In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on St. Josemaria Escriva's teaching on realistic optimism— omnia in bonum- the confidence that Christ has already conquered all on our behalf, and that by uniting ourselves to him through prayer, we can overcome any challenge and participate in his victory. 

Drawing from John 16:33, he reminds us of Christ’s words: “In the world you will have affliction. But take courage; I have overcome the world.” This triumph is not just a past event but a present reality, accessible to us when we live in union with him. As Romans 8:28 assures, “All things work for the good of those who love God,” a truth that calls us to trust in divine providence, even in adversity. 


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In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the hidden years of Jesus' life and the profound sanctity found in the ordinary. He emphasizes how Jesus, Mary, and Joseph lived lives of simplicity and work, demonstrating that holiness is not reserved for extraordinary deeds but is found in daily life, family, and labor. 

Fr. Peter highlights the Gospel's silence on Jesus' early years, noting that his hidden life in Nazareth was so ordinary that it became a stumbling block for those who later encountered him as the Messiah. Drawing from St. Josemaria Escriva’s writings, he explains that the path to holiness is through sanctifying daily tasks with love—whether in work, family life, or social interactions. 

Also looking to the example of St. Therese of Lisieux, who found holiness in the smallest acts, Fr. Peter encourages listeners to transform their daily routines into prayer. He reminds us that God’s love is expressed through self-giving in ordinary duties and that evangelization begins in the family and workplace.
 
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The following meditation was recorded in front of a live audience. 

In this meditation, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the profound reality of God’s unconditional love for us as his sons and daughters. Drawing from the only prayer Jesus taught us —“Our Father”— Fr. Peter reminds us of its deeper meaning: a call to recognize God’s perfect love and his desire for our happiness. 

Fr. Peter emphasizes that our spiritual lives are rooted in the truth of our being children of God. Each of us is uniquely and intentionally created by God, custom-made with a soul that reflects his will and love. Our individuality glorifies him, and living as our most authentic, kind, and charitable selves is how we respond to this gift. 

Using the image of the Samaritan woman at the well, Fr. Peter illustrates how Jesus invites each of us, no matter our circumstances, into a personal relationship with him. By offering her the gift of “living water,” Christ reveals his desire to love and transform us through grace, making even the most broken among us vessels of his love and joy. 

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The following meditation was recorded in front of a live audience. 

In this meditation, Fr. Peter Armenio explores the parables of the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32) and the sower (Luke 8:4-15), illustrating how God’s grace transforms small beginnings into extraordinary outcomes. Through these parables, he highlights the importance of receptivity to the Holy Spirit. 

He also reflects on the "vertical" and "horizontal" dimensions of love, symbolized by the cross. Prayer, as the foundation (vertical), unites us to God, while love for others (horizontal) flows from this connection.

And, drawing from the life of St. Josemaria Escriva, Fr. Peter shares practical examples of how small, consistent acts of faith—like mental prayer, Eucharistic devotion, and the Rosary—can illuminate the world and remind us that even the smallest seeds of grace, nurtured with humility and perseverance, have the power to grow into something magnificent.

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In our meditation of the week; Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the call to be “salt of the earth” and “light of the world,” as described in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 5:1-16). He explains that these images capture the transformative role of Christ’s disciples in the world. 

Drawing from the Beatitudes, Fr. Peter emphasizes that they are a blueprint for shaping a heart to be like Christ’s, and they are a pathway to happiness in the world.   

Through a practical examples of two young men whose faith flourished despite family challenges, Fr. Peter illustrates how ordinary acts of holiness can have a profound impact. Like salt enhancing flavor, or light dispelling darkness, Christians have the power to inspire and guide others through their witness.

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The following meditation was recorded in front of a live audience.

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on how a disposition (or willingness) to love is required to fulfill our baptismal calling and common vocation to follow Jesus Christ.

Drawing from the Gospel account of the rich young man (Matthew 19: 16-30), Fr. Peter explains that while the young man had lived by the commandments, he lacked the detachment and disposition necessary to fully surrender to Christ. Fr. Peter emphasizes that this detachment is not merely about material wealth but about offering ourselves entirely to God, allowing him to transform our hearts and bring our baptismal vocation to full maturity.

Because the rich young man rejected Our Lord's invitation to follow him, the young man was filled with sadness and unable to be a witness to others. If we want to be Christ's witnesses, we must learn to overcome our disposition to self-love, and chip away gradually at all that separates us from God.


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The following meditation was recorded in front of a live audience.

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio underscores the relevance of St. Josemaria’s spirituality for our times, drawing a parallel between our world and the intensely pagan society of the early Christians.

Fr. Peter explains that as modern apostles, Our Lord says that we must be "leaven" to the world, transforming it through our imitation of Christ. Our goal should be for our love to reach such a threshold that those around us, starting with our family, lead people to say that we are followers of Christ.

Fr. Peter also emphasizes that if we cut corners in our interior life, we could diminish our light to the people around us. St. Paul’s words in Romans 5:5—“The love of God has been poured into your hearts by the Holy Spirit”—serve as a reminder that Christ's love is the fuel that sustains our charity and apostolic mission. Without it, Fr. Peter notes, we cannot give people an authentic experience of Christ. This union with Christ through our plan of life is essential to radiating Our Lord's presence to the world.

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Do you have the desire to give yourself completely to God? What’s holding you back?

In our meditation of the week: as we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God (January 1), Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha reflects on our vocation as children of God and our calling to begin again as we give witness to the incarnate love of God the Father.

Fr. Donncha explains: “The Lord wants to become incarnate in us, to live in and through us. You and I are called to live out our vocation as beloved daughters and sons in Christ and to become identified with Christ.”

As we begin the New Year, we turn to the example of Mary and contemplate her docility to the Holy Spirit as she freely responded to the will of God in her role as our Blessed Mother. We can, therefore, seek the grace of the Holy Spirit in our own life and renew our desire to say yes to God more each day as we launch into a new year.

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In our meditation of the week: Msgr. Fred Dolan invites us to reflect more deeply on the Nativity of Our Lord. “In the Incarnation,” he says, “God has come not only to unleash our power of loving and adoring God but also to give us a model on how to become more fully human.”

Recalling a famous short story from 1906, “The Gift of the Magi,” Msgr. Dolan gives us the “antidote” to that attitude of commercialization that often accompanies the Christmas season. He helps us ponder the fact that what matters most is “the amount, the extent to which we love each other.” We are reminded that the greater our love, the greater our freedom. And so we want our love to remain open to absolutely everyone; we want the willingness to befriend others in imitation of Christ, who made friends with “tax collectors and sinners.”

We pray and ask the Holy Family: “Do whatever it takes to give me that same degree of love [you have]. Help me to contemplate. Help me to develop the capacity to be still, to see that you, Jesus, are God. Help me to grow in love so that I can grow in freedom. Help me to grow in detachment so that I can be happy regardless of the circumstances. And help me to become a better and more understanding friend of all those around me.”

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In this meditation for the Fourth Week of Advent, Fr. Peter Armenio guides us in deepening our preparation for Christmas, the celebration of our transcendent God entering our world in the fullness of time, by reflecting on Jesus Christ as the ultimate source of peace and joy.

St. Paul preached not that Jesus is peaceful but that he is peace; Isaiah calls him the Prince of Peace; and Jesus tells us: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you” (John 14:27). God wants everyone to be recipients of this description of Jesus. This great joy is for all people and it fills all people with hope.

Fr. Peter directs us, therefore, to ask God’s help to penetrate this definition of peace so that we can “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope” (1 Peter 3:15).

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