< <  

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

  > >

St. Peter Damian


Sirach 2:1-11
Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
Mark 9:30-37

View Readings
Similar Reflections

great expectations

“When you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials.” —Sirach 2:1

To prepare ourselves for trials, we must expect them. “Anyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus can expect to be persecuted” (2 Tm 3:12). Expect it. “Christ suffered in the flesh; therefore arm yourselves with His same mentality” (1 Pt 4:1).

The psalmist stated: “If an enemy had reviled me, I could have borne it...but you, my other self, my companion and my bosom friend!” (Ps 55:13, 14) It is hardest to take sufferings inflicted by those closest to us, because we don’t expect them to hurt us.

However, we must be like Jesus. He knew and expected that His apostles and disciples would abandon Him, Peter would deny Him three times, and Judas would betray Him. Jesus even knew and expected that each one of us would share in crucifying Him through our sins. Jesus prepared Himself for the greatest of all trials.

Expect suffering, but don’t dread it. Rather, in love for Jesus, rejoice in suffering (1 Pt 4:13; Col 1:24).

Prayer:  Father, purify me through trials.

Promise:  “If anyone wishes to rank first, he must remain the last one of all and the servant of all.” —Mk 9:35

Praise:  St. Peter Damian was a saintly monk, bishop, cardinal, and doctor of the Church.

Reference:  (For a related teaching on Redemptive Suffering, listen to, download or order our CD 75-1 or DVD 75 on our website.)

Rescript:  "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from February 1, 2023 through March 31, 2023. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio June 15, 2022"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.