On this memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, I come before God with gratitude and humility. He is the God who sees the abandoned, lifts up the lowly, and clothes his people with dignity and grace. In Ezekiel, God reminds me that before I could offer Him anything, he was already loving me, already claiming me, already calling me to life. Lord, help me never to forget that every blessing I have is a gift from your hand.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe shows me what love can become when it is fully given to God. He loved with courage, even in suffering, and he did not hold back when another life was at stake. Lord, pray for me that I may love with that same freedom of heart. When I am tempted toward comfort, self-protection, or distraction, draw me back to the way of sacrifice, mercy, and trust.
As I remember my recent trip to the Dominican Republic and my service with ILAC, I thank God for the privilege of encountering his people in new and meaningful ways. Lord, open my eyes to see you in every person I meet, especially in those who are overlooked, burdened, or in need of hope. Let my presence be gentle, my service be sincere, and my heart remain attentive to the dignity you have placed in every human life. Teach me to recognize that mission and service is not only what I do, but how I love.
Your word also speaks to my marriage, Lord, especially as I look toward the thirty-fourth anniversary of marriage with my husband this month. Thank you for the gift of this covenant, for the grace that has carried us through joy and struggle, and for the quiet fidelity that has sustained us over the years. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that what you have joined together is holy, and that truth gives me peace. Keep teaching us how to love with patience, forgiveness, tenderness, and endurance.
Lord, make my life a living yes to your covenant. Let me remember your goodness, praise you with joy, serve others with compassion, and cherish the sacred bond of marriage as a sign of your faithful love. Through the intercession of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, help me to live each day with a heart that is grateful, generous, and surrendered to you. Amen.
Jane Stein
I was born and grew up in Omaha. After my husband, Ed (who is a Creighton graduate as well) and I married (at St. John’s on campus) we moved to Arizona to work with the U.S. Public Health Service and lived on the Apache reservation and served the native-American population. We moved to Phoenix 4.5 years later to raise our three children John, Maggie and Michael. We are now blessed to have two beautiful grandchildren, Ernesto and Emelia.
I first served in the Dominican Republic with Institute for Latin American Concern (ILAC) as a 4th-year Pharmacy student while attending Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions. I then served as a professional volunteer there in 2018 and 2019 and now have the privilege of serving ILAC as Co-Director of Pharmacy since 2021.
I am humbled to have been invited to write for the online ministry. My hope is that I can bring others in closer relationship with God through my reflections. I have been blessed with spiritual mentors and would like to pay it forward.
