2022: A Book of Grace-Filled Days by Loyola Press

20 20 22 22

i n s p i r a t i o n / c a l e n d a r

$14 .9 9 U . S .

when we regularly open ourselves to inspiration and God’s grace. 2022: A Book of Grace-Filled Days provides a daily prayer experience to help us build and nurture our faith. Beginning with the start of the church year in Advent 2021 and continuing through the 2022 calendar year, this daily devotional notes major feast days, saint commemorations, and holidays. Each page combines readings from the Scripture of the day with reflections to offer a few minutes of solace for quiet prayer and meditation. 2022: A Book of Grace-Filled Days is an accessible and insightful way to deepen our connection to God’s loving presence and fill each day with grace. a v ibr a nt pr ay er life u nfolds

is an Ignatian-trained spiritual director with a lifetime in ministry and service, including 20 years in small faithsharing groups. She leads retreats and workshops on prayer and busy lifestyles. Loretta is a founder of a women’s ministry at St. Francis Parish in Sacramento, California. Her other books are Fleeting Moments: Praying When You Are Too Busy and Stand Up! Women in Conversation. She and her husband, Steve, have 4 children and 10 grandchildren. Read her blogs at IgnatianSpirituality.com. l or e t ta pe h a n ic h

ISBN: 978-0-8294-5041-5

PEHANICH

2 0 2 2

2022 A Book of

Grace-Filled Days

A Book of Gr aceFilled Days

cycle

c_5041_2022BookOfGraceFilledDays.indd All Pages

readings and reflections through the christian year beginning with advent

C lo re t ta pe ha nich cycle

5/27/21 10:05 AM

© 2021 Loyola Press All rights reserved. Scripture excerpts are taken from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition, Copyright 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No part of the Lectionary for Mass may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Cover and interior design by Kathy Kikkert. ISBN: 978-0-8294-5041-5 Library of Congress Control Number: 2021936420 Printed in the United States of America. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Lake Book 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

I N T RO D U C T I O N

Life is better when you look for grace every day. Scripture yields riches when explored prayerfully, and you just might discover a gold mine of grace. Ordinary things also lead to valuable discoveries. For example, one day while I sat quietly, my eyes were drawn to a single shiny whirligig spinning wildly on the patio. I watched as it cast bright beams on the family-room floor. Light multiplied, and I sensed God saying, “See? One small movement makes a whirlwind of difference. Never underestimate goodness and what you will do today, even if it feels like you’re just spinning your wheels.” I never expected such reflections when I sat down that morning. Grace found me. It didn’t require much, just as it took only a small breeze to spin that yard ornament. I was simply making a few minutes for prayer in a busy life. And

God who is in all things revealed a truth: God is waiting to be noticed. God loves when people pay attention to the glimmers of grace waiting to be uncovered and used. A book like this offers you a way to plan and devote time to your relationship with God. And this book based on lectionary passages connects you to every person who is celebrating the liturgy every day, whether you and I are participating in Mass or not. We pray together as a team. You are there for me, and I’m here for you. A world community of believers is praying, praising, growing, serving, and connecting as a result. When all our simple breaths come together, in seemingly small prayers, we become a force like a strong, driving wind. It’s really God’s doing; we just need to show up daily for prayer. Even when people forget to pray or avoid it, God is constantly on the lookout, hoping to be noticed. Sometimes, grace looks for you. God longs for you and me and wants this time of reflection even more than we do. So, don’t give up! Remember that St. Luke, whose Gospel we hear on Sundays this year, is interceding and praying alongside us. We are invited to ask for what we need. The divine One can’t wait to shower graces upon us but wants to be asked. I’ve been asking regularly as I wrote that you be blessed by this book, and I expect goodness to flourish in all of us as a result. Allow God’s presents.

God communicates uniquely with each human being. One person senses God in dreams, like Joseph. Another hears God best in music. A third meets God through sensations in the body. But everybody has an imagination. Picture a plate of warm brownies straight out of the oven. You’ve just used your imagination, and I bet if you compared your plate with others, various images would surface. Some brownies would be huge, some frosted, some marbled or blonde, and others would contain walnuts (not mine!) or be sugar free. God can and frequently does communicate in images. You might be tempted to discount ideas that “just come to you,” but God-given insights are real. This book contains some invitations to imagine yourself in a scene with Jesus, having a conversation with Christ, and encouraging a sense of surprise, which is often a sign of God at work. This kind of prayer might lead you to annotate your key thoughts. Many of us were taught never to write in books, which are treasures to be cared for and respected. Some think it’s almost sinful to bend the corner of a page, and no one considers it ethical to deface library-book pages with drawings or comments. The book you now hold is quite different. Write in it! Fold a page! Mark a favorite passage. Draw symbols in it. Unless people in a household are sharing it, you get to personalize it. Or maybe more than one person can write in the margins. Underline a word that speaks to you. Add an

vii

exclamation point if you want. Write a rebuttal at the bottom of a page. You are invited to treat this book like a journal. Talk to God through your pen. Imagine how Jesus would respond to your questions. Maybe you will want to write at the top of the page the word that struck you most. God might speak to you between the lines. Rereading what you’ve written monthly might help you better notice in retrospect where God has been whispering. Imagine how easy a year-end examen could be if you did this. It might reveal a pattern over several months that you otherwise may have missed. (An examen is an Ignatian prayer practice that involves seeking the Holy Spirit’s light, giving thanks, and reviewing the day as God sees it. Not meant to be a listing of sins, the examen may lead the soul to ask forgiveness. It ends with a focus on tomorrow and how we intend to live.) I have no idea what 2022 will hold. It’s a mystery. But I trust that our wondrous God will use the words on these pages to communicate personally with you. One sentence may cause you to think of a completely different idea. Your mind might wander to a connected and more personally relevant topic. God’s gusts of love are going to waft through your soul. Today is going to be a grace-filled day. Watch for it.

viii

Sunday

NOVEM BER 28 • F I R S T S U N D AY O F A D V E N T •

The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made. —J EREMIAH 33:14

Happy new liturgical year! It’s countercultural to begin a new year in November while society prepares for the old year ending. A new year offers a fresh start. Christ’s return is closer than it was yesterday, and who knows if he will arrive tomorrow. Christ’s arrival at the end of days is a reason for joy and hope. Meanwhile, people plan holiday travel, year-end donations, and gifts. Preparations long underway will soon be complete. Christians believe that God will fulfill the promise of heaven. What more needs to be done to prepare for that meeting? Attachments to this life hamper a free anticipation of heaven. The beginning of Advent is the perfect time to ask God for the grace to be spiritually free.

Jeremiah 33:14–16 Psalm 25:4–5,8–9,10,14 (1b) 1 Thessalonians 3:12—4:2 Luke 21:25–28,34–36

Monday

NOVEM BER 29 In days to come, The mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established as the highest mountain. —I SAIAH 2:2

Flying into Seattle, I always gasp at the breathtaking view of Mount Rainier. Even when rain clouds obscure its base, the high snowy peak protrudes above the clouds. The native peoples called it Tahoma, which in one translation means “the mother of waters.” Some say they believed it to be God’s body protruding from earth. Such a marvel of creation reminds me that God is almighty and capable of breathtaking possibilities. I watch for the mountain whenever I fly. And I long for a glimpse of Mount Rainier as a sign that I am arriving at my destination. God, who is high above all, is my destination too, even when it’s “raining.” God is present even when obscured by clouds of trials.

Isaiah 2:1–5 Psalm 122:1–2,3–4b,4cd–5,6–7,8–9 Matthew 8:5–11

Tuesday

NOVEM BER 30 • S T. A N D R E W, A P O S T L E •

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers. —M ATTHEW 4:18

In John’s Gospel, Andrew followed John the Baptist, who signaled to his disciples, “Behold the Lamb of God!” Perhaps Andrew ran to the shore to tell his brother Peter. Can you imagine his brother’s reaction? “Get in the boat and get to work,” Peter may have chided his sibling. “Chasing another local prophet? Tell me about this messiah as we fish.” Perhaps Andrew does just that, convincing Peter before Jesus walks up in today’s Gospel. The brothers hear Christ’s call together and drop everything immediately. Urgency drives them to abandon the family business to their partners. Such spontaneity! Or is it that Jesus called so distinctly that they knew they needed to follow? What was it about these brothers that caused Jesus to single them out to be his close friends? Romans 10:9–18 Psalm 19:8,9,10,11 Matthew 4:18–22

Wednesday

DECEMBER 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. —P SALM 23:1

This well-known psalm reminds us that we lack nothing. We have plenty, even when we fear that we’re deprived. We have enough time, enough patience, enough stamina, enough love, and enough graces because God is our leader and protector. Even when we fear we will run out, we have access to all that we need. Abundance is part of being Christian. That’s what makes it easier to give away our time, treasure, and talents. We have faith that the Shepherd will take care of every need; even if we get lost, the Shepherd will come looking for us and restore us. We lack nothing that is necessary to living a full life.

Isaiah 25:6–10a Psalm 23:1–3a,3b–4,5,6 Matthew 15:29–37

Thursday

DECEMBER 2 On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah. —I SAIAH 26:1

On this day, you can sing even if you don’t like your voice. Your pen can hum as you scribble, doodle, and add musical notes in the margins of this book or your journal. Just as Isaiah’s readers celebrated and praised God’s accomplishments, you can draw an asterisk, underline, or highlight as a way of praying. Maybe a phrase warrants colored pens to augment your reflections. Today Isaiah mentions a strong city. Maybe you will outline a skyline as you meditate on that. Later, you may look back during an end-of-month prayer review and remember why this or a different page stood out for you. Let writing implements participate in prayer. In days to come, you can flip to noted pages when you want to repeat or deepen a prayer. Let yourself create.

Isaiah 26:1–6 Psalm 118:1 and 8–9,19–21,25–27a Matthew 7:21,24–27

Friday

DECEMBER 3 • S T. F R A N C I S X AV I E R , P R I E S T •

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” —M ARK 16:15

Imagine being St. Ignatius’s college buddy, as St. Francis was. Where might you go to study together? What would you like to discuss? Both came from families associated with royalty. St. Francis and St. Ignatius influenced each other’s thinking; they shared a zeal to preach abroad. Inspired by this friendship, today’s saint was one of the first seven Jesuits to take vows in Paris. When they bade farewell to one another as St. Francis headed to evangelize in eastern Asia, it was the last time they saw each other. That must have been emotional. Proclaiming the Good News had a cost. Think about what zeal means to you, and where you express it.

M EMORIAL 1 Corinthians 9:16–19,22–23 Psalm 117:1bc,2 Mark 16:15–20

Saturday

DECEMBER 4 • S T. J O H N D A M A S C E N E , P R I E S T A N D D O C T O R O F T H E C H U R C H •

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages. —M ATTHEW 9:35

Once Jesus left home, it seems he traveled constantly. But it was purposeful movement: teaching, proclaiming, and curing. St. John, born in Damascus, also traveled; he went to a monastery, where he wrote extensively to proclaim the Gospel while living under a Muslim government. Acts of teaching and proclaiming the Gospel often require leaving home, even if it’s just to the local parish meeting room. In every corner of the world, people are spreading the Gospel. God’s word is on the move. May our hearts be moved, as Christ’s was, by the sight of others in need. What words of healing can we offer today to someone in need?

Isaiah 30:19–21,23–26 Psalm 147:1–2,3–4,5–6 Matthew 9:35—10:1,5a,6–8

Sunday

DECEMBER 5 • S E C O N D S U N D AY O F A D V E N T •

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. —P HILIPPIANS 1:6

God started something wonderful by thinking of you and bringing you into being. God loves the person you are, knowing that you will participate through your free choices in the work of bringing God’s love to others. And every time you show love, you become more of what God hopes you to be. You are part of a community that hopes for the day of Christ Jesus. Advent can be a time to patiently reconsider how you contribute to the goodness in creation. You can live in the reign of God now through participating in love. Invite God into this day and let God lead.

Baruch 5:1–9 Psalm 126:1–2,2–3,4–5,6 (3) Philippians 1:4–6,8–11 Luke 3:1–6

Monday

DECEMBER 6 • S T. N I C H O L A S , B I S H O P •

Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God . . . he comes to save you. —I SAIAH 35:4

And still I worry. Jesus says not to, and yet I do. God smiles and reaches out for me again. My Abba never wants me to falter out of fear that God doesn’t love me. God always loves. God is always present. Flaws and brokenness don’t diminish my value. I am loved just as I am. Still, I need a pep talk: Be strong! Fear nothing! God is here. I am encouraged to leave certain tendencies behind: negative self-talk, complaints, attitudes of entitlement, judgment, careless thinking, and food as a medicant. I can’t pour from an empty cup, nor can I serve others when I’m trapped in fear.

Isaiah 35:1–10 Psalm 85:9ab and 10,11–12,13–14 Luke 5:17–26

Tuesday

DECEMBER 7 • S T. A M B R O S E , B I S H O P A N D D O C T O R O F T H E C H U R C H •

It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost. —M ATTHEW 18:14

People feel adrift in many ways, such as discouragement over a dead-end job, a broken relationship, or pending holidays that, this year, will be celebrated for the first time without a certain loved one. It’s not God’s desire that people feel lost. The mortal enemy of humanity, however, loves to see people sapped and sad. Each person is one of God’s little ones, even when we think we’re running everything. It doesn’t take much to reach out to another human being who is feeling down. It can help lift one’s own doldrums by focusing on someone else. Let God move you to help another person; in so doing, you help yourself.

Isaiah 40:1–11 Psalm 96:1–2,3 and 10ac,11–12,13 Matthew 18:12–14

Wednesday

DECEMBER 8 • T H E I M M A C U L AT E C O N C E P T I O N O F T H E B L E S S E D V I R G I N M A R Y ( P AT R O N A L F E A S T D AY O F T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S O F A M E R I C A ) •

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing. —E PHESIANS 1:3

Catholics gather as a family at Mass today to talk with Jesus’ mom. What a tremendous blessing to have access to Mary in prayer. We might tell her our deepest thoughts and ask for miracles. Mary takes her vulnerable children to Jesus. When Mary appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in 1830 and asked that a medal of the Immaculate Conception be made, miracles happened. Just as loving mothers often seem to pull miracles out of hats, Mary knows exactly what to do. She brings us to the great Miracle Worker, Jesus.

Genesis 3:9–15,20 Psalm 98:1,2–3ab,3cd–4 Ephesians 1:3–6,11–12 Luke 1:26–38

Thursday

DECEMBER 9 • S T. J U A N D I E G O C U A U H T L AT O AT Z I N , H E R M I T •

I will set in the wasteland the cypress, together with the plane tree and the pine, That all may see and know, observe and understand, That the hand of the LORD has done this. —I SAIAH 41:19–20

In Mexico City, Our Lady of Guadalupe’s shrine draws countless visitors to see the image of Mary known as La Morenita (The Little Black Madonna). It appears on a garment that delivered roses in December. God intervenes in history in unexpected ways using surprising means. Flowers signaled for Juan Diego and church authorities that God was at work, just as in today’s passage something like a redwood miraculously grew in a desert. Through the Mother of God, our Lord helps in times of greatest need. Mary holds many titles; the church gives us three days in a row to ponder her roles. Isaiah 41:13–20 Psalm 145:1 and 9,10–11,12–13ab Matthew 11:11–15

A BOUT THE A UTHOR Loretta Pehanich is an Ignatian-trained spiritual director with a lifetime in ministry and service, including 20 years in small faith-sharing groups. She leads retreats and workshops on prayer and busy lifestyles. Loretta is a founder of a women’s ministry at St. Francis in Sacramento, California. Her other books are Fleeting Moments: Praying When You Are Too Busy and Stand Up! Women in Conversation. She and her husband, Steve, have 4 children and 10 grandchildren. Read her blogs at IgnatianSpirituality.com.

400

20 20 22 22

i n s p i r a t i o n / c a l e n d a r

$14 .9 9 U . S .

ISBN: 978-0-8294-5041-5

PEHANICH

2 0 2 2

2022 A Book of

Grace-Filled Days

A Book of Gr aceFilled Days

cycle

c_5041_2022BookOfGraceFilledDays.indd All Pages

readings and reflections through the christian year beginning with advent

C lo re t ta pe ha nich cycle

5/27/21 10:05 AM