I’ve heard it said that the sentence “Do not fear” is found in the Bible 365 times. While I can’t quite narrow down a credible source for that, I can confidently say that it appears enough within Scripture to warrant the claim that God knows His children and the emphasis that we place on our fear. [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read John 20:19–31
In 2008, evangelical speaker and writer Angie Smith found out that her fourth baby would not survive more than a couple of hours outside of her womb. She began blogging about her experience, and two years later, amid my conversion, [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read John 3:14–21
It was how he held his fingers that got me. I have seen many images of our crucified Savior, but this one differed. It grabbed me because, unlike the familiar, sanitized versions I have grown accustomed to, this one did something to me. [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read John 2:13–25
Have you ever walked out of a church utterly moved by the worship? What about a church that left you wondering if worship occurred at all? What was each like? How were the two experiences different?
Last March, [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Mark 1:29–39
Sometimes, Jesus’ ways don’t make sense. For instance, years ago, I went to a healing mass, clutching a photo of a loved one I desperately wanted Jesus to restore to health. Despite my confidence in the power of God, [...]
Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the United States. More than 19% of adults (ages 18+) and more than 31% of adolescents (ages 13–18) live with an anxiety disorder.[1] This means, dear sister, the odds that you have first-hand experience with this mental illness—either because you struggle with anxiety or because someone you love does—are extremely high. [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Matthew 2:1–12
It was the first graders that stole the show this year at my children’s Christmas pageant. Dressed in their Catholic school uniform best, they stood in front of the altar and, in all their glory, sang their little hearts out. [...]
In the Broadway musical The Lion King, there is a beautiful song called “Endless Night.” This song, which is not in the original movie, is sung by Simba at a pivotal crossroads in his life. Let me provide some key context for those unfamiliar with this story or who have not seen it recently (warning: there are some spoiler alerts). [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Luke 1:26–38
Can you think of a time when you were chosen for something special? What was it? How did it make you feel?
When I think of times I was chosen out of a crowd, a few moments come to mind. [...]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Matthew 22:34–40
I descended the aisle, genuflected before the tabernacle, and pivoted left. Placing a neatly folded bill into the wooden offering box secured to the wall, I assumed I’d light a blue votive and take my usual place before the statue of our Blessed Mother. [...]
