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A Devotional Based On The Spiritual Classic He And I

Begin afresh every day as through it were the very first. You are forever at the beginning. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you, and I know. Is there anything I don’t know? All the same, I like you to tell Me where you have failed and to explain yourself to Me. It brings out your confidence in Me. (July 10, 1941)

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
    his mercies never come to an end;
²³ they are new every morning;
    great is thy faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23).

“Remember not the former things,
    nor consider the things of old.
¹⁹ Behold, I am doing a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3).

O Lord I thank You that Your mercies are new every morning! That each day we can begin again- You tell us we are forever at the beginning. And it is so easy to just be stuck in the past including our regrets and our mistakes, and yes our sins, and just replay them again and again in our heads. But You tell us not to remember the former things but to see the new thing You are doing in our lives each day as You make a way for us in the wildernesses and deserts of our lives. You know everything about us and yet You want us to tell You all about it in our poverty knowing it is You who will lift us up each day as we sing praises each morning to You in complete confidence!

Daily Devotional Based on the Spiritual Classic He and I

Who is your God, you or I? Then why don’t you think of Me, more than of yourself?

³ “You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be acceptable in thy sight,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14).

³ Thou dost keep him in perfect peace,
    whose mind is stayed on thee,
    because he trusts in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)

O Lord, how much time we spend thinking about ourselves. Most of us think about ourselves pretty much 24:7. And yet we say we love You and want to follow You. But the reality is from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). Because if we are thinking of ourselves we can be sure we are also talking about ourselves. And we wonder why we are full of fear, anxiety, and worry- maybe even anger and resentment because with You we can do nothing! (John 15:45). And without You, we really aren’t even good (Mark 10:18). Because all good gifts including goodness and kindness come from You! You are Our God, and it is by keeping our eyes and mind fixed on You that You can truly live in us and we can live in Your perfect peace, trusting in You! So let’s smash those idols we have made for ourselves and of ourselves and let us truly walk with You today Lord!

A Devotional Based on the Spiritual Classic He and I

Offer Me these little annoyances like your thorns to ease the pain of My own. (July 2, 1939)

²⁴ Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, (Colossians 1:24).

¹⁸ I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  (Romans 8:18).

O Lord we all have little annoyances that happen to us each day. In the reading above, Gabrielle Bossis had lost her reduced fare pass for the train. If we wanted to we could find plenty to complain about in a day- waiting in line at the grocery store, technology in our life that seems to become more difficult to manage especially as we age, every day aches and pains. But what if we didn’t complain but we rejoiced, yes, rejoice because these sufferings added to Yours not only console You but they save souls! In union with You they do good for all! And the sufferings of our time on Earth, big and small. are not worth comparing with the glory that awaits us in Heaven! The reading in He and I goes on with You complimenting Gabrielle for smiling on the train at others despite the difficulties. And that is what You ask of us, nothing big, just a smile, or angry words held back, or just breathing rather than reacting. These little virtues, as St. Francis de Sales call them, increase our patience and make us most like You!

Daily Devotional based on He and I

Give Me your trusting thoughts. They honor Me as an incense to My Goodness. Now is the hour of trial. Lose nothing of it. (June 20, 1940).

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not rely on your own insight.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths. (Provers 3:5-6).

Let my prayer be counted as incense before thee,
    and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice! (Psalm 141:2).

⁶ In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, ⁷ so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-7).

O Lord thank You for asking us to trust You and for being a God we can trust! We so want to rely on our own insight, our own ideas, but only You can make the crooked ways straight! We don’t realize that to trust You is to honor You and to not trust You is to really dishonor You, our good good Father! To not trust You is as old as the Garden of Eden and it always leads to a fall of some kind or another. I know the times I try to rely on myself it always falls apart! But Lord You encourage us always! In trial, when we are tested by fire, You tell us to lose nothing of our trust and faith in You. We can even rejoice because our faith in You is more precious than gold and it is all for Your Glory! You are always faithful!

Daily Devotional Based on the Spiritual Classic He and I

Feast of the Sacred Heart- Today I’ll take every smile of yours for Myself. So I decided to smile at everything and everybody.

The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. (Numbers 6:25).

Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come. (Proverbs 31:25).

²⁸ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).

O Lord we thank You for this beautiful Feast Day of Your Sacred Heart! You love us so much and You smile on us so we can smile and love others with Your Love! We can decide on purpose to live from Your Sacred Heart which is for everyone and love others! O Lord it is not easy but You call us to come to You for rest and take on Your Yoke which is easy so that You can truly shine through us!

Daily Devotional Based on the Spiritual Classic He and I

At a “taking of the veil”. “See the simplicity of love in everything, even in the very little things. Why shouldn’t the little things be as precious as the big ones if they belong to your love-life? (June 9, 1939).

¹⁸ Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:18).

²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ (Matthew 25:21).

⁴² And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:42).

O Lord You tell Gabrielle Bossis today and us that it is not the big things but the very little things that please You. Little acts done with great love! Whether it is an act of reverence, an encouraging word for someone, faithfulness to our daily duties no matter how mundane they may seem or little acts of service these acts done with simplicity and purity of intention do not escape Your notice and they are precious in Your Eyes! O Lord why do we make it all so complicated? Why do we not realize how easy it can be to please the Heart of Our Father and Greatest Friend when all is done for love of You?! Lord help us see these opportunities each day to let our little lights shine for Your Glory and to save souls!