Contents Introduction: The Right Word Just in Time 1 Advent The Cry of the Broken-Hearted Elizabeth-Anne Stewart 6 Awake to the Marvels at Hand Fr. Kenneth E. Grabner, CSC 7 Don t Stifle the Joy Within You Mary Marrocco 8 Prayer for Withered Souls Elizabeth-Anne Stewart 9 How Suddenly Death Can Come! Mitch Finley 10 Recovering the Stillness of Advent Elizabeth-Anne Stewart 11 I Need Doses Of Encouragement Sr. Joyce Rupp, OSM 12 Make Mary s Prayer Your Own Charlotte A. Rancilio 13 Generosity Is the Heart of Faith Amy Welborn 14 Preparing the Way Elizabeth-Anne Stewart 15 Remembering to Exult in God Sr. Joyce Rupp, OSM 16 A Time to Wait Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB 17 Lent Looking to God for My Peace Amy Welborn 20 A Sign That Heals and Comforts Fr. Anthony Schueller, SSS 21 In Lent, There s No Life as Usual Elizabeth-Anne Stewart 22 Building Our Heavenly Accounts Fr. M. Basil Pennington, OCSO 23
Losing Ourselves in Service Mitch Finley 24 Is Revenge Really Sweet? Fr. Kenneth E. Grabner, CSC 25 Is God Like an Aching Parent? Nancy F. Summers 26 Jesus Asks Us to Drink of the Spirit Elizabeth-Anne Stewart 27 Following the Tug of God s Lead Jean Royer 28 Learning the Depth of God s Love Mitch Finley 29 Neighbors Weeds Are Easier to See Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB 30 The First Book of Revelation Sr. Joyce Rupp, OSM 31 Lifting Up My Emptiness Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB 32 God s Rules Mean a Life Worth Living Mitch Finley 33 What s the Bottom Line in My Life? Steve Givens 34 The Promise of Rewards Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB 35 God Wants Our Attention Fr. M. Basil Pennington, OCSO 36 Guided by Mercy, Not Guilt Amy Welborn 37 Thank God for Grace to Forgive Fr. James Stephen Behrens, OCSO 38 The Shattered Dish James E. Adams 39 Everybody Has a Story Amy Welborn 40 The High Price of Selling Out Sr. Joyce Rupp, OSM 41 Fatherly Devotion Mark Neilsen 42 The Strength Faith Brings Aileen O Donoghue 43 Work in Progress Mark Neilsen 44 Turning a New Leaf Lucia Godwin 45 Easter Who Is Waiting for My Prayer? Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB 48 God Is Revealed in Everything Mary Marrocco 49 Learn to Be Untroubled of Heart Fr. James McKarns 50 Learning What Pleases God Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB 51
A Time for Raw and Rude Prayers Kevin Perrotta 52 Too Good to Be True? Fr. Stephen J. Rossetti 53 Joyful Giving Karla Manternach 54 The Awesome Power of the Spirit Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB 55 Darkness Defeated Elizabeth-Anne Stewart 56 Jesus Rebukes Out of Love Mark Neilsen 57 Learning to Trust God Sr. Marguerite Zralek, OP 58 The Gift of God s Presence Sr. Joyce Rupp, OSM 59 Special Days Mary: One of Us Sr. Melannie Svoboda, SND 62 January 1, Mary, the Mother of God A Biblical Model for Graceful Aging Sr. Marguerite Zralek, OP 63 February 2, Presentation of the Lord A Heart Open to God s Voice Jean Royer 64 March 19, St. Joseph An Exemplar of Faithfulness Jean Royer 65 March 19, St. Joseph Prenatal Premonition Amy Welborn 66 May 31, The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Loved and Loving in Return Sr. Mary Terese Donze, ASC 67 Sacred heart of Jesus Seeking God in My Own Heart Mary Marrocco 68 Immaculate Heart of Mary A Loving Familiarity With Jesus Sr. Melannie Svoboda, SND 69 July 22, St. Mary Magdalene The Woman of the People Kevin Perrotta 70 August 15, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mary Has Been Honored by God Fr. M. Basil Pennington, OCSO 71 August 22, Queenship of the Virgin Mary The Cross: Sign of Life and Death Sr. Joyce Rupp, OSM 72 September 14, The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Our Path to Holiness Sr. Melannie Svoboda, SND 73 November 1, All Saints Surviving Family Misunderstandings Mark Neilsen 74 Holy Family Sunday Ordinary Time Too Many Burdens Nancy F. Summers 76 Letting Go of Our Best-Laid Plans Amy Welborn 77 A Time to Savor God s Gifts to Us James McGinnis 78 We Are Each Other s Keeper Sr. Mary Terese Donze, ASC 79 Learning to Lean on God Sr. Joyce Rupp, OSM 80 The Key to the Golden Rule James E. Adams 81 The Abuse of Religious Faith Nancy F. Summers 82 The Source of Our Hope James E. Adams 83 Time to Grow Up Anne Bingham 84 Making Room Daily for the Spirit Fr. James Stephen Behrens, OCSO 85 A Tale of Divine Mercy Mark Neilsen 86 Joy Eternal Fr. M. Basil Pennington, OCSO 87 Helping the Wayward Return Steve Givens 88 Praising God Is Easy to Do Mark Neilsen 89 Shepherding Is Caring for Others Sr. Joyce Rupp, OSM 90 Finding the Resources We Need Elizabeth-Anne Stewart 91 Graphic Images That Shock James E. Adams 92 Under the Fig Tree Fr. James McKarns 93 The Spirit Helps Us Recognize God Amy Welborn 94 Simeon s Prayer of Gratitude James E. Adams 95 Living With Death Sr. Melannie Svoboda, SND 96 A Moment of Gratitude and Humility Mark Neilsen 97 Divine Delight Nancy F. Summers 98
Pondering God s Kindness Amy Welborn 99 Don t Fear, Jesus Is at the Helm Elizabeth-Anne Stewart 100 Early-Morning Brooding Fr. James McKarns 101 Seize the Hope Set Before Us Anonymous 102 A Song of Gratitude Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB 103 Seek Cheerfulness as a Gift of God Kevin Perrotta 104 God Is Greater Than the Cosmos Aileen O Donoghue 105 Transforming Experiences Fr. James Krings 106 I Forget the Largeness I m Part of Mary Marrocco 107 Our True Riches Sr. Melannie Svoboda, SND 108 Comforter Sr. Joyce Rupp, OSM 109 The Majesty of the Night Stars Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB 110 God Reaches Us in Simple Ways Nancy F. Summers 111 Disciples Must Not Retaliate Mark Neilsen 112 Timekeeper Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB 113 The Gift of Contentment Jean Royer 114 Every New Ending Is a New Beginning Terri Mifek 115 Opening to the Spirit Larry Neeb 116 A Mixed Blessing Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB 117 More Good Done Than We Realize Fr. James McKarns 118 Remembering the Good in Our Life Mitch Finley 119 Awareness of Death Isn t Morbid Amy Welborn 120 The Mysterious Seeds in Our Life Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB 121 Transformed by Love Mark Neilsen 122 Index of Scripture 123 Index of Contributors 126