Pope Benedict, in continuity with Pope St. John Paul’s Theology of the Body (TOB), speaks of three main aspects of the human person: communal, historical, and bodily. Does this mean that these two great popes don’t believe in the spiritual dimension of the person? Of...
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The Mind-Body Impact of Gratitude
Since the late 90's, Dr. Robert A Emmons, a psychologist and professor at the University of California, has been one of the world's leading experts on the study of gratitude and its effects on the human experience. In his many studies, he found that gratitude not only...
Given and Entrusted
“We must ourselves be a total gift, a disinterested, sincere gift in order to recognize, in every man, the gift that he is, and to thank the Giver for the gift of the human person.” -Saint John Paul the Great, Meditation on Givenness Imagine a world in which every...
Theology of the Body: Uniting Catholics and Protestants
“War against the body means we must do this with a clear emphasis upon the theological importance of the body. This will not be news to some. Pope John Paul II’s rich legacy on the theology of the body is meat and drink to thoughtful Catholics, yet it is not something...
Can Secular Films Be Christian?
I cringe a little when I hear people refer to a movie as a "Christian film." Allow me to explain... I get it, most Christian films are written and designed to deliver a wholesome message about God, His work in our lives, and how placing our trust in Him makes us...
The Body Without A Screen
Ask any traditional artist what their first impressions are upon being introduced to creating digital art, and they will all tell you the same exact thing: "It feels like there is something standing between me and the art that I am creating." They will go on to...
When Fainting Was Good
I have had a number of times in my life where I have fainted. Nearly all of them were anxiety related, where the stress in question was just too much for my mind and body to handle, and so my body decided to "disappear" for a moment. I am reminded of Queen Esther from...
Learn From Your Mama!
For Mother’s Day, I decided to reflect on what Mother Mary teaches all of us—women and men—about the feminine posture of receptivity. So, I read Pope Benedict’s Mary: The Church at Her Source regarding the Magnificat. Mary speaks of “magnifying the Lord.” What does...
How Volunteering Overcomes Hopelessness and Sloth
A friend of mine was looking for practical ways to overcome hopelessness and the vice of sloth. In her research for Catholic-based solutions, she encountered tried and true remedies such as adding frequent confession and adoration to her routine. However, she told me...
The Greatest Thing the Human BODY Can Do
G.K. Chesterton once quipped, “The greatest thing the human body can do is to rise from the dead” (quoted by Dale Ahlquist from the TOB Congress audio). That’s what we celebrate today—Easter Sunday. Jesus Christ was the first human to rise from the dead bodily. Quite...