Morning Briefings

You see Jesus’ faith tested in the temptation scenes in Luke 4:1-13. The basic question, put before him three times, is this: ‘Is God to be trusted?’ That is the great question that the human race is asking at the most basic level. We hear Jesus ever more resoundingly answer, ‘Yes, God is on your side. Yes, God is more for you than you are for yourself.’

– Adapted from Richard Rohr’s
The Good News According to Luke: Spiritual Reflections

Your job requires study, sensitivity and experience. But it bears with it a particular attention to truth, goodness and beauty. This makes us particularly close because the church exists to communicate truth, goodness and beauty ‘in person.’ It should be clear that we are all called, not to communicate ourselves, but rather truth, goodness and beauty.

– Pope Francis in a Papal Audience for Members of the Media as reported by Cathleen Falsani
The Orange County Register

Being made in the image of God invests us with a portable spirituality center. No matter where we go, so long as we carry this core identity with us, we remain spiritually impervious to the ups and downs of external circumstances.

– Naomi H. Rosenblatt
Wrestling with Angels

In this tender season, rich with memories, let us remember all of those who have been lights along our way; the loved ones that we hold forever, in our hearts.

– Deborah Gordon Cooper from
Christmas Blessings

Advent has two feasts of Our Lady: 8 December — The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary; 12 December — Our Lady of Guadalupe.

– Margaret R. Miles
Maiden and Mother

Besides the earth, man’s principle resource is man himself. His intelligence enables him to discover the earth’s productive potential and the many different ways in which needs can be satisfied.

– Pope John Paul II

One minute they’re playing house with their baby dolls, and the next thing you know they have homes and lives of their own. We all complain about spending too much time at the office, but who among us regrets having spent too much time with our children?

– Doris Christopher
Come to the Table: A Celebration of Family Life

Lord, please bring peace where there’s been strife. Bring healing where there’s been hurt. Bring forgiveness where there’s been bitterness. May your love flow in our hearts.

– Kim Cash Tate
Hope Springs

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly.

– 2 Corinthians 9:6

I know it’s probably heretical for anyone of my generation to say this, but I never liked the song ‘Me and Bobby McGee.’ To say, ‘Freedom is just another word for nothin’ left to lose,’ seems dangerously shortsighted. When our freedom to do mocks all we have fought so hard to be free from, freedom seems to be the very thing we might lose.

– Dwight Curry
How We Behave at the Feast