Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: August 25, 2025

Date: Monday of the 21^st Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text:  1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8b-10

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace.

We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen. For our Gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.

You know what sort of people we were among you for your sake.  In every place your faith in God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves openly declare about us what sort of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to await his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath.

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The first reading today from Paul’s 1^st Letter to the Thessalonians stresses the Christian’s call to a life for faith, hope and love and reminds us as Christians of the LORD’s constant power and presence in work in our world, our lives and us.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

How focused am I on the LORD’s gracious and loving presence? How am I responding moment to moment?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, Beloved Son Jesus Christ, Most Holy Spirit, we know You are with us and we give thanks for your power and presence, manifestations of your love, throughout our lives. Stir within us, hollow out a holy place for You to remain within us as we seek daily to remain in You knowing that it is in You that we live and move and have our being. Grant that this day we may live as You created us to live as your daughters and sons, that we may follow in your footsteps and loving disciples, and that we may cooperate with the graces You bring to us. 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.