Are you ready for Lent? I enter Lent with a mix of feelings and thoughts. I know our Lord wants to challenge me. And as crazy as it might sound, I want Him to challenge me.

We’re supposed to be different at the end of Lent.

Our capacity to accept our inheritance of eternal life and the resurrection of our bodies needs to increase. How will we decrease and make more room for Christ to increase. If you’re anything like me that means you probably need a lot of spring cleaning.

Jesus won’t push us beyond our capacities. He’ll also never ask us to face crosses He’s not prepared to give us what we need to carry them; including most importantly sharing more of Himself in new ways with us to help us carry our loads.

I got the clear nudge this year to write 40 new prayers (4 the 6 Sunday of Lent – the actual number of prayers will be 46). Three years ago, I did my best to answer His call to write 365 prayers. I fell short of the goal. On the Disciplesontherun.com website there are 230 prayers in the Daily Prayers section of the website.

Please pray for me that I might be granted every grace I need and the fortitude to accept our Lord’s invitation to write 40 new prayers. At the front of each week, I’ll email you 7 prayers.

A quick note on how I’m approaching these prayers…

• Prayers are based on Catholic Church’s daily Liturgy of the Word. There will be links to the day’s readings after each prayer. I encourage you to read them.
  
• Prayers are Trinitarian in nature. They are written directly invoking Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the beginning and end of each prayer.
  
• Prayers are prefaced and concluded with scripture.
  
• I’m a storyteller and a fumbling poet. I write the prayers from a reflective space. I rely on imagery that pops into my mind. I apologize if at times the language feels obscure. I’m trying to translate the inner workings of my heart and sacred imagination.

Please widely share these prayers. We’re stronger when we pray together. May these prayers be the work of the Holy Spirit. I’m neither the owner nor creator of these prayers. I’m an imperfect conduit sharing what rises in my heart.

We never know what will touch another person. That’s the work of the Beautiful Spirit. If you feel a nudge trust it.

Okay one last note for Monterey folks: We’ll be gathering at my house after Friday night adoration at San Carlos Cathedral. See details at the end of this newsletter. Please feel free to invite others. It’s an open door.

May God bless your Lenten journey. Let us repent and believe in the Gospel. Jesus bless you!

DAY 1: Ash Wednesday, February 18^th

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
 Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.
Psalm 51: 1

Father, of unsurpassing Love, Jesus, King of All, and Beautiful Spirit, of endless Light, consecrate this Lenten season of renewal. Ignite our souls with inextinguishable fires of Your Love. In our fasting make us hunger and thirst for You above all other things. Help us return to you with our whole hearts. We know you see us. We cannot hide from You. We want to drop our defenses. We want to be supple in Your Hands. Let our souls humbly stand naked before you with all our brokenness. Grant us clear honest consciences sustained by gentle contrite sorrow. Let our grief draw the healing, touch of your merciful hands. May we be open to whatever we need, trusting always in your perfect Judgment. Please prepare us to receive whatever we need to grow closer to you, that we might be different and transformed by this Lenten season. We anticipate the Joy of Your Resurrection and your victory for us. We want to experience the power of Your Love. Let it shake us. Obliterate the barriers we have erected. Receive our whimpers, our tears, our protestations, and whatever arises within us that is easily overwhelmed by your Perfect Burning Love. Reconcile us with you, and with all our brothers and sisters. May we be especially attuned to the nudges of our guardian angels, the host of angels, and the communion of saints who will be guiding us to every Grace You want to give us. And may we be channels of Your Grace for others. Father, we set our eyes on your glorious promise of eternal Life. Jesus let us walk with you and grant us your salvation. Spirit of Truth and Love fashion the details of our Lenten journey to conform with every movement of God’s Divine Will. “If today we hear your voice, harden not our hearts.”* AMEN

*Psalm 95: 8

Link to Readings for Ash Wednesday

Joel 2:12-18
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17
2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

DAY 2: Thursday, February 19^th

Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
Psalm 1: 1-2

Father, Giver and Sustainer of Life, Jesus, Master carpenter of the True cross, and Beautiful Spirit, Consummator of Love’s Delight, fortify your pilgrim children. As we begin our defying walk, silence our deafening assertions to go it alone. Help us embrace our blessed dependency on You. Guide us in seeing each signpost on the road; understanding how each and every decision, each and every thought, word, action, inaction, and intention are minuscule monumental opportunities to say YES to your Lifegiving Love. Sustain us with infatigable hope. Assure us, that with You at our side, we will reach our final destination. Please keep filling our backpacks with nourishing nuggets of your Law. May each morsel we digest yield a bursting delight of never ending sweet loving possibilities enacted by your Mercy. Write Your Law on our hearts, and may it guide us to trails that lead to You. When our backpacks become heavy and turn into crosses, compassionate us to others’ burdens. Let us experience Your shoulders next to ours. In your Goodness lighten our loads as we prayerfully commend our brothers’ and sisters’ crosses to You. O Father, thank you for the infinite trails You have cleared in making us explorers of Your Love. Jesus, help us take up our daily crosses and follow you. And Beautiful Spirit, teach us to expect and savor the unexpected ways You will animate our journeys. You have taught us that “whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for [Your] sake will save it.”* AMEN

*Luke 9: 25

Link to Readings for February 19th Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
Luke 9:22-25

DAY 3: Friday, February 20^th

Open my lips, Lord,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise.
Psalm 51: 15-17

Father, of Glorious Charity, Jesus, our Morning Star and Bridegroom, and Beautiful Spirit, Servant of Melodious Love, purify the altars of our contrite hearts. Guide us to pleasing sacrifices that rise before You like wisps of fragrant incense. Embolden and sanctify our sacred imaginations. Let us serve You in ways that perpetuate Your Goodness. Turn our truculent cries into trumpet blasts, heralding Your Living Presence. Draw us away from self-imposed compulsory acts when they are devoid of love. Hasten the True heart of our fasting. May our Lenten offerings be forever embodied in our souls. May we be wrapped in Your Gracious Blessings. Deliver us from selfishness.  Grant us opportunities to be Your Hands which shatter the enslaving yokes of hunger, homelessness, oppression, and despair. May we be instruments of Your Will. Alert us to sacrifices that build Your Kingdom. Lord, we depend upon Your Light. Break forth like streaking dawn and dispel our darkness. Father, thank you for the freedom to bring You offerings. Jesus, Consummate our Lenten sacrifices that they might be full of Your Mercy and Healing. And Beautiful Spirit, lift our contrite hearts up to heavens with Your fiery Loving Winds. We commit this Lent to “seek good and not evil so that [we] may live, and the Lord will be with [us].”* AMEN

*Amos 5: 14

Link to Readings for February 20^th
Isaiah 58:1-9
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 18-19
Matthew 9:14-15

DAY 4: Saturday, February 21^st

Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
    for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord,
    for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
    for I put my trust in you.
Psalm 86: 1-4

Father, Well of Uncreated Love, Jesus, the fulfilling Living Stream of Life and Truth, and Beautiful Spirit, overflowing bucket of changeless Peace, drench us with Your Joy. Dig into our crusting souls parched by egregious blindness. Tap into the fonts of our Baptismal Waters. Transform us into running streams feeding springs of Your fertile fields ripe with Loving visions. Sustain us in our daily toils in Your vineyard. Redirect Your Blessings away from brackish selfish traps to potentiating crystal seas swelling with Your Pure Mercy. Gladden the souls of your servants, for to you, O Lord, we lift up our souls. Call us by name. Help us recognize Your whispers and hearken to Your voice. Beckon us to abandon our sinful taxing occupations that keep us from knowing You. Grant us the courage to leave everything behind that estranges us from You. Be pleased to let us host You at banquets of reckless trust that honor Your Goodness and Glory. Father, replenish Your earthen vessels with Your cleansing Waters. Jesus, cure our sicknesses and be our physician. And Beautiful Spirit, anoint us with Healing Love. We shall “find [our] joy in the Lord, and [He] will cause [us] to ride in triumph on the heights of the land.* AMEN

*Isaiah 58: 14

Link to Readings February 21^st
Isaiah 58:9-14
Psalm 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Luke 5:27-32

FIRST Sunday of Lent, February 22^nd 

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Psalm 51: 10-12

Father, Giver of the Gift that never stops giving, Jesus, manifold ingratiating Righteousness, and Beautiful Spirit, blanket of Love enfolding every transgression, restore us to Your original Vision. Breathe Your Life into us. Let us inhale Your enrapturing Order. Oxygenate every cell of our souls with Your Will and Purpose for us. Fill our hearts with Right Judgment. Lift us out of festering putrid cesspools that suck us into accelerating dead whirlpools of sin. When our imaginations brew spellbinding potions piquing our curiosities, pour out our bewitching cauldrons onto Your Holy Grounds. Govern our storied rationalizations that are rife with self-empowering empty promises. Turn our attentions back to You. Quiet our racing minds. Lead us away from every temptation. Let us follow You into the desolating desert governed by holy stillness. Embattle us with entrusting patient obedience. Assure us of your insuring Word that surpasses the breads of impassioned earthly desires we seek but will never satisfy our hunger for Your Life. Shield our vision from deceptions and open the eyes of our hearts. Grant us the Joy of salvation. Father, grant us an abundance of Your Grace that we may walk every day with You. Jesus, reign in our hearts and make us co-participants in Your righteousness. And Beautiful Spirit, fill our hearts with gratitude and Your burning Love. We will “worship the Lord [our] God, and serve him only.* AMEN

*Matthew 4: 10, Deuteronomy 6: 13

Link to Readings February 22^nd
Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17
Romans 5:12-19
Matthew 4:1-11

DAY 5: Monday, February 23^rd 

[Your laws] are more precious than gold,
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
    than honey from the honeycomb.
By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins;
    may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
    innocent of great transgression.
Psalm 19: 10-13

Father, Holy and Just, Jesus, our Rock and Redeemer, and Beautiful Spirit, Love’s gentle unveiling Hand, instruct us in Your Precepts. Tune the beacons of our hearts to Your Voice. Remind us that You find Joy in revealing Your Nature. Inspire our thoughts and reflections. Move us away from resistance to Your statues that bring us true freedom. Help us unpack our experiences and recognize Your Love as the Genesis of Your Laws. We are easily deceived. We are quick to cower. Grant us the courage to stand up against the “norms” the world promotes as good, but which are evil in your sight. Obliterate our fears. If You live in us, and we live in You, we know even a defeat is a victory. Wipe away any traces of hatred or resentment we might hold against our brothers and sisters.  Animate our lives with Your Spirit of Service. Lord, “now is a very acceptable time”* for us to turn back to You. Father, call us blessed that we might“inherit the kingdom [you have] prepared for [us] from the foundation of the world.”** Jesus, let us see Your Face in the needs and suffering of others. Beautiful Spirit enkindle in us hearts that measures every action by Your Life-giving Love. “The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart.”*** AMEN

*2 Corinthians 6: 2
**Matthew 25: 34
***Psalm 19: 6

Link to Readings February 23^rd
Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18
Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15
Matthew 25:31-46

DAY 6: Tuesday, February 24^th

I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant;
    their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers them.
Psalm 34: 6-7

Father who speaks the Word that orders all things, Jesus the Word made flesh that reunites humanity and divinity, and Beautiful Spirit, Seamstress of the Word with Love’s threads, vitalize our dormant inert hearts. Banish the shadows that obscure the brilliance of Your Will. Confirm and consecrate us in Your Love.  Grant us relentless acuity in discerning Your Goodness. Confront evildoers. Keep us safe from becoming enamored with the distracting realities that we create, desire, perpetuate, and participate in. Temper our affections for these realities. May they have little to no hold over us if they take us away from Your Will. Arm us with infectious zeal for Your Way, Truth, and Life. You know what we need every moment. Feed us with Your Word and nourish us with fruits of Your Love enacted in our lives. Teach us how to earnestly pray with pure, clean hearts. We acknowledge our unworthiness, help us to be quick in forgiving the transgressions of others. Father, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”* Jesus, cover us in the blood of Your Sacrifice and make us one in Your Word. Beautiful Spirit, give us experiences that celebrate the Glory of Love in service of thy Perfect Word. “Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name.”** AMEN

* Matthew 6: 10
** Psalm 34: 4

Link to Readings February 24^th
Isaiah 55:10-11
Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
Matthew 6:7-15

DAY 7: Wednesday, February 25^th

Behold, I was born in guilt,
in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, you desire true sincerity;
and secretly you teach me wisdom.
Cleanse me with hyssop,^* that I may be pure;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
You will let me hear gladness and joy;
the bones you have crushed will rejoice.
Turn away your face from my sins;
blot out all my iniquities.
Psalm 51: 7-10

Father, who is patient, forgiving yet justified in Your wrath, Jesus, arbiter of Mercy through Your appeasing sacrifice, and Beautiful Spirit, bringing fresh starts in Love, shake the fortresses of our foundations. We have capitalized on Your blessings and constructed mighty cities with prideful building blocks. We have made a siege upon Your Goodness with our selfish pursuits. Our towering desires and grabs for lofty self-indulgence deafen us to Your Voice. Why do we usurp Your quiet allowances of our wayward lives? Our habits riddled by entitlement keep us mired in sin. Send Jonah into our citadels to announce Your message of repentance. Help us step away from our thrones and fall to our knees. Make us one in our sorrow. Neither righteous prophetic proclamations nor the wisdom of Solomon can vindicate our failures to accept Your Blessings and Grace. Only the Cross can save us. Let us return to You with our “whole hearts for [You are] gracious and merciful*. You are so deserving of our love.  Father, gather our hearts and spirits into Your Bossom. Jesus, Your cross is our Sign of Your Unconditional Love and the doorway to perfect freedom. Beautiful Spirit, bring us to the Heavenly Jerusalem and temple Your Love in our hearts and souls. “Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.”** AMEN

* Joel 2: 13
**Psalm 51: 1-2

Link to Readings
Jonah 3:1-10
Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19
Luke 11:29-32

DAY 8: Thursday, February 26^th

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart;
in the presence of the angels^* to you I sing.
I bow low toward your holy temple;
I praise your name for your mercy and faithfulness.
For you have exalted over all
your name and your promise.
On the day I cried out, you answered;
you strengthened my spirit.
Psalm 135: 1-3

Father, Catcher and Keeper of every prayer, Jesus, the Pinnacle of Hope brightening our embattling anguish, and Beautiful Spirit, the sweet relief of Faith kissing Love, forge our hearts into temples of prayer. When we are desperate and lost, turn our despair into edifying pleas that reach Your expectant Heart. Why do You hide from us? We know You wait for our call. Like Your brave servant Esther, we find ourselves too often, “alone and [with] no help but you”*  Bring us to our knees. “Turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness.”** Grant us keen eyes to see Your kindness always at work and we will forever Praise Your Name. Keep us from falling into the same patterns of thought, attitude, and judgment. Please Lord, do not let us push You away and obstruct Your Love from working in us, through us, and around us. We want to be different. Grant us the Grace to change. Temper us with the patience it takes to yield to Your healing. You assured us, “ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”*** Accept this prayer as our infinite knock. Father, thank You for Your invitation. Jesus, thank You for Your showing us the way. Beautiful Spirit, amplify our prayers and keep us in Love’s embrace. “O God, whose power is over all, hear the voice of those in despair. Save us from the power of the wicked, and deliver me from my fear”**** AMEN

*Esther C: 14 (C comes at the end of Chapter 4 and are prayers of Mordecai and Esther)
**Esther C: 25
***Matthew 7: 7
****Esther C: 14

Link to Readings
Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25
Psalm 138:1-2a, 2cde-3, 7c-8
Matthew 7:7-12

Day 9: Friday, February 27^th

Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
    Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
    to my cry for mercy.

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
    Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
Psalm 130: 1-4

Father, Remover of blots and Inker of covenants, Jesus our Infinite Well of Mercy, and Beautiful Spirit, Scribe of Love’s requitting vindication, settle the accounts of our lives and wipe away our debts. Help us recognize that our lives are of no profit if we cannot balance our liabilities with Your Gracious assets. Do not call to term the magnanimous loan of our lives without first saving us from ourselves. We are banking on Your Love. We know our ways are not fair. Audit our crooked ledgers with self-righting infusions of Your Mercy. Show us how to invest the capital of Your Forgiveness. and forgo short-term profits. Excise greed and levy selfishness.  Do not let our prides and ruthless ways bankrupt us. Accept us as eager co-investors in building Your Kingdom. Though we must die a physical death for our inequities we ask You to merge our broken faith with Your strength. We chose to live and not die. Grant us new hearts and new spirits. Today we are committing to signing new promissory notes to be reconciled with our brothers and sisters. Father, insure that Your investment in Your adopted children return incalculable glory to You. Jesus, by your passion, death, and resurrection liquidate our souls. Beautiful Spirit, grant us a share in Love’s infinite Wonders. “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.” AMEN

* Psalm 130: 5

Link to Readings
Ezekiel 18:21-28
Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8
Matthew 5:20-26

DAY 10: Saturday, February 28^th

Give me understanding to keep your law,
to observe it with all my heart.
Lead me in the path of your commandments,
for that is my delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.
Psalm 119: 34-37

Father, blessed Keeper of His sacred children, Jesus, the manifest expression and perfection of the Commandments, and Beautiful Spirit, the vitality and force of the Commandments embodied in the family of God, tune our hearts to Your Song. Let us be like harps. May each string be stretched in harmonious agreement with Your statues and decrees. Run Your fingers across our hearts and produce lush glissandos that delight You. Pluck out our discord. Teach us how to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute [us].* Remind us that You invite everyone to join in Your music making. Thank you for Your patience and kindness. We are grateful for the countless opportunities to correct our mistaking dissonance into perfect tones. Help us deeply resonate with why You ask what You ask of us. Gather us into choirs of harps that are in accord with Your Commandments so that You might, “raise [us] high in praise and renown and glory.”** Father, help us hearken to all the ways You guide our music making. Jesus, strengthen the fingers of our souls that we might play Your melodies with more fervor. Beautiful Spirit, write Your ceaseless songs of Love on our hearts. “Give thanks to the Lord on the harp; on the ten-stringed lyre offer praise.”*** AMEN

* Matthew 5: 44
** Deuteronomy 26: 19
*** Psalm 33: 3

Link to Readings
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
Matthew 5:43-48

SECOND Sunday of Lent, March, 1^st  

Our soul waits for the LORD,
he is our help and shield.
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.
May your mercy, LORD, be upon us;
as we put our hope in you.
Psalm 33: 20-22

Father, declaring, “this is my beloved Son”*, Jesus, only begotten Son of the Father who is our God and King, and Beautiful Spirit the Joy of connecting all things through Love to Love, grant us Your blessings. Like Abram⁺ send us forth from our impoverished places to claim Your new lands occupied by radiant hearts and spirits. Cradle us like babies and secure us in Your Arms. Teach us how to grow in Your ways. Make us a great people in faith and service. Be pleased in ennobling us to share Your abundant blessings with others. Fill the world with Your kindness. Make us confident in Your renewal as we, “put our hope in You.”** Grant us strength that we might willingly, “bear [our] share of hardships.” We place our fears, doubts, and pains at Your pierced feet. Unite us with Your cross that we might walk through its doors to Your Resurrection and Life. Fashion us as Your holy people, “not according to our works but according to [Your] design.”*** Father, lift up our souls to Your Holy mountain. Jesus, transfigure us. Beautiful Spirit, possess us with Your Light and Love. “Arise! Shine, for [our] light has come, the glory of the LORD has dawned upon [us].”**** AMEN

+ God changes Abram’s name to Abraham in Genesis 17 when Abram was about 99 years old
* Matthew 17: 5
** Psalm 33: 22
*** 2 Timothy 1: 9
**** Isaiah 60: 1

Link to Readings
Genesis 12:1-4a
Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
2 Timothy 1:8b-10
Matthew 17:1-9

DAY 11: Monday, March 2^nd

Do not remember against us the iniquities of our forefathers;
let your compassion move quickly ahead of us,
for we have been brought very low.
Help us, God our savior,
on account of the glory of your name.
Deliver us, pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Psalm 79: 8-10

Father of Mercy, You “have the words of everlasting Life”*, Jesus, King of forgiveness You have dominion of every soul, and Beautiful Spirit of consolation, You have the gift of compassionating Love, squash our rebellion against heaven. Release us from the bonds of sin. Why do we continually ignore the prophetic voices You send us reminding us of Your Goodness and covenant? Your Love created us and Your Love must reign supreme. Its Love that defines us, its Love that calls us, and its Love that saves us. Remove the obstacles we erect. Grant us Your Grace to get up after every sinful fall. Do not let our shame and guilt keep us shackled to habituating disobedience. Let us drink from Your cup of Mercy. When we are hurt or when resentment or indifference seizes our hearts let Your Mercy pour out of us in waves of forgiveness. Keep us from judging others. We do not want to incur the judgment we deserve. May our relationships be mantled with inexhaustible forgiveness. Father, ready us to accept every Gift You have for us.  Jesus, be our shepherd and center of our lives. Beautiful Spirit, liberate us from fear and set us soaring with Your Love into new pastures. “We Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will praise You forever; from generation to generation, we will proclaim Your praise.”** AMEN

* John 6:63c, 68c
** Psalm 79: 13

Link to Readings
Daniel 9:4b-10
Psalm 79:8, 9, 11 and 13
Luke 6:36-38

DAY 12: Tuesday, March 3^rd

Our God comes and will not be silent!
Devouring fire precedes him,
it rages strongly around him.
He calls to the heavens above
and to the earth to judge his people:
“Gather my loyal ones to me,
those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
for God himself is the judge.
Psalm 50: 3-6

Father the One True Voice rising above all others, Jesus our Rabbi and Christ, and Beautiful Spirit, servant of Love mastering our fallen world with sacrifices and prayers, help us focus on what matters most and “learn to do good.”* Help us recognize how our sins dye crimson the royal white garments You gift us. Liberate us with Your Peace and we will accept that we are on equal footing with all our brothers and sisters. Quiet the raging fears in us that set us against one another. May justice be our aim. Give us the wherewithal to redress our wrongs. We wish to nourish ourselves with the Good things You bless us with. Weaken our resistance to discipline. Let us be vigorous in adopting virtuous habits. We want to submit to whatever spiritual workouts You give us that will build our capacity to love and be witnesses of Your Love now and forever. May we be released from everything in our past, present, and future that offends Your Perfect Unconditional Love. Grant us new hearts and new spirits. Father, we submit to Your Holy Will. Jesus, we trust in You to deliver us from every evil. Beautiful Spirit, we embrace Your humble workings touching every facet of our lives.  “Those who offer praise as a sacrifice honor me; I will let him whose way is steadfast look upon the salvation of God.”** AMEN

* Isaiah 1: 17
** Psalm 50: 23

Link to Readings
Isaiah 1:10, 16-20
Psalm 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23
Matthew 23:1-12

DAY 13: Wednesday, March 4^th

I hear the whispers of the crowd;
terrors are all around me.^*
They conspire together against me;
they plot to take my life.
But I trust in you, LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
My destiny is in your hands;
rescue me from my enemies,
from the hands of my pursuers.
Psalm 31: 14-16

Father, our Bastion in raging storms of hate, Jesus, our source of Peace in the face of assaulting fears, and Beautiful Spirit, our Balm of Love in healing wards of renewal, strengthen our fight for what is Good and True. Listen to the rising pitch of our adversaries. They accuse us night and day and convict us for our sins. Stand before our accusers and speak on our behalf. If You, the Perfect Innocent One, is chastised, ridiculed, tortured, and slaughtered, then what will they do to us who are guilty. Why “must Your Good be repaid with evil?”* Open our eyes to Your heavenly order of Love.  Avert our hearts from webs of deception that seek to call evil good and Good evil. Keep us from participating in hateful divisive cycles and furious destructive spats. Grant us “the Light of Life.”** While we cannot consume the bitterness of Your chalice, we want to be inebriated by Your Precious Blood. Turn us into humble equals eager to serve one another and generous in charity. Father, mark our Lenten time as a season of growth in You. Jesus, thank you for ransoming Your life to free us from sin and death. Beautiful Spirit, transform our souls into crystal vessels magnifying Your Light of Love. Let us “be strong and take heart, [for we] hope in the Lord.”*** AMEN

* Jeremiah 18: 20
** John 8: 12
*** Psalm 31: 25

Link to Readings
Jeremiah 18:18-20
Psalm 31:5-6, 14, 15-16
Matthew 20:17-28

DAY 14: Thursday, March 5^th

In my heart I treasure your promise,
that I may not sin against you.
Blessed are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes.
With my lips I recite
all the judgments you have spoken.
I find joy in the way of your testimonies
more than in all riches.
I will ponder your precepts
and consider your paths.
In your statutes I take delight;
I will never forget your word.
Psalm 119: 11-16

Father, in whom we trust, Jesus our Hope, and Beautiful Spirit, source of all Loving actions, deliver us from every selfish thought, word, deed, and intention. Prevent us from incurring curses by relying on ourselves. Soften the alluring appeal of the world. Bless us with entrusting hearts and spirits infused with celestial imaginings. Hasten our run to You in prayer. Teach us how to grow in strength by lifting up our weaknesses. Cut away accumulating rot infecting Your Divine Vision of who we are and how we are to be according to Your Will. Unearth Your fruits buried in our hearts. Cleanse our souls of wormy defects that are consuming Your gracious nutrients. Let us take root in Your fertile ground near running streams of enlivening waters. Imbue us with Your gift of faith and lead us to deeds that give Glory to You. May we be blessed with the joy of keeping “[Your] Word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.”* May we recognize every Lazarus begging at the feet of our tables. Father, grant us an abundance of Your compassion. Jesus, fill us with Your wisdom to discern Your Way from the world’s way. Beautiful Spirit, enamor our hearts with a passion for Love’s delights. Lord, “Your testimonies are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.”** AMEN

* Luke 8: 15
** Psalm 119: 111

Link to Readings
Jeremiah 17:5-10
Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
Luke 16:19-31

DAY 15: Friday, March 6^th

Give thanks to the Lord, invoke his name;
make known among the peoples his deeds!
Sing praise to him, play music;
proclaim all his wondrous deeds!
Glory in his holy name;
let hearts that seek the Lord rejoice!
Seek out the Lord and his might;
constantly seek his face.
Recall the wondrous deeds he has done,
his wonders and words of judgment.
Psalm 105: 1-5

Father, who sent us His only beloved Son, Jesus our Brother and Savior, and Beautiful Spirit, the gentle overwhelming Force of Love’s Good over evil, end our self-imposed famine from Your Divine Will. Illuminate the stories of antiquity and the parables You use to teach us, to revel in Your Ways.  What can we learn from Jacob who lavished Joseph his favored son with rich gifts? Protect us from the murderous throes of jealousy.  Help us grow in confidence that we are your favored children. Shift our mindsets from scarcity to abundance. May our hearts be full of wonder for the special ways You gift and touch each person. When we are riddled with feelings of inadequacy, and denigrating spikes of worthlessness, let us remember and be grateful for Your Love. You “so loved the world that [You] gave us [Your] only-begotten Son; so that everyone who believes in Him might have eternal life.”* Make us temples of Your Love in Your Kingdom’s vineyard. Convert us into law fulfilling tenants that are industrious, and quick in handing over to You the fruits of Your vineyard. Father, we accept responsibility to cultivate the gifts You give us. Jesus, we will not reject You because we entrust ourselves to You. Beautiful Spirit, inspire our efforts with the limitless Power of Your Love. “Save us, Lord, our God; gather us from among the nations that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in praising you.”** AMEN

* John 3: 16
** Psalm 106: 47

Link to Readings
Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a
Psalm 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21
Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

DAY 16: Saturday, March 7^th

Bless the LORD, my soul;
all my being, bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, my soul;
and do not forget all his gifts,
Who pardons all your sins,
and heals all your ills,
Who redeems your life from the pit,
and crowns you with mercy and compassion,
Who fills your days with good things,
so your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103: 1-5

Father, Arms of open Mercy, Jesus the embodied Voice beckoning us to return Home, and Beautiful Spirit, crafter of situations that put us face to face with our responses to Love’s Perfect Will, show us our True inheritance. Lord, we become easily lost in life’s daily comings and goings. Excuse our insolence. When we forget who You are we become possessed by our wanton entitled demands. Keep us safe from insisting on claiming worldly shares of our inheritance. Grant us insatiable hunger for Heaven’s Feast, and the mysteries of Life in Communion with You. Turn us back to the sweet labors of submitting to Love’s lessons in the here and now. We are prodigal sons and daughters. We are sorry for how quickly we squander Your blessings. No matter how far we stray, or how scandalously we toss aside Your mercy, grant us contrite hearts. We are desperate to receive Your Love and return love for Love. “While [we] are still a long way off,”* You run out to meet us. Let us run to You, fall on our knees and beg You for mercy, saying, “Father, [we] have sinned against heaven and against You; [we] no longer deserve to be called Your sons and daughters.”** Jesus, save us from growing weary; help us rejoice when broken souls return to You. Beautiful Spirit, enlarge our hearts to make more room for Your Love to flow through us. “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”*** AMEN

* Luke 15:20
** Luke 15: 21
*** Psalm 103: 11-12

Link to Readings
Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

DAY: THIRD Sunday of Lent, March, 8^th

The LORD is the great God,
the great king over all gods,
Whose hand holds the depths of the earth;
who owns the tops of the mountains.
The sea and dry land belong to God,
who made them, formed them by hand.
Enter, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
we are the people he shepherds,
the sheep in his hands.
Psalm 95: 3-7

Father, the Well-spring of Life given, promised and realized, Jesus, our Living Water, and Beautiful Spirit, Love’s Joy in collecting and sharing soul quenching Water, guide us to this endless source of replenishing Love. Quell our grumblings. We are blessed beyond all measure by everything you give us. Why is it never enough for us?  As You did at Massah and Meribah, strike our stoney hearts. Let fresh prayers of gratitude flow forth from our innermost being. Lavish us with Grace and through Christ Jesus, bolster our faith. Pour Your Love into our hearts. Rouse our sacred imaginations that we might better realize that Your death secures the beginning of Life. Find us during the heat of life’s trials, seeking You at the Ancient Well of Truth and Life. Speak Your prophetic Word. Give us Hope. Mend our accumulating, broken, consequating threads fraying from our unraveling sinful choices. We worship what we do not understand and give power to things that hold us hostage. “Lord, You are truly the Savior of the world; give [us] living water, that [we] may never thirst again.”* Father, thank you for the gift of eternal Life. Jesus, “we adore You and we praise You, because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.”** Beautiful Spirit, sanctify our hearts with Your burning Love. “Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; cry out to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with a song of praise, joyfully [singing] out our psalms.”*** AMEN

* John 4:42, 15
** St. Francis of Assisi
***Psalm 95: 1-2

Link to Readings
Exodus 17:3-7
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
John 4:5-42

DAY 17: Monday, March 9th

As the deer longs for streams of water,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, the living God.
When can I enter and see the face of God?
My tears have been my bread day and night,
as they ask me every day, “Where is your God?”
Psalm 42: 2-4

Father, source of our longing and satiation, Jesus, our Guide and Light, and Beautiful Spirit, our purposed mission concealed in Love, loosen our stubborn grip on images we craft of You that keep us from knowing you and loving You with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Like Naaman the Armean leper, we are covered in sores afflicting our souls. May we listen to voices that urge us to find healing in You. Send us forth to seek what we need most. Teach us to let go of desires that obscure Your Will. Prime us not to be surprised, at being surprised, at how You answer our calls for healing. Make us receptive to Your instructions. Protect us from arrogance, especially when it compromises our ability to be open to the working agencies of Your healing. Cleanse our souls. Make them like the “flesh of a little child.”* Let us “hope in [You and] trust in [Your] word [because] with [You] there is kindness and plenteous redemption.”** Why do we ignore prophetic voices? Your Word cannot penetrate the native places of our feral souls. Father, place Your seal on our foreheads. Jesus, lay Your hands on our heads to bless us and keep us in communion with You. Beautiful Spirit, plant seeds of Christ’s virtues and Wisdom that flower into testaments to Your Love. “Wait for God, for [we] shall again praise him, [our] savior and [our] God.”*** AMEN

*2 Kings 5: 14
** Psalm 130: 5,7
*** Psalm 42: 12b

Link to Readings
2 Kings 5:1-15ab
Psalm 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4
Luke 4:24-30

DAY 18: Tuesday, March 10^th

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul,
my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be disgraced;
do not let my enemies gloat over me.
No one is disgraced who waits for you,
but only those who are treacherous without cause.
Make known to me your ways, Lord;
teach me your paths.
Psalm 25: 1-4

Father, the Heart of our salvific covenant, Jesus, the Mediator of forgiveness and the source of our hearts’ compassion and mercy, and Beautiful Spirit, renewing Love that makes reconciliation right and sweet, replace our hurts and resentments with Your gentle Kindness. We offer to You our unresolved pains. Accept them as pleasing sacrifices of our trust and dependence on You. Grant us Your Peace. Help us recognize our festering maladies and bind our wounds. Halt our bleeding from unforgiveness. Encourage us to let go of patterns of thoughts, attitudes, actions, and inactions that create chasms between us and others, and us and You. Can we ever be justified in refusing to show mercy to others? You have taught us, and showed us, that in Your Kingdom there are no limits to how many times we are to forgive our brothers and sisters. May this teaching move from our thoughts to the active depths of our hearts. Your Precious Blood has paid the price for every transgression. Let us revel and share in Your Feast of Mercy. Father, bless us as Your witnesses of forgiveness. Jesus, use us as Your mouthpieces of healing Mercy; not seven times but seventy-seven times. Beautiful Spirit, thaw our cold self-righteous instincts with Your warm Blankets of Love. “Preserve [our] soul[s] and rescue [us]; do not let [us] be disgraced, for in you [we] seek refuge.”* AMEN

* Psalm 25: 20

Link to Readings
Daniel 3:25, 34-43
Psalm 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9
Matthew 18:21-35

DAY 19: Wednesday, March 11^th

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
with the lyre make music to our God,^*Who covers the heavens with clouds,
provides rain for the earth,
makes grass sprout on the mountains,
Who gives animals their food
and young ravens what they cry for.^*He takes no delight in the strength of horses,
no pleasure in the runner’s stride.
Rather the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,
those who put their hope in his mercy.
Psalm 147: 7-11

Father, the drawing gravity of the Law realized, Jesus, our Good Counsel binding us to the Law’s Justice, and Beautiful Spirit, our Advocate mercifully appealing the Law’s judgment with infinite Love, reopen our lost cases of sinful convictions with the victory of the cross. Grant evidence of Your Wisdom molding our lives. Help us cross-examine our failures to love, be loved, and embody Your Love. May the Mind of Christ infuse our intelligence with Divine Light to guide our choices. Teach us Your statues and embolden us to be witnesses of Your Grace and Goodness. “Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; You have the words of everlasting life.”* Shield our hearts. Tenderize our spirits with Your Mercy and Compassion. When we face doubts, invigorate our memories. Help us call to mind the ways and time You have acted in our lives. We will uphold Your Law because Your Sacrificial Love fulfills the Law’s purpose. Father, we believe all things will come to pass according to Your Plan. Jesus, in giving us Yourself in the most intimate way possible we become one with You and Love’s Law. Beautiful Spirit, bind every letter of the Law to our hearts, minds, souls, and body through Your Power of redeeming Love. “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will act and make your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like noonday.”** AMEN

 * John 6:63c, 68c
**Psalm 37: 5-6

Link to Readings
Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
Matthew 5:17-19

DAY 20: Thursday, March 12^th

Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah,
as on the day of Massah in the desert.^*
There your ancestors tested me;
they tried me though they had seen my works.
Forty years I loathed that generation;
I said: “This people’s heart goes astray;
they do not know my ways.”
Therefore I swore in my anger:
“They shall never enter my rest.”
Psalm 95: 8-11

Father, the Artisan of our hearts, Jesus, the shepherd of our hearts, and Beautiful Spirit, the Love that seeks our hearts, adorn us with new robes of holiness that warm our cold hearts. Convict us in our desire to make You our God. We want to be Your people. Bless and prosper the works of our lives. Draw our attention to the unfolding moment-by-moment choices that can keep us in sync with living for, and in Your Love. Attune our ears to Your guidance. Ready us to receive feedback in different ways from different sources, especially those we least expect. Weaken our pride and resistance to Your correction. Grant us courage to act upon Your guidance. May our “right” actions become blessings to others. Fill us with every grace that will help us grow in faith that we might speak Your words to others. Drive out every demon that spurns our peace and creates divisions. Father, be pleased to use us to attract others to Your Kingdom. Jesus, we want to be for You, and with You, now and forever. Beautiful Spirit extinguish every trace of darkness with the Light of Your Love. “Let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, we are the people he shepherds, the sheep in his hands.”* AMEN

* Psalm 95: 6-7

Links to Readings
Jeremiah 7:23-28
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
Luke 11:14-23

DAY 21: Friday, March 13^th

I will heal their defection, says the LORD,
I will love them freely;
for my wrath is turned away from them.
I will be like the dew for Israel:
he shall blossom like the lily;
He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar,
and put forth his shoots.
His splendor shall be like the olive tree
and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.
Again they shall dwell in his shade
and raise grain;
They shall blossom like the vine,
and his fame shall be wine of Lebanon
Hosea 14: 5-8

Father, who is, who was, and ever shall be, Jesus, the face, eyes, and hands of the Father, and Beautiful Spirit, the Reality, Presence, and movement of Love, focus our prayers and compel us to actions that spread Your Goodness and Hope. When we turn the eyes of our hearts inward we feel Your penetrating Light. Lord, free us from shame and guilt. We are weighed down by the accusations of our memories. Left to the assaults of our self-condemnation we are prone to judge others. Keep us from becoming trapped on islands of anesthetized self-loathing. Silence our nagging doubts. Assure us of our blessed place in Your Heart. Turn our faces back to You. Let us bask, fear free in the Glory of Your endless Love. You alone are our God. You alone are our Lord. Grant us the graces of an ever-growing faith, hope and trust in You. Teach us how to love You, “with all [our] hearts, with all [our] souls, with all our minds and with all our strength.”* Remove every trace of selfishness so that we might better, “love our neighbor as [ourselves].”* Father, now is an acceptable time for us to return to You. Jesus, grab our hands and do not let us go. Beautiful Spirit, refresh our souls with Feasts of Love’s. “Feed [us] with the finest wheat…[and] satisfy [us] with honey from the rock”** of Your Salvation. AMEN

* Mark 12: 30
** Psalm 81: 17

Link to Readings
Hosea 14:2-10
Psalm 81:6c-8a, 8bc-9, 10-11ab, 14 and 17
Mark 12:28-34

DAY 22: Saturday, March 14^th

Then I declared my sin to you;
my guilt I did not hide.
I said, “I confess my transgression to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
Therefore every loyal person should pray to you
in time of distress.
Though flood waters threaten,
they will never reach him.
You are my shelter; you guard me from distress;
with joyful shouts of deliverance you surround me.
Psalm 32: 5-7

Father, our immortal serving Master who is inseparable from Love, Jesus, the incarnation of God’s perfect humility in action, and Beautiful Spirit, Love’s creative manifestation and expression working in all things at all times, transform us into pleasing offerings that give Glory to Your Name. We come to be healed. Bind our wounds. Strengthen the failing muscles of our hearts and spirits. If we return to You, assure us of our restoration. Release us from the chains of sin and death. Your “judgment shines forth like the light of day!”* We believe You will “come to us like the spring rains that waters the earth.”** Help us outstretch our hands to catch the tender misting dew of Your Merciful Love refreshing us. We want to live in Your Presence now and forever. Grant us certainty of our resurrection. Deepen our knowledge of You and stoke the fires of our love. Like the tax collector who beats his chest begging for mercy, grant us humble, seeking, and contrite hearts. Father, Your Compassion and Mercy make us worthy to be called Your children. Jesus, You are the perpetually Living Sacrifice that frees us from the vicious, tyrannical cycles of sin. Beautiful Spirit, grant us visions of Love’s desire to make all things new. “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; exult, all you upright of heart.”*** AMEN

* Hosea 6: 5
** Hosea 6: 3
*** Psalm 32: 11

Link to Readings
Hosea 6:1-6
Psalm 51:3-4, 18-19, 20-21ab
Luke 18:9-14

DAY: FOURTH Sunday of Lent, March 15^th

You set a table before me
in front of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me
all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of the LORD
for endless days.
Psalm 23: 5-6

Father, Anointer of kings, Jesus, Reader of hearts, and Beautiful Spirit, Lover of healing, bath us in Eternal Light, wash away our indifference, and smolder our ignorance. Grant us an authentic life of faith. We know You do not judge by appearances or by our stature in the world.⁺ You reject anything that is not right hearted. You turn away from intentions when they are full of pride and selfishness.  Show us how to “live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth.”* Teach us what is pleasing to You. May we abhor the darkness. Steer us away from anything that insidiously assaults the Goodness of Your Light. Help us recognize there are no good fruits from darkness’ alluring promises. Through the power of the Precious Blood of Christ we renounce, rebuke and reject every deceitful dark spirit that vies for our attention. We will follow You because, “You have the Light of Life.”** Use us as a living visible testimony of Your enduring work and presence in the world. Let us do everything we can, while we can, to build Your Kingdom of Light. Father, give us foresight to enter Your Light with humility, faith, and trust. Jesus, make us blind so that we can see only You, and live in You more fully. Beautiful Spirit animate our actions and make us one with Love’s Divine Will. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.”*** AMEN

+ adapted from 1 Samuel 16: 7
* Ephesians 5: 9
** John 8: 12
*** Psalm 23: 4

Link to Readings
1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a
Psalm 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
Ephesians 5:8-14
John 9:1-41

DAY 23: Monday, March 16^th

You changed my mourning into dancing;
you took off my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness.
So that my glory may praise you
and not be silent.
O LORD, my God,
forever will I give you thanks.
Psalm 30: 12-13

Father, the Harvester of Your people’s joy, Jesus, the Source of Your sheep’s Joy, and Beautiful Spirit, the Delight of Love’s Joy, banish our grief, wipe away our tears, and let us loose to explore Your wonders. Free us from our past. Our falls, hurts, and missteps haunt us. We hold ourselves in prisons fenced and barred with heavy regrets. It’s not just our past; it’s our daily struggle to overcome our shortcomings. Enrich us with Your Graces that we might open ourselves to more of Your Love, love ourselves better, and be more charitable in loving others. Drive out our doubts. Embolden us to entrust our brokenness to Your merciful Goodness. Replace our cowering, whimpering fears with bold acclamations of Your Power. We set our sights on the new heavens, and new earth You will create. We are confident in the forthcoming reign of Your Divine Will on earth as it is in heaven. Unlock our hearts. Fill them with Your Joy. Make us Your delight. Father, grant us the gift of a deeper and stronger faith. Jesus, You are our endless Sign and Glorious Wonder that drives away our unbelief. Beautiful Spirit, cover the earth and heavens with Your Love and Peace. “Sing praise to the Lord, you faithful; give thanks to his holy memory. For his anger lasts but a moment; his favor a lifetime. At dusk weeping comes for the night; but at dawn there is rejoicing.”* AMEN

* Psalm 30: 5-6

Link to Readings
Isaiah 65:17-21
Psalm 30:2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b
John 4:43-54

DAY 24: Tuesday, March 17^th

Come and see the works of the Lord,
who has done fearsome deeds on earth;
Who stops wars to the ends of the earth,
breaks the bow, splinters the spear,
and burns the shields with fire;
“Be still and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
exalted on the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Psalm 46: 9-12

Father, the Hands of the Sabath, Jesus, the Soul of the Sabath, Beautiful Spirit, the Heart of the Sabath’s Love, draw us deeper into Your healing mysteries. Bring us to the entrance of Your temple. Invite us into the water that flows, “from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east.”* Guide us as we wade into the depths of Your Holy Waters. Renew our hearts, minds, and spirits. We praise and thank You, for what was once pierced, is now, the fountain of mercy that heals us. Your Love fills our souls’ shallow earthen vessels. Lead us to the banks of Your River of Life. May we sit with You and watch how You give Life to all things. Entreat us with the fruits of Mercy. Show us how Your waters mix with the salty sea and refresh it with Your replenishing Water. We are sick and want to be well, but we are paralyzed. Change our self-defeating convictions. Command us to rise. Empower us to be enlivened by our faith in You. Father, we will bless and praise Your Holy Name as if every day was the Sabath. Jesus, teach us how to celebrate the Sabath. Beautiful Spirit, enlighten the eyes of our hearts with Love for the Sabath. “Streams of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. God is in its midst; it shall not be shaken; God will help it at break of day.”** AMEN

* Ezekiel 47: 1b
** Psalm 46: 5-6

Link to Readings
Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12
Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
John 5:1-16

DAY 25: Wednesday, March 18^th

Your reign is a reign for all ages,
your dominion for all generations.
The LORD is trustworthy in all his words,
and loving in all his works.
The LORD supports all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you;
you give them their food in due season.
You open wide your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Psalm 145: 13-16

Father, of enduring memory, Jesus one in person and Love with the Father, and Beautiful Spirit the endless, One Heart Beat between the Father and Son, call us by name. As a mother’s steadfast love cradles her child with tenderness how much more do You hold us in Your arms with boundless Love? Sing us a lullaby. Satisfy our hunger, and quench our thirst for Your prevailing Goodness and Peace. May we never forget Your Love. Keep Your offer of Salvation before us. Free us from the throngs of death. We believe You are “the resurrection and the Life.”* Captivate our sacred imaginations. Help us encounter You in the gospel. Grant us a clear line of heart that recognizes Your Great Goodness expressed in acts of Mercy and Love. Awaken our deadened righteous by the Power of Your Glory. Let us embrace Your Word with quick and right hearted prayers and actions. Grant us eternal rest in Your Loving arms. Father, we chose eternal life with you, save us from condemnation. Jesus, live in us, we have nothing without You, take pity on us and make Your home in our souls. Beautiful Spirit, transform our souls into crystal vessels capturing and radiating the eternal co-creative Love between the Father and the Son. “The Lord is good to all, compassionate toward all your works.”** AMEN

Link to Readings
Isaiah 49:8-15
Psalm 145:8-9, 13cd-14, 17-18
John 5:17-30

* John 11: 26
** Psalm 145: 9

DAY 26: Thursday, March 19^th

I will sing of your mercy forever, Lord
proclaim your faithfulness through all ages.
For I said, “My mercy is established forever;
my faithfulness will stand as long as the heavens.
I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
I will make your dynasty stand forever
and establish your throne through all ages.”
Psalm 89: 2-5

Father of all nations, Jesus, Redeemer of all people, and Beautiful Spirit, Lover of all souls, gather us from the ends of the earth, assemble us under Your tent, and renew us in Your everlasting covenant. Craft a House of Prayer for all Your followers. Establish Your royal throne in our midst. Seat the King of Righteousness and Peace. Appoint Him as Your enduring Servant, and as our Savior. We belong to the promise you made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Crush our enemies that seek to pillage and plunder our Holy inheritance. Fortify us at our battle stations. Give us endless strength to hold fast to the City of God. We desire neither worldly success nor fame. Lavish us with “the righteousness that comes from faith.”* We relinquish strictures that are empty self-righteous gestures and that can turn us into slaves of meaningless rules. Write Your Law of Love on our hearts. We place in front of us the example of St. Joseph’s trust, obedience, and love as our model. Like Joseph, transform us into strong, quiet, deep listeners. May we be quick to protect others in their run to You. Father, through Your Son Jesus, we are descendants of the House of David. Jesus, be our Shepherd King and rule our hearts with Your Wisdom and Compassion. Beautiful Spirit, establish the Kingdom of Love. “Justice and judgment are the foundation of your throne; mercy and faithfulness march before you. Blessed the people who know the war cry, who walk in the radiance of your face, Lord.”** AMEN

* Romans 4: 13
** Psalm 89: 15-16

Link to Readings
2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16
Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22
Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a

DAY 27: Friday, March 20^th

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted,
saves those whose spirit is crushed.
Many are the troubles of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him from them all.
He watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
Evil will slay the wicked;
those who hate the righteous are condemned.
The LORD is the redeemer of the souls of his servants;
and none are condemned who take refuge in him.
Psalm 34: 19-23

Father, You are tempered by Your gracious patience, Jesus, You are condemned by Your foes, and Beautiful Spirit, You are reviled by Your haters for Your Perfect Unconditional Love, break our resistance to embracing Your Greatness. Why are the wicked permitted to persist in their hateful ways? We see it all the time and it never ceases to confuse us. We see Your Goodness flowing but there is often a strong force working against It. Grant us patience to know this is neither Your will nor our destiny. Your Love reigns and can never be stopped or destroyed. If we become an obstacle to Your Love, inflame our icy hearts. Fill us with renewed trust in the generative power of Your Love. We chose to live “on every word that comes from [Your] mouth.”* Snuff out our jealousies. Forgive us for being quick to deride the successes and triumphs of others when they physically, emotionally, and spiritually prosper from Your abundant grace. Father, change our hearts. Jesus, possess our hearts. Beautiful Spirit fill our hearts with Your Wisdom and Love. “Evil will slay the wicked; those who hate the righteous are condemned. The Lord is the redeemer of the souls of his servants; and none are condemned who take refuge in him.”** AMEN

* Mathew 4: 4b
** Psalm 34: 22-23

Link to Readings
Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22
Psalm 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23
John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

DAY 28: Saturday, March 21^st

Rise up, Lord, in your anger;
be aroused against the outrages of my oppressors.
Stir up the justice, my God, you have commanded.
Have the assembly of the peoples gather about you;
and return on high above them,
the Lord will pass judgment on the peoples.
Judge me, LORD, according to my righteousness,
and my integrity.
Let the malice of the wicked end.
Uphold the just one,
O just God,
who tries hearts and minds.
Psalm 7: 7-10

Father, Your beloved Son is a gift, Jesus, Your Father’s communion in Your life, death, and resurrection is a mystery, Beautiful Spirit, Your Love unites the Father and Son in ceaseless expressions, cast aside our petulance. Remove us from the hordes that hatch plots against You. Forgive us for renouncing Your trust.  We struggle to accept the rippling consequences of our actions. Help us recognize how every offense against each other is an offense against You. Sensitize us to the impacts of our unloving and selfish actions. Grant us opportunities to please You because You are SO deserving of our love. May Your Name be revered. May Your Justice prevail and bring us vindication. May Your Peace reign now and forever. Keep us safe from destroying the vigor of Your Love’s fruits.  Bless us. Let us keep Your Word with “a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.”* Father, draw us into Your Light. Jesus, use us as Your lamplights. Beautiful Spirit, illuminate every corner and facet of our lives with Your Love. “God is a shield above me saving the upright of heart. God is a just judge, powerful and patient, not exercising anger every day. If one does not repent, God sharpens his sword, strings and readies the bow,”** AMEN

* Luke 8: 15
** Psalm 7: 11-13

Link to Readings 
Jeremiah 11:18-20
Psalm 7:2-3, 9bc-10, 11-12
John 7:40-53

DAY: FIFTH Sunday of Lent, March 22^nd

Out of the depths^* I call to you, LORD;
Lord, hear my cry!
May your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.
If you, LORD, keep account of sins,
Lord, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness
and so you are revered.
Psalm 130: 2-4

Father, You have the keys to Life and death, Jesus, You have the Words of everlasting Life, and Beautiful Spirit, You have the Joy of never ending expressions of Love, open our graves and let us rise. Place Your Spirit in us. We trust in Your promise. Sin weighs upon us, and without Christ living in us, we are slaves to death. Dwell in us. Transform our brokenness into wholeness. We look forward to the resurrection of our bodies. We believe in You, and because of Your Perfect Sacrificial Love, death has no power over us. Weep for us. Awaken us like Lazarus. Summon us to leave our lives of death and to answer Your call to new Life. Keep us always before You. Father, thank You for creating us and restoring us to conform to Your Image. Let us give Glory to You now and forever. Jesus, “[we] have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God.”* Beautiful Spirit, unlock the Doors of Your Love and help us grow in discipleship. “Give ear to my words, O Lord; understand my sighing. Attend to the sound of my cry, my king and my God! For to you I will pray, Lord; in the morning you will hear my voice; in the morning I will plead before you and wait.”** AMEN

* John 11: 25a
** Psalm 5: 2-4

Link to Readings
Ezekiel 37:12-14
Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Romans 8:8-11
John 11:1-45

DAY 29: Monday, March 23^rd

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shade of the Almighty,
Say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”
He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare,
from the destroying plague,
He will shelter you with his pinions,
and under his wings you may take refuge;
his faithfulness is a protecting shield.
You shall not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day,
Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness,
nor the plague that ravages at noon.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
near you it shall not come.
Psalm 91: 1-7

Father of Knowing-Justice, let no cry go unheard, Jesus of Tender-Goodness, respond to our cries with Mercy, and Beautiful Spirit of Pure-Love, act with Compassion, protect us from the trials and tribulations of evil. Deliver us from intentions, words, and actions that ensnare us in habits that foster wickedness. Clear a path of right mindedness, right heartedness, and right spiritedness that leads us to You. May we fear the death of our spirits more than any physical, psychological, or emotional harm wretched people and situations can inflict on us. When we encounter false accusations, collect our hearts’ poignant tears. Lord, we’d rather “fall into [others’] power without guilt than to sin before [You].”* We will trust in You. “O eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be.”** Rouse Your Spirit. Incite Wisdom and Truth that they may be our constant allies. Silence the rage of our condemnations. Relieve us from our tendencies to respond to difficult and unknown situations with fear. If we are captive to resentment or hate, free us from their snares. Father, we place our hope in Your promises. Jesus, Your Compassion and tender Mercy give us hope. Beautiful Spirit, saturate our hearts and spirits with Your Love. “Because you have the LORD for your refuge and have made the Most High your stronghold, no evil shall befall you, no affliction come near your tent.”*** AMEN

* Daniel 13: 23
** Daniel 13: 42
*** Psalm 91: 9-10

Link to Readings
Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 13:41c-62
Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
John 8:1-11

DAY 30: Tuesday, March 24^th

Rise up, LORD! God, lift up your hand!
Do not forget the poor!
Why should the wicked scorn God,
say in their hearts, “God does not care”?
But you do see;
you take note of misery and sorrow;
you take the matter in hand.
To you the helpless can entrust their cause;
you are the defender of orphans.
Break the arm of the wicked and depraved;
make them account for their crimes;
let none of them survive.
Psalm 10: 12-15

Father, the blessed Voice of Divine Will: speaking, Jesus, the anointed Teacher of Gracious Mercy: listening, and Beautiful Spirit the appointed Advocate of Firey Love: acting, break through the noise of our doubts. Lord, we are often consumed by troubles. Lift up our heads to meet You eye to eye and receive Your peace and encouragement. And when our troubles feel unanswered, grant us greater resilience to combat our bouts with desolation. Help us to see these as precious opportunities to grow in our trust of You. Forgive us for ditching gratitude for complaints. We recognize we are too quick to grumble. As Moses did in the desert for the Israelites with a Saraph on a pole, lift high Your cross that we might be saved. We are gripped by sin’s ruthless and deadly bites. Please do not let our suffering cause us to sin or lead us away from You. Take our suffering and unite it with You. Do not let us die in our sin. We believe You are the great I AM. Father, speak, Your humble children want to listen. Jesus, our hearts want to adore You with keener eyes of faith. Beautiful Spirit, transform our lives into intricate, pleasing tapestries woven by Your Love. “How precious is your mercy, O God! The children of Adam take refuge in the shadow of your wings. For with you is the fountain of life, and in your light we see light.”* AMEN

* Psalm 36: 8,10

Link to Readings
Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21
John 8:21-30

DAY 31: Wednesday, March 25^th

Blessed the man who sets
his security in the LORD,
who turns not to the arrogant
or to those who stray after falsehood.
You, yes you, O Lord, my God,
have done many wondrous deeds!
And in your plans for us
there is none to equal you.
Should I wish to declare or tell them,
too many are they to recount.
Psalm  40: 5-6

Father, Giver of Yourself, and the Sign of signs, Jesus, Ruler of All, and the visible Sign of signs, and Beautiful Spirit, Harvester of souls and the ever-working Sign of signs’ fruiting Love, proclaim Your Good News to us. We dare to ask for a sign; a holy and living Sign of Your never-ending sacrifice. Open our hearts to the mystery of Your incarnation. Replace our worries and uncertainties with wonder. Accept our “Yes” to love and serve You now and forever.  Prepare us to be Your body. Fill us with Your Grace and let us experience the intimacy of becoming one in breath and spirit with You. Let us echo the words of Mary, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”* Show us how to walk with You through our daily ups and downs of trying to live for and with You. Deepen our life of prayer. Father, we praise and thank you for Your Sign. Jesus, attune us to Your ongoing signs of Your Goodness and Peace at work in our lives. Beautiful Spirit, make us enacting signs of Your Love to others. “See; I come with an inscribed scroll written upon me. I delight to do your will, my God; your law is in my inner being!”** AMEN

* Luke 1: 38
** Psalm 40: 8-9

Link to Readings
Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10
Psalm 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11
Hebrews 10:4-10
Luke 1:26-38

DAY 32: Thursday, March 26^th

Give thanks to the Lord, invoke his name;
make known among the peoples his deeds!
Sing praise to him, play music;
proclaim all his wondrous deeds!
Glory in his holy name;
let hearts that seek the Lord rejoice!
Seek out the Lord and his might;
constantly seek his face.
Recall the wondrous deeds he has done,
his wonders and words of judgment,
You descendants of Abraham his servant,
offspring of Jacob the chosen one!
Psalm 105: 1-6

Father, Gracious Maker of the covenant, Jesus, Obedient Keeper of the covenant, and Beautiful Spirit, Loving Gift of the covenant, renew us today in our commitment to be faithful, trusting, covenant people. Call us by our new, anointed names, Children of God the Most High. We thank You for Your everlasting pact that, “whoever keeps [Your] word will never see death”* We are made in Your image. We are made for eternity. Grant us the courage and wisdom to keep Your Word. When we hear your voice, our hearts will be softened⁺. In the face of our difficulties, in the heat of temptations, and in the assault of challengers, help us remember the countless ways and times You have blessed us and delivered us. Turn our hearts toward You. Let Your Glory shine upon us. Make us humble instruments of Your Glory. Fulfill our desire to be perpetual witnesses of Your great Love. Father, You are the Great I AM. Jesus, You are the Father’s promise; we believe You and the Father are One. Beautiful Spirit, You are heaven’s hymns of Peace and Joy trumpeted by Love’s ecstatic blasts. “For he remembered his sacred promise to Abraham his servant. He brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with shouts of triumph.”** AMEN

+ Adapted from Psalm 95: 8
* John 8: 51
** Psalm 105: 42-43

Link to Readings
Genesis 17:3-9
Psalm 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
John 8:51-59

DAY 33: Friday, March 27^th

I love you, LORD, my strength,
LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, my saving horn,^* my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim!
I have been delivered from my enemies.
The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of destruction terrified me.
The cords^* of Sheol encircled me;
the snares of death lay in wait for me.
In my distress I called out: LORD!
I cried out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry to him reached his ears.
Psalm 18: 2-7

Father, Ravager of injustices and Salvager of souls, Jesus, Crusher of sins and Builder of Kingdoms, and Beautiful Spirit, Destroyer of selfishness and Lover of hearts, break this world’s attachment to vengeful tyranny. You are the Holy One of Israel. You come with vindication. Give us the grace to respond to Your invitation to discipleship. Overwhelm us with the sweetness of Your friendship. In the company of others, do not let us deny Your Goodness. Give us the courage to never denounce You in words or actions. Even though we are trapped by the enemy, we are not defenseless. On our own we are helpless in fighting the powerful and wicked, but with You at our sides we cannot lose. We entrust our battles to You. Have pity on us for we are poor in Spirit. Grant us Your compassion and lift us above the fray. Empower us to share Your strength with others in their battles. Father, we will exalt You and refrain from blaspheming Your Great Name and deeds. Jesus, we believe You are the Son of God and that the works You perform in our lives come from Him. Beautiful Spirit, through the Power of Your Love allow us to co-create with You, enduring monuments of Joy. “Truly you have elevated [us] above [our] opponents, from a man of lawlessness you have rescued [us]. Thus [we] will praise you, Lord, among the nations; [we] will sing praises to your name.”* AMEN

* Psalm 18: 49-50

Link to Readings
Jeremiah 20:10-13
Psalm 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7
John 10:31-42

DAY 34: Saturday, March 28^th

Hear the word of the Lord, you nations,
proclaim it on distant coasts, and say:
The One who scattered Israel, now gathers them;
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.
The Lord shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from a hand too strong for him.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the Lord’s blessings:
The grain, the wine, and the oil,
flocks of sheep and cattle;
They themselves shall be like watered gardens,
never again neglected.
Then young women shall make merry and dance,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will show them compassion and have them rejoice after their sorrows.
Jeremiah 31: 10-13

Father who gathers His people, Jesus who rules His people, and Beautiful Spirit, who sustains His people with everlasting Love, usurp our rebellious ways with Your righteous Justice and tender Mercies. We are guilty of continuously inventing vile new abominations, and embracing novel “enlightened” beliefs and practices. Let us not be deceived by right sounding half-truths that obscure Your Wisdom and Ways. Keep us from testing Your patience. Remove all the idols that dominate our lives and that we unknowingly worship. Please do not let our idols compromise our capacity to know You, love You, and serve You. Be the center of our lives and our top priority. Help us put things back in their proper order. Grant us extraordinary graces that shift our perspectives. Show us how placing You first in our lives produces the fruits of peace, joy and lavishes us with a deluge of Your enacting Love. Forgive our transgressions. “Deliver [us] from all [our] sins of apostasy, and cleanse [us] so that [we] may be [Your] people and [You] may be [our] God.”* Father, we will be Your people. Jesus, let our love for you, and devotion to You, entreat You to be our hearts’ and souls’ constant companion. Beautiful Spirit, nourish our emaciated world with Your Love. “The works of his hands are true and just, reliable all his decrees, established forever and ever, to be observed with truth and equity.”** AMEN

* Ezekiel 37: 23
** Psalm 111: 7-8

Link to Readings
Ezekiel 37:21-28
Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13
John 11:45-56

DAY: PALM SUNDAY, March 29^th

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why so far from my call for help,
from my cries of anguish?
My God, I call by day, but you do not answer;
by night, but I have no relief.
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the glory of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted and you rescued them.
To you they cried out and they escaped;
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
But I am a worm, not a man,
scorned by men, despised by the people.
Psalm 22: 1-7

“Father, we offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son our Lord, Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”* Jesus, we cry, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.”** Beautiful Spirit, rip our temples’ veils of deceit, strip us of our pride, obliterate our hatreds, and reveal the sanctuary of Your Love’s Laws. Open our ears and rouse us with Your Words. Let us turn back to You and end our rebellion. With You in our presence we cannot be disgraced. Like You did in accepting the cross, let us “set our faces like flint knowing that [we] shall not be put to shame.”*** Lord, draw us into the mystery of Your abject humility. Teach us how to become slaves to Your Love. We will bend our knees and encourage every tongue to “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”**** With You working in us at all times, and in all ways, grant us every grace we need to be obedient to Your Divine Will—even to the point of death. We will die in You and for You. Keep us from betraying Your friendship. May we withhold nothing from You. Though we might face persecution do not let us deny You. We bless and praise Your exalted Name now and forever. Unite us with Your sorrows. Help us recognize Your sorrows in the pain and sufferings of our brothers and sisters. We will set aside our swords and aggression because we do not want our souls to perish from our hearts’ violence. In times of others’ needs, in Your visitations with us in the form of injustices and inequities, we beg for the moral courage to never shun You. Liberate us from accusing mobs. Replace our shouts of condemnation with loving, faithful prayers. Father, into Your hands we commend our spirits. Jesus, truly [You are] the Son of God.# Beautiful Spirit, we believe we will rise from the dead on Your thermals of Love. “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD; all the families of nations will bow low before him.”## AMEN

* Dive Mercy Chaplet, St. Faustina
** Matthew 21: 11
*** Isaiah 50: 7
**** Philippians 2: 11
# Matthew 27: 54
## Psalm 22: 28

Link to Readings
Matthew 21:1-11
Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
Philippians 2:6-11
Matthew 26:14—27:66

DAY 37: Monday, March 30^th

Hear my voice, LORD, when I call;
have mercy on me and answer me.
“Come,” says my heart, “seek his face”;
your face, LORD, do I seek!
Do not hide your face from me;
do not repel your servant in anger.
You are my salvation; do not cast me off;
do not forsake me, God my savior!
Even if my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will take me in.
Psalm 27: 7-10

Father, Master but Servant, Jesus, Son but One with the Father, Beautiful Spirit, Love but Justice, draw us into Holy Week’s mysteries. May we encounter this week’s unfolding Passion in deep and new ways. Break open the story for us. Bless our sacred imaginations with insights that transform us and promote Your healing work in us. May we experience Your, “chosen one with whom [You] are pleased” with honest open hearts. Speak to us in fresh ways; in ways that each of us desperately needs to hear. Fill our hearts with wonder and awe. We accept that Your Love knows no limits. Grant us special opportunities this week to slow down, reflect, and pray. Unite our stories with Your Perfect Sacrificial Love. Grace us with intimate, profound, and sacred ways to be touched and changed by Your Love. Like Mary who anointed Your feet with oil, let our overflowing gratitude pour out of us. Permit us to perfume Your weary feet. Allow us to console You with humble and contrite prayers. Father, thank you for gifting us with Your Light for all the nations. Jesus, be with us, and let us accompany You on this journey to the cross. Beautiful Spirit create in us new hearts lavished with Your Love. “I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.”* AMEN

* Psalm 27: 13

Link to Readings
Isaiah 42:1-7
Psalm 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14
John 12:1-11

DAY 38: Tuesday, March 31^st

In you, LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue and deliver me;
listen to me and save me!
Be my rock of refuge,
my stronghold to give me safety;
for you are my rock and fortress.
My God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked,
from the clutches of the evil and violent.
You are my hope, Lord;
my trust, GOD, from my youth.
On you I have depended since birth;
from my mother’s womb you are my strength;
my hope in you never wavers.
Psalm 71: 1-6

Father, the Author and Convener of salvation’s unfolding plan, Jesus, the Editor and Perpetuator of salvation’s actualizing plan, and Beautiful Spirit, Publisher and Instigator of salvation’s living plan, write our names in the Book of Life. Wield Your “sharp-edged sword”* and reveal Your plan. Set into flight Your Word, hidden as a “polished arrow in Your quiver.”** Let it soar through the thick fog of doubts and confusion. Your Servant will hit His mark and show Your glory. Lord, Your march’s pace to the Greatest and most poignant Gift of Love is quickening. Set in motion whatever needs to happen. We know nothing can lie in Your wake. Grant us every Grace we need to mirror Your obedience. May we desire to do Your Will more than anything else. Grant us access to the enormity of Your Heart’s Passion. Do not let us betray You. Stay with us. We want to follow You. When our time comes to be with You, lead us Home. Father, read Your Salvation Book to our souls so that we may commit it to our faith’s memory. Jesus, turn the pages of Your Book. Beautiful Spirit, animate the Book’s pages with Love’s illustrations. “My mouth shall proclaim your just deeds, day after day your acts of deliverance, though I cannot number them all.”*** AMEN

* Isaiah 49: 2
** Isaiah 49: 2
*** Psalm 71: 15

Link to Readings
Isaiah 49:1-6
Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5ab-6ab, 15 and 17
John 13:21-33, 36-38

DAY 39: Wednesday, April 1^st

Save me, God,
for the waters have reached my neck.
I have sunk into the mire of the deep,
where there is no foothold.
I have gone down to the watery depths;
the flood overwhelms me.
I am weary with crying out;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
from looking for my God.
More numerous than the hairs of my head
are those who hate me without cause.
Those who would destroy me are mighty,
my enemies without reason.
Must I now restore
what I did not steal?Psalm 69: 1-5

Father, Time Keeper preparing to Give All for All, Jesus, Expectant Servant awaiting Your ordained moment to fulfill every prophecy promising our freedom from death into Life, and Beautiful Spirit, unshakeable Love gathering temporal momentum to unleash a deathly blow to evil, still our racing hearts’ fears. The time is coming. We feel the storm rising. May we be humbled by the enormity of what lies ahead. Let us come by Your side. How great You are! You are unfazed by what must be done to gather us to Your bosom. Grant us Your reflective stillness. We desire to bask in Your resilient Peace. Like Your beloved apostle, we will rest our heads against Your heart. We will listen, watch, and wait. For what we cannot understand now, nor ever fully understand, give us lively and deep faith. Be pleased to accept our simple offerings of gratitude and love. Before the inexorable pathos hits, grant us the grace to embrace this quiet preparatory moment to tenderly console You. Father, ready the Way for unleashing the torrents of Your Mercy. Jesus, draw us into the silence of Your prayerful resolve. Beautiful Spirit, finish Love’s work of refining in us every gift and virtue we need to be fruitful Easter People. “Answer me, LORD, in your generous love; in your great mercy turn to me.”* AMEN

* Psalm 69: 17

Link to Readings
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 and 33-34
Matthew 26:14-25

DAY 40: Thursday, April 2^nd

How can I repay the Lord
for all the great good done for me?
I will raise the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
Dear in the eyes of the Lord
is the death of his devoted.
Lord, I am your servant,
your servant, the child of your maidservant;
you have loosed my bonds.
I will offer a sacrifice of praise
and call on the name of the Lord.
Psalm 116: 12-17

Father, pass over our sins, and bring death to everything that is contrary to living fully in Your Divine Will. Jesus, feed us, and renew us, in our paschal celebration of Your life, death, and resurrection.  And Beautiful Spirit, quench our thirst for Your Perfect Love, and pour out Love’s Precious Blood into our broken world. Gather us once again at Your table. Grant us Communion with You and with one another. May we become Your servants. Teach us how to kneel and wash the feet of others. Help us discern the vulnerable, tender, road worn injuries of our brothers and sisters. Let us administer Your healing salve to bring others Your healing and encouragement during their times of struggle and affliction. As You are our food and drink on this journey, grant us opportunities to nourish others with Your Peace and Hope. We thank you for the feasts of blessings and goodness You prepare for us now, while we await the Lamb of God’s never ending Wedding Banquet. Father, we give glory and praise to You for freeing us from the bonds of slavery, and leading us to new sacred places. Jesus, You are enough for us; You are all we need, we place our undying trust in You, now and forever. Beautiful Spirit, send forth Your Love and renew the face of the earth. “For my soul has been freed from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I shall walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.”* AMEN

* Psalm 116: 8-9

Link to Readings
Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-15