Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Matthew 3:1–12
On my daughter’s eighth birthday, we invited her entire class to our home for pizza and cake. As I blew up balloons and hung streamers, my husband’s contribution to getting the house “party ready” was deep cleaning the front hall closet just thirty minutes before our little guests arrived. [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Luke 23:35–43
My approach to the annual family Christmas card photo has changed. For around twenty-five years, I accomplished the heroic feat of corralling seven children and a reluctant husband into a delightful, color-coordinated pose in front of the camera. [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Luke 21:5–19
I have to have a difficult conversation. Not only that, I need to have this difficult conversation with someone that I’ve had a complicated history with. So, I’m doing what all good Catholic women do when faced with this situation. [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Luke 20:27–38
My children are smarter than I am. I thought you should know, in case you want to ask them anything. In our house, when a child turns thirteen, they suddenly know everything. Before they used to ask me questions because they didn’t know the answer—now they ask me questions because they think I don’t know the answer. [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Luke 19:1–10
My only son fell out of a tree last summer, smashing into the concrete pool deck below and fracturing his arm in three places. My brother had tied a rope swing high up into the branches of that tree, [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Luke 18:9–14
Warning: embarrassing confession ahead.
I want priests to like me. I want them to recognize my excellent work, think I am holy, notice my attendance at Mass, and hear how saintly I am in the confessional. Why? A small faith and enormous pride hold my face down in the lie that past sins aren’t forgiven and salvation is the result of my good efforts. [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Luke 18:1–8
There was once a time in my life when my prayers to God were bold. I asked Him for everything from revival in the world and miracles in tragedy to things like my sanctification, a husband, acne medicine that I couldn’t afford, [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Luke 17:11–19
Imagine you are shopping for a swimsuit. It’s January. Your skin hasn’t seen much sun. You’ve enjoyed all sorts of warm breads and festive treats throughout the Christmas season. It’s been delightful. You get into the dressing room with the most unforgiving lights and try the first suit on. [...]
I’ve been off social media for the last twelve weeks. Give or take. I don’t know exactly how long it’s been because I’m no longer paying that much attention to it. But in those early weeks, I could have told you down to the day. This was not because I was coming off a social media addiction; [...]
While on retreat a few weeks ago, I walked into the bathroom and overheard an elderly woman lamenting over the state of our world.
“This world is going to hell!”
Her friend snapped back, “Now, Judy, remember, no negativity today. We are on retreat!”
I walked into a stall, [...]
