There is a man I know. I’ll call him John. He and his wife collect donations for the poorest of the poor. He knows they are the poorest of the poor because he did his research and found the people…
The Poor are Waiting to Evangelize Us
Sacrifice
“Let the giving of thanks be your sacrifice to God, and give the Almighty all that you promised. Call to me when trouble comes; I will save you and you will praise me.” Psalm 50:14-15 Thanking God doesn’t seem like…
Deliverance Prayers – An Arsenal for Spiritual Warfare
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels,5 And every height that exhalteth…
Lent: A Season of Hope
When I was a child, I spent the whole year anticipating Christmas and all that came with it. By comparison, Easter was a rather dull holiday after the long boring season of Lent. When I got older, I began to…
Baptism and Belonging in Lent
What is belonging? When we belong, we experience fitting in, just as we are, right now. We experience being a part of something bigger than ourselves. We are able to share and give of our unique gifts, and know that…
The Truth About Love
This year, Valentine’s Day, the secular holiday of romantic love, falls on the same day as Ash Wednesday. Valentine’s Day is usually celebrated with gifts of chocolate and candy, while Ash Wednesday is celebrated with fasting. For a chocolate lover…
Proof and Belief
In my last two posts, we’ve thought about the words “absolute” and “relative”, as well as “objective” and “subjective”. Another word that gets thrown around lightly is “proof”. “Set forth your case, says the Lord; bring your proofs, says the…
Are you a bridge to Catholicism?
Did you know that 45 percent of Americans (about 112 million people) have some meaningful connection to the Catholic faith in some way? Some bridge of trust? Only 20 percent of them – 50 million — are Catholic. This statistic…
Reaching “Nones”
I recently read Christel Manning’s book, “Losing Our Religion: How Unaffiliated Parents Are Raising Their Children” and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in better understanding the nuance, diversity, and experiences of “Nones” when it comes to religious beliefs and practices….
Come Away With Me
In today’s Gospel, the disciples have just returned from a mission that Jesus sent them on. They were excited, and eager to tell Jesus everything that had happened, but they were also tired. Knowing their need for rest, Jesus invited…