Notes from the Hours: Renewal

As a sign of Your love, You renew each day for the sake of our well-being and happiness, renew us daily for the sake of Your glory.

A sign of Your love... Lord, sometimes we forget how much You love us. Since You are love, perfect love, agapē, that love that pours itself out completely for the good of the beloved, You give us innumerable signs of Your love. Please help us notice them.

You renew each day... Lord, You give us a fresh start, a new beginning each morning. You offer us all new graces, new opportunities to reach out to You and to welcome You as You extend Your love to us. You provide joys. You give us challenges that we might learn. Sometimes You allow sorrows that we might turn to You for comfort. No matter what, You renew each day that we may grow ever closer to You.

For the sake of our well-being and happiness... Lord, You want us to be happy, but the only way we can find real happiness is to unite ourselves to You, to give You our whole being, to love You with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. Only then will we experience true happiness and well-being.

Renew us daily... Lord, we all fail. We all sin. We all need Your mercy, Your grace, Your forgiveness. We all need the renewal, the restoration that only You can give. Renew us, Lord, each and every day.

For the sake of Your glory... Lord, all that we are, all that we have, all that we do must be directed toward You, must be for Your glory, must be according to Your will. We must learn to put You first, before and above all things and even all other people. Our love for You must always take top priority. Give us the grace to make that true every day.

Amen.