From Living Faith Daily Catholic Devotions (Jan/Feb/Mar 2026)

Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

1 Kings 3:4-13 + Psalm 119:9-14 + Mark 6:30-34

Doing Well

In the way of your decrees I rejoice, as much as in all riches. Psalm 119:14

Decades ago, a former coworker had the following statement hanging on the wall of her cubicle: “I don’t enjoy writing, but I enjoy having written well.”

Having been in the media for most of my adult life, I can say that I have never come across another piece of writing advice that resonated more powerfully with me. Writing can be excruciatingly painful and frustrating. And yet, when done well, when the author has written something genuine, true and helpful to readers, it can be amazingly rewarding.

Practicing our faith is similar. It’s not always easy getting to Mass on time, offering our prayers daily, being considerate to people whom we may think don’t warrant our consideration. It is often very challenging to act in accordance with God’s decrees. But perhaps we can rejoice if we consider a variation of that small message about the craft of writing: “I don’t always enjoy practicing my faith, but I enjoy having practiced it well.”

□ Trevor Hegarty