pierce her heart. She simply knew that God was asking – and she answered: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word.” That one “yes” changed the world.
Perhaps our “yes” will never be known beyond our own home, family, parish, or community. That does not make it insignificant. God can do extraordinary things with an ordinary person who simply says yes.
And sometimes the greatest enemy of that “yes” is not outright refusal. It is “later.” Later, when life settles down. Later, when I feel stronger. Later, when I have more time. Later, when it is easier. But we are not promised later. We have today.
So ask Our Lord this morning: “What are you asking of me today?” Then be quiet enough to listen. And when you know the answer, don’t put it off.
Arise. Shine. Say yes to God in the thing that is before you. Do the good that is yours to do – and do it today.
“To him therefore who knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17)
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 17: Stand and Be Amazed!
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
“And He was transfigured before them. And His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as snow.” (Matthew 17:2)
For sixteen days, we have been learning to walk more intentionally with Christ – beginning each day with Him, inviting Him into the interruptions, encouraging others, making our faith visible, building holy habits, guarding the gate of our heart, making room in this noisy world for silence, living purposefully, opening our hands, and keeping them open, abiding with Him (don’t forget a Holy Hour), following Him without looking back (don’t forget the salt!), remembering the Day of the Lord each week, walking the “little way,” and being an instrument of peace, and an instrument of joy.
Today, on the Feast of the Transfiguration, Our Lord gives us another invitation. Stand and be amazed!
We live in a world that rarely stops. Our minds race from one responsibility to the next, our attention is pulled in a hundred directions, and even our prayer can become hurried. Yet on Mount Tabor, Jesus led Peter, James, and John away from the crowds. Before asking them to carry the Cross with Him, He allowed them to see His glory. For one breathtaking moment, heaven broke through the ordinary, and they stood in awe before the Son of God.
That invitation is still extended to us today. God is constantly revealing His presence, but we often move too quickly to notice. He answers prayers in ways we never expected. He opens doors that once seemed firmly shut. He gives us strength we did not know we possessed, peace in the midst of turmoil, wisdom at just the right moment, and unexpected encouragement through the words or kindness of another person. Looking back, most of us can see moments when God’s hand quietly guided our lives, protected us from unseen dangers, or provided exactly what we needed at precisely the right time. These are not coincidences. They are reminders that our Heavenly Father is actively at work.
Too often we become so familiar with His blessings that we cease to marvel at them. Every sunrise proclaims His faithfulness. Every breath is His gift. Every confession is a miracle of mercy. Every Holy Mass is an encounter with the living Christ. The more we learn to notice His presence in the ordinary, the more our hearts become filled with gratitude, confidence, and hope.
Today, slow down. Pause for a few moments of silence before the Lord. Read today’s Gospel prayerfully. Think back over your own life and remember the prayers He has answered, the times He has carried you through difficulties, and the countless blessings you may have overlooked. Stand before Him with the wonder of Peter, James, and John, and simply be amazed.
When we truly see Christ, we cannot remain the same. Like the disciples descending from the mountain, we return to the ordinary duties of life with renewed faith, renewed courage, and renewed hope, carrying His light into a world that desperately needs to see Him.
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye Him.” (Matthew 17:5)
STAND AND BE AMAZED!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 16: Choose Joy
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Over the past fifteen days, the Lord has been inviting us to live more intentionally as His disciples. We have learned to trust Him more deeply, and to love more generously. Today He extends another invitation – one that is often misunderstood. Choose Joy.
The joy Christ offers is not dependent upon pleasant circumstances or an easy life. It is not the fleeting happiness the world seeks through comfort, success, or recognition. Christian joy is born from the unshakable confidence that God is with us, that He is faithful to His promises, and that nothing can separate us from His love when we remain in Him.
The saints understood this well. They endured persecution, illness, loss, and countless trials, yet they radiated a joy that the world could neither explain nor take away. Their joy was not rooted in what they possessed but in Whom they belonged to. They knew that every cross embraced with love became a path leading them closer to Christ.
Our world desperately needs this kind of witness. Everywhere we look, people are burdened by anxiety, discouragement, and uncertainty. A joyful Christian is not someone who ignores suffering but someone who walks through it with unwavering hope. Joy proclaims that Christ has conquered sin and death, that He reigns even when the future seems uncertain, and that His grace is always sufficient for those who trust Him.
St. Damien of Molokai offers us a remarkable witness to this joy. He freely chose to live among those afflicted with leprosy, knowing the risks and ultimately sharing in their suffering. Yet he served them with unwavering love, hope, and even joy because his life was rooted in Christ. His happiness did not come from easy circumstances but from giving himself completely to God and to those entrusted to his care.
Joy is a choice we make each day. We choose gratitude instead of constant complaint. We choose hope instead of despair. We choose to remember God’s blessings instead of dwelling only on our burdens. As we make those choices, the Holy Spirit gradually forms within us the joy that becomes a quiet but powerful testimony to the presence of Christ.
Today, choose joy. Thank God for His blessings, both great and small. Encourage someone who is struggling. Smile at those you meet. Let your words reflect hope rather than discouragement. No matter what trials you face, remember that Christ is walking beside you. A joyful heart rooted in Him becomes a light that draws others to the One who is our lasting peace, our unfailing hope, and our greatest joy.
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be filled.” (John 15:11)
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 15: Be an Instrument of Peace
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Over the past two weeks, the Lord has been leading us on a beautiful journey. We began by giving Him the first moments of each day. We invited Him into our interruptions, encouraged others, made our faith visible, built holy habits, guarded the gates of our hearts, embraced silence, lived with purpose, opened our hands, learned to keep them open, remained with Him, followed Him without looking back, remembered the Day of the Lord, and yesterday embraced the Little Way of countless small acts done with great love.
Each step has drawn us closer to Christ. Each has shaped our hearts to think more like Him, love more like Him, and trust Him more completely.
But none of these steps were meant to end with us.
God forms His people so that they may become a blessing to others. As He changes our hearts, He sends us into our homes, our workplaces, our parishes, and our communities to carry His peace, His mercy, and His truth. We are called to be instruments in the hands of God – not seeking attention for ourselves, but allowing Christ to work through us.
St. Francis understood that God does His greatest work through humble souls. He did not rely on wealth, power, or position to change the world. He simply surrendered himself completely to Christ. Because He allowed God to use him completely, one faithful life became the spark of renewal for countless others. That same invitation is extended to each of us. We may never preach to crowds or found a religious order, but every one of us can become an instrument through which Christ brings His peace into the life of another.
Peace is not weakness, nor is it simply the absence of conflict. The peace of Christ is a quiet strength that remains steady when the world is in turmoil. It is the gentle answer that turns away anger. It is the patient heart that refuses to become bitter. It is the calm spirit that trusts God when others are overcome by fear. St. Francis carried this peace wherever he went because he first allowed Christ to reign in his own heart. The more deeply we abide in Christ, the more His peace flows through us to everyone we meet. In a world filled with noise, division, and anxiety, a soul at peace becomes a powerful witness to the presence of God.
The renewal of the Church will not begin in headlines or grand accomplishments. It begins in hearts surrendered to Christ and in ordinary disciples who faithfully bring His love and His peace wherever they go. God delights in using humble souls to accomplish His greatest works.
Today, ask the Lord to make you an instrument of His peace. Let His peace be seen in your patience when you are tested, in your gentleness when others are harsh, in your calm trust when the world is anxious, and in your kindness toward those who are carrying hidden burdens. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and generous in mercy. Wherever you go today, bring the quiet strength that comes from a heart resting in Christ. You may never know how God uses your words, your smile, your silence, or your charity to touch another soul, but He does. Through your humble fidelity, He can bring His peace into troubled hearts and continue His work of renewing His Church.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 14: Walk the Little Way
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Yesterday we honored the Lord’s Day, gathering with the Church to worship Almighty God and receiving the priceless gift of Our Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist. Today, the Lord sends us back into the ordinary duties of life – not to leave Him behind, but to carry His presence into every moment of the week. The grace we received at the altar is meant to transform the way we live, the way we love, and the way we serve.
We often imagine that renewing the Church requires extraordinary people doing extraordinary things. Yet God has always renewed His Church through ordinary men and women who were willing to become saints. Holiness is not found first in grand accomplishments but in daily fidelity – in choosing Christ again and again through the ordinary moments that make up our lives.
One of the greatest witnesses to this truth is St. Therese of the Child Jesus, the Little Flower. Though she lived a hidden life within the walls of a Carmelite monastery and died at only twenty-four years of age, the Church recognizes her as a Doctor of the Church because she discovered what she called the “Little Way” – the path of becoming holy through countless small acts done with great love. She wrote, “Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”
How different our families, our parishes, and our nation would be if each of us embraced that Little Way. A patient response instead of an angry one. A kind word instead of criticism. A hidden act of charity. Time spent in prayer when no one else knows. Forgiving an old wound. Carrying a burden without complaint. These acts may seem small, but when offered to God with love, they become powerful instruments of His grace.
Our world celebrates what is spectacular, but heaven rejoices over faithful hearts. God sees every unseen sacrifice, every quiet act of obedience, every moment we choose humility over pride and charity over selfishness. These hidden victories are never wasted. They shape our souls, strengthen the Church, and become a light that shines far beyond what we can see.
If we truly desire to see the Church renewed, let us begin where God has placed us today. Let us not wait for some great opportunity to serve Him. Instead, let us seek to be faithful in the small opportunities He places before us this very day. The saints remind us that God’s greatest works often begin in hidden hearts completely surrendered to Him.
Today, walk the Little Way. Do not look for one great thing to do for God. Rather, look for many little things to do with great love. Offer every prayer, every duty, every sacrifice, and every act of kindness to Jesus. Through countless faithful souls living this Little Way, God continues His work of renewing His Church.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 13: Remember the Day of the Lord
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Yesterday we were reminded to keep our eyes fixed on Christ and never look back. Today, the Church invites us to pause and remember the Day of the Lord – the day that gives meaning and strength to every other day of the week.
Sunday is not merely the end of one week or the beginning of another. It is the Lord’s Day, the day of the Resurrection. It is the day when Christ calls His people together to worship, to hear His life-giving Word, and to be nourished with His own Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Most Holy Eucharist.
In a world that is constantly demanding our attention, Sunday reminds us of what matters most. Before we are workers, parents, grandparents, or friends, we are sons and daughters of God. Before we are sent into the world, we are first called to kneel before our Creator in humble adoration.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not simply something we attend. It is the supreme act of worship, where heaven touches earth. There we bring our prayers, our burdens, our joys, and our sorrows, and we place them upon the altar. And Our Lord gives us Himself – the greatest gift ever entrusted to His Church.
If we desire to see our families renewed, our nation restored, and the Church renewed, that renewal must begin with hearts transformed by Christ. Every reverent Sunday Mass, every worthy Holy Communion, every hour spent honoring the Lord’s Day draws us more deeply into His life and equips us to bear faithful witness in a world that desperately needs hope.
As this new week begins, do not leave today’s graces behind when you walk out the church doors. Carry Christ into your home, your work, your conversations, and your daily duties. Let the peace you receive at the altar be reflected in the way you live, the way you speak, and the way you love.
Today, remember the Day of the Lord. Give Him not what is left over, but the first place in your heart. For when Christ is at the center of our lives, every day is filled with the light of His presence, and we become instruments of the renewal He desires for His Church.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 12: Follow Him Without Looking Back
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
For the past eleven days, the Lord has been leading us one step at a time. We have offered Him the first moments of our day, welcomed Him into life’s interruptions, encouraged others, made our faith visible, built holy habits, guarded our hearts, embraced silence, lived with purpose, opened our hands, and learned to abide in His Presence.
These have not been isolated lessons. They have been steps along a path – a path that leads us ever closer to Christ and prepares us to help renew His Church.
Today, Our Lord gives us a solemn reminder in just three words: “Remember Lot’s wife.”
When God led Lot and his family out of Sodom, they were given a simple command: Do not look back. Their future lay ahead, not behind. Yet Lot’s wife turned back, and in that single glance she revealed that part of her heart was still attached to the life she had been called to leave.
The warning is just as relevant for us. Once Christ has called us forward, we cannot keep turning our attention to what lies behind. A disciple who is always looking back will eventually lose sight of the Master who is leading him. The Christian life is not lived by drifting between two directions. It is lived with our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus Christ.
The renewal of the Church will require Catholics who refuse to lose their focus. There will always be distractions. There will always be discouragements. There will always be voices urging us to compromise, to grow weary, or to abandon the path because it is difficult. But Christ has not called us to begin this journey only to wander from it. He calls us to persevere – to keep walking faithfully until we reach the destination He has prepared for us.
Today, renew your resolve. Do not become distracted by the noise of the world or discouraged by the challenges before the Church. Keep your eyes on Christ. Stay on the path He has set before you. Every faithful step matters, even when you cannot yet see where the road is leading.
As we continue this journey together, let us remember that those who help renew the Church are not those who necessarily start well, but those who remain faithful to the end. Let us walk forward with confidence, never looking back, always keeping our gaze fixed on Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 11: Abide with Him
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
“Could you not watch one hour with Me?” (Matthew 26:40)
For the past ten days, the Lord has gently led us on a journey of surrender. One step at a time, He has asked for more of our hearts. We have been asked to give Him the first moment of our day, welcome Him into life’s interruptions, encourage another soul, let our faith be visible, build holy habits, guard the gates of our hearts, embrace silence, live purposefully, and finally to open our hands – and to keep them open.
But surrender is not the destination. It is the doorway.
Once our hands are open, the Lord invites us to something even deeper. He invites us to abide with Him.
On the night before His Passion, Our Lord brought Peter, James, and John into the Garden of Gethsemane. He did not ask them to solve the problems that lay ahead or even to understand all that was about to happen. He simply asked them, “Could you not watch one hour with Me?” Sadly, they slept.
That same invitation is extended to us today.
Where do we watch with Him now? Before the Blessed Sacrament. There, hidden beneath the humble appearance of bread, is Jesus Christ Himself – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. He waits for us, not because He needs our company, but because we need His presence.
If the Church is to be renewed, it will not happen simply because we work harder or speak more boldly. It will happen because Catholics once again become men and women of the Eucharist. Every great renewal in the Church has begun with souls who first learned to kneel before their Eucharistic King.
If you are able, make a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament this week. If an hour is more than you can give, begin with fifteen minutes. Bring Him your joys, your burdens, your fears, and then rest quietly in His presence. He has far more to give us than we could ever bring to Him.
As we continue this journey together, let us not only keep our hands open to the Lord. Let us also keep our hearts close to His Eucharistic Heart. There, in the silence of His Real Presence, He strengthens surrendered souls, forms faithful disciples, and prepares His people for the renewal of His Church.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 10: Now, Keep them Open!
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Yesterday, the Lord asked us a simple question: “Show me your hands.”
Many of us recognized that one hand was open, but the other was still behind our back, holding tightly to something we were not yet ready to give up. Perhaps it was a fear, a wound, a plan, a habit, or simply your own will.
Yesterday, we opened our hands. However, today, the Lord asks something even more difficult. He asks: “Will you keep them open?”
As we reach the tenth day of this journey, it is good to pause and look back. The Lord has been leading us one step at a time. He invited us to begin. We learned to give Him the first moments of our day, to welcome Him into every interruption, to encourage another soul, to let our faith be visible, to build holy habits, to guard the gates of our hearts, to embrace silence, to live purposefully, and finally to place everything into His hands.
These have not been ten separate reflections. They have been ten steps toward a heart that is truly free – a heart no longer controlled by fear, distraction, self-will, or the endless need to be in control.
But freedom in Christ is not found in one beautiful moment of surrender. It is found in choosing Him again tomorrow … and the day after that … and the day after that.
Anyone can experience a moment of inspiration. True discipleship is what remains when the inspiration fades. It is then that we discover whether we have truly surrendered – or whether we are quietly reaching behind our backs to reclaim what we once placed in God’s hands.
True surrender is not measured by what we place before God once. It is measured by what we refuse to take back.
This is the great lesson of the saints. St. Francis of Assisi did not become the joyful saint we love through one heroic act. His life became a continual “yes” to God. Every day Francis loosened his grip a little further. He discovered that every attachment surrendered made more room for Christ, and every act of obedience brought greater freedom and deeper joy.
Our Lord tells us, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Daily. Not once, but every day. Surrender is not a single decision; it is a way of life.
Perhaps that is why the renewal of the Church has seemed so difficult. We have often looked for new ideas, new strategies, or new solutions, when the Lord has always begun in the same place – asking for our surrendered hearts. The Church will be renewed when ordinary men and women decide that Christ truly is Lord of every corner of their lives and refuse to take back what they have entrusted to Him.
So today, resist the temptation to close your hands again. Keep them open when God’s plans differ from your own. Keep them open when obedience costs something. Keep them open when fear whispers that you should take control again.
The Lord never empties our hands without desiring to fill them with something greater. Trust Him enough to leave everything in His care.
The journey continues. Ten days ago, you accepted the invitation. Today, renew that “yes.” The Lord is preparing His people, one surrendered heart at a time, and through those hearts He will renew His Church.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 9: Open Your Hands
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Over these past days, the Lord has been preparing us. We have learned to begin each day with Him, to invite Him into every interruption, to encourage one another, to let our faith be visible, to establish holy habits, to guard the gates of our hearts, to embrace silence, and to live each day with purpose.
Today, He invites us to take another step.
OPEN YOUR HANDS.
When our children were little and we suspected they had taken something they weren’t supposed to have, we would simply say, “Show me your hands.” One hand would come forward, but the other often stayed hidden behind their back, tightly holding the cookie, the toy, or whatever they didn’t want to surrender.
I sometimes wonder if the Lord asks us the very same question: “Show Me your hands.”
We quickly hold out one hand. “Lord, my life is Yours. My family is Yours. My work is Yours. My time is Yours.”
But what about the other hand?
It is still hidden behind our back, tightly holding something we have decided God cannot have. Perhaps it is a habit we excuse, a dream we insist on controlling, a comfort we are unwilling to leave behind, or simply our own will.
The truth is, we cannot say we have surrendered everything if one hand remains closed.
Our Lord never asks us to surrender something because He delights in taking things away. He asks because He desires all of our heart. Every attachment we refuse to release limits what He is able to accomplish in us. Every hidden corner we keep from Him becomes a place where His grace is unwelcome.
The renewal of the Church will not come through people who have given God most of their lives. It will come through souls who have placed everything into His hands, trusting that whatever He asks of them is for His glory and their eternal good.
Today, spend a few quiet moments before the Lord. Let Him ask you, “Show Me your hands.” Then honestly ask yourself: “What am I still holding behind my back?” Whatever it is, place it into His hands.
He is worthy of your trust.
Much is coming! Continue these small, faithful steps. The Lord is preparing His people, beginning with each one of us.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 8: BE PURPOSEFUL
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Over these past days, we have been taking deliberate steps toward the renewal of Christ’s Church by first allowing Him to renew us. We have chosen to begin each day with God, to invite Him into every interruption, to strengthen one another through encouragement, to let our faith be visible before the world, to establish holy habits that anchor us in His grace, to guard the gates of our hearts, and to make room for silence. Today we take another step.
BE PURPOSEFUL.
A mother of a large family was once asked how she decided which invitations to accept, which activities to participate in, and even how she chose her words so carefully. With so many responsibilities and so little time, people wondered how she knew what was truly worth doing.
Her answer was simple. She looked at life as a journey toward God. In her mind, there was no standing still. Every action, every decision, every commitment, every conversation, and every word either moved her one step closer to Christ or one step farther away. Nothing was neutral. Before she agreed to do something – and often before she spoke – she would ask herself, “Will this move me toward Christ, or away from Him?” If it would not help her grow closer to the Lord, she chose another path.
What a profound way to live!
Our world encourages us to fill every moment. We scroll without purpose. We speak without thinking. We watch whatever entertains us. We commit ourselves to countless activities simply because they are available. Yet every moment of our lives is a gift from God, entrusted to us for a reason.
Nothing is neutral.
That does not mean we can never rest or enjoy recreation. Even rest has a purpose when it refreshes us to serve God more faithfully. Even wholesome recreation has a purpose when it strengthens our families, deepens friendships, restores our minds, or fills our hearts with gratitude. But when we simply drift through life without asking why we are doing what we are doing, we begin to lose sight of the One for whom we are living.
St. Paul reminds us, “All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Colossians 3:17)
Every word should have a purpose. Every action should have a purpose. Every commitment should have a purpose. Every hour of the day should be lived with eternity in view.
Before you speak today, ask yourself, “Why am I saying this?” Will these words draw me closer to Christ? Will they encourage someone else to draw closer to Him? Before you spend your time, ask, “Why am I doing this?” Is this leading me toward the life God is calling me to live, or is it quietly pulling me away?
Nothing is neutral.
The renewal of the Church will come through Christians who no longer drift through life, but who intentionally offer every word, every action, every decision, and every moment to the glory of God. When we live with purpose, we live as true disciples of Jesus Christ.
Much is coming! Continue these small, faithful steps. The Lord is preparing His people, beginning with each one of us.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 7: Make Room for Silence
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Over these past days, we have begun taking deliberate steps toward the renewal of Christ’s Church by first allowing Christ to renew us. We have chosen to begin each day with God, to invite Him into every interruption, to strengthen one another through encouragement, to let our faith be visible before the world, to establish holy habits that anchor us in His grace, and to guard the gates of our hearts. Today we take another essential step.
MAKE ROOM FOR SILENCE.
We live in a world that is constantly speaking. News, music, podcasts, social media, text messages, endless conversations, and the demands of daily life fill nearly every quiet moment. We have become so accustomed to noise that silence can seem uncomfortable. Yet throughout Sacred Scripture, we find that God often speaks, not through the clamor of the world, but in the quietness of a listening heart.
When the prophet Elias fled to Mount Horeb, he witnessed a mighty wind, an earthquake, and a fire. But the Lord was not in these dramatic displays. God revealed Himself in “the whistling of a gentle air” (3 Kings 19:12). Elias recognized the voice of God because he was listening.
Silence is not merely the absence of sound. It is the deliberate choice to quiet the distractions that compete for our attention so that we may become attentive to the presence of God. In silence, we begin to recognize the gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit. We become more aware of our own thoughts, our need for conversion, and the quiet invitations of God’s grace.
Our Lord Himself sought silence. Again and again throughout the Gospels, Jesus withdrew to quiet places to pray.
Today, choose a few moments of intentional silence. Before reaching for your phone, sit quietly with the Lord. Turn off the radio during part of your drive. Spend a few minutes before the Blessed Sacrament if you are able, or simply sit quietly in your home and say, “Speak, Lord, for Thy servant is listening.” Do not worry about filling the silence with words. Simply be present with Him and allow Him to be present to you.
The renewal of the Church will not come merely from louder voices or busier lives. It will come from hearts that have learned to listen. When we make room for silence, we make room for God to speak, to heal, to strengthen, and to guide us according to His holy will.
Much is coming! Continue these small, faithful steps. The Lord is preparing His people, beginning with each one of us.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 6: Guard the Gates of Your Heart
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Over these past days, we have begun taking deliberate steps toward the renewal of Christ’s Church by first allowing Christ to renew us. We have chosen to begin each day with God, to invite Him into every interruption, to strengthen one another through encouragement, to let our faith be visible before the world, and to establish holy habits that anchor our lives in His grace. These are not isolated practices. They are forming us into disciples whose lives are rooted in Christ. Today, we take another important step.
Guard the gates of your heart.
Every city that hoped to endure protected its gates with constant vigilance. Strong walls meant little if the gates were left unguarded, for that is where the enemy sought entrance. Our spiritual lives are no different. The gates of our hearts are our eyes, our ears, our thoughts, our conversations, and our imaginations. Whatever we continually allow to enter through those gates gradually shapes the person we become.
We live in a world where countless influences seek entrance into our hearts. Every day we make choices about what we will see, what we will hear, what we will read, what we will dwell upon, and whom we will allow to influence us. Some of these things draw us closer to Christ, while others slowly pull us away from Him. The enemy knows that if he can gain entrance through even one unguarded gate, he can gradually weaken our love for God, our desire for holiness, and our peace of soul.
That is why we must guard the gates of our hearts with vigilance. We guard our eyes from anything that is impure, immodest, violent, or contrary to the dignity of the human person. We guard our ears from gossip, slander, false teaching, coarse language, and voices that sow fear, division, or discouragement. We guard our thoughts from impurity, pride, resentment, envy, judgment, despair, and every temptation that seeks to draw us away from Christ.
We guard our conversations so that our words are truthful, charitable, and worthy of a disciple of Jesus Christ. We guard our imaginations, refusing to dwell on fantasies, anxieties, or temptations that lead us away from holiness. Every gate of the heart must be watched carefully, for whatever we repeatedly welcome into our hearts will either strengthen our friendship with Christ or slowly weaken it.
Guarding the gates of our hearts is not about withdrawing from the world or living in fear. It is about living with discernment and allowing Christ to reign within us. Each day we must choose what we will welcome and what we will reject, asking the Holy Spirit for the wisdom and courage to close the gates to whatever leads us away from God and to open them ever wider to His truth, His goodness, and His grace.
Today is the Lord’s Day, and there is no greater way to strengthen and protect our hearts than by participating in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. There, we encounter Jesus Christ, truly present in the Holy Eucharist. He speaks to us through His Word, nourishes us with His own Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, and gives us the grace to remain faithful in a world that constantly seeks to draw our hearts away from Him.
As you come to Mass today, ask the Lord to search your heart. Invite Him to reveal anything that does not belong there and to fill every corner of your soul with His peace, His truth, and His love. Then leave with renewed hearts, resolved to guard well the precious gift of God’s grace and to bear faithful witness to Christ in all you do.
Much is coming! Continue these small, faithful steps. The Lord is preparing His people, beginning with each one of us.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 5: Build Holy Habits
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Over the past several days, we have taken the first steps toward renewing Christ’s Church by renewing our own hearts. We have placed God first, invited Him into the ordinary moments of our day, encouraged those around us with His love, and allowed our faith to become visible before the world. These are not isolated acts. They are the beginning of a new way of living. Today, we take another step.
BUILD HOLY HABITS.
A life of holiness is rarely formed through one great decision. It is built one faithful choice at a time until those choices become part of who we are. The saints did not become saints because they occasionally prayed or occasionally trusted God. They became saints because prayer, sacrifice, charity, and obedience became the steady rhythm of their daily lives.
The world is full of habits that slowly pull us away from God. We reach for our phones without thinking. We fill every quiet moment with noise. We hurry from one task to another without lifting our hearts to Heaven. Little by little, these habits shape us, often without our even realizing it.
Holy habits shape us as well.
Imagine what would happen if every Catholic began every morning by placing the day in God’s hands. Imagine if each week we committed ourselves to making a Holy Hour before Our Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, allowing Him to strengthen our faith, deepen our love, and fill us with His peace. Imagine families praying the Rosary together each day. Imagine if reading Sacred Scripture became as natural as checking the day’s headlines.
Imagine if every inconvenience became an opportunity to offer a hidden sacrifice for the conversion of sinners, for our priests, and for the renewal of Christ’s Church. Imagine if frequent Confession and faithful attendance at Holy Mass became the anchor of our lives rather than something we fit in only when it is convenient.
These are not simply good resolutions. They are the holy habits that shape saints. They draw us ever closer to Christ and gradually transform the way we think, speak, and live. A Church renewed by such souls cannot help but become a beacon of hope in a world that is searching for truth. The renewal we long for will not begin in conference rooms or committees. It will begin in chapels before the Blessed Sacrament, in homes where families pray together, and in hearts that choose Christ again and again each day.
Today, prayerfully choose one holy habit that you will intentionally begin. Perhaps it is committing to a weekly Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament. Perhaps it is praying the Rosary each morning before the distractions of the day begin. Perhaps it is spending fifteen minutes with Sacred Scripture, making a daily examination of conscience before bed, or offering a hidden sacrifice for someone in need. Choose something simple, entrust it to the Lord, and then remain faithful. Day by day, these small acts become the path by which Christ forms us into the disciples He is calling us to be.
The Lord is preparing His people for the days ahead. We cannot know all that lies before us, but we do know this: the souls who remain steadfast will be those who have learned to walk faithfully with Him every day. Let us build now the holy habits that will keep our eyes fixed on Christ no matter what comes. As He renews our hearts, He will renew His Church – one faithful soul, one faithful family, and one faithful parish at a time.
Much is coming! Continue these small, faithful steps. The Lord is preparing His people, beginning with each one of us.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 4: LET YOUR FAITH BE VISIBLE
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Over the past several days, we have begun renewing our hearts by placing God first, inviting Him into the ordinary moments of our day, and allowing His love to reach another person through simple acts of encouragement. Today, we take another step.
DO NOT KEEP YOUR FAITH HIDDEN.
Our world desperately needs the quiet witness of faithful Catholics who are not afraid to let others know that Christ is the center of their lives. We do not need to preach long sermons or seek attention. Sometimes the most powerful witness is simply making the Sign of the Cross before a meal, offering to pray with someone, speaking naturally about God’s goodness, carrying a rosary, wearing a crucifix, or refusing to be silent when the truth needs to be spoken with charity.
Every act of faithful witness reminds the world that Jesus Christ is alive and that His Church still shines with the light He entrusted to her.
The renewal of the Church will not come primarily through programs. It will come as ordinary believers begin living their faith openly, joyfully, and courageously. One faithful witness encourages another, and before long, light begins to spread where darkness once seemed to prevail.
“Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick … So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:15-16)
Today’s practice is simple. Choose one visible act of faith that you would normally hesitate to do. Make the Sign of the Cross before your meal in public. Tell someone you will pray for them – and then pray with them if the opportunity arises. Carry your rosary with humble confidence wherever the Lord sends you today.
The Lord is preparing His people for renewal. As our hearts are transformed, our witness becomes a light for others. Never underestimate what God can do through one soul who is willing to shine for Him.
Much is coming! Continue these small, faithful steps. The Lord is preparing hearts, beginning with our own.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 3: CHOOSE ONE PERSON TO ENCOURAGE
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
For the past two days, we have begun turning our hearts more intentionally toward God. We started by giving Him the first moments of our day. Then we learned to invite Him into the ordinary interruptions of daily life. Today, we take another step.
Ask the Lord to place one person on your heart.
Perhaps it is someone who is lonely, discouraged, burdened, or simply overlooked. It may be a family member, a friend, a coworker, or even someone you barely know. Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. If the Lord brings someone to mind, trust that gentle prompting.
Reach out today. Send a message. Make a phone call. Write a note. Offer a sincere word of encouragement. Tell someone you are praying for them – and then truly do it. If you are face to face with someone, listen with your full attention. Sometimes the greatest gift we can give is to let another person know they have been seen, heard, and loved.
We live in a world where many people carry heavy burdens that no one else can see. A small act of kindness offered in Christ’s name may become an answer to a prayer you never knew was being prayed.
Our faith is never meant to remain hidden within us. The love of Christ always seeks to overflow into the lives of others. As disciples, we are called not only to receive His grace but also to become instruments through whom His grace reaches the world.
“Bear ye one another’s burdens; and so you shall fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
Today’s practice is simple: ask God to show you one person who needs encouragement, and then act. Don’t put it off until tomorrow. Let someone experience the love of Christ through your words, your presence, or your prayers.
The renewal of the Church begins one faithful soul at a time – and often, one loving act at a time.
Much is coming! Continue these small, faithful steps. The Lord is preparing hearts, beginning with our own.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 2: INVITE GOD INTO EVERY INTERRUPTION
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Yesterday we began by giving God the first moments of our day. Today we take the next step: invite Him into the moments that usually distract us.
Think about how many times each day we reach for our phone. We pick it up almost without thinking – to check a message, read the news, answer an email, or scroll through social media. What if every time we reached for our phone, we first reached for God?
Before you unlock your phone each time today, pause for just a moment. Make the Sign of the Cross, or simply pray, “Jesus, guide my mind, guard my heart, and help me use this well.” That brief prayer may only take a few seconds, but it transforms an ordinary habit into an encounter with the Lord.
Technology is a tool. It can help us spread truth, encourage others, and stay connected. But it can also become a source of distraction, anger, comparison, and wasted time. We must be intentional. Ask yourself before you continue scrolling: Is what I’m about to read drawing me closer to Christ, or pulling me away from Him?
St. Francis lived with extraordinary simplicity. He was free because his heart was fixed on Christ rather than on the constant demands of the world. We are called to that same freedom. While most of us cannot leave behind our phones or computers, we can refuse to let them rule our hearts.
Today, choose one simple practice. Before every time you unlock your phone, offer a brief prayer. If you see something online that stirs anger or fear, stop and pray for the people involved instead of reacting immediately. If you are about to post something, ask yourself: “Will this bring more truth, goodness, and charity into the world?”
Little choices shape great souls. These small acts of recollection prepare us to hear God’s voice more clearly and to become instruments of His peace in a noisy world.
“Set your affection on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.” (Colossians 3:2)
Today, let every interruption become an invitation to prayer. Let every glance at your phone remind you that your first connection is not to the world – it is to Jesus Christ.
Much is coming! Keep taking those small, faithful steps, and watch how the Lord begins to transform your heart.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
DAY 1: GIVE GOD THE FIRST MOMENTS
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Yesterday we accepted the invitation. Today we begin the journey.
Every journey begins with a single step, and the first step is this: give God the first moments of your day. Before the news, before the phone, before the endless list of responsibilities, pause and turn your heart toward Him.
It doesn’t have to be long. It may be only a few quiet minutes. Make the Sign of the Cross. Thank Him for the gift of another day. Place yourself in His presence. Ask Him for the grace to see this day through His eyes and to accomplish His will rather than your own.
Those first moments matter because they set the direction for everything that follows. If we begin in distraction, we often remain distracted. If we begin in anxiety, anxiety follows us. But when we begin with God, we invite Him to walk with us through every conversation, every decision, every joy, and every trial.
This is how renewal begins – not with dramatic gestures, but with faithful habits. The saints were not made by extraordinary moments alone. They became saints because they chose God again and again in the ordinary moments of each day.
St. Francis began by listening. He made room for God to speak before he rushed to act. We must do the same. Our world is filled with noise, but the Lord still speaks in the silence to those who are willing to listen.
So today’s invitation is simple and practical. Before this day ends, resolve that tomorrow morning your first words will be to God. If you’ve already begun your day today, pause right now. Give Him these moments. Tell Him, “Lord, this day belongs to You. Guide my thoughts, my words, and my actions. Help me to be faithful in the little things, and let everything I do today give You glory.”
If each of us begins every day this way, our hearts will change. As our hearts are renewed, our families will be strengthened. As families are strengthened, our parishes and communities will be renewed. God often begins His greatest works with what the world considers the smallest acts of fidelity.
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)
Today, let us take the first step. Before anything else, let us give God the first moments of our day – and trust Him to lead us on the journey ahead. Much is coming! So today, take the first step, and get ready!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
GOOD MORNING!
When I recently began “Arise and Shine,” it was the start of more than a daily reflection – it was a call – a call to all who love Christ and His Church to step forward and become part of the work of renewal that is so urgently needed in our time.
After my pilgrimage to Quito and time spent reflecting on the message of Our Lady of Good Success, it became even more clear that now is the time for faithful souls to come together. Our Lady warned of great trials for the Church and the priesthood, but she also reminded us that God never abandons His people. He always raises up faithful men and women who will answer His call with generous hearts.
That is why “Arise and Shine” exists. But a call is only the beginning.
Now it is time to begin the journey together.
Beginning tomorrow, each day we will take another step along a path of renewal. Rather than simply reflecting on the challenges around us, we will focus on one area that each of us can embrace. Renewal of the Church begins with renewal of our own hearts. Holiness is not built in a single day, but one faithful step at a time.
I invite you to walk this path with me. Join us each morning. Pray with us. Reflect with us. Most importantly, put each day’s invitation into practice. If enough faithful Catholics commit themselves to living the Gospel with greater fidelity, trusting completely in Christ and remaining steadfast in the truth handed down through Sacred Scripture and Apostolic Tradition, then God will do what only He can do.
As followers of St. Francis, we know that renewal always begins with humility, prayer, penance, and joyful fidelity. St. Francis did not set out to change the whole world – he simply answered God’s call with his whole heart, and through that fidelity, God renewed countless souls.
May that be our response as well!
Like the prophet Isaiah, let each of us say, “Here am I; send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)
May the Lord strengthen us for the days ahead, Our Lady keep us beneath her mantle, and the Holy Spirit guide every step of this journey.
God bless you, and I look forward to walking this path with you.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Today angels weep. And how can we not weep along with them? For the faith that generations defended with their blood is being treated as something to be negotiated. How can we not mourn today when churches stand empty, vocations grow fewer, reverence fades, and so many souls are left searching for the truth?
These are wounds that SHOULD make us weep.
If we love the Church as our Mother, then her wounds become our wounds. If we love Christ, then we cannot look upon the suffering of His Mystical Body without sorrow. The answer is not bitterness. The answer is not anger. But neither is it pretending that everything is well.
Perhaps we have forgotten that tears can be holy.
Jeremiah wept. Peter wept. Our Lady wept. At the tomb of Lazarus, even Our Lord Himself wept.
Holy tears are not a sign that hope has died. They are a sign that love is still alive.
The martyrs did not die so that we could inherit a comfortable faith. They died so that we would guard the deposit of faith with our own lives if necessary. They carried the torch through persecution. Now it has been placed into our hands.
Will we let it grow dim?
This is not the hour to look for someone else to save the Church. Christ is calling His faithful sons and daughters to deeper prayer, greater courage, quiet sacrifice, and unwavering fidelity. Renewal begins when hearts are converted – beginning with our own.
If your heart aches today, don’t silence that ache. Lay it before the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Ask Him to make your grief fruitful. Ask Him to raise up saints once again. And then ask Him for the courage to make you one of them.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
We hear so much about the need for renewal in the Church. We pray for it. We long for it. We ask God to send holy priests, faithful bishops, courageous families, and new saints.
But perhaps we’ve been asking the wrong question.
Instead of asking, “When will the Church be renewed?” we should ask, “Lord, how do You want to begin that renewal in me?”
Throughout history, every renewal in the Church has begun with ordinary people who gave God an extraordinary “yes.” They didn’t wait until everyone else was ready. They simply answered the call placed before them.
St. Joan of Arc, facing impossible circumstances, declared, “I was born to do this.” She understood that God had entrusted her with a mission for her own time.
The same is true for us.
God did not place us in this moment of confusion, division, and spiritual battle by accident. He entrusted this time to this generation. We have received the fullness of the Catholic faith, Sacred Scripture, the wisdom of the saints, and the treasures handed down through two thousand years. These are not gifts to admire from a distance; they are gifts to live.
So don’t wait for someone else to renew the Church.
Begin today.
Pray one Rosary for a priest.
Read one chapter of the Gospel.
Spend time before the Blessed Sacrament.
Invite someone back to Mass.
Encourage a discouraged Catholic.
Teach your children—or your grandchildren—the faith with joy.
The Church is renewed one faithful soul at a time.
Today, don’t simply pray that God will send someone.
Pray instead:
“Lord, let me be faithful to the mission You have given me. If You have placed me here for such a time as this, then give me the courage to answer with my whole heart.”
Our Lady of Good Success foretold difficult times, but she also called for faithful souls who would persevere. Let us answer her call with confidence, trusting that Christ has never abandoned His Church and never will.
Today, let’s take one step forward. The renewal of the Church begins wherever one Catholic decides to live the faith without compromise.
May Our Lady of Good Success pray for us, protect us, and lead us always to her Divine Son. Amen.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Good morning! Every generation is given its moment to answer God’s call! This is ours!
The Lord is calling His people to take their place in the renewal of His Church, beginning with a renewed love for the holy priesthood. Holy priests do not stand alone. They are strengthened by faithful men and women who pray, sacrifice, speak the truth with charity, and refuse to grow weary in doing what is right.
This is not a time to watch from the sidelines. Christ is calling laborers into His vineyard. He is asking each of us to report for duty – not according to our own plans, but according to His holy will. Like the young Samuel, may our hearts be ready to answer, “Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth.”
The Franciscan spirit reminds us that God does not ask for worldly strength or perfect qualifications. He asks for willing hearts. St. Francis laid everything aside to follow Christ with simplicity, humility, and joyful courage. That same spirit is needed today: souls who are ready to leave behind comfort, embrace the Cross, and become instruments of renewal in a world that desperately needs the light of Christ.
The Church has weathered many storms through the centuries because God never fails to raise up faithful souls when they are most needed. Perhaps He is calling you to be one of them.
So today, arise. Shine with the light of Christ. Lay aside every fear and distraction. Report for duty with a generous heart, trusting that the Lord who calls you will also give you the grace to serve Him faithfully.
“HERE AM I. SEND ME.” (Isaiah 6:8)
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Good morning,
How many times has Heaven warned us? How many times has Our Lady called us to prayer, to penance, to conversion, to return to her Son? And yet what is our response? “We don’t have time.” “We’ll get serious later.” “We’ll worry about that someday.”
Brothers and sisters, someday has become today.
We read the messages of Fatima. We read the messages of Our Lady of Good Success. We read Akita. We nod our heads and think they are speaking about some distant generation. But look around.
Are we not living in an age of confusion? An age where truth is rejected, sin is celebrated, families are under attack, and so many souls have simply become indifferent to God? How much longer will we tell ourselves that the battle is somewhere in the future?
THE BATTLE IS HERE! NOW! THIS IS OUR MOMENT!
The warning that echoes through all of Our Lady’s messages is that every generation must choose whether it will answer God’s call or drift into complacency. That choice belongs to us. The evil one does not need everyone to become wicked. He only needs faithful Catholics to become comfortable. To become silent. To convince themselves that someone else will stand up.
But someone else is us. St. Francis didn’t wait for easier times. He didn’t wait until the world welcomed the Gospel. He answered Christ immediately. He entered the battle with humility, courage, sacrifice, and complete trust in God. That is the Franciscan spirit we need today.
If not now, when? If not us, who? This is not the time to watch from the sidelines. This is the time to pray with conviction, to speak the truth with charity, to live the Gospel without compromise, and to stand with Christ no matter the cost.
NOW IS THE TIME!
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
“But as the Lord has given me to speak and to write the Rule and these words simply and purely, so shall you understand them simply and without gloss, and observe them with holy activity until the end.” St. Francis of Assisi
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Good morning – As we continue reflecting on the renewal of Christ’s Church, it is worth asking a simple question: “How does God renew?” One of the primary ways He does so is by calling His people back – not to something new, but to faithful living.
Our Lord gives us rules, not to burden us, but to keep us on the path that leads to Him. Throughout salvation history, God has always given His people parameters that protect them, guide them, and help them grow in holiness. They are expressions of His love.
The same is true in religious life. The Benedictines have the Rule of St. Benedict. The Franciscans have the Rule of St. Francis. These rules were not written to limit freedom; they were written to form saints. They provide the boundaries within which holiness flourishes.
We have been speaking these past several days about St. Francis and Christ’s words to him at the little chapel of San Damiano: “Francis, go and repair My house, which, as you see, is falling into ruin.” At first, Francis thought the Lord was speaking about rebuilding the small stone church. But he soon realized that Christ was calling him to help renew His Church through faithful, Gospel living.
As I have been reading and praying about Mother Mariana and Our Lady of Good Success, I was struck by how this same Franciscan spirit continued in the Conceptionist convent in Quito. Mother Mariana suffered greatly because she saw the desire of some to move away from the strict observance of the Franciscan Rule. She understood that once we begin setting aside the rule God has inspired, we begin drifting from the very purpose for which that community was founded.
Then there are the remarkable words of Mother Maria, the foundress of that convent and Mother Mariana’s aunt. Shortly before her death, she foretold that the Friars Minor would one day no longer govern the convent. But she also gave a message filled with hope.
She said that the Order of the Immaculate Conception was part of the great tree of our Father St. Francis, and that from time to time St. Francis himself would shake that tree so that the rotten and withered fruit would fall away. The tree would be pruned so that new blossoms could appear and mature into the beautiful fruits of virtue. What a powerful image!
We often think that shaking is a sign that something is failing. But sometimes God permits the shaking precisely because He is preparing for new growth. The pruning may be painful, but it is the sign of a living tree that is being made healthy once again.
Perhaps that is where we find ourselves today. We have certainly lived through a season of shaking. Yet what are we beginning to see? Young people are rediscovering tradition. Religious communities that have remained faithful to their founding charisms are attracting new vocations. Families are searching for solid ground. More and more Catholics are returning to the beauty of the faith that has been handed down through the centuries.
Our Lord has already given us the path. Religious orders have their rules. The Church has her perennial teaching. Each of us has the vocation God has entrusted to us. Renewal does not come from abandoning those gifts. It comes from embracing them more faithfully.
On the last day of her life, Mother Maria pleaded with the sisters who had resisted Franciscan observance. Even then, she lovingly exhorted them to remain faithful to the Rule and to the Friars Minor, convinced that this obedience was for their own good. Then she gave her final blessing: “May those who love the Franciscan Order be blessed by God.”
Calling upon St. Francis, she prayed that he would always guard his Conceptionist daughters and keep them in his seraphic heart. And with her final breath, she whispered one word: “Francis.”
Perhaps that is our invitation this morning. May we be willing to let Our Lord prune away whatever keeps us from holiness, so that our lives may bear the fruit He desires. And may God bless you today and may St Francis and Our Lady of Good Success pray for us as we seek to rebuild the Church, beginning with our own hearts.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
“May the Lord give you peace!”
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Good morning – As we continue reflecting on the rebuilding of Christ’s Church, it is worth asking a simple question: “What does renewal actually look like?”
When Our Lord called St. Francis to “rebuild My Church,” Francis did not begin with a grand plan. He began with prayer. He began with repentance. He began with silence before God. He embraced poverty of spirit, simplicity of life, joyful charity, and complete trust in Divine Providence. In allowing Christ to transform his own heart, he became an instrument through whom countless others were transformed. Perhaps that is where the Lord is inviting us to begin today.
The Church will not be renewed primarily because we become better at winning arguments. She will be renewed because her sons and daughters become saints. Holiness has always been the true source of renewal. Every great reform in the Church’s history has begun with men and women who fell deeply in love with Jesus Christ and allowed that love to shape every aspect of their lives.
But holiness is not just something private that we keep to ourselves. Genuine holiness spreads. It changes the atmosphere of a family. It changes a parish. It changes friendships. It changes communities. A joyful Christian who forgives, prays faithfully, speaks kindly, worships reverently, and serves generously becomes a quiet invitation for others to seek Christ more deeply.
Imagine what our parishes would become if each of us came to Mass prepared in prayer, truly aware that we are standing before the living God. Imagine families praying together again, parents teaching their children the beauty of the faith, neighbors encouraging one another in virtue, and Catholics becoming known not first for what they oppose but for the unmistakable peace, joy, humility, and charity that flow from a life rooted in Christ.
The Franciscan spirit reminds us that we do not need complicated solutions before we begin. Simplicity is not weakness. It is freedom. It means placing Christ first, loving the Gospel without compromise, caring for those in need, delighting in God’s creation, and finding our deepest security not in possessions or worldly success but in the Father who never abandons His children.
Our world is noisy, distracted, and restless. The Church is called to offer something different – not another voice competing for attention, but the quiet, radiant witness of lives transformed by grace. People are hungry for authenticity. They long to encounter souls whose peace comes not from circumstances but from Christ Himself.
So today, let us ask St. Francis to obtain for us that beautiful simplicity of heart. May we become people of prayer before activity, humility before recognition, charity before criticism, and trust before fear. If we cultivate that spirit together – not merely as individuals, but as families, parishes, and communities – we will discover that Christ is still rebuilding His Church, one faithful soul at a time.
May the Lord give you His peace, and may He make each of us living stones in the renewal of His Holy Church.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
“Rebuild My Church!”
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Yesterday we reflected on the words Christ spoke to St. Francis, “Rebuild My Church.” We have also been looking at the remarkable messages of Our Lady of Good Success, who, centuries before our own time, warned that a great crisis would come upon the Church. She foresaw confusion in the faith, division among the faithful, attacks upon the priesthood and the family, and a world that would increasingly reject God. Yet she also gave us hope. She promised that after this great darkness, God would bring about a renewal. But today we must ask a deeper question.
HOW DOES GOD REBUILD HIS CHURCH? When Jesus wanted to rebuild His Church in the thirteenth century, He did not begin with buildings. He did not begin with structures. He did not begin with committees. He began with one man. A man who had already died to himself.
Before St. Francis ever rebuilt the little chapel of San Damiano, Christ rebuilt Francis. The proud young man became humble. The wealthy man embraced poverty. The man who sought the applause of the world desired only to please Christ. Francis had already surrendered everything. There was nothing left for the world to hold over him.
Only then did Christ say, “Now, rebuild My Church.” This is no coincidence. Our Lady of Good Success tells us that the Church will again pass through a time of extraordinary trial. Many people focus on the darkness she foretold. But perhaps we have overlooked the most important part of her message: God already has a plan for renewal. The question is not whether Christ will rebuild His Church. The question is: THROUGH WHOM?
Will he find men and women who have already died to themselves? We often think martyrdom means standing before a firing squad or facing persecution. But the greatest martyrs first died in their hearts. They died to pride. They died to ambition. They died to comfort. They died to the need for acceptance. Long before they gave their blood, they had already given their wills.
That is the martyrdom to which every Christian is called. Every morning we choose whose will we will live today – ours or Christ’s. Every act of forgiveness is a little death. Every act of obedience is a little death. Every time we speak the truth when it costs us something, another part of our selfishness dies, and Christ lives more fully within us. This is the great paradox of the Gospel.
The world tells us to protect ourselves, preserve ourselves, save ourselves. Jesus tells us that whosoever seeks to save his life will lose it, but whosoever loses his life for His sake will find it. We live in order to die to ourselves. And by dying to ourselves, we finally begin to live.
Perhaps this is why Our Lady of Good Success speaks so clearly about our own times. She knew that the renewal of the Church would not begin with better strategies. It would begin with holier souls. God is preparing a people who cannot be bought by comfort, silenced by fear, or persuaded by the spirit of the age because they have already surrendered everything to Christ.
The Church will never be rebuilt by people trying to save their lives. She will be rebuilt by people who have already laid them down. So perhaps the prayer we should make today is not simply, “Lord, rebuild Your Church.”
Perhaps it is this: “Lord, make me the kind of disciple through whom You can rebuild Your Church. Teach me to live by dying to myself, so that Your life may shine through me.”
May that renewal begin in each of us today. God bless you.
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
“Rebuild My Church!”
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
There are moments when God does not ask for something new – He asks for something renewed! He calls His people back to what they have forgotten. Throughout the centuries, that has been His pattern: not to abandon His Church, but to raise up saints who will help restore her. One of the most beautiful examples is St. Francis of Assisi.
As a young man praying before the ancient crucifix in the little chapel of San Damiano, Francis heard Christ speak these unforgettable words: “Francis, go and rebuild My Church, which, as you see, is falling into ruin.”
With the simplicity that marked his life, Francis believed Our Lord meant the little stone chapel before him. He immediately began gathering stones, repairing broken walls, and restoring that tiny church with his own hands. But God had something far greater in mind.
The Lord was preparing Francis to help renew the entire Church – not first by rebuilding buildings, but by rebuilding hearts. At a time when many had grown comfortable, worldly, and spiritually complacent, Francis reminded the world what it meant to love Christ completely. His poverty, humility, joyful obedience, reverence for the Eucharist, and unwavering fidelity for the Church became a living sermon. People did not simply listen to Francis; they saw the Gospel lived before their eyes.
That is the Franciscan spirit! It is a spirit that refuses discouragement. It does not spend its energy complaining about darkness; it lights a candle. It does not wait for everyone else to change first; it begins with personal conversion. It seeks holiness before influence, and fidelity before success.
How fitting that this spirit is woven into the story of Our Lady of Good Success. During the life of Mother Mariana in Quito, the Franciscan fathers served as spiritual guides and guardians of the convent. They brought with them that same spirit of simplicity, fidelity, penance, and joyful trust in Divine Providence. Yet Our Lady revealed that a time would come when religious discipline would decline and many would no longer desire to live according to the original spirit of their vocation. The Franciscans themselves would eventually have to leave because the Rule was no longer welcomed.
But Our Lady also gave hope. She foretold that in God’s time, renewal would come. What had been lost would not remain lost forever. God would once again raise up faithful souls who desired holiness more than comfort, and truth more than popularity.
Like Francis, we often think God is asking us to repair only the little “chapel” directly in front of us – our family, our parish, our own prayer life. And perhaps He is. We should never underestimate those small acts of fidelity. History shows that when one person says “yes” to God completely, He often uses that hidden faithfulness to accomplish far more than anyone could imagine.
However, maybe, as in the case of St. Francis, He is also asking for more! Perhaps He is asking for you to light a candle!
Today, perhaps Christ is speaking those same words to each of us: “Go and rebuild My Church.”
We rebuild the Church every time we learn our faith well enough to recognize and defend authentic Catholic teaching. We rebuild the Church when we seek out parishes where the Church’s Tradition is counted as a treasure rather than something to be cast aside. We rebuild the Church when we pray for our priests, encourage holy vocations, practice charity, embrace humility, and live lives that reflect the Gospel with joy.
The Franciscan spirit reminds us that renewal begins with simplicity, humility, joyful sacrifice, and complete trust in Christ. Stone by stone. Soul by soul. Prayer by prayer.
May St. Francis intercede for us today. May Our Lady of Good Success guide us. And may we have the courage to begin rebuilding – not by our own strength, but by the hands of God.
Have a blessed day! And LISTEN! Is God telling you, “Rebuild My Church!”
ARISE AND SHINE!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
GOOD MORNING!
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
When we hear the word “renewal,” we often think first about ourselves – our own prayer life, our own conversion, our own growth in holiness. Those things are essential. But Our Lady of Good Success invites us to see something even greater. She calls us to pray and work not only for our personal sanctification, but for the renewal of the entire Mystical Body of Christ.
Her messages speak of a time when the Church would endure confusion, suffering, and great trials, especially within the priesthood. Yet they are not messages of despair. They are messages of hope. They remind us that Christ never abandons His Church, and that authentic renewal always begins with fidelity, holiness, and love.
The renewal of the priesthood does not begin with programs or strategies. It begins with priests who are deeply united to Jesus Christ, men of prayer who love the Eucharist, who preach the truth with charity, and who entrust themselves completely to Our Lady. They need our prayers now more than ever. The devil knows that if he can wound the shepherds, he can scatter the sheep. Our response is not criticism or discouragement, but faithful intercession, sacrifice, and encouragement.
But renewal is not the responsibility of priests alone. Every baptized person is a living member of Christ’s Mystical Body. When one member grows in holiness, the whole Body is strengthened. When one soul chooses prayer over complaint, and truth over compromise, grace flows throughout the Church in ways we cannot fully see.
Our Lady of Good Success points us back to the timeless remedies: frequent reception of the sacraments, devotion to the Blessed Eucharist, love for the Holy Rosary, fidelity to the teachings of the Church, and confidence in God’s providence even when the future seems uncertain.
If we long for the Church to be renewed, we should begin by asking, “Lord, renew me. Make me faithful. Make me holy. Make me an instrument of Your peace.” This is how the Mystical Body is strengthened – one faithful soul at a time.
And here are some other practical ways that Catholics can contribute to the renewal in the Church –
Learning the faith well enough to recognize and defend authentic Catholic teaching
Reverently participating in the liturgy and encouraging reverence in parish life
Volunteering in parish ministries that strengthen catechesis, youth formation, outreach, or prayer
Forming or joining faithful small groups for prayer, Scripture, and mutual support
Respectfully addressing genuine problems with pastors or diocesan leadership instead of simply complaining
Supporting faithful priests with prayer, friendship, and practical help
Encouraging young people to consider vocations to the priesthood and religious life
Living the Gospel publicly through works of mercy and evangelization, so that others are drawn to Christ
The Church is not renewed only from the top down. Christ renews His Church through the holiness and faithful action of every member of His Mystical Body. We are not spectators. We are participants in God’s work. Renewal happens when ordinary Catholics pray, speak the truth with charity, serve generously, support faithful priests, form strong Catholic communities, and courageously witness for Christ in their homes, parishes, and the public square.
May we arise today in hope, and shine with the light of Christ, trusting that He who began the good work in His Church will bring it to completion – and renew His Church!
God bless you, and have a wonderful Arise and Shine!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
GOOD MORNING!
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
I have just returned from Quito with a heart full of gratitude and renewed hope. Everywhere I traveled, I encountered faithful souls who love Our Lord, cherish His Church, and desire nothing more than to remain steadfast in the truth that has been handed down through the centuries.
What struck me most was the quiet faith of ordinary people who are determined to walk together with Christ, even in difficult times. That is where the Holy Spirit is always at work.
We all recognize that these are challenging days for the Church. There is confusion, division, and discouragement in many places. Yet this should never lead us to despair. Throughout history, whenever darkness has seemed to prevail, God has raised up faithful men and women whose simple fidelity became the seed of renewal.
St. Francis of Assisi did not begin by trying to change the whole world. He simply answered the Lord’s invitation: “Rebuild My Church.” He gathered brothers around Christ, living the Gospel with joy, humility, and charity. From those small communities, a great renewal spread throughout the Church.
Many mystics have spoken of a time when believers will resemble the early Christians, finding strength not in worldly influence but in communities rooted in prayer, truth, and sacrificial love. Their words invite us to build exactly those kinds of communities today.
The renewal of the Church has always begun in the hearts of faithful people. It begins when families pray together, when friends encourage one another in virtue, when neighbors gather around the Word of God, and when believers strengthen one another to remain faithful to Jesus Christ. These small communities become places where faith is nourished, burdens are shared, hope is renewed, and Christ is encountered.
Although we are not all called to be Franciscans, every Christian can embrace the beautiful spirit of St. Francis – a spirit of simplicity, humility, fraternity, joyful trust in God’s providence, and wholehearted fidelity to Christ and His Church. Throughout the history of the Church, that Franciscan spirit has repeatedly been an instrument of renewal, reminding us that holiness – not worldly power – is what transforms the world.
This is one of the reasons we have established the Pillars of Faith Fraternity. Our desire is to help faithful Catholics find authentic Christian community where they can pray together, grow in their understanding of the faith, encourage one another, and persevere together through the challenges of our time. We were never meant to walk this journey alone.
If you have not yet explored the Pillars of Faith Fraternity, I warmly invite you to visit our website and click on the Fraternity tab. There you will discover how you can become part of a growing family of faithful Catholics who are committed to prayer, formation, friendship, and mutual support. As we await the renewal that only God can bring, let us also be faithful in building the communities He places before us today.
The renewal of the Church will not come simply through programs or structures. It will come through holy men and women who love Christ, remain faithful to His truth, and help one another persevere with courage and hope. God has never abandoned His Church, and He never will. Even in times of trial, He continues to raise up faithful souls whose quiet witness becomes the foundation of renewal.
Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your willingness to stand together as brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us continue moving forward – not with fear, but with confidence – trusting that the Lord is preparing a beautiful renewal for His Church.
May Our Lady, Queen of the Church, St. Francis of Assisi, and all the saints intercede for us, that we may remain joyful witnesses of Christ until the day His glory is fully revealed.
God bless you, and have a wonderful Arise and Shine!
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
GOOD MORNING AND BLESSINGS AS WE LEAVE QUITO
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
As I return home today from Quito, I leave with greater hope than ever because Our Lady has shown us that God has not abandoned the Church.
The messages of Our Lady of Good Success speak with remarkable clarity to our own time. They warn of a crisis in the Church, a weakening of faith, confusion, and a profound need for the renewal of the holy priesthood. These warnings are not given to frighten us. They are given to awaken us.
Like the message of Fatima, they are a call to conversion – a call that cannot wait until tomorrow.
Now is the time to pray. Now is the time to do penance. Now is the time to make reparation for the sins that have wounded the Mystical Body of Christ. Now is the time to support and encourage faithful priests, to live our Catholic faith without compromise, and to place our confidence completely in Our Lord and His Blessed Mother.
As I leave this holy place, I also ask you to pray for the fulfillment of the hope entrusted to this convent through the centuries: that faithful Franciscan sons of St. Francis may once again return and restore the tradition of prayer for and guidance to the convent where the prophecies took place. Let us pray, too, for the renewal of every religious order, every seminary, every parish, and every Catholic family, so that all may be renewed in fidelity to Jesus Christ.
The Church does not need our despair. She needs our holiness. The messages have been given. Now let us answer it with our lives.
May Our Lady of Good Success obtain for us the courage to remain faithful, the grace to persevere, and the joy of knowing that Christ has already won the victory. If we rmain faithful to Him, the renewal of His Church will come – not by human strength, but by His divine grace.
May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
GOOD MORNING AND BLESSINGS TO YOU FROM QUITO, ECUADOR
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
As I prepare to leave Quito, my heart is filled with gratitude to God for the many graces He has bestowed during these days. This beautiful city bears the witness of generations of the faithful whose love for Christ transformed hearts not by worldly power, but by holiness, humility, and joyful sacrifice. As I leave here, I will carry with me a renewed confidence that Our Lady has not forgotten her children. Here where she entrusted her message to Mother Mariana, I have been reminded that Heaven always prepares the remedy before the trial.
Praying here has been a profound reminder that God never abandons His people. Long before the trials of our own age, Our Blessed Mother looked ahead with a mother’s heart and promised that, even in times of darkness, her Son would never cease to guide and renew His Church.
The Franciscan spirit is woven deeply into this sacred place. The sons of St. Francis faithfully cared for the convent where Mother Mariana lived, prayed, and received Heaven’s extraordinary favors. The prophecies entrusted here also speak of a future renewal, when that Franciscan spirit will once again help strengthen the Church in a time of great need. Looking at our world today, we recognize how urgently we need hearts formed in humility, fidelity, penance, and joyful trust in Divine Providence.
As we prepare to leave, I am convinced that Our Lady continues to guide her children and that the renewal she foretold will unfold. We must pray fervently for our priests, our bishops, our religious, and our families. We must remain steadfast in the truth, faithful to the Gospel, and confident that Christ has not abandoned His Church.
Please continue to pray for me, as I will continue to pray for you. Let us remain united beneath the mantle of Our Lady of Good Success, asking her to obtain for us the grace to be faithful in these challenging times and to become the saints God is calling us to be.
May Our Lord bless you, Our Lady protect you, and may the peace of Christ remain always in your hearts.
And may the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, descend upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
GOOD MORNING AND BLESSINGS TO YOU FROM QUITO, ECUADOR
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
We are still in Quito, Ecuador, where Our Lady of Good Success brought messages to the world of the wounds that would be inflicted upon Holy Mother Church in our day. Even as I enjoy being in this beautiful place under the eyes of Our Lady of Good Success, my heart is heavy because we are seeing fresh wounds daily being inflicted upon the Church, and I weep at the suffering it is causing Our Lord!
Every day we place new wounds upon Him. Every time His words are ignored, every time His truth is compromised, every time His Church conforms herself to the world instead of calling the world to conversion, Our Lord weeps.
When those within the Church – even within the hierarchy – say that we all worship the same God, that all religions are equally true, or that all paths lead to God, Our Lord weeps. He did not leave us with uncertainty. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” If we believe His words, then we cannot pretend they mean something else.
When the Church sets aside God’s plan for marriage and the family, blesses same-sex unions, or celebrates Pride Masses, Our Lord weeps. We have not only forsaken the natural law; we have forsaken HIS law. We cannot improve upon what God has revealed.
The Church is wounded because we continue to wound Christ!
He is wounded when what was given from Him and handed down through the Apostles and faithfully preserved through the centuries has become something to be discarded. The Traditional Latin Mass and the great treasury of Catholic tradition are treated as though they are obstacles instead of treasures. Those who cling to what the Church has always held sacred are marginalized or punished for their fidelity.
Instead, many are expected to give unquestioning allegiance to Vatican II, even though the Council itself stated that it was not defining new dogma or issuing infallible doctrinal definitions. Rather than measuring every novelty against the constant Tradition of the Church, Tradition itself is measured against the interpretations of Vatican II.
What is happening today in some ways resembles the worship of the golden calf. The Israelites fashioned something with their own hands and called it worship. Today we risk creating a humanitarian religion fashioned by modern ideas and human preferences instead of receiving with humility what God has already given through Divine Revelation, Sacred Scripture, and Sacred Tradition. We begin to follow a religion of our own making rather than the faith handed down through the Apostles.
THE CHURCH IS WOUNDED!!
Now is not the time for silence. It is the time for reparation, prayer, penance, and mercy. We must console the Heart of Jesus. We must pray for our priests, our bishops, and the whole Church. We must defend the faith that has been entrusted to us – not with anger or hatred, but with courage, humility, and charity.
Every day we can either add another wound to Our Lord or help bind up His wounds through our fidelity.
May we hasten to the refuge of Our Lady of Good Success, who foretold a time of profound crisis in the Church but also promised that God, in His providence, would bring about her renewal. Let us pray and make reparation for the Church, for the renewal of the holy priesthood, and for shepherds who will courageously proclaim the fullness of the Catholic faith without compromise. With confidence in Our Lady’s maternal intercession, let us remain faithful, trusting that Christ will purify His Church.
May Almighty God look with mercy upon His Holy Church, strengthen all who remain faithful, renew the hearts of His priests, bishops, and shepherds, and hasten the triumph He has promised through the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Good Success.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, loved, and consoled in every tabernacle of the world.
And may the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, descend upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
GOOD MORNING AND BLESSINGS TO YOU FROM QUITO, ECUADOR
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
Today we again greet you from Quito, Ecuador, beneath the loving gaze of Our Lady of Good Success, whose messages were entrusted to the Church centuries ago for our time. Our Lady never speaks without purpose, and what was revealed long ago has not been forgotten. It was preserved for the days in which we now live – a time calling for renewal, fidelity, courage, and hope.
In March of 1634, Mother Mariana was praying in the morning in front of the tabernacle, and the sanctuary lamp went out, leaving the altar completely in darkness. Then she saw a supernatural light, and the Virgin Mary appeared, who lit the lamp and then told her of a time when the Church would suffer the dark night. She told her that the time would come when errors would be spread, and the Church would be in a catastrophic situation. Morals would become corrupt, and the Faith would disappear.
In a later apparition, Christ spoke to her about the way this time would wound Him, and the Blessed Virgin spoke to her about the importance of penance and reparation which would penetrate the darkness.
As we tread on holy ground here in Quito today, we will be praying for the time of promised renewal in the Church and in the priesthood. We ask that you please pray with us wherever you are. Also please pray that Our Lady will light the lamp that hidden things may be brought out into the light.
Perhaps there are hidden things in your own life – dreams, prayers, or promises that seem buried beneath disappointment or delay. Trust that God is still at work. Often what He hides for a season, He reveals at precisely the right moment, for His glory and for the good of His people.
Let us ask Our Lady of Good Success to intercede for us, that we may remain faithful, confident, and full of hope. May she lead us ever closer to her Son and prepare our hearts for the renewal He desires to bring about in His Church and in the world. Remember, if only a handful join in, Heaven will count them as an army. If only one kneels, the angels will kneel beside him.
May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
GOOD MORNING AND BLESSINGS TO YOU FROM QUITO, ECUADOR
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
As Independence Day is being celebrated back home in America, I find myself praying that God will renew our nation. True freedom is never simply political. It is the freedom to know the truth, to worship God, and to live according to His holy will. Every nation must continually return to God if it is to remain truly free.
Being here in Quito continues to draw my heart to the beautiful history of Our Lady of Good Success and Mother Mariana. It is a story of suffering, fidelity, and hope. Mother Mariana endured misunderstanding and persecution because she desired only to remain faithful to Christ, to her vocation, and to the authentic religious life entrusted to her community.
One part of that history that I have been praying about is regarding the Franciscans. The Franciscan Friars Minor, who had guided the convent from its beginning, eventually departed during the time of Mother Mariana. Yet, according to the tradition of Our Lady of Good Success, there would come a future time of great confusion in the world and in the Church, and they would then return to help restore what had been lost. It would be a time when vocations had become scarce, discipline weakened, and many hearts discouraged. Yet God would not abandon His people. He would once again raise up faithful shepherds, faithful religious, and holy vocations.
That message speaks powerfully now in our own age. Over the past century we have witnessed tremendous upheaval. Many religious communities have struggled. Vocations declined. Too often the wisdom of the world was embraced instead of the wisdom of the Gospel. Yet the answer has never been to reinvent the Church. The answer has always been to become saints – to return to Christ with humility, fidelity, obedience, and love.
Across the Church there are young priests, seminarians, religious, and faithful families who long for reverence, truth, beauty, and holiness. They are discovering that renewal does not come from novelty but from faithfully living the treasures Christ has already given His Church.
As I pray here in Quito, I cannot help but think of these sons of St. Francis that were removed from governance of the Convent. At the time of their separation, the founder, Mother Maria, who was near death, gave a final blessing: “May those who love the Franciscan Order be blessed by God, and those who despise it or separate themselves from it be accursed. My Father, St. Francis, always guard your Conceptionist daughters and keep them in your seraphic heart.” Those were her last words, except as she drew her last breath, she whispered, “Francis!”
And as the Franciscan Fathers left, Mother Mariana and the nuns wept, but submitted to the new authority. However, the Franciscans told the nuns that Franciscans would return, but that the separation would last for centuries.
As I pray here today, my heart calls out to these Franciscan brothers – “My sons, do you hear her?” But the call is to more than only the Franciscans – it is to all those who are being called back – to renewal, to hope, to love.
“My sons … Do you not hear her? The bells have never ceased ringing. It is only the noise of the world that has drowned them.
The Mother is waiting where she has always waited. The lamp before the tabernacle still burns. The cloister still remembers your footsteps. The stones remember your prayers. Even the silence remembers your names. Come home.
The longing you carry is already the invitation. The wound in your heart is already the road.
Leave behind your fear. Leave behind your uncertainty. Leave behind the years that have brought you to settle for less. Come as you once came – with empty hands.
The birds know when winter has ended. The lilies know when to bloom. Shall the sons of Francis not know the voice of their own Mother?
Rise before the world awakens. Walk toward the place where Heaven once touched the earth, and where it longs to touch it again.
If only a handful come, Heaven will count them as an army. If only one kneels, the angels will kneel beside him. And when the first brown habit crosses the threshold once more, the old walls will rejoice, the saints will whisper your names, and the Mother who waited through generations will smile as though no time had passed at all.
Come home, my little brothers. The lamp is still burning. She has been waiting for you.”
May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
GREETINGS FROM QUITO, ECUADOR
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1).
As the sun rises over these beautiful mountains, my heart is filled with gratitude. I want to tell you today something of the love that surrounds this holy place.
The Franciscan spirit is still alive here. The simplicity, humility, and joyful love of Christ that St. Francis taught continue to echo through the Convent of the Immaculate Conception and the churches. And the warmth of the priests and the sisters reminds us that authentic holiness is always accompanied by charity.
Within the walls of this Convent lived Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres, whose life of prayer and sacrifice continues to speak powerfully to our own age.
One morning, while praying in the darkness of the convent chapel, she suddenly saw the sanctuary filled with heavenly light. Before her eyes, the tabernacle opened, and Our Lord appeared as He was at Golgotha – His Sacred Body wounded and suffering. Beside Him stood His Blessed Mother, her tears falling like precious pearls. St. John was there, faithful beneath the Cross, and Mary Magdalene knelt at His feet in sorrow and love.
Seeing the suffering of Christ, Mother Mariana believed she must somehow be the cause. In profound humility she cried out, “Lord, I am the guilty one. Punish me, but pardon Your people.” Her guardian angel gently told her to rise, for she was not the cause of His sorrow.Turning to Our Lady, she asked, “My Lady, am I the cause of this sadness?”
The Blessed Virgin answered that it was not she, but the sins of a future age. Then Mother Mariana saw three swords. Upon them were written: Heresy, Blasphemy, Impurity. She was told that these would wound the Mystical Body of Christ in a future century – our own time. Then a question was asked that still echoes across the centuries: “My daughter, will you sacrifice yourself for the people of that time?” She did not hesitate. She freely offered to suffer for us. At that moment, the swords pierced her own heart as she accepted suffering so that future generations might receive grace and mercy.
Standing here in Quito, it is difficult not to recognize how deeply those words speak to our own day. We see confusion where truth should shine clearly. We see blasphemy treated as entertainment. We see impurity celebrated rather than repented of. We see many drifting from the perennial teaching entrusted by Christ to His Church, embracing the spirit of the age instead of His eternal Truth.
But Our Lady did not reveal these things merely to warn us. She revealed them to prepare us – and to assure us that God would not abandon His Church. She promised a great renewal of the Church and of the holy priesthood. That promise belongs to us. But renewal begins with faithful hearts. It begins with men and women who choose truth over compromise, holiness over comfort, and Christ over the passing opinions of the world.
As I pray here today in this blessed convent, I will ask Mother Mariana to intercede for all of us. May we have even a small share of her courage, her humility, and her willingness to offer herself completely for Christ and for souls.
May Our Lady of Good Success cover you with her mantle. And may each of us arise, be enlightened, and shine with the light of Christ in a world that so desperately needs His Truth.
May Almighty God bless you and may He renew His Church, strengthen His priests and bishops, and fill your heart with the peace that comes from Christ alone.
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
GREETINGS FROM QUITO, ECUADOR
JULY 2, 2026
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1)
In God’s grace, today we begin a new journey together. Each morning I hope to offer a brief reflection to help begin the day with our eyes fixed firmly on Jesus Christ.
There is a reason we are beginning here in Quito. For centuries, the remarkable messages entrusted to Mother Mariana remained largely hidden from the world. Only in more recent times have they begun to receive the attention they deserve. That was indeed by God’s design as these messages speak with extraordinary clarity to the spiritual crisis of our own age.
Here in Quito, Heaven warned that a time would come, beginning in the twentieth century, when blasphemy, heresy, and impurity would spread with alarming force, bringing confusion into the life of the Church and the world. These three wounds, symbolized by the swords that pierced Mother Mariana, are not relics of the past. They confront us today.
As we begin these reflections, we will look with clarity at the spiritual darkness that Heaven foretold which is now before our eyes. We see a world that mocks God, celebrates impurity, and increasingly rejects the truth that sets us free. We also see confusion within the Church as these wounds are her wounds, too, and many faithful Catholics are left asking where they can find the clarity and certainty that Christ entrusted to His Church.
What is taking place in the Church is not comfortable to look at, but it must not be ignored. Over the coming days, we will examine these things in light of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the perennial teaching of the Church. The crisis we are witnessing did not happen overnight, and we will look at why organizations such as the Society of St. Pius X have maintained that certain documents from the Second Vatican Council, as well as actions that flowed from this council, cannot be accepted without careful examination in light of the Church’s perennial Magisterium.
If the fruits of the past sixty years have been widespread confusion, declining belief, empty seminaries in many places, and a loss of reverence, should we not honestly ask why? Should we not examine whether some of the ideas that have shaped this period deserve to be reconsidered in the light of the Church’s constant Tradition?
Whether one ultimately agrees or disagrees with their conclusions, the questions they have raised deserve to be honestly considered because they concern the preservation of the Catholic faith handed down through the centuries.
But our purpose is not simply to dwell on controversy. Our purpose is to seek the truth because Our Lord Himself is the Truth. Heaven’s warnings were never meant to leave us discouraged or fearful. They were given so that we might recognize the dangers of our time, remain steadfast in the Catholic faith, and place our confidence not in passing opinions or changing times, but in Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
The renewal of the Church will not begin with programs or policies. It begins with conversion, fidelity, prayer, and holiness. It begins with each one of us.
So, each morning, let us answer the Lord’s invitation together: arise and be enlightened. Let us walk in His light, remain faithful to the truth He has entrusted to His Church, entrust ourselves to the loving care of Our Blessed Mother, and ask for the courage to be faithful witnesses in these extraordinary times.
May Almighty God bless you, and may He renew His Church, strengthen His priests and bishops, and fill your heart with the peace that comes from Christ alone.
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
Help us as we proclaim Christ to a world that has silenced Him – reawakening hearts, restoring truth, and calling souls home.
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