Author Archives: kmwanek

As I sat in adoration over the weekend, in a temporary chapel that was very cozy and very peaceful, I felt as if I could’ve stayed there for hours.  Something that was put on my heart over and over in that time was, “it is in this place where you will never experience rejection, persecution,Continue reading “From the Desire of Being Approved”

One of the best qualities about my sister Abbey is her ability to tell it like it is.  She is usually straightforward and bold. When she was in confirmation class, she told her own classmates that they should be going to mass weekly and that there were no reasons or excuses for them not toContinue reading “Straightforward and Bold”

Over the weekend as I was sitting in adoration, one question that kept coming to mind during prayer was, “Jesus, how can I enter into the desert with you this Lent?”  With the arrival of the season of Lent, maybe you too are praying about and reflecting on this question.  This year more than ever,Continue reading “Living Lent Intentionally”

A few days ago, February 10th, was the feast day of St. José Sánchez del Río.  Reading his story, I’m always struck by what this saint experienced for his love of Jesus.  There were many efforts by others to make him renounce his faith and in each opportunity to do so, he stood strong.  He enduredContinue reading “Faith Has no Age Limit”

I came across a statistic a few days ago that said 52% of Americans report feeling lonely.  I’m not sure how accurate this study was or what kinds of questions the participants were asked, but either way, it caught my attention.  In a world that is so busy and filled with almost constant activity andContinue reading “Lonely but Not Alone”

In this past weekend’s Gospel, Jesus calls his first disciples.  He calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John.  One line in the scripture passage says “and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him” (Matthew 4:22).  When hearing this Gospel at mass, there was one word that I was struck by: “immediately.”  TheseContinue reading “Dropping our Nets”

Expectations.  We all have them.  Different aspects of our daily lives naturally have various expectations set up for us.  These include expectations about our jobs, our accomplishments, our behaviors, and the overall way we live our lives.  Expectations are not necessarily bad.  They often help us set standards and allow us to think about theContinue reading “Releasing Expectations”

Over the weekend, I worked a TEC (Together Encountering Christ) retreat.  As usual, it was a refreshing experience, working amongst other team members who have a desire to share Jesus with others and grow deeper in their faith.  In his homily at the closing mass on Sunday, the priest, Father Joel, made a statement thatContinue reading “The Joy of the Gospel”

Last Friday, the Church celebrated the Feast of the Holy Family.  Reflecting and meditating on the Holy Family, we must look to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as an example.  The Holy Family provides us with inspiration and encouragement, and serves as a model of holiness.  However, looking around at the world around us, it’s easyContinue reading “Family Matters”

Sometimes when you listen to the lyrics of a song you’ve heard countless times, something new stands out or maybe strikes you in a different way.  This has been my experience with a common Christmas song that appears to be pretty basic and surface-level.  “Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay, closeContinue reading “Be Near”