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RC DAILY MEDITATIONS
RC DAILY MEDITATIONS

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DAILY MEDITATIONS

Week August 16 - 23, 2026

Sunday, August 16, 2026 – No Ordinary Mission

Monday, August 17, 2026 – What Good Must I Do?

Tuesday, August 18, 2026 – A Hundred Times More

Wednesday, August 19, 2026 – First in the Vineyard

Thursday, August 20, 2026 – The Urgency of Christ

Friday, August 21, 2026 – The Greatest Commandment

Saturday, August 22, 2026 – Do What I Say, Not What I Do

Sunday, August 23, 2026 – Face Your God

August 16, 2026 – No Ordinary Mission

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Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Luke 10:1-12

At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her. Jesus’ disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.

Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am. Show me your face; show me your love for me. I know that without you I am nothing, and yet you want to give me everything. I want to love you—teach me how. Lord, increase my faith to see the world the way you see it.

Encountering Christ:

  1. That’s Not the Jesus I Know: What on earth was Jesus up to in this Gospel? Right before coming to Tyre and Sidon, in Matthew 14:36, the people of Gennesaret had only to touch his cloak and they were healed. Right after he returned to Galilee, the Gospel tells us that he was healing all who came to him. We are so used to hearing how Jesus was always willing to heal, cure, and liberate that the Jesus in this Gospel is almost unrecognizable. First, he ignored the woman, saying he was sent only to Israel, then he outright rejected her and even seemed to insult her. Yet, perhaps the Jesus in this Gospel is not so far from our own experience—after all, are all of our prayers answered as soon as we ask, in the way we ask? Doesn’t it rather feel sometimes like God answers our prayers for help not with the solution we want, but with more trials? God knows much better than we do what we need—perhaps this woman needed a little humility, maybe she had a prejudice against Jews that was impeding her faith, or maybe Jesus just wanted to bring her to even greater heights of faith by his actions. Do I see God’s hand in everything? Do I persevere in prayer even when it seems like nothing is happening?

     

  2. Great Is Your Faith: As bewildering as Jesus’ response to this woman was at first, by the end of their interaction he elicited from her a profession of faith so powerful that it seemed to change Jesus’ mind: “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters…” “… O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” May we imitate her strong faith, no matter what our circumstances are, trusting that Jesus always knows best.

     

  3. Standing Alone?: Nowadays, faith and trust in God are not particularly fashionable. Many see confidence in God as weak, naive—a refusal to deal with life’s problems. In reality, faith, which is a gift from God, can strengthen believers to withstand any hardship, even martyrdom, as so many saints have shown us. Perhaps this Canaanite woman’s story of faith was preserved in the Gospel to remind us of this.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for being with me in this short time of prayer. Increase my faith. I know you are listening, that you love me, and that you want the best for me.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will thank you for the little trials you send my way.

For Further Reflection: Psalm 23 is one of the most well-known psalms for good reason: It is one of the greatest prayers of trust ever written:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

   He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters;

   he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths

   for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

   I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

   your rod and your staff—

   they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

   in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

   my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

   all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

   my whole life long.

Riley Connors was born in Dayton, Ohio. He studied classical humanities and philosophy with the Legionaries of Christ. He enjoys running, thinking, praying, and, on occasion, all three.

August 17, 2026 – What Good Must I Do?

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Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Matthew 19:16-22

A young man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am. Show me your face; show me your love for me. I know that without you I am nothing, and yet you want to give me everything. I want to love you; teach me how. Whether you want to console me or challenge me, I am here to listen.

Encountering Christ:

  1. What Must I Be?: This young man came to Christ with the best of intentions: “How do I get to heaven?” What’s more, he really seemed willing to follow whatever instructions Christ would give him—after all, he had obeyed all the commandments for as long as he could remember. But he based his question on a falsehood (the same falsehood we all can fall into). He asked the Lord, “What good must I do?” He still thought, though perhaps without realizing it, that heaven is essentially a reward that he could earn. He forgot, or maybe just didn’t know, that if it were up to us to earn heaven, we would never arrive.

     

  2. You Can’t Earn Love: Treating heaven as something to be earned by good deeds goes against the very nature of God as a Father. Imagine: What true father would make his son meet certain standards before he loved him? What real father would lock his son out of the house until he “checked off certain boxes”? Heaven is God’s house; a place where we will be with him forever. This rich young man was starting from the presupposition that God wouldn’t love him unless he proved that he was worth being loved. In reality, we must start with the sure and certain knowledge of God’s love, and then let him make us worthy.

     

  3. If You Wish to Be Perfect: Christ saw that this young man wanted more, even if he was a little misled, so he tried to help him. Jesus was patient: He started by showing the man that he had already gone as far as he could possibly go following rules—there were no more rules to follow! When Christ referred him to the same commandments he already knew, the young man persisted: “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” Then Christ showed him the true way of perfection: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” That is, “Take all that you hold dear, your whole life of rules, programs, and self-satisfaction—and give it away! Follow me, for I am all you need.” When we feel the same restlessness that this young man does, the whisper in our heart that maybe there is something more to being a Christian, we must remember that we will never placate this feeling by simply doing a few more good deeds. Rather, we must let that restlessness lead us to the love of Christ and let him do with us what he wills.

Conversing with Christ: God, thank you for taking the time to be with me, speak with me, and give me your grace. Thank you for calling me to a true relationship with you; lead me today wherever you want.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will do a short examen of conscience, reflecting upon for whom I do good deeds: for myself, or for you.

For Further Reflection: Looking interiorly for where God is asking us to grow is not easy. Here is a helpful article on how to go deeper in your examen of conscience.

Riley Connors was born in Dayton, Ohio. He studied classical humanities and philosophy with the Legionaries of Christ. He enjoys running, thinking, praying, and, on occasion, all three.

August 18, 2026 – A Hundred Times More

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Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Matthew 19:23-30

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am. Show me your face; show me your love for me. I know that without you I am nothing, and yet you want to give me everything. I want to love you; teach me how. Whether you want to console me or challenge me, I’m here to listen.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Tough Love: This Gospel is a hard Gospel. It can be tempting to try to rationalize it, to say that Matthew is talking about spiritual poverty, but Christ’s words are very clear: “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Of course, it’s not that Christ measures out his love based on our degree of poverty—he is not so legalistic. No, Christ is warning us: having material wealth can lead to attachments that may distract us from loving God and loving our neighbor. Prudence and temperance are virtues that can help us to live in comfortable circumstances without becoming trapped by them.

     

  2. With God, All Things Are Possible: We might be wealthy and obsessed with staying that way, or poor and inordinately desirous of being wealthy. Either way, our soul is seeking not God but mammon (cf. Mt 6:24). To enter through the needle’s eye, our spiritual disposition should be like that of Saint Paul: “I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me” (Phil 4:12-13).

     

  3. A Hundred Times More: For Christians who try to live an ascetic life, offering our sufferings in union with Christ’s on the Cross, this Gospel promise is very consoling. Even those sacrifices we made ten, twenty, or more years ago have been remembered, and are still treasured by Our Lord. He never forgets, and he promises us a generous reward. We don’t even have to wait for heaven to receive many of the benefits of living for Christ. He sends us peace, joy, love, and more, plus eternal life.

Conversing with Christ: God, thank you for taking the time to be with me, speak with me, and give me your grace. Thank you for calling me to a true relationship with you; lead me today wherever you want.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will take a moment to pray about how you want me to live poverty.

Riley Connors was born in Dayton, Ohio. He studied classical humanities and philosophy with the Legionaries of Christ. He enjoys running, thinking, praying, and, on occasion, all three.

August 19, 2026 – First in the Vineyard

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Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am. Show me your face; show me your love for me. I know that without you I am nothing, and yet you want to give me everything. I want to love you; teach me how. Whether you want to console me or challenge me, I’m here to listen.

Encountering Christ:

  1. The Desire for Fairness: Nothing holds us back from holiness like the desire for “fairness.” It is one of those uncomfortable paradoxes of human nature. We ask ourselves, “Why didn’t I get that promotion? Why do I have this illness? How dare he speak to me like that?” And yet, we can have very little patience for others who complain about the same things. In this parable, Christ wants to open our eyes to see the world through an entirely different lens—his lens. He doesn’t hand out a certain number of graces over here, and balance that with a certain number of difficulties over there. And Christ doesn’t compare us with others. No, like the perfect parent, he deals with us only based on what is good for us—why should we treat ourselves or others any differently?

     

  2. First in the Vineyard: Don’t we get tired of “doing what is good” from time to time? Always being the first to offer help—the one everyone counts on? When we feel like this—discouraged and tired—are we subtly comparing our behavior to that of others? These are precisely the kind of temptations that Christ is warning about in this passage. Whenever we remove Christ from the center of our hearts and allow our behavior to be motivated by anything else, sooner or later we notice our tendency to compare ourselves with others, which can lead to jealousy or envy. To counteract this downward spiral, we must fight to have a grateful heart. The more we look for God’s grace in our lives (and it is surely there), the less we will look at how much more grace appears to be in others’ lives. Gratitude just doesn’t leave room in our heart for anything but God—and in grateful hearts, God is able to work wonders.

     

  3. God Is Generous: Jesus tells us that the first and last workers in the vineyard were paid the “daily wage.” So, too, the first and last into the Kingdom of heaven will receive the “daily wage,” which is eternal life. When we consider the parable in this light, our hearts, far from being burdened by jealousy, are set on fire to zealously invite other souls to the vineyard so that they, too, can receive this totally gratuitous and unwarranted gift of God.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for taking the time to be with me. I am painfully aware of just how frail I am, and how far I seem from you, but I know that you see things in a completely different way. You see only the good, only the future, only my true identity as your beloved child. Please grant me the grace to live and grow into your image.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will spend a few minutes reflecting on and thanking you for the gifts you gave me today.

Riley Connors was born in Dayton, Ohio. He studied classical humanities and philosophy with the Legionaries of Christ. He enjoys running, thinking, praying, and, on occasion, all three.

August 20, 2026 – The Urgency of Christ

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Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am. Show me your face; show me your love for me. I know that without you I am nothing, and yet you want to give me everything. I want to love you; teach me how. Whether you want to console me or challenge me, I’m here to listen.

Encountering Christ:

  1. The Urgency of Christ: As Christ told this parable, he had less than a week to live. His thirty-three years among us were drawing to a close—he felt an urgency. This was his “last battle” with the Pharisees—his last-ditch effort to save them before they committed the unthinkable and put him to death. But their hearts were hardened. Three times the king in this parable extended invitations to the feast, and as many times people refused. The man who was improperly dressed, in a sense, also refused. Instead of showing the respect due to his host, he apparently couldn’t be bothered to dress appropriately. The Lord died to bring wandering souls, no matter how indifferent, to the heavenly banquet. Do I recognize the urgency of conversion in my own life, or do I let fear or indifference drive me further from him?

     

  2. … And the Mercy of Christ: With all the killing and burning and grinding of teeth in this parable, it’s easy to miss the positive side of this message—we are all invited to the banquet! On the one hand, all we have to do is “show up to the feast,” while on the other hand, we had better arrive “dressed for the occasion!” We accept the merciful invitation of God when we “show up for the feast,” while “being dressed for the occasion” means trying our best to find his will in our lives and follow it.

     

  3. Consequences, Consequences: In many places in the Gospels, Our Lord reminds us that a life of disobedience doesn’t end well. The wedding invitees in this parable refused, ignored, or killed the messengers extending the king’s invitation. Sadly, we know many in our culture who proudly refuse to believe in Jesus, ignore his overtures because they’re too busy or complacent, or even kill him in the form of abominations like abortion or murder. Let’s look first interiorly for any disobedience we are living and repent, and then also pray fervently for souls who seem far from the wedding banquet.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for this moment of prayer. Thank you for this day, for all the gifts you have given me and will give me through it. I trust you; help me to see your plan for me and follow it with my whole heart.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will take a moment to ask for inspiration about where I might be growing complacent or living disobediently so that I can repent.

For Further Reflection: Often we become complacent because we do not take time to let Christ challenge us. Hans Urs von Balthasar speaks about this in his book The Grain of Wheat:

Holiness consists in enduring God’s glance. It may appear mere passivity to withstand the look of an eye; but everyone knows how much exertion is required when this occurs in an essential encounter. Our glances mostly brush by each other indirectly, or they turn quickly away, or they give themselves not personally but only socially. So too do we constantly flee from God into a distance that is theoretical, rhetorical, sentimental, aesthetic, or, most frequently, pious. Or we flee from him to external works. And yet, the best thing would be to surrender one’s naked heart to the fire of this all-penetrating glance. The heart would then itself have to catch fire, if it were not always artificially dispersing the rays that come to it as through a magnifying glass. Such enduring would be the opposite of a Stoic’s hardening his face: it would be yielding, declaring oneself beaten, capitulating, entrusting oneself, casting oneself into him. It would be childlike loving, since for children the glance of the father is not painful: with wide-open eyes they look into his. Little Thérèse—great, little Thérèse—could do it. Augustine’s magnificent formula on the essence of eternity: videntem videre—“to look at him who is looking at you.”

Riley Connors was born in Dayton, Ohio. He studied classical humanities and philosophy with the Legionaries of Christ. He enjoys running, thinking, praying, and, on occasion, all three.

August 21, 2026 – The Greatest Commandment

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Memorial of St. Pius X, Pope

Matthew 22:34-40

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law, tested him by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am. Thank you for this moment, for the gifts of life and your love. Help me to be open to hear what you have to say, or to simply enjoy being in your presence. I believe in you, trust you, and love you; increase my faith, hope, and love.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Loving the Lord with All Your Heart: To love the Lord with all our heart—is this even possible? A common assumption is that love must just come, that it grows organically, and that it cannot be forced. That’s infatuation, not true love. Any kind of love—for a parent, spouse, child, or friend—will reach a point during which it is no longer easy. For love to be true, it must be a free choice and commitment. So, to love God with our whole heart requires the commitment of our time and attention.

     

  2. .. Everything?: “All your heart, soul, and mind” sounds rather extreme, even rather dangerous. The world says that loving anyone totally is a risky proposition—what if the one we love rejects us or lets us down, leaving us with nothing? And the world is even more terrified to love God totally, who cannot even be seen. This makes sense; after all, to love totally is to trust that we will find fulfillment precisely by not looking for it ourselves, but by looking to fulfill someone else. That old, almost clichéd phrase, “love grows when it is given away,” is actually spot-on in this regard.

     

  3. A Leap of Faith: True love takes a leap of faith, which is what frightens nonbelievers. Many people are okay with going to church every now and then or volunteering for a charity from time to time (and posting it on Instagram, of course). Loving like that does not require us to make any kind of leap, any kind of definitive change, any commitment. But loving God with everything means that all we do is for love of him. We trust that he will take care of us. That is heroic; that is what it means to be a saint.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for this little moment spent with you. I believe that you have spoken to me, I trust that you sustain me, and I love you because you have loved me first. Help me remain in your love.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will do something small to witness to my faith.

For Further Reflection: Pope Francis spoke frequently about loving the Lord; here is his homily from Palm Sunday 2020:

Riley Connors was born in Dayton, Ohio. He studied classical humanities and philosophy with the Legionaries of Christ. He enjoys running, thinking, praying, and, on occasion, all three.

August 22, 2026 – Do What I Say, Not What I Do

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Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Matthew 23:1-12

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am. Thank you for this moment, for the gifts of life and your love. Help me to be open to hear what you have to say, or to simply enjoy being in your presence. I believe in you, trust you, and love you; increase my faith, hope, and love.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Carrying Burdens: It can be very easy to demand things of others—our children, spouse, coworkers, or acquaintances—while making little excuses for ourselves in the exact same context. We’re being pharisaical when we do so. “They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.” In fact, it is so easy that looking at what bothers us in others is a great way to see what virtues we need to grow in.

     

  2. All in the Family: “You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.” Christ makes it clear that as soon as we start putting on airs, thinking that we are somehow above others, we’re fooling ourselves. We are allowing our pride or vanity to color our perceptions. Growth in humility doesn’t come through mental acrobatics, by forcing ourselves to think differently, but through real, daily contact with the Lord. When we spend time every day to put ourselves in his presence and let him show us just how much we depend on him, the way we look at the world and others totally changes.

     

  3. Whoever Humbles Himself Will Be Exalted: Humility is like exercise. No one likes it (at first), but everyone needs more of it. The best way to become humble is to ask God for the grace, and then start trying. How? Padre Pio offers some great advice for practicing humility: “We must humble ourselves on seeing how little self-control we have and how much we love comfort and rest. Always keep Jesus before your gaze; He did not come to rest nor to be comfortable either in spiritual or temporal matters, but to fight, to mortify himself and to die.”

Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for this moment of grace. I am sorry for my weak faith, hope, and love; support me by your grace today. I know that you love me more than I can imagine. Thank you for your love, and never let be separated from you.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will, when tempted to judge someone, take a moment to think of something positive about them.

For Further Reflection:

“These are the few ways we can practice humility:

To speak as little as possible of one’s self.

To mind one’s own business.

Not to want to manage other people’s affairs.

To avoid curiosity.

To accept contradictions and correction cheerfully.

To pass over the mistakes of others.

To accept insults and injuries.

To accept being slighted, forgotten, and disliked.

To be kind and gentle even under provocation.

Never to stand on one’s dignity.

To choose always the hardest.”

― Mother Teresa, The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Daily Living

Riley Connors was born in Dayton, Ohio. He studied classical humanities and philosophy with the Legionaries of Christ. He enjoys running, thinking, praying, and, on occasion, all three.

August 23, 2026 – Face Your God

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Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 16:13-20

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Opening Prayer: Holy Spirit, descend upon me as I gather myself in order to spend a moment in personal prayer. Fill my heart with your grace so that I can recognize the presence of Jesus Christ in my life, his presence here and now.

Encountering Christ:

  1. When You Spend Time with Jesus: The disciples had spent months with Jesus by now. Having grown into a group of close friends, they were probably getting used to their new lifestyle as “knights errant,” ever on the road, looking for the next town in which to preach. Sure, Jesus would surprise them every now and then with lofty speeches or mighty deeds, but even that might have been starting to feel quite normal. Then, suddenly, heinterrupted their smoothly-running normality and asked, “Who do you say that I am?” For a moment, the world held its breath, as did each one of the disciples. The semblance of normality disappeared into thin air, and their commitment to the mission was tested as they prepared to answer: Who is Jesus of Nazareth?

     

  2. When Christ Taps on Your Shoulder: Our Lord has made himself human, “normal,” so that we can approach him and walk beside him in our daily life. Like the disciples during their journey through the mountains of Palestine, our Christian life can fall into a certain routine. However, every now and then, Our Lord can make us pause. He puts his hand on our shoulder signaling us to stop, then steps in front of us, faces us, and, while locking eyes, asks us that very question. He, God himself, is interested in hearing our personal answer time and again.

     

  3. When You Stand before God: Just like the disciples, who paused in momentary silence, our knees might well get wobbly for a second when we face the Almighty. Peter finally broke the spell when he professed Christ’s divinity, causing everyone who was feeling so comfortable a minute ago to pause and reflect. They were in God’s very presence and probably felt prompted to take off their shoes and kneel, for they stood on holy ground (cf. Ex 3:5). Yet, where God’s greatness shines, man is not crushed, but elevated; Peter was not ordered to prostrate himself, but was raised to become Jesus’ prime witness and minister of his mercy.

Conversing with Christ: My Lord, as you stand before me and look at me expectantly, I consider both your greatness and your humble presence in my life. You are the Eternal Son of the Father, true God and King of the universe. And yet you are interested in me and care for the tiny reality of my life. I renew my faith in you and profess it, knowing that your reign will not crush my development, but empower it.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will consciously praise your greatness and power in my life, allowing you to lead me to whatever responsibilities you have in mind for me.

For Further Reflection: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 441-442:

In the Old Testament, “son of God” is a title given to the angels, the Chosen People, the children of Israel, and their kings. It signifies an adoptive sonship that establishes a relationship of particular intimacy between God and his creature. When the promised Messiah-King is called “son of God,” it does not necessarily imply that he was more than human, according to the literal meaning of these texts. Those who called Jesus “son of God,” as the Messiah of Israel, perhaps meant nothing more than this. Such is not the case for Simon Peter when he confesses Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” for Jesus responds solemnly: “Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” Similarly Paul will write, regarding his conversion on the road to Damascus, “When he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles…” (Galatians 1:15-16). “And in the synagogues immediately [Paul] proclaimed Jesus, saying, ‘He is the Son of God’” (Acts 9:20). From the beginning this acknowledgment of Christ’s divine Sonship will be the center of the apostolic faith, first professed by Peter as the Church’s foundation.

Father Gabriel von Wendt, LC, works as an assistant professor at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. He has a passion for philosophy and the role of Catholic faith in contemporary culture.

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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!