What does an intimate friendship with Jesus in the midst of ordinary life look like? How can we cultivate such a friendship, surrounded as we are by so any distractions? Author Serafina recounts how Jesus drew her into such a friendship through simple, natural means that everyone can employ.
Prayer
Christ Awaits You in Adoration—Will You Come?
Jesus invites each one of us to follow Him. Sometimes, though, we wonder how to find Him or hear His voice. Author Serafina proposes Adoration as the answer and offers practical suggestions and encouragement regarding spending time with Our Eucharistic Lord.
Above the Noise: Calling Out to God in the Midst of Brokenness
Seeking God in ordinary life is often a struggle. Lucy Mervin reflects upon how during a trip to New York City, God spoke to her through the discomfort she felt amidst the noise and turbulence of bustling city life.
Ordering Our Prayer Aright
Is your prayer life rightly ordered? Over time, I’ve gained some insight into the benefits of ordering the different kinds of prayer we pray a certain way. Here is what I’ve learned.
Satisfying the Hunger Pangs of Our Hearts
Our hearts ache for God. Too often, we satisfy this longing with passing earthly pleasures—food, frivolous purchases, even exercise. In our best moments, we turn to God in prayer.
How can we learn to recognize when our hearts are aching for God? How can we be in greater touch with our hearts’ longing for Him?
Why We Should Pray Before Bed (and Practical Ways to Approach It)
Praying before bed can be a challenge. We tend to feel worn down after a long day. Perhaps we’re distracted, restless, frustrated, or discouraged. We look forward to unwinding and falling asleep.
Yet prayer before bed, though it takes effort, can refresh our souls in a unique way. Here’s how along with practical tips on how to approach it.
How to Develop the Habit of Mental Prayer
Vir Christi delves into mental prayer: what it is, why it matters, and how to do it. He also answers the question of how we know whether our time spent in mental prayer is bearing fruit or not. This is a must-read!
Cultivating Devotion to Mary Beyond the Rosary
If you’ve never been in the habit of praying the Rosary, it can seem dull or intimidating. Or perhaps you feel in need of a “refresh” regarding your devotion to Mary. Or maybe you want to branch out and connect with her in other ways. Here are several little suggestions.
Sloth: A Shrinking from Love
Sloth can be a difficult sin to identify. The other capital sins are “active” sins: we consciously choose to do something evil. Sloth is a sin of omission: we fail to do something good. It is easy to dismiss because we’re not actively doing any harm—or so we think.
The Joyful Mysteries: A Meditation on Maintaining Presence of God
Recently, I’ve been focusing on the theme of the Presence of God while praying the Joyful Mysteries. Maintaining a sense of God’s Presence is, I think, the key to attaining holiness in ordinary life. What is holiness but allowing God to form Himself in our lives so that all we do is truly His?
The Importance of Being Present
I’ve been musing on Joseph and how significant his presence is. It seems as if the whole point of Joseph’s life is just to be present to Jesus and Mary. Miracles, words of wisdom, grand gestures? Nope. Just be present wholeheartedly to God and those around you. That’s enough.
Our Power is in the Cross: Signing Ourselves with Devotion
Have you ever thought about why Catholics make the Sign of the Cross so often? Too many times, we do it sloppily. We rush through the movement, perhaps not touching the correct points (forehead, chest, left and right shoulders), as we mumble the Trinitarian formula.
Choosing a Good Confessor: 4 Marks to Look For
Catholics are a blessed lot. United in our faith, we can go to Confession with any priest. Nevertheless, it’s helpful to have a regular confessor. But we shouldn’t pick just anyone. After all, we’re fighting a spiritual battle. A discerning confessor will…
Reading the Bible: Where Do I Start?
If you’re like a lot of Catholics, you know that the Bible is important for our faith. But where do you start? What passages should you be looking at? How should you read through certain books as opposed to others?
The Importance of Examining Your Conscience In-Depth (and How to Do It)
Too often, we put up a half-hearted struggle. Oh, we might look quite good on the outside, but are we really making progress? Or are we just going through it all out of a sense of routine?