January 7

Everything starts from prayer. Without asking God for love, we cannot possess love and still less are we able to give it to others. Just as people today are speaking so much about the poor but they do not know or talk to the poor, we too cannot talk so much about prayer and yet not know how to pray.

January 6

Sometime ago, a woman came with her child to me and said: "Mother, I went to two or three places to beg for food, for we have not eaten for three days but they told me that I was young and I should work and earn my living. No one gave me anything." I went to get some food for her and by the time I returned, the baby in her arms had died of hunger.

January 5

Charity begins today. Today somebody is suffering, today somebody is in the street, today somebody is hungry. Our work is for today, yesterday has gone, tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today to make Jesus known, loved, served, fed, clothed, sheltered. Do not wait for tomorrow. Tomorrow we will not have them if we do not feed them today.

January 4

It is very important for us to realize that love, to be true, has to hurt. I must be willing to give whatever it takes not to harm other people and, in fact, to do good to them. This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts. Otherwise there is no tru love in me and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.

January 3

It is not enough for us to say: 'I love God.' I also have to love my neighbor. In the Scriptures, St.John says that you are a liar if you say you love God and you do not love your neighbor. How can you love God whom you do not see, if ou do not love your neighbor whom you see, whom you touch, with whom you live? And he uses a very big word. 'You are a liar.' It is one of those words that is frightening to read, and yet it is really true.

January 2

Lord give me this seeing faith, then my work will never be monotonous. I will find joy in humouring the fancies and gratifying the wishes of all poor sufferers. O beloved sick, how doubly dear you are to me, when you personify Christ; and what a privilege is mine to be allowed to tend you.

January 1

Keep the joy of loving God in your heart and share this joy with all you meet especially your family. Be holy - let us pray.