Daily Reflection
April 21, 2026

There are moments when we are called to do the hard thing — to initiate a difficult conversation, to push beyond what feels comfortable. This takes courage and conviction, especially when the outcome is uncertain, and our sense of belonging feels at risk.

I’ll be honest: there have been times I’ve stayed silent just to keep the peace, even when I recognized hurt, injustice, or harm unfolding in front of me. I’ve told myself I didn’t know the full story, or that the other person probably meant well. But if I don’t speak up and ask the hard questions, I’ll never have the answers. Silence isn’t neutrality — it’s a choice.

In today’s reading, Stephen the Martyr models something remarkable: he found peace in the middle of chaos. He spoke truth with confidence and accepted the consequences with courage. His final words — a prayer of forgiveness for those killing him — “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” — are astounding in their clarity. They remind us that doing the right thing becomes less complicated when we are spiritually grounded.

I’ve been fortunate. Close family and trusted friends have challenged me at pivotal moments. I clearly remember a dear friend who called me out for lacking clear priorities and neglecting my responsibilities to the people I cared about. It was hard to hear. It was even harder not to respond defensively. But it was accurate — and it changed me.

This Lenten season, I’m challenging myself to cultivate an interior freedom — a quiet, centered place from which I can act with calm, clarity, and conviction. A place from which I can say the hard words, take meaningful action, and listen with genuine care.

That interior freedom — the freedom to choose courage — is an anchor. My prayer is that we each find our anchors in times of struggle and in seasons of abundance. May we find clarity in our convictions, and the will to live them out in honest, wholehearted action.