Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: August 19, 2024

Date: Monday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time/Memorial of St. John Eudes

Scripture Text:  Ephesians 3:14-19

Brothers and sisters:

I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you, in accord with the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

 Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The first reading for today from the optional memorial of St. John Eudes brings us the prayer to the Almighty Father for Christians from the Letter to the Ephesians. The prayer seeks a heightened comprehension of Christ’s impact on humanity as our redeemer.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Do I consider Christ’s redemptive love for me? Do I let Christ and His love dwell within me?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, Creator of all, strengthen me through the power of your Spirit and open me to the fullness of your beloved Son’s redemption. Dwell within me and fix my heart and mind so that I may remain in You so that love will prevail in all my moments. Grant that I might comprehend “the breadth and length and height and depth” of life from You, through Christ, and in the Spirit. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.