In the Book of Genesis, Jacob was asleep, anticipating the next day. He was camped away from his old home, afraid of his older brother Esau. Years earlier, Jacob had tricked his brother out of his birthright and then tricked…
Wrestling with God
The Calcification of the Soul
When you are young, you are a being of pure potential. Your life and your future stretch out with endless possibilities. Remember what it was like to one day want to be an astronaut and the next to be a…
When It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas
We are told that this is the most joyous holiday of the year. But for many, Advent and Christmas conjure feelings of sorrow. For most of us, we have magical Christmas memories from our childhood. The bright colored lights filled…
The Freedom of Forgiveness
In my last essay, I wrote about the importance of forgiveness. We are called to never stop forgiving those who have hurt us. But I would like to take time in this article to talk about the benefit to the…
Kendra’s Dilemma: Am I Catholic?
Am I Catholic? A Struggle with Faith, Humility, and Surrendering to God by Kendra Von Esh Kendra was a cradle Catholic but without understanding or practicing the doctrine or engaging in the sacraments. This gifted, rich party girl, whose career…
Never Stop Forgiving
One of my favorite stories about the Sacred Heart revelations is when St. Margret Mary Alacoque told her confessor, Fr. Claude de la Colombière, that she was seeing visions of Jesus. Fr. Claude asked for proof. He told her to…
Growth Beneath the Snow
“The plants were hidden under the snow. And the farmer…remarked with satisfaction: ‘Now they’re growing on the inside.’ I thought of…your forced inactivity…Tell me, are you also growing on the inside?” St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, #294 The plants cannot…
Bread Upon the Waters
I love stories about real heroes, and Deanna Klingel’s book for young adults is just that. Bread Upon the Water is the true story of Father Tien Duong, a Catholic priest who grew up in the strife and hardship of Communist Vietnam….
The Failure of the Saints
St. Francis of Assisi went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. When he returned, he found out that two of his vicars has made changes to the Franciscan community. Francis was shocked to find his brothers living in a…
All That Lasts Forever
A short reflection this Monday: According to our best scientists, the universe will end. Entropy is a real thing where all of the energy will eventually be used up. The cosmos will then either fade away like the dying embers…