A crucifix is a reminder of God’s radical, limitless love. It also confronts us with a daunting challenge as we recall God’s command for us to love as He does. How is this possible for a mere human being crippled by sin? Serafina reflects on all this in her meditation upon Jesus Crucified.
suffering
Discouraged? Remember Christ’s Patience with Peter
Discouragement is one of the most insidious of temptations. Left unchecked, it can lay havoc to your entire life.
Amber reflects on her recent experience with discouragement and how she draws inspiration from the conversion of St. Peter, a great sinner-turned-saint.
Two Forms of Pruning in the Spiritual Life
I’ve been reflecting a lot on this image of pruning from the Gospel. To prune a plant is to cut away excess growth from it to make it more healthy, productive, or attractive.
What does God “pruning” us look like? How does He do it?
The Time is Right: When Death Visits You
February 17, 2023.
My mom and I arrived home from Adoration to earth-shattering news—my dad had died.
In an instant, my family’s world was ripped apart. And yet in the midst of all the heart-breaking bustle that followed, I became gripped by a conviction: The time was right.
Easter: When Desperate Hope Meets Joyful Love
Every one of us has a tomb in our hearts. We have something sitting in our hearts, locked tightly behind a wall of stone. But that tomb, like Christ’s, has no power over us if we let Him into it. Will we?
Anointing of the Sick: Do You Know the Essentials about This Sacrament?
Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament many Catholics are unfamiliar with. Who should be anointed? Why? When? How is the sacrament administered? What practical steps can we take to prepare for it?
Do You Give Thanks No Matter What?
Gratitude is one of the easiest virtues to display. Anyone can say “thank you” and the occasions for doing so are innumerable.
Gratitude as a habitual disposition is rarer and far more radical.
What do you say “thank you” for? Do you mean it? Do you give thanks no matter what happens?
The Mark Left By Depression: Hope
Sometimes, the struggle against sin, temptation, and human weakness seems overwhelming. At such times, looking to the past can be a source of hope.
Suicide: Why and How the Church Opposes This Evil
Many people have had their life touched by the issue of suicide. I, personally, have grappled with suicidal thoughts and witnessed the consequences of someone committing suicide. Amidst all the sorrow caused by this evil, we might ask:
What does the Catholic Church teach about suicide? Why? And what can you and I do?
More Than Repaired—Transformed
Have you ever felt broken beyond repair?
Fr. J. shared a story of how he once broke a precious vase. He could have fixed the vase, but to no avail. Even if every piece were glued back into place, you’d still see the multitude of cracks running through the vase.
Sometimes, we resemble that vase and we wonder: Can God fix me and, if so, why doesn’t He?
Choosing to Enjoy Life Amidst Anxieties and Troubles
“Do you know,” said Anne confidentially, “I’ve made up my mind to enjoy this drive. It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.”
In this scene, eleven-year-old Anne is facing the prospect of being sent back to an orphan asylum because…
Live the Resurrection, Real Time
Easter is a season of new beginnings. It’s a time for us to allow the blossoming of the spiritual seeds that Lent sowed in our hearts, and also to allow the restoration of that which was broken. The cry “He is risen!” is not a far-distant memory, but rather…
Lent: It’s Not a Self-Improvement Program
Too often we treat the Lenten season as a self-improvement program. Instead of seeking to draw closer to God, we end up seeking ourselves. A classic example is someone giving up chocolate so they can lose weight. Their focus is on an ulterior motive, not God.
Facing Depression with Faith and Gratitude
Depression is a difficult topic to discuss. It afflicts a lot of people, but too often we miss seeing it in someone or we don’t know how to talk about it without causing offense. I have suffered from depression and know others who have as well. Here are my thoughts on it.