From Living Faith Daily Catholic Devotions (July/August/September 2026)

St. Maria Goretti

Hosea 2:16, 17c:18, 21-22 + Psalm 145:2-9 + Matthew 9:18-26

Attention-Getting Results

I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart. Hosea 2:

The faculty at our university are finding the prohibition of cell phones in the classroom to be paying surprisingly quick dividends. Students are more engaged with one another and with the course material. The overall vibe is happier and livelier, Quite evidently, this has much to do with the quality of attention.

When the Lord invites his distracted and recalcitrant people out into the desert, he wants to speak directly and tenderly to them so as to reawaken their first love. He first needs to get their attention.

So much in our culture conspires to deafen us to God’s alluring voice, calling us to renewal. Fighting against that is worth everything we’ve got.

□ FR. Dennis Gallagher, A.A.

Fr. Dennis is the Vice President for Mission at Assumption University, Worcester, MA. Visit Assumption.us to learn about the Assumptionists.