Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
We are a joyful community of disciples proclaiming the Good News and inviting all people to encounter the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.
"For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age."
(Titus 2:11-12)
Living As We Ought
It is only through the grace of God that we can truly live as we ought. If we try entirely on our own, we will certainly be unsuccessful. The four things mentioned are things we don’t always think about.
Reject godless ways and worldly desires: When we consider our desires, we should think about whether they are also things that God would approve of. This goes for media we consume, habits we have, priorities, etc.
Live temperately: We should consider whether our actions are done in moderation. Media, food, music, games, etc. are often not inherently bad, but if we consume them or do them in excess or place them above our time spent in prayer, this becomes problematic.
Live justly: We should ensure we are living and acting honestly, morally, virtuously, and in the ways the Lord instructs us to. The Ten Commandments can be a great guide for this.
Live devoutly: We should be living lives of prayer. Making time each day for prayer and frequenting the sacraments are important for this.
We are all human and will do these imperfectly, but we are invited to strive for these through the help of the grace of God. Ask for this grace.
Reject godless ways and worldly desires: When we consider our desires, we should think about whether they are also things that God would approve of. This goes for media we consume, habits we have, priorities, etc.
Live temperately: We should consider whether our actions are done in moderation. Media, food, music, games, etc. are often not inherently bad, but if we consume them or do them in excess or place them above our time spent in prayer, this becomes problematic.
Live justly: We should ensure we are living and acting honestly, morally, virtuously, and in the ways the Lord instructs us to. The Ten Commandments can be a great guide for this.
Live devoutly: We should be living lives of prayer. Making time each day for prayer and frequenting the sacraments are important for this.
We are all human and will do these imperfectly, but we are invited to strive for these through the help of the grace of God. Ask for this grace.
How can I more effectively live the way I ought?
Lord, please grant me the grace to live properly and to be the best follower of you I can be. Amen.
Lord, please grant me the grace to live properly and to be the best follower of you I can be. Amen.
Reflection by:
Brittany DeHaan grew up in San Antonio, Texas and attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for college. She taught at a small Catholic elementary school in Iowa for one year followed by two years at St. Paul Catholic School in St. Petersburg. She joined the Pastoral Center in 2023 where she works as the Communications Coordinator. She is a parishioner at St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lutz. She also enjoys livestreaming GeoGuessr and other video games, sewing, and doing photography in her free time.