He who fashioned the heart of each, He who knows all their works. Psalm 33:15

I've recently come to recognize and appreciate the graciousness of God in my life. When I lost my mother's presence and companionship to death, God graciously sent a brand new friend my way.  When a person I admired recently moved away, God graciously put back into my life someone whose work brought them home again. When I lost my childhood home, God reminded me of my real home which
is in God.

Not only in loss do I find God's graciousness. When a butterfly flits past, when the sun's rays slink through the clouds, when a friend unexpectedly emails me, when I need a pick-me-up and someone offers to drive me to a park so I can be by the water, I experience God's graciousness.

It is this same graciousness I find mirrored in others throughout my day. Today's psalm speaks of fashioning the hearts of each.

Thank you for fashioning such gracious hearts and please, God, let mine be one of them this day.

Sr. Charleen Hug, S.N.D.

He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village — Mark 8:23

Surely the blind man must have felt some apprehension when Jesus led him away from his familiar surroundings to be healed. I know there are few things I dislike more than feeling lost and unsure of where I am headed. When I recently encountered a bewildering detour on the way to visit a friend who had moved, I had to take a deep breath and pray not to panic. I eventually arrived safely, but the trip was not without some moments of confusion and distress.

At times our spiritual journey will deviate from the path we expected to follow. Maybe we have prayed for healing and things appear to be worse, or perhaps the rituals and prayer forms we have relied on lost their appeal. We feel lost and aren't sure which way to turn, yet like the blind man we feel that we must walk into the unknown trusting that we will not be abandoned.

Faithful Guide, give me the grace to follow where you lead me.

Terri Mifek

The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. Luke 2:40

Does Jesus really understand your joys and your sorrows?  When you lift up your burdens to him and ask for help, does he understand what you are feeling? It might have been hard to say "yes" if Jesus had not fully shared in our human nature. But Jesus went through the stages of growth as we do, and he knew the joys and sorrows that are a part of every human life.

I think God always knew all about us, because we are part of his creation. But when God's son took on our human nature, it became easier for us to believe that God understood who we are and what we feel.

Thank you, Jesus, for the great mercy you have shown by fully becoming one of us.

Fr. Kenneth Grabner, C.S.C.