Same Message, Different Day
Recently in this space, I concluded with this thought: “Help (people) to recognize the concept of having faith in God, and you just might enable the Holy Spirit to ‘get a foot in the door.’ He will take it from there.”
It appears as though the act of writing that column involved the Holy Spirit “getting a foot in the door” here.
Ever since writing that column, I have regularly had that concept manifest itself all around me. One early morning not long ago, I read the following words from Divine Word Missionary Father John C. Kersten: “God’s wisdom is involved in all of creation.”
How can any of us embrace that concept and not live a life of faith?
Writing recently in her “Connecting Faith and Life” column, Becky Siewers said this: “We will experience the ups and downs of life, but … move through them with faith and trust, asking for the grace to believe God will never fail us, even when our bodies or minds do.”
Friends, we simply have to keep this message alive by sharing it regularly. That’s the reason for the headline above – “Same message, different date.”
Last fall, on a trip around the diocese to photograph several pet blessings for the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, I used time between one shoot and another to visit the gift shop at St. Meinrad Archabbey.
I confess … I went for the bread.
Funny how God used the moment to remind me that, “man does not live by bread alone.”
Yes, of course; I left with two loaves baked by the Benedictine monks in St Meinrad ovens. But I also left with a little book that has provided big insights since I brought it home.
Published in 1990, “Bible Day by Day” has this subtitle: “Minute meditations for every day based on selected texts of the Holy Bible.” That thought above from Father Kersten about God’s wisdom is from the little book; he wrote the meditations.
The book offers daily meditations throughout a full calendar year. It is intended to serve as an annual guide if you choose to make it one.
I say it that way because New York-based Catholic Book Publishing Co., which published “Bible Day by Day,” has a whole series of similar collections of daily meditations.
They have titles like “Mary Day by Day,” “Day by Day with St. Joseph,” “Day by Day with the Catechism” and “The Saints Day by Day.” They also publish “daily companions” for women, men and young people.
You can see the full list online by visiting www.catholicbookpublishing.com. On the left side of the page is a short list called “Catholic Book Publishing.” Click on the word more at the bottom, which will open up the full list. Scroll down and click on “Spiritual Life Series” to see all of them. You can’t order online, but you can find dealers.
The St. Meinrad gift shop is one, of course. If you go, don’t forget the bread!
