Daily Bread - Feb 1st - St. Theresa on Prayer

Saintly Steps - The Little Flower on prayer...

How wonderful is the power of prayer! It is like unto a queen, who, having free access to the king, obtains whatsoever she asks. In order to secure a hearing there is no need to recite set prayers composed for the occasion--were it so, I ought indeed to be pitied!

I do as children who have not learnt to read--I simply tell Our Lord all that I want, and He always understands. With me prayer is an uplifting of the heart; a glance towards heaven; a cry of gratitude and love, uttered equally in sorrow and in joy. In a word, it is something noble, supernatural, which expands my soul and unites it to God. Sometimes when I am in such a state of spiritual dryness that not a single good thought occurs to me, I say very slowly the "Our Father" or the "Hail Mary," and

these prayers suffice to take me out of myself, and wonderfully refresh me. (St. Theresa in Story of a Soul)

St. Theresa - Teach us to pray!

Story of a Soul - St. Therese (Read online)

http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=199979&pageno=3

Daily Bread - Jan 31st - Don Bosco

Saintly Steps - Don Bosco: The Friend of Youth.

"Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are!" - Don Bosco

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." 

(1 Timothy 4:12)

Don Bosco - Pray for us!

A brief story of his life - http://www.salesians.org.uk/dbuk/saints1.html

Daily Bread - Jan 30 - Fulton J Sheen

Saintly Steps - We are born to Love others!

"Show me your hands. Do they have scars from giving? 

Show me your feet. Are they wounded in service? 

Show me your heart. Have you left a place for divine love?"

 - Fulton J Sheen

But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?' But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.' (Matthew 22:11-13)

Servant of God Fulton J Sheen - Pray for us!

Daily Bread - Jan 29th - St. Augustine

Saintly Steps - Restless Hearts!

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, 

and I will give you rest." 

(Matthew 11:28)

"Our hearts were made for You, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in you." – St. Augustine

Daily Bread - Jan 28th - St Teresa

Saintly Steps - Love is above what you feel emotionally - it is an act of the will!

"Perhaps we do not know what love is: it would not surprise me a great deal to learn this, for love consists, not in the extent of our happiness, but in the firmness of our determination to try to please God in everything, and to endeavour, in all possible ways, not to offend Him, and to pray Him ever to advance the honour and glory of His Son and the growth of the Catholic Church. 

Those are the signs of love; do not imagine that the important thing is never to be thinking of anything else and that if your mind becomes slightly distracted all is lost." 

(St. Teresa of Avila in her wonderful book The Interior Castle)

St. Teresa of Avila - teach us the way of true love and prayer!

Daily Bread - Jan 27th - Slow and Steady

Wisdom Pearls - Slow and Steady.

"My son, don't get involved in too many things.

If you try to do too much, you will suffer for it.

You won't be able to finish your work, and you won't be able to get away from it either.

For instance, here is a man who never stops working like a slave, but gets further behind all the time.

On the other hand, another man may be very poor and not up to his task. He may be slow and he may need help, but the Lord is pleased with him and pulls him out of his bad situation.

When he is back on his feet again, everyone is astounded." 

(Sirach 11:10-13)

Mother Teresa - Pray for us to do the few things we do with LOVE!

Daily Bread - Jan 26th - Criticism

Wisdom Pearls - Criticism

"Before you start criticizing, get your facts straight and think the matter through. 

Don't interrupt while someone is speaking; 

hear what he has to say before you answer. 

Don't get into an argument over something that is none of your business."

(Sirach 11:7-9)

Saints Timothy and Titus - Pray for us!

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1272

Daily Bread - Jan 25 - Appearances

Wisdom Pearls - Appearances.

 

"Do not compliment a person on his good looks. 

On the other hand, do not look down on someone who is unattractive. 

Compared with most flying things, a bee is very small, 

but the honey it makes is the sweetest of foods." 

(Sirach 11:2,3)

St. Paul -Pray for our true conversion!

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1271

Daily Bread - Jan 24th - Self-Esteem

Wisdom Pearls - Self Esteem

"My son, keep your self-respect, but remain modest. 

Value yourself at your true worth. 

There is no excuse for a person who runs himself down. 

No one respects a person who has no respect for himself." 

(Sirach 10:28,29)

St. Francis De Sales - Pray for us!

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1270

Daily Bread - Jan 23rd - Pride

Wisdom Pearls - Pride

The beginning of pride is man's stubbornness in withdrawing his heart from his Maker;
For pride is the reservoir of sin, a source which runs over with vice;
Because of it God sends unheard-of afflictions and brings men to utter ruin.
(Sirach 10:12-13)

Daily Bread - Jan 22nd - Companions

Wisdom Pearls - Companions.

"Get to know the People around you as well as you can,

and take advice only from those who are qualified to give it.

Engage in conversation with intelligent men,

and let the law of the Most High be the topic of your discussions.

Choose righteous people for your dinner companions.

Your chief pride should be your fear of the Lord"

(Sirach 9: 14-16)

Daily Bread - Jan 21st - Being Loved

Wisdom Pearls - Being loved

"Give your help to the poor, and the Lord will give you his perfect blessing. 

Be generous to every living soul, 

and be gracious to the memory of the dead.

Show sympathy to those who have lost a loved one, and mourn with them.

Do not hesitate to visit the sick.

You will be loved for things like these."

(Sirach 8:32-35)

Daily Bread - Jan 20th - Parents

Wisdom Pearls - Parents.

"Honor your father with all your heart, and never forget how your mother suffered when you were born. Remember that you owe your life to them." (Sirach 7:27-28)

Daily Bread - Jan 19th - Humiliation

Wisdom Pearls - Humiliation

"Don't laugh at a man who has been humiliated. It is the Lord who humbles a person, but the Lord also raises him up again" (Sirach 7:11)

Daily Bread - Jan 18th - Bible

Wisdom Pearls - Word of God.

"Devote all your time to studying the Lord's commands and thinking about them. He will give you the insight and wisdom you are looking for." (Sirach 6:37)

Daily Bread - Jan 17th - Friends

Wisdom Pearls - Friends.

"A loyal friend is like a safe shelter; find one and you have found a treasure. 

Nothing else is as valuable; there is no way of putting a price on it. 

A loyal friend is like a medicine that keeps you in good health. 

Only those who fear the Lord can find such a friend. 

A person who fears the Lord can make real friendships, 

because he will treat his friends as he does himself." 

(Sirach 6:14-16)

St. John Bosco - Pray for us!

Daily Bread - Jan 16th - Advice

Wisdom Pearls - Taking Advice.

"If you are polite and courteous, you will enjoy the friendship of many people. Exchange greetings with many, but take advice only from one person out of a thousand" (Sirach 6:5-6)

Servant of God, Fulton J Sheen - Pray for us that we may have insight!

Daily Bread - Jan 15th - Speech

Wisdom Pearls - Speaking and Listening.

"Always be ready to listen, but take your time in answering. Answer only if you know what to say, and if you don't know what to say, keep quiet. Speaking can bring you either or disgrace; what you say can ruin you." (Sirach 5:11-13)

"Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness." - Mother Teresa

Daily Bread - Jan 14th - Belief

Wisdom Pearls - Belief.

"Be certain about what you believe and consistent in what you say. Don't try to please everyone or agree with everything people say." (Sirach 5:9-10)

St. Justin the Martyr - Pray for us to be strong in our faith!

Daily Bread - Jan 13th - Sin

Wisdom Pearls - Sin.

"Don't think that you can sin and get away with it; the Lord does not mind waiting to punish you.

Don't be so certain of the Lord's forgiveness that you go on committing one sin after another. 

Don't think that his mercy is so great that he will forgive your sins no matter how many they are. 

He does show mercy, but he also shows his furious anger with sinners. 

Come back to the Lord quickly. 

Don't think that you can keep putting it off. 

His anger can come upon you suddenly and you will die under his punishment." 

(Sirach 5:4-7)

Holy Mary, Mother of God - Pray for us now and at the hour of our death!

Daily Bread - Jan 12th - Self-Confidence

Wisdom Pearls - Self-confidence.

"Don't under-rate yourself. Humility deserves honor and respect, but a low opinion of yourself leads to sin. Do not let others have their way at your expense; do not bring on your own ruin by giving up your rights." (Sirach 4:20-22)

St. Joan of Arc - Pray for us that we may know when to act and when to remain silent!

Daily Bread - Jan 11th - Almsgiving

Wisdom Pearls - Almsgiving.

"Giving to the poor can make up for sin, just as water can put out a blazing fire. Anyone who responds to others with acts of kindness is thinking of the future, because he will find help if he ever falls on hard times." (Sirach 3:30-31)

St Francis of Assisi - pray for us to give like you... till it hurts!

Daily Bread - Jan 10th - Humility

Wisdom Pearls - Humility.

"My Son, be humble in everything you do, and people will appreciate it more than gifts. The greater you become, the more humble you should be; then the Lord will be pleased with you." (Sirach 3:17-19)

St.Therese of Child Jesus - Pray for us to be simple and humble!

Daily Bread - Jan 9th

How Lovely!

How lovely are Your dwelling places, O LORD of hosts! (Psalms 84:1)

Daily Bread - Jan 7th

Hiding Place!

You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalms 32:7)

Daily Bread - Jan 7th

Be Alert!

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16)

St. Michael the Archangel and St. Benedict - 

Pray for us that we may know the truth and steer away from the snares of the evil one!

Daily Bread - Jan 6th

Praise him when you lose!

"Even though the fig trees have no fruit and no grapes grow on the vines,

even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no corn,

even though the sheep all die and the cattle-stalls are empty,

I will still be joyful and glad, because the Lord God is my Saviour,

The Sovereign Lord gives me strength,

He makes me sure-footed as a deer, and keeps me safe on the mountains." 

(Habakkuk 3:17-19)

Daily Bread - Jan 5th

How will it be Lord?!

Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (Matthew 25:34)

"How will it be Jesus when I meet you? Will I sing praises, will I be crying tears of joy, will I run to kiss your wounds by which you saved me or will I just stand in silence before your unimaginable Mercy that brought me to you inspite of my weaknesses?!"

Daily Bread - Jan 4th

Seeking him...

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." (Matthew 2:1-2)

Daily Bread - Jan 3rd

I never even Imagined you would do that for me Lord!

Thank you Lord Jesus for all wondrous ways in which you have been moving in my life! I cannot but stand in silent awe before your unfathomable mercy and unconditional love!

St. Genevieve - Pray for us!

http://www.catholic.org/saints/fun_facts_arch.php?image=/saints/ff_images/6.jpg

Daily Bread - Jan 2nd

He's still working on me...

Forget what happened in the past, and do not dwell on events from long ago. I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Don't you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land. (Isaiah 43:18-19)

St. Basil - Pray for us!

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=261

Lord Jesus, Please bring to completion the good work that YOU have begun in me... I cannot do it on my own!