Discover the subtle signs of God's grace in everyday life and learn to appreciate His presence in your family through simple, heartfelt moments.
Today's Gospel: Mark 8:11-13
In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees demand a sign from Jesus for Him to prove to them His authority. Jesus knew their hearts and their motives, and, after their demands, “He sighed from the depth of his spirit.” Clearly, Jesus was dealing with some very draining people. What greater sign could the Pharisees have been looking for than the Word Incarnate, the Son of God in their midst? Their hearts were too hardened to experience the grace of God in their midst. We too can sometimes demand great signs to affirm His presence and yet ignore His grace all around us.
God’s signs aren’t always grand or elaborate. Sometimes they are found in the quiet, simple moments. In families, the signs may be as simple as our children running to be with us at the end of a long day of work or a hand-drawn picture colored with crayons and the words“I love you” written on it. The love, support, and encouragement of a spouse and simple gestures of “I believe in you” are signs of grace. Spending time together with one another, listening to one another, learning from one another, and loving one another are moments of simple grace.
On a personal note, my children are now both adults, but if you came to my office today, I have some of their childhood drawings and notes laminated and saved in a “grace folder.” When I’m having a bad day, sometimes I take them out and look at them to remember just how loved and blessed I am.
Ponder:
How often do we overlook the signs of love, faithfulness, and grace that God places before us, especially in our families?
Pray:
God, may we learn to live with hearts attentive to Your quiet signs and be open to Your presence in our families through the gifts of one another.
Pray Together:
Create a “grace jar.” Keep a jar in a central place in the home with slips of paper and pens nearby. Whenever someone notices a sign of grace (a kind word, an unexpected laugh, help offered without being asked, or even a quiet sense of God’s presence), write it down and place it in the jar. At the end of the week (maybe during Sunday dinner), the family opens the jar and reads the moments aloud, thanking God for each one.
Copyright 2026 Mariano Pimentel
Catholic husband, father of two daughters, and a pilgrim on a lifelong journey of faith, Mariano Pimentel serves Holy Cross Family Ministries as the Director of Human Resources. He is currently discerning a call to the Permanent Diaconate with the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts. He is on a lifelong journey to find God and true beauty in the ordinary and in the unexpected.
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