The gifts of silence and contemplation and desire move us forward. They make us ready to choose life and light and blessing, and reject death and darkness and curse. They allow us to see that God is the only real good, and that all else is rubbish.

Broken, scarred, sent, and graced. See how, even today, he continues to teach us to overcome our own woes, our misfortunes, so that we too, despite our pains, our set-backs, and difficulties, and maybe, through our own poverty and limp, we, too, may continue to seek and find the Lord…

Together with Andrew, may we use our human resourcefulness and even in limit situations, may we keep faith and trust in God's providence. Together with the boy, may we give generously even with the meager that we have. Like them, may we be privileged participants and witnesses of how God…

The art of discernment: so that we may grow to be increasingly familiar with the Shepherd’s voice, learning to distinguish his voice from the world’s noise. Let us beg for the gift of discernment—that we may recognize the Shepherd’s Voice and follow it—always. 

Jesus sends his disciples on mission after schooling them in the ways of God the Father. Jesus reminded them of God’s parental providence which will provide for their needs just as God feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the fields (Mt. 6.26,28).