Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen.

Faith, hope, and love. These virtues are at the heart of what it means to be Christians. We are called to the work of faith because it brings about the fruits of obedience, respect of God and others, and the desire to live holy lives. We are called to the labor of love because it is only by giving of ourselves through charity and mercy that we fulfill the golden rule. We are called to hope because it is only when we trust God completely that we are able to endure all trials, overcome all obstacles, and make the leaps of faith God asks us to make. God chose us to each grow in faith, hope, and love in our own unique ways and to express them through our own personalities.

How can we become better workers in the faith? What can we do to be more fruitful laborers of love? How can we cultivate a spirit of enduring hope?

O Lord, grant us the virtues of faith, hope, and love.

Amen.