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RC DAILY MEDITATIONS
RC DAILY MEDITATIONS

May 5, 2026

WM_Clout

Our Lady’s Clout

/ Regnum Christi News, Weekly Message, Weekly Message Blog

Dear Friends,

 
 

A question that arrives in the inbox with surprising regularity is one that deals with the Blessed Virgin Mary and why we Catholics pray to her.

After all, isn’t Jesus the only Mediator between God and man? And isn’t it his death that won us redemption?

To both those questions, the Church answers with a resounding Yes.

So why pray to Mary? Why not cut out the middleman, so to speak?

One simple answer is that praying to Mary is very biblical.

For instance, the Israelites, on occasion, asked Moses to mediate for them before the Almighty. “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we shall die” (Exodus 20:19).

Then there was the centurion in the New Testament. “When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave” (Luke 7:3).

And of course, there was Mary herself, whose intercession with Jesus at Cana spared the newlyweds the embarrassment of running out of wine for the wedding guests.

Why is it so hard for some to accept Mary as an intercessor? She is, after all, the Mother of Jesus. And how would the perfect Son ever deny his mom a favor?

This isn’t a matter of sentimental attachment. Mary’s heroic faith, from her Fiat at the annunciation to her standing by the cross on Calvary, opened the way to a divine plan that changed the world. No wonder she is such a powerful intercessor with Our Lord.

To cultivate a Marian devotion, it might be helpful to use our Retreat Guide on “Welcoming the Word”.

With Mary’s intercession, we too might have the confidence to open our hearts to do whatever Our Lord asks of us.

 

In Christ,

Father Edward McIlmail, LC

Ask a Priest contributor

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Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Uncle Eddy

St Hilary

/ Uncle Eddy

Dear Hillary, Nothing should surprise you less than what you described in your last note.  Do you think the devil just stands idly by while someone like yourself – who has every necessary qualification to be a huge success in this crazy world – is discerning a call to the consecrated life?  Don’t be so naïve. I once knew a young man who had suffered an unrequited crush on a young woman for almost three years. As soon as he told his friends that he had decided to join the seminary, she came knocking at his door – do you think it was a coincidence?  But don’t take it just from my experience; look at the history books. Today’s saint is a perfect case. Exceptional in every way, and having received a top-notch education, Hilary had a future bright as gold.  Then one day his uncle showed up. His uncle happened to be St Honoratus, founder and first abbot of a nearby monastery.  Honoratus loved Hilary deeply and tried to convince him to put his many gifts into God’s service. Hilary laughed him off, relishing the prospects of a successful, prestigious, and lucrative career.  Honoratus gave up his arguments, returned to the abbey, and prayed earnestly for Hilary’s vocation. A couple of days later Hilary felt the call. It wasn’t a pleasant phenomenon. Here’s how he described it: “On the one side I felt that the Lord was calling me, whilst on the other hand the seductions of the world held me back… My will swayed backward and forwards, now consenting, now refusing.  But at last Christ triumphed in me.” And now St Hilary is remembered and revered as one of the pillars of the early European Church. In his few years of monastic life and then in his taking over the bishopric of a key city in southern France, he brilliantly and doggedly laid the groundwork for centuries of Christian growth throughout Western Europe. So if I were you, I wouldn’t be surprised if you still find it hard to see your vocational path as clearly as you would like.  Ask St Hilary to help you out, and then do whatever you think will please God most. Keep me posted, Uncle Eddy

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26-05-05-DM

May 5, 2026 – Do Not Be Afraid!

/ Daily Meditations

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

 

John 14:27-31a

Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, little by little I contemplate the vast tapestry of your Last Supper discourse. There is enough love there to feed me for a lifetime! As St. John reclined on your breast during that solemn night, so grant me to rest my heart mystically on your heart, fount of love and graces.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Do Not Be Afraid: “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” Two things about this statement surprise us. The first is that Christ commands us. The second stems from the first: If Jesus commands us not to be afraid (and not to be troubled), it’s because we have a choice about whether to allow ourselves to fear (and be troubled) or not. Jesus is right to command our peace of heart because giving into fear and interior disturbance does not sanctify us, except in that God pities our weakness and showers his mercy on us in order to dispel our fears. He knows we will fear, but he wants us to be at peace. Jesus can command peace because his word causes what it expresses (see yesterday’s meditation). It’s true that sometimes Jesus is “away,” and our soul flounders in insecurities, but he also promises, “I will come back to you,” and peace returns.

     

  2. So Much to Say!: Jesus’ Last Supper discourse is packed with meaning. In today’s excerpt alone, we have the assurance of peace, the promise of Jesus’ Ascension and subsequent return, the greatness of the Father, the purpose of Jesus’ warnings, the coming of the evil one, and the Son’s total devotion to the Father. This flood of ideas and feelings comes from Jesus’ wanting to say so much, and all at once! We have the advantage of having it all written down, so that we can sift through it at a contemplative pace. And yet, the only way to understand Jesus’ words is to observe his actions, to search out his motives, to note his gestures and expressions—in short, to live with him. We must spend time with Jesus (especially in the Eucharist) if we want to understand and be transformed into him.

     

  3. That Eucharistic Night: All of Jesus’ words in John 13-17 are in the context of the Eucharist. The reverse is also true: When we go to Mass and the Eucharist is consecrated following Jesus’ command, “Do this in memory of me,” we are also in the context of everything Jesus said that night. When we sit in the pew on Sundays, we are reminded of the gift of his Body and Blood, the institution of the priesthood, the law of charity, the washing of the feet—all the love, all the passion, his desire to save his friends, his human reluctance to die and yet complete adherence to his Father, and the mission of redemption. Just as Easter Sunday is our glory and Good Friday our strength, so should that night of love on Holy Thursday remain ever in our hearts, memories, and affections.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, if you command it, I will not let my heart be troubled or afraid. Give me the peace that comes from ardent love for you—not the worldly peace that comes from indifference. Speak to my heart as you spoke that night to your intimate friends.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will read Psalm 27 with reverence. “The Lord is my light and my salvation; of whom should I be afraid?”

For Further Reflection: Jacques Philippe’s little book Searching for and Maintaining Peace. It is a marvelous aid in heeding Jesus’ command to rest in his peace.

Fr Erik Burckel, LC was ordained to the priesthood in 2022. He writes articles and short stories for diverse purposes and publications, and can be reached at eburckel@legionaries.org.

May 5, 2026 – Do Not Be Afraid! Read More »

What If I Feel as Though I’m Disappointing God?

/ Ask a Priest
Q: I have been working on being patient in my spiritual life, and I definitely am not the same person I was. But I still find myself constantly worrying if I’m good and can do better. I don’t know how or what to do but am trying to trust in God and his plan. I fear I am disappointing him, though I can see progress over the past few months. Any advice would be appreciated. — Jacob

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC:

A: It’s great that you want to cultivate the virtue of patience. Sometimes the first person you need to be patient with is yourself.

Growth in the virtues isn’t something we achieve; rather, it’s something that God achieves in us if we are open to his grace.

For now, don’t worry about disappointing God. The fact that you have seen progress and are struggling to improve is a good sign in itself.

It would help to pray each morning for the gift of patience. Then, be prepared, because God will likely send plenty of opportunities to help you grow in the virtue.

These opportunities will come in the form of the guy at work who annoys you, the driver who cuts you off, the family member who didn’t show up for an important event.

All these will be chances to practice patience in real life. It might be a lifelong process, but that’s OK. 

Beyond that, remember that we don’t have to earn God’s love; he already loves us. We can be reminded of that every time we look at a crucifix and recall what Jesus was willing to do for you and me.

If you aren’t as advanced in virtue as you would hope to be, don’t panic.

God will help you grow in his time. In his wisdom he doesn’t make us “perfect” overnight since he knows that could easily lead to us to pride.

So, stay humble and patient, especially with yourself.

A key to all this is prayer.

A few resources that might help you are Part Four of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (beginning at No. 2558); Interior Freedom, by Jacques Philippe; and Opening to God, by Thomas Green, SJ.

I hope that some of this helps. Count on my prayers.

What If I Feel as Though I’m Disappointing God? Read More »

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Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!