Recently I spoke with a friend about spiritual matters, and one of the concepts we discussed was simplicity. Simplicity in thought, word and deed, as well as simplicity in lifestyle. One of the passages that came up was “Come now,…
How Do We Come To The Wedding Feast
Begin with the backstory
Next year, I suspect there will be a lot of people talking about the one hundredth anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fatima. That is because what happened there is so extraordinary. Beginning on May 13,…
The Lost Art of Humility
Editor’s note: This is a reprint from 2012, but still so true! One of the hardest Christian virtues for me to master is humility. It seems the more I try to do it “my way,” the more lost I become. God…
Protecting our Addictions
Sunday Readings for September 25, 2016, the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Temperance. For older American, that word conjures up images of Carrie Nation shattering bottles of gin to usher in Prohibition.But the word temperance does not mean abstinence from…
Spiritual Combat – A Primer
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels, And every height that exhalteth itself…
Contemplation
“Martha, Martha! You are worried and troubled over so many things, but just one is needed. Mary has chosen the right thing, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10: 41-42 I’ve got a Martha mind that…
A Place for Everything
My journey away from, discovering my roots in the Church and heading back to where I belong is a circuitous one. That’s not unlike many people. Each person, though, has mile stones that are different and “ah-ha” moments that are…
God Has Plans for Us
That the blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper time, the King of kings and Lord of lords. (1 Timothy 6:15) Recently I saw a post on Facebook. At first it angered me. Not that…
Catechesis and Prayer: “The Faith Prayed”
Do your faith formation classes teach people about prayer or form people as pray-ers? Yesterday marked the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)’s annual “Catechetical Sunday”–an unofficial kick-off to the new academic year of catechesis in parishes across the United States….
A Lesson in Stewardship
Sunday Readings for September 18, 2016, the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Our society tolerates religion, as long as it keeps to itself. After all, America is about the separation of Church and state, right? Education, entertainment, employment, politics are…