“Behold, I am doing a new thing...” (Isaiah 43:19) Somewhere along the way of the Christian life—somewhere amid all of the Masses, the Rosaries, the novenas, and the Confessions—anyone pursuing a life of Christian virtue very often ends up in a rut. The experience of...
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Revisiting New Year’s Resolutions and Dodging Heresy
“And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:5). Now that we are past the halfway point of January, it’s time to check in on the status of those New Year’s resolutions. How is that new diet or workout routine...
St. John Paul II’s The Hope of Everyday
One of my dearest friends knows that I try to grow in self-understanding by continuing to see my faults, weaknesses, and sins…and “walk away” from them toward the path of virtue and holiness. That’s why she sent me a gift called “Self-Authoring,” a guided reflection...
The Posture of Receptivity
As we begin the new Liturgical Year (which always points us to eternity), a central concept in the Theology of the Body comes to mind: Gift. “All of creation is to be received as a gift.” Notice the word received. Not just some things but everything is to be received...
Our Identity: Rooted in Gratitude
“What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me? … I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice and call on the name of the Lord.” (Ps. 116:12, 17)The American holiday of Thanksgiving is a wonderful reminder of...
Halloween, Holiness, and Happiness
As Halloween approaches, I think about candy and haunted houses, Trick or Treat and the color orange, spooky decorations, and the World Series. But perhaps I need to be reminded that Halloween originated as a celebration of All Hallow’s Eve, the day before we...
The Beauty Beyond the Fall
Psalm 90:10 The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. This October marks ten years since I lost one...
Life Without Limits
Recently, in my sixth decade, I moved cross-country to begin a second master’s degree program. It certainly wasn’t my idea (but God’s!) to uproot my flourishing life, filled with the warmth, sunshine, and outdoor activities in Phoenix and sequester myself in study...
Unless a Grain of Wheat Shall Fall
From The Body and Reverence.Illustrated by Gary Undercuffler When I was a teenager, I worked 70 hours a week during the summer at Continental Grain Company in Ft. Worth so that I was able to pay my way through Nolan Catholic High School. At Continental Grain, I became...
Returning to the Garden
For most Americans, the month of September marks a turning point where the fall season is in clear sight – leaves slowly begin turning colors, the morning air has a subtle unmistakable crispness, and social media fills with friends’ shameless promotions of pumpkin...