In the Gospel of John, Jesus showed us what a servant’s heart looks like when he washed the feet of the apostles. Parishes often reenact this event on Holy Thursday. Pitchers of water are poured over feet and then dried with…
How to Have a Servant’s Heart
Reverend William Henry Anderdon, Modern Evangelist
A man is not a saint because many years after his death he was proclaimed so. And a man is not an evangelist by having traveled much as he preached. The man of today’s essay may not be proclaimed a…
What Prayer Does Not Dare Ask
A few Sundays ago, the opening prayer (known as the collect) really hit me between the eyes. Ever have that experience? It was as if the words of the prayer seemed louder and clearer than normal. They stopped me in…
Why Humility Opens Doors
Readings for Sunday, August 28, 2016 the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle C “Nice guys finish last,” says the world. “The last will be first,” replies Jesus. My guess is that the Lord of creation knows best who really…
Catholic Social Teaching Principles in the Workplace
Many organizations in Western culture subscribe to a secular philosophy when conducting business as it relates to their labor management policies and practices. I believe that Catholic Social Teaching Principles (CSTP) can be successfully introduced into organizations, but it would…
Redefining Success
“Do all your work in love.” (1 Cor. 16: 14) “God, what does success look like to you in this situation?” I don’t know where I read this phrase, but I copied it on a sticky note and stuck it…
Tradition and “That”
Can you imagine a culture and circumstances that might compel a person to exclaim: “If that happens, it’s the end of our faith”? What might the “that” be? If you’re scratching your head, coming up with a blank–then good. Here’s…
Of Saints and Souls
It’s not often that God gives a glimpse of what awaits us in the afterlife. By pondering the lives of the saints and even the holy souls, we can gain a clearer understanding. We should not aspire to be mediocre…
The Hardest Work I Do: Evangelizing in My Home
Being on-fire for my faith is one thing when I’m out in public. Those people out there, after all, don’t see me first thing in the morning, before I’ve had my coffee or eased into the reality of a new…
Shepherds
There were about two minutes left in the Olympic quarterfinal basketball game between Argentina and the United States. The U.S. team was up by more than twenty points and the game was well under hand. I was watching while preparing…