"Rejoice! Exult!” the Book of Isaiah encourages us this week. Millions of Catholic Christians did just that when Pope Francis first emerged onto the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica, largely because of his warm, genuine, and humble demeanor, his choice of a papal name.

Most of us don’t think of ourselves as missionaries. We’re not called in that special way to go out and preach, much less cast out demons; we’re glad enough just to keep our own demons under wraps. If we believe that, however, we’re mistaken.

Summer is made for lying back in prayerful contemplation to recognize and give thanks for a rhythm of life often taken for granted.

Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.

Saint Paul said he could boast only in the Lord, not in himself and not with pride. He depended on God, just as in the gospel Jesus told the 72 to take nothing with them except their faith—and not to take pride in their mission successes.

Despite our problems and challenges as a nation, we can give thanks this week for the many blessings we enjoy. And we can commit ourselves to doing our part so that all who reside in our land can share in those blessings.

Our task in the present . . . is to live as resurrection people in between Easter and the final day, with our Christian life . . . as a sign of the first and a foretaste of the second. —N. T. Wright, Surprised by Hope