Today’s first reading invites us to live “temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age.” That can seem, and perhaps truly is, a tall order. Where, in your life, right now, might you be called to greater temperance? Where is justice needed in your life? Where, and with whom, could you be more devout? Temperance invites us to enjoy God’s creation, but responsibly. Justice invites us to do our part to ensure the fair treatment of others. Devotion opens us up to a greater love, a selflessness that is all giving and life giving.
What indulgences might you be invited to scale back today or in the coming days? What justice issue may need your time and attention? How can you better use your voice for the good of others? How might a greater devotion lead to a happier, healthier, and more holy you? Take time in prayer today to consider these questions.
—Patrick Hyland, S.J., a Jesuit scholastic of the Chicago-Detroit province, is currently studying philosophy at St. Louis University.