[…] into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Luke 1:1–4,4:14–21 I’m staring at a stack of unwritten Christmas cards. I have yet to write or send a single one. The good news is that I’m one of those Catholics who doesn’t officially close out the Christmas season until Candlemas. I’ve got time. Truth be told, I’m dragging my […]
[…] in the darkness a little bit longer, longing for the light only Christ can bring? What if we allowed our souls to experience the pining for a world free from sin and error? What if we permitted our hearts to ache for redemption and the fulfillment of God's promises? In this sacred pause, we […]
[…] don’t anger Him. He is big enough for them all. Surrendering our questions to Him—as a child does with a parent when she seeks to understand the world around her—displays great faith and trust. This kind of faith draws us closer to Him. Trusting that even if it is not the answer we desire, […]
[…] each would make an excellent reflection. For example: Jesus' healing in the Greek Decapolis symbolizes that salvation goes beyond the Jewish faith and extends to the whole world.[1] Jesus healed the man far from the crowds, physically touching his ailments, reminding us that Jesus deals with us uniquely and personally.[2] “Mogilalos” is the Greek […]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Mark 7:1–8,14–15,21–23 Whenever Jesus addresses the Pharisees in Scripture, my conscience is pricked, and my heart is stirred. My love for tradition, ritual, and rules can lead me to be overly scrupulous of myself and others, to be pharisaical. And if there is one thing I detest, it […]
[…] games, or go to bed. Yes, he is fourteen, not four. And he doesn’t just ask once. He will ask it repeatedly, even when he already knows the answer. It’s a game to him, a frustrating and tiring game that he is intent on playing. I know adolescents are fraught with willful opposition and […]
[…] it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation” (Genesis 2:3). But rest as God proposes and rest as the world curates are two entirely different things. The real enemy is the lie that says rest must look like something out of a Coastal Living magazine; the […]
[…] but smile and even laugh a little. The doctor remained calm, seemingly unfazed by my reaction. Most people might find it strange to feel relief at the news of needing surgery, but I sensed he understood. "Do you have any questions or concerns?" he asked. "What if it’s not there?" I replied, though what […]
[…] then wait for the wrecking ball. Jesus’ disciples know what I am talking about. Moments before Jesus was arrested, things were good. He was teaching them everything: breaking bread with them, washing their feet, praying for them. He was the Messiah they had been waiting for. And then, the wrecking ball. Jesus is not […]
Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Mark 1:40–45 I have a confession to make. About confession. I took a 15-year hiatus from participating in the sacrament of Reconciliation. Having grown up attending Mass and going to Catholic school, I intellectually understood the consequences of this choice. At the time, however, confessing my sins just […]
