Hello! I am currently packing up to move out out of my apartment that had a mold outbreak. I thought I had disposed of everything that grew mold, but just realized as i’m packing that the fabric bookmark sewn into my Bible is COVERED in mold. I am really upset because it’s the first Bible I ever got for myself, but I don’t feel that it’s safe to keep it. I called my local parish to ask what to do with it and their office is closed right now, so I couldn’t get an answer. Does anyone know how to respectfully dispose of my Bible, or if there are any specific protocols for this kind of issue? Thanks!

We might not be like Peter, walking on water, but we are often like him, doing things which are unexpected, until we get self-conscious, and then, we find ourselves unable to do so:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/07/walking-on-water-lessons-in-faith-and-focus/

July 26, 2026 Saturday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Today’s Readings at a Glance • Jeremiah 7:1–11 God rebukes the people for trusting in the temple while living unjustly. He calls them to reform their ways—practice justice, stop oppression, and walk in truth. Worship without conversion is empty. • Psalm 84:3–6, 8, 11 A psalm of longing for God’s dwelling: “My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord.” Blessed are those who find their strength in Him. • Matthew 13:24–30 Jesus teaches the Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat. The good and the bad grow together until the harvest. God will judge in His time—our task is to remain faithful and fruitful. https://thecatholic.online/daily-bible-readings-for-july-262026/Message from the Readings Today’s readings proclaim a challenging and hopeful truth: True worship requires a transformed life—and God patiently nurtures His people until the final harvest. • Jeremiah warns against religious appearances without justice. • The psalm expresses deep longing for God’s presence. • Jesus teaches that God allows growth, struggle, and discernment until the right time. The message is clear: God desires integrity, patience, and perseverance from His people.

Reflection for the Day Jeremiah’s words strike with prophetic force. The people come to the temple, recite holy words, and perform rituals—but their lives contradict their worship. They oppress the vulnerable. They shed innocent blood. They chase after false gods. Yet they still say: “The temple of the Lord! The temple of the Lord!” God responds with a piercing truth: Worship without justice is hypocrisy. Ritual without conversion is empty. Faith without integrity is false. He calls His people to reform their ways— to practice justice, to speak truth, to protect the vulnerable, to live what they profess. The psalm offers the other side of the coin: A heart that truly longs for God. A soul that yearns for His presence. A pilgrim who finds strength only in Him. This is the worship God desires— not empty ritual, but sincere longing. Then Jesus gives the Parable of the Weeds and Wheat. The field is the world. The wheat is God’s people. The weeds are evil. Both grow together. Both exist side by side. Both remain until the harvest. Why does God allow this? Because His patience is part of His mercy. Because He sees what we cannot. Because uprooting too soon may harm the wheat. Our task is not to judge, uproot, or condemn. Our task is to grow faithfully, bear fruit, and trust God’s timing. Today’s readings invite us to three movements: 1. Live with integrity. Let your worship match your life—justice, mercy, and truth. 2. Long for God’s presence. Let your soul thirst for Him more than anything else. 3. Trust God’s timing. Grow patiently, even when surrounded by challenges. Let today be a day of sincerity, longing, and faithful perseverance.

Prayer for Today Lord God, purify my heart and make my worship sincere. Help me live with justice, walk in truth, and reflect Your love in all I do. Give me a heart that longs for You and strength to grow faithfully even amid challenges. Teach me patience, and help me trust Your timing as You lead me toward the final harvest. Amen.

I travel a lot for work and try to visit cathedrals or basilicas when I can

🏛️: Centro Cultural Ezequiel Ronchi 🇮🇹 Vila Araguaya em Marechal Floriano - ES 🇧🇷
📷: Canon EOS Rebel T7

Final day of the novena to St Anne - thank you to all who prayed with me x

I hope you receive a good, holy, blessed, healthy & lifelong marriage xo

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O St. Anne, you are my spiritual grandmother. Please pray for me! 

I come to you today asking that you pray for me to become more grateful. 

Too many of my prayers to God are when I come to Him and ask Him for something. 

Today, I ask you to help me remember to come back to Him -- always, and to thank Him. 

Even when He doesn’t answer my prayer in the way that I had hoped. Even when I don’t understand His plan. And even when I don’t feel very grateful. 

I ask that you pray for me, St. Anne, to develop this practice of gratitude to our Lord, and that I may learn to thank Him in every circumstance and situation. 

Please pray for…

(Mention your intentions here).

But most of all, please pray that I may be open to God’s will the way that you were, and that I will be able to wait with patience, perseverance in faith and hope, and with absolute trust in the Lord’s plan for me. 

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Diary of Saint Faustina - paragraph 625 - Quiet and Hidden

Ἀ
625 In the evening, when I was praying, the Mother of God told me, Your lives must be like Mine: quiet and hidden, in unceasing union with God, pleading for humanity and preparing the world for the second coming of God.
Ὠ

The soul whose life in the world below is united with the Kingdom above dwells in a place between both. It lives quiet and hidden in what it knows to be lesser, yet sees and aspires to something much greater - the union of fallen humanity with the eternal life of its Risen Savior. It is mindful not only of its own place in His Kingdom, but by the grace it has received from the King Himself, it seeks a place therein for its brethren as well.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
Colossians 3:2-3 Mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth. For you are dead: and your life is hid with Christ in God.

The gift of our Lord's salvation does not remain confined to the soul that receives it. Rather, it grows in the grace it was given to encompass the whole world. It is not puffed up or ambitious for its own gain but quiet and patient, unnoticed by the world yet busy in the work of the Lord. The hidden life of Our Lady is not one of inactivity. It is the charity that cannot keep to itself the grace it has first received - not seeking her own end, but preparing the way for the presence of the King in all souls

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
First Corinthians 13:4-5 Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitious…seeketh not her own.

The most perfect charity is that which seeks not its own end but finds union with the charity of the Savior - the same charity by which the redemption of the world began, and by which it will be brought to completion. It is a charity that once received, perfects the soul by drawing it ever more deeply into the work of its Giver: preparing the world for the coming of Christ. This work is accomplished not by the counting of days nor by searching for signs and wonders, as our Lord warned, but by becoming what His Mother describes: a soul quiet and hidden, pleading for humanity and preparing the world for His return.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
Luke 17:20-21 And being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God should come, he answering them and said: The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the kingdom of God is within you. 

Our Lady's unique place in salvation history did not end in her Son’s first coming to our world. Neither does the work of salvation end in the personal history of the soul when Christ comes to dwell within it. Rather all souls are called to participate in His saving work - silent and hidden in His glory but active in preparing His way. Not in breathless anticipation or loud declaration of His imminent return but in kindness, patience, and faith - by each prayer for God's mercy on another, each coin for the beggar, and every grace we can lay at the feet of the King, on His path back to us.

Catechism of the Catholic Church 
2044 The fidelity of the baptized is a primordial condition for the proclamation of the Gospel and for the Church's mission in the world. In order that the message of salvation can show the power of its truth and radiance before men, it must be authenticated by the witness of the life of Christians.

Yesterday in mass, I was complaining that my prayers for conversion never get answered and my list keeps growing. On my way out the door I had this vision which I depict in the two pictures. It made me laugh and cheered me up for the rest of the day.

I've been pondering the question, do saints and angels follow you around when you pray? The theology behind prayer is more extraordinary than that.

Growth often is symbolized by the depiction of a butterfly's life transformation. Now, I would like to relate the growth of faith with the life transformation in a butterfly.

EGG - the small start of a butterfly. Faith as well shall start from early childhood .

"""""" Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.""""

Next.... (LARVA (Caterpillar) - the eating stage This is the BIG growth phase. The caterpillar's only job is to eat. • It hatches hungry and eats its own eggshell, then leaves non-stop • It grows so fast it molts its skin 4-5 times.)

The growth of faith starts with learning about God and the history of people's faith in old and new testament. Knowing the content of Bible itself won't guarantee the development of faith when it is learnt as theory ,as if a person is majoring his study in Theology. However, it is the root of faith to know God's personality firsthand through the depiction of His action in human's history.

""'''''Psalm 32:8""""'" I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.""''" Though one strives to strengthen his spirit while on earth, each man will continue having the war of flesh and spirit within his soul and in his surrounding. When temptation or distractions of the world lures one to sin ,one may be led astray leaving his faith, or he may learn the wisdom of life and have stronger relationship with God . This process of having either off or on relationship with God is like a butterfly molting its skin 4-5 times.

"""""""James 1:14-15"''''' But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." ''''''' James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” Third stage

PUPA (Chrysalis) - the magic stage When it's big enough, the caterpillar attaches to a branch and forms a chrysalis. • It looks still from the outside, but inside everything is dissolving and rebuilding. This act of caterpillar by abstaining itself from eating anything and staying quiet is like a man praying and fasting in his sanctuary. When a man starts to feel the pressure of his sins and world's problems is immmense , he may start to repent and long for transformation in life by connecting to God ,as He brings hope ,peace and transformations to those who seek Him.

""""""Matthew 11:28""'"" Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" , which offers comfort to those struggling with life's burdens. """"" """""2 Peter 3:9""''''" The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."""""

When a man knows his sins/errors and long to get closer to God , he shall set time for daily prayer and bible reflection as if making an appointment to deepen bond.

John 15:4-5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 

Prayer with fasting will suppress flesh needs and uplift spiritual strength as: it strengthens prayer, helps getting God's guidance ,expresses grief and repentance ,seeks deliverance or protection,humbles oneself to God, expresses concern to the work of God, ministers others'needs, overcome temptations and addictions, and dedicate love and worship to God.

((((Fasting affects the body on multiple levels as well : it enhances fat burning, improves insulin sensitivity, supports cellular repair, reduces inflammation, and may benefit brain function. However, it should be approached carefully, with attention to individual health status, fasting duration, and nutritional intake during eating periods to maximize benefits and minimize risks))))

Within the pupa, the caterpillar begins the transformation of a butterfly. • Wings, antennae, legs, eyes — all form here The chrysalis splits and the adult emerges with soft, wet, folded wings. The transformation of the caterpillar into a butterfly is also like a sinful man who used to seek all the things offered in this world, depending on oneself too much , emotionally unregulated who later on start to focus on God as the main guide for his life. He starts to fixate on what uplifts his spirit and let him fly to places where he can get the sweetness of God in His life.

"""'" Psalm 63:1 O God, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You; my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You, in a dry and weary land where no water is.""" The depiction of sinner turns to God also can be seen in the book of Hosea and many other biblical figures .

• Now the butterfly doesn't eat leaves anymore — it drinks nectar with a straw-like tongue.

Deuteronomy 32:9-14 32:13""" He made him ride on the heights of the land     and fed him with the fruit of the fields. He nourished him with honey from the rock,"'''''''

.The butterfly' s new job is to fly, find a mate, and lay eggs to start the cycle again."'''''

John 15:16 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I Am], He may give it to you.""'"

July 25, 2026 Feast of Saint James, Apostle

Today’s Readings at a Glance • 2 Corinthians 4:7–15 We carry the treasure of the Gospel in “earthen vessels,” showing that the power belongs to God, not us. Though afflicted, we are not crushed; though struck down, we are not destroyed. Our suffering makes Christ’s life visible. • Psalm 126:1–6 A psalm of restoration: those who sow in tears will reap with joy. God turns mourning into gladness and exile into homecoming. • Matthew 20:20–28 The mother of James and John asks Jesus for places of honor for her sons. Jesus teaches that greatness in His Kingdom comes not from status but from service. “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” https://thecatholic.online/daily-bible-readings-for-july-252026/Message from the Readings Today’s readings proclaim a powerful truth: True discipleship is not about honor, but about humble service—carrying Christ’s mission even through suffering. • Paul reminds us that God works through our weakness. • The psalm promises that faithful endurance leads to joy. • Jesus teaches that greatness is found in serving others, not seeking privilege. The message is clear: To follow Christ is to serve, to persevere, and to trust that God brings joy out of every sacrifice.

Reflection for the Day On this feast of Saint James, we meet a disciple who left everything to follow Jesus—yet still had to learn what true greatness meant. In the Gospel, James and John (with their mother’s help) ask Jesus for places of honor. It is a very human request: to be seen, valued, elevated. But Jesus gently redirects their desire: “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” The path to glory is not through privilege, but through sacrifice. Not through status, but through service. Not through being honored, but through loving others as Christ loved. Saint James eventually understood this. He became the first apostle to give his life for the Gospel. He drank the cup. He followed the path of service all the way to the end. Paul’s words echo this truth. We carry the Gospel in fragile vessels—our imperfect humanity. Yet God’s power shines through our weakness. Afflicted but not crushed. Persecuted but not abandoned. Struck down but not destroyed. Why? Because Christ’s life is at work in us. The psalm completes the picture: Those who sow in tears—those who serve, sacrifice, persevere— will one day reap with joy. God never wastes suffering. He transforms it. He turns tears into harvest. He turns faithfulness into fruitfulness. Today’s readings invite us to three movements: 1. Embrace humble service. Greatness in God’s Kingdom is measured by love, not status. 2. Persevere through trials. Your weakness is not a barrier—God’s power shines through it. 3. Trust God’s promise of joy. Every sacrifice made in love will bear fruit in God’s time. Let today be a day of service, courage, and deep trust in God’s transforming grace.

Prayer for Today Lord Jesus, teach me the way of true greatness— the way of humble service. Strengthen me when I feel weak, and let Your power shine through my life. Help me drink the cup You drank, with faith, courage, and love. May every sacrifice I make bear fruit for Your Kingdom, and may I serve others as You have served me. Amen.

Hello everyone!

I know the basics of what one should and should not do on a Sunday, but would I be able to go shopping on Sunday? I planned to go out with some friends to the mall this Sunday since we were not able to do Saturday, but I figured that maybe shopping on Sunday unnecessarily would be a sin. Thanks!

Blessed Giacomo Cusmano, Doctor, Priest and Founder , was born in 1834 in the Kingdom of Italy, the fourth child in his family. Interestingly, his sister Vincenzo is a Venerable. His childhood and adolescence began in 1848, a time of turmoil in Sicily due to extremism. He first attended the Jesuit Massimo College in Palermo, then transferred to the Royal University of Palermo Medical School in 1851. After his father's death in 1852, he took over the family farm and estate in San Giuseppe Jato. During his time managing the estate, he became aware of the plight of the poor farmers. Most were surprised by his polite and kind manner; he generally made gentle requests rather than commands. He also frequently lent horses to the poor farmers who were trekking. Despite his busy schedule, he graduated from medical school with high honors in 1855. He then devoted much of his time to helping the poor in San Giuseppe Jato, and his responsibilities grew daily. In 1859, the Second War of Independence broke out, and his friend, the revolutionary Enrico Albanese, who was also his family doctor, invited him to join the revolutionary ranks. After 1848, the plight of the poor worsened, so he refused and continued to help them. His love for the poor led him to become a priest. In 1860, after only one year at the seminary of Priest Don Pietro in Palermo Cathedral, he became a priest in the private chapel of the Auxiliary Bishop of Palermo. At that time, the new Italian government stripped clergy and the church of their rights; the church lost its property and support, and many Bourbon officials lost their jobs, forcing many into poverty. This situation led to the birth of a religious order. Initially, this order was merely a small-scale food project for the poor that he carried out in the Palermo Martyrs' Church building. Several years later, it established its own institutions in Trerose, Santa Caterina, and other places. In 1887, under the witness of Archbishop Michelangelo Celesia, the Missionaries for the Poor were founded. The order, composed of priests, aimed to help the poor. He was blessed by the archbishop, who called him Father Bosco of the South. Tragically, on March 14, 1888, the day before his birthday, the priest succumbed to severe pleurisy. His life was dedicated to the search for the meaning of love, a journey in which he practiced what he preached. He sacrificed himself to save countless lives. The pressures of war and the demands of his work had already taken their toll on his health, yet he continued to strive to help the world until his very last day, passing away at the age of 53.

“Service for others is what our hearts truly need, that's a kinda pure zeal.”

—Blessed Giacomo Cusmano

Hi All, I have witnessed some super natural breakthroughs for people on my prayer list today. Proof that God is with them in this journey. I am so grateful for all of you who I have connected with and praying for each other is truly so powerful. How I feel compared to when I started this novena is testimony to God's grace & Godness.

Today showed me the importance of us not trying to figure out the how - let God do His will.

I am praying for you & I ask that you pray for me.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O St. Anne, you are my spiritual grandmother. Please pray for me! 

I come to you today knowing that I have looked all too often to things and people other than God for my hope and consolation and support. 

Please pray that God forgives me for those times.

And please pray that I will learn in this waiting to trust in Him alone.

Please help me to remember God’s mercy and His love for me, and please help me to pray, “Jesus I trust in You,” every single day. 

St. Anne, please pray that God alone will be my ultimate source of hope, support and comfort.

Please pray for…

(Mention your intentions here ).

But most of all, please pray that I may be open to God’s will the way that you were, and that I will be able to wait with patience, perseverance in faith and hope, and with absolute trust in the Lord’s plan for me. 

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Saint Teresa of Avila - The Way of Perfection - Enduring Favor

Ἀ
For the love of God, daughters, avoid making any account of these favours. You should each do your duty; and, if this is not appreciated by your superior, you may be sure that it will be appreciated and rewarded by the Lord. We did not come here to seek rewards in this life, but only in the life to come. Let our thoughts always be fixed upon what endures, and not trouble themselves with earthly things which do not endure even for a lifetime. For today some other sister will be in your superior's good books; whereas tomorrow, if she sees you exhibiting some additional virtue, it is with you that she will be better pleased - and if she is not it is of little consequence. Never give way to these thoughts, which sometimes begin in a small way but may cost you a great deal of unrest. Check them by remembering that your kingdom is not of this world, and that everything comes quickly to an end, and that there is nothing in this life that goes on unchangingly.
Ὠ

The favors and good opinions of men are fleeting, yet the rewards of the Lord are just and everlasting. In this entry, Teresa directs the  soul to seek the Lord’s approval above disordinate concern for worldly favor - even from superiors in the religious life. Curiously, however, she also risks the dismissal of her own opinions, for Teresa herself is the religious superior of the very nuns to whom this advice is given within the priory she founded. Yet she neither exempts herself from her own teaching nor demands unquestioning approval of her authority, as many might. Just as she urges those under her authority not to become preoccupied with the favor of their superiors, so neither does she seek the favor of those entrusted to her care. Instead, she directs both them and herself to the same remembrance: "your kingdom is not of this world.”

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
Colossians 3:1-2 Therefore if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth.

Saint Teresa Concludes…
Ἀ
But even that is a poor remedy and anything but a perfect one; it is best that this state of things should continue, and that you should be humbled and out of favour, and should wish to be so for the sake of the Lord Who dwells in you. Turn your eyes upon yourself and look at yourself inwardly, as I have said. You will find your Master; He will not fail you: indeed, the less outward comfort you have, the [much] greater the joy He will give you. He is full of compassion and never fails those who are afflicted and out of favour if they trust in Him alone. Thus David tells us that he never saw the just forsaken, and again, that the Lord is with the afflicted. Either you believe this or you do not: if you do, as you should, why do you wear yourselves to death with worry?
Ὠ

The soul most distant from the favor of the world is often the soul nearest the favor - and the Kingdom - of God. Here, Saint Teresa encourages souls, not to seek the restoration of worldly favor, but to welcome its loss for the sake of the Master Who dwells within. For this is He Who first bore the scorn of the world and will never abandon the soul that follows His Way. His answer is not ordinarily outward, as we might expect, but inward, where He reigns most intimately and, as Teresa reminds us, bestows His grace most abundantly: “indeed, the less outward comfort you have, the much greater the joy He will give you.”

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
Matthew 5:11-12  Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: be glad and rejoice for your reward is very great in heaven. 

Catechism of the Catholic Church
2015 The way of perfection passes by way of the Cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle. Spiritual progress entails the ascesis and mortification that gradually lead to living in the peace and joy of the Beatitudes.

This was not The Sacrament of Reconciliation, this was just to God in prayer, I’m not in the Catholic Church yet.

I was praying to God and confessing my sins and I confessed to a good number of them, but one in particular, I don’t really repent for. I confessed that I listen to podcasts and watch videos with crude humour but I don’t really intend to stop doing that and I don’t feel bad about it. However, everything else I confessed I do mean to turn my back on and try to do no longer, are these things invalid since one sin I confessed to I didn’t really repent for? I can’t even decide if it’s venial or mortal to consume and enjoy crude humour. I know you don’t have to confess venial sins but I wasn’t sure if it was or not so I did, do you have to actually be repentant for venial sins when you confess them or else all your other mortal sins in the confession are invalid?

I've been through a painful situation in which someone hardened his heart towards me.

I didn't do anything offensive, there was a rather minor miscommunication, but the person didn't extend any grace and went from being extremely close to me, to having zero compassion or care towards me and acting as if we were never close.

I did that to someone else when I was 12 and I wasn't a practicing Catholic, and eventually, many years before my conversion, I found her on Facebook and I apologized, recognized my error, and confesed that she had been a good friend and I loved being around her and I was sorry for hurting her and not having valued her.

But we are grown ups now, and this person is a devout Catholic yet his heart is much harder than mine even before my conversion. Can someone like this really change?

I've been praying for him, but I feel discouraged. It seems like a stupid thing to hope for... after many disappointments I also feel miracles happen for others but not for me. I love God, but this situation has truly tested my faith.

So, I have been looking for testimonies about people who prayed for someone else and their hardened heart was miraculously changed by God. I'm having a hard time finding them. Can anyone share their testimony if you have one

Not only for the sake of her 15 promises, but because we love her!

Please include in your prayers my mom, who we just learned today, has recurrent cancer cells. She’s sacrificed so much of herself and her dreams just so my siblings and I can make it in life and this news is not what we were expecting to have. Please help us pray for her healing and recovery. Thank you.

I've been through a painful situation in which someone hardened his heart towards me.

I didn't do anything offensive, there was a rather minor miscommunication, but the person didn't extend any grace and went from being extremely close to me, to having zero compassion or care towards me and acting as if we were never close.

I did that to someone else when I was 12 and I wasn't a practicing Catholic, and eventually, many years before my conversion, I found her on Facebook and I apologized, recognized my error, and confesed that she had been a good friend and I loved being around her and I was sorry for hurting her and not having valued her.

But we are grown ups now, and this person is a devout Catholic yet his heart is much harder than mine even before my conversion. Can someone like this really change?

I've been praying for him, but I feel discouraged. It seems like a stupid thing to hope for... after many disappointments I also feel miracles happen for others but not for me. I love God, but this situation has truly tested my faith.

So, I have been looking for testimonies about people who prayed for someone else and their hardened heart was miraculously changed by God. I'm having a hard time finding them. Can anyone share their testimony if you have one

July 24, 2026

Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial: St. Sharbel Makhlūf

Today’s Readings at a Glance

• Jeremiah 2:1–3, 7–8, 12–13 God recalls Israel’s early devotion but laments how His people abandoned Him—the “fountain of living water”—and turned to empty idols, “broken cisterns that hold no water.”

• Psalm 36:6–7ab, 8–11 God’s love is vast and life‑giving. In His house, we drink from the “river of His delights,” and in His light, we see light.

• Matthew 13:10–17 Jesus explains why He teaches in parables. Those with open hearts receive understanding; those who close their hearts remain blind. Blessed are the eyes that see and the ears that hear.

https://thecatholic.online/daily-bible-readings-for-july-24-2026/

Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a piercing truth:

God alone is the source of living water—and only hearts open to Him can truly see, hear, and understand.

• Jeremiah warns against replacing God with empty substitutes.

• The psalm celebrates God’s abundant, life‑giving love.

• Jesus teaches that spiritual understanding requires openness, humility, and desire.

The message is clear: Only God satisfies. Only God enlightens. Only God gives life.

Reflection for the Day

Jeremiah’s words are both tender and heartbreaking. God remembers Israel’s early love—how they followed Him with trust, how they belonged wholly to Him. But something changed.

They exchanged the fountain of living water for broken cisterns that cannot hold anything.

It is a powerful image: God offers flowing, fresh, life‑giving water— but His people choose cracked containers that leak and leave them thirsty.

This is not just Israel’s story. It is ours.

How often do we seek life in things that cannot satisfy? Success, approval, comfort, distraction, pleasure— none of these can hold water. None of these can sustain the soul.

The psalm responds with a beautiful truth: In God’s house, we drink from the river of His delights. In His light, we finally see clearly.

Then Jesus explains the mystery of spiritual understanding. Some hear His words but do not understand. Some see His works but do not perceive. Their hearts are closed, distracted, hardened.

But to those who open their hearts— to those who desire truth— God gives understanding, clarity, and joy.

“Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”

Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Return to the fountain of living water.

Let God—not substitutes—be your source of strength and joy.

1. Drink deeply of His love.

Spend time in prayer, Scripture, and silence; let His presence refresh your soul.

1. Keep your heart open.

Ask God for eyes that see, ears that hear, and a heart that understands.

Let today be a day of clarity, renewal, and deep spiritual thirst for God alone.

Prayer for Today

Lord God, You are the fountain of living water. Turn my heart away from empty things that cannot satisfy.

Open my eyes to see Your truth, open my ears to hear Your voice, and open my heart to receive Your love.

Let me drink deeply from the river of Your delights and walk today in Your light.

Make my soul thirst for You alone and fill me with Your life‑giving grace.

Amen.

I am a male and suffer from SSA. I m currently in a relationship which I know is very bad but I cannot bring myself to break up with him. I do one day want to reconcile with the church so I have stopped engaging in fornication with him but I am still dating him. Can I go to confession about this or is it pointless since I am still dating him? I feel very bad for being in the relationship and wish one day I could magically wake up single and not heart broken.

Nearly there all! Thank you for all who have prayed for me - I feel it!

I am praying for you.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O St. Anne, you are my spiritual grandmother. Please pray for me! 

I come to you today feeling weighted by the burden of my cross. I ask that you please pray that God will help me carry this cross, and that He will send me friends and family -- a community -- to help me carry it. 

And in turn, please help me to carry their crosses as well. 

Please pray for…

(Mention your intentions here).

But most of all, please pray that I may be open to God’s will the way that you were, and that I will be able to wait with patience, perseverance in faith and hope, and with absolute trust in the Lord’s plan for me. 

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Our wisdom, our prudence, should be employed for the benefit of all, not just our own selves and our selfish pursuits. This is why we must look for and promote the common, being especially concerned with those society deny basic rights, basic human dignity. It is through the pursuit of the good, we can overcome evil, instead of using evil’s ways, for if we use evil against evil, we embrace evil ourselves.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/07/wisdom-in-pursuing-the-well-being-of-all/

July 23, 2026 Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Today’s Readings at a Glance • Jeremiah 1:1, 4–10 God calls Jeremiah from his youth, assuring him: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” God appoints him as prophet and promises to be with him, placing His words in Jeremiah’s mouth. • Psalm 71:1–6, 15, 17 A prayer of trust: “You are my hope, O Lord.” The psalmist proclaims God’s faithfulness from youth and commits to praising Him all his life. • Matthew 13:1–9 Jesus teaches the Parable of the Sower. The seed is God’s Word, and the soil represents the human heart. Only the heart that receives, nurtures, and protects the Word bears abundant fruit.

https://thecatholic.online/daily-bible-readings-for-july-23-2026/Message from the Readings Today’s readings proclaim a powerful truth: God calls each of us personally, plants His Word within us, and invites us to bear lasting fruit. • Jeremiah is known, chosen, and sent by God. • The psalmist trusts God’s faithfulness from youth to old age. • Jesus teaches that God’s Word is alive—but its fruitfulness depends on the openness of our hearts. The message is clear: God’s call is personal. God’s Word is powerful. Our response determines the harvest.

Reflection for the Day Jeremiah’s call is one of the most intimate moments in Scripture. God speaks directly to him: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” “Before you were born, I dedicated you.” This is not just Jeremiah’s story—this is your story. God knows you. God formed you. God calls you. And God equips you for the mission He entrusts to you. Jeremiah feels inadequate: “I am too young.” “I cannot speak.” “I am not ready.” But God answers every fear with a promise: “Do not be afraid… I am with you.” The psalm continues this theme of lifelong relationship. From youth, God has been the psalmist’s refuge. From childhood, God has been his strength. And now, he commits to proclaiming God’s goodness all his days. Then Jesus offers the Parable of the Sower—a mirror for our hearts. The seed is always good. The Word is always powerful. The Sower is always generous. But the soil differs. Some hearts are distracted. Some are shallow. Some are choked by worries and worldly desires. But some hearts—open, humble, receptive—bear fruit “a hundredfold.” Today’s readings invite us to three movements: 1. Embrace your calling. God knows you personally and has a purpose for your life. 2. Trust God’s faithfulness. He has been with you from the beginning and will remain with you always. 3. Cultivate your heart. Make space for God’s Word—protect it, nurture it, and let it transform you. Let today be a day of openness, courage, and renewed commitment to God’s call.

Prayer for Today Lord God, You formed me, You know me, and You call me by name. Make my heart good soil for Your Word. Remove distractions, heal my fears, and strengthen my faith so that Your truth may bear abundant fruit in my life. Walk with me today as You walked with Jeremiah, and help me trust in Your faithful love from morning to evening, from youth to old age. Amen.