The past few months, the concept of spiritual poverty has continued to appear.  This concept has been brought to my attention in a few different podcasts I’ve listened to, several posts I’ve seen on social media, and in a book I’ve read recently.  This recurring theme has allowed me to reflect on how to live with a spirit of poverty.

We hear in the Beatitudes “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  To put it simply, being poor in spirit means to be aware of our deep need for God in our lives.  It means that we understand that God has loved us into existence and it is His love alone that sustains us. 

Being poor in spirit means to know and understand that God is providing for us and caring for us in each and every single moment of every day.  If we ever think we can do something without Him, we are wrong.  We must open our hands and let go of the things we are tightly holding onto; control, self-reliance, pride, and all else that is taking up unnecessary space.  If our hands are full, we cannot receive the gifts that God wants to give us.  Being poor in spirit and having empty hands will allow us to cling to God rather than the things of the world.

In a world that promotes self-sufficiency and success, it can be very hard to live with a spirit of poverty.  To recognize and accept that we cannot do anything on our own is difficult at times.  To release control over everything in our lives and hand it completely over to God takes a lot of trust.  But if we really love God, we will trust Him.
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In order to be poor in spirit, we must acknowledge our weaknesses, sinfulness, and brokenness and trust that God will transform these parts of us in the way that only He can.  My prayer for today is that we would all become more poor in spirit, trusting more deeply in God’s providence and becoming more aware of our absolute need for Him in all aspects of our lives.

A few weeks ago, an episode of a podcast I was listening to explored the idea of fruitfulness versus productivity.  If you’re like many people, you probably find yourself striving for ultimate productivity.  How many emails at work can we get through before the end of the day?  (I’ve finally come to the realization that I will probably never be at zero emails in my inbox ever again!)  How many tasks around the house can we finish in three hours?  How many meetings can we attend in a week?  Instead of productivity, what if we aimed for fruitfulness?

There are a lot of things we cannot avoid and that we must just do as a part of being human– working, cleaning, organizing, just to name a few things.  However, if you’re anything like me, you could work on improving your mindset and how you go about doing certain things.  Everything we do has a purpose.  It just comes down to whether or not we realize it.  Do we think about why we are doing the things that we do?  Instead of seeing how productive we can be in a day, we should try to think about if what we are doing is fruitful.

We are all called and invited to grow in our faith, develop a relationship with Jesus, and share Him with others, so that they too can be drawn into a deeper relationship with Him.  John 15:16 says, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain…”  God has chosen each one of us to bear fruit for Him and His kingdom.  When we do everything with a Christ-centered mindset, we will find much greater purpose in what we are doing, and in our whole lives.

Fruitfulness is different from productivity in the fact that when we work to bear fruit, a lot of times, we will not see the results of our work.  This can be hard to accept at times.  What we are doing may not always lead to tangible results.  Sharing a witness story with others, teaching students about the faith, serving others in some way, inviting someone to attend mass or a retreat.  All of these things, and more, that we may do can seem hopeless or useless.  However, we must trust Jesus that He is powerful enough to work through us and that He can reach anyone at any time, even long after our encounter with someone.
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The next time you are tempted to measure your day by how productive you’ve been, change your mindset to how fruitful you think you’ve been.  How well have you loved?  How well have you served?  How well have you shared Christ with those around you by your words and actions?  My prayer for today is that others might come to know Jesus in a deeper way by the fruit that we bear.

This Friday, April 29, is exactly six months since the day my dad died.  Where has the time gone?  As I reflect on the last six months, there are a lot of thoughts that come to mind.  The many thoughts seem impossible to put into words in any coherent way, but this post is an attempt.  

The death of a parent, and any difficult things we may experience throughout life can make it seem like the world around us is crumbling.  While our world completely changes, the rest of the world moves on, unaffected by the event.  Over the past six months, I think the biggest reminder I have been given is that through the crosses we must carry and the trials we must endure, we are not strong enough.  But God is.  The losses that are inevitable are an opportunity to grow closer to the Lord and lean on Him, who is unchanging in the midst of a world that is constantly changing.  I have also learned that God places us exactly where we are meant to be.

“You’re in your twenties and you still live at home?”  The amount of times I had heard this, or a similar variation, from different people over the past several years is too many to count.  While these comments bothered me and were hurtful at times, I trusted that I was right where I needed to be.  I knew my mom needed help with my dad.  I also knew that it meant a lot to my dad, to have my siblings or I there every day.  While most people had no idea what the situation was with my dad and many didn’t seem to understand the scope of it, I learned that what God knows is more important than what other people think or say.  More than anything, it helped me grow as a person.  Each day strengthened my faith, deepened my trust, helped me grow in patience, and increased my ability to see the dignity and value of life, no matter the circumstance.  And now more than ever, there is no doubt in my mind that God had me where I needed to be.  I got to sit in the living room watching a Thursday night Packer game with my dad in what would, unknowingly, be his last night on this earth.  All I can say is, thank you Lord.  If I had not lived at home, this wouldn’t have happened and neither would a lot of other small, ordinary moments that I am now really grateful for.  Being at home allowed me to spend so much extra time with my dad that I would not have experienced otherwise.  Moments like coming home from work everyday to respond to the same simple questions, like, “how was work?”, “what are we eating for dinner” to watching Family Feud or the Andy Griffith Show for the millionth time.

Grief is a journey.  It is completely possible to be at peace, yet to experience feelings of loss at the smallest and most random things.  Hearing a song, looking at pictures, seeing a TV show, walking to certain parts of the house, eating certain foods, among many other random things, I have felt a great sadness and have been brought to tears.  But it is in the grief that I have experienced deep gratitude.  I have found myself thanking God for my dad and the gift of his life, for the memories, for allowing my family to be strengthened, and for all of the blessings that have flowed from that, even when I failed to recognize them.

If you’re going through something that’s hard in your life, it’s okay to accept the fact that you are struggling and that it is difficult.  You cannot handle it on your own.  Ask God to carry you.  When all you see is suffering and sorrow, look a little deeper to find the blessings.  They are there.  Find gratitude and choose joy always.  And allow yourself to be drawn closer to God.  He knows what He is doing and will never abandon you.

“O my Lord, inflame my heart with love for You, that my spirit may not grow weary amidst the storms, the sufferings and the trials. You see how weak I am. Love can do all.- St. Faustina.

“God is not just risen one day on the calendar but every day of the year.  Every day of the year Jesus Christ is risen from the grave, He’s defeated sin and death.  They have no power over us. Amen!”  If this doesn’t make us excited, I don’t think there is anything else that will.  One of my favorite things to do, especially on every Easter morning, is blast the song “Christ is Risen” by Matt Maher, specifically the live version.  The passion and excitement within this song is how we should all feel about Christ’s resurrection.  And not just one day each year, but every single day of our lives.

The Resurrection is the basis for our faith.  It is the reason for our hope and joy.  The Resurrection gives us the opportunity to live in a way that shows others who we are as Christians, and more importantly, to show others who Christ is.  If we allow our lives to be led by this amazing and life-changing event, we will have real peace and joy that the world does not offer and that cannot be taken away.

Hearing the Gospel for the Easter Sunday mass, there is one line that stood out to me.  “They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first” (John 20:4).  Both of the disciples ran in anticipation of what they would find upon arriving at the tomb.  I think this line in scripture demonstrates their eagerness to see what happened and yet also reveals the courage it took to seek out something unknown, and ultimately, their willingness to believe that Jesus had truly risen from the dead.  Do we have the same anticipation to see what we will discover when we fully and wholeheartedly seek Jesus in our lives?  Are we eager to see where he will lead us?  Do we have the courage to follow Him into the unknown, trusting that He will give us what we need?
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Living with the knowledge that Jesus is risen from the grave and has defeated sin and death should give us all a deep joy that fills our hearts and radiates from our very being.  Run, don’t walk, to share this joy of the risen Christ with all who you encounter and the whole world!  

 As Catholics, we’ve all heard the passion narrative so many times.  If we sincerely try to focus on it and allow ourselves to enter into a deep reflection as it is being read, we will hopefully be moved by it every time.  There is so much that happened in a short amount of time and every single moment demonstrates Christ’s love for us.  Everything he went through was for each and every single one of us.  

One line that stood out to me as the passion was read on Palm Sunday is from when Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.  “He was in such agony and prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground” (Luke 22:44).  To think of Jesus in this much agony and distress that His sweat would become drops of blood, it brings one thought to mind.  The thought of just how much he loves us.

When Jesus was nailed to the cross, we reflect on this ultimate sacrifice He made for us.  However, His suffering, all for us, starts much before He is on the cross.  When Jesus was praying in the Garden, he knew what he was about to endure.  Knowing that He was very soon going to be bearing the weight of all the sins of the world brought out so many emotions, which is revealed by His sweat becoming drops of blood.  His grief and anguish and all of the feelings He experienced shows us His humanity.  His prayer to the Father was so deep and intense and it is evident that He was praying from the heart, asking for the Father’s will to be done.

Reflecting on Christ’s agony in the Garden can help us with our own prayer lives and our surrender to God’s will.  While we will never face anything close to what Jesus went through and will not experience our sweat turning into blood, we all have our own times of distress and suffering.  We can look to Christ as the perfect example of how to respond in these times.  When we are struggling or going through something hard, are we on our knees, praying intensely and asking for the Father’s will to be done?
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As we journey through this Holy Week, let Christ’s agony in the Garden and each moment after leading up to His death on the cross, be a reminder of just how much you are loved.  Everything He did was for you and me.  Allow yourself to fully enter into the events of this week.  This week changed the world.  Will you let it change your world?

Today’s Gospel (Monday-4/3) starts with one of my favorite verses.  The passage from John begins with, “Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ (John 8:12).”  The title of “Light of the World” is a powerful way to think of Jesus.  Light guides us, helps us see, and eliminates the darkness.  Jesus, who is the light of the world, illuminates the world around us, guides us, and changes everything.  It is by His light that we can see.

The world around us is filled with darkness.  Looking around, it doesn’t take long to see  violence, hatred, an attack on human life, a distortion of love into something selfish, confusion about how God created humanity, and the list goes on.  But Christ has the power to bring light into this darkness.  If we try to look at and understand life without Him, nothing makes sense and we are left in this dark and dismal mindset.  If we allow ourselves to be led by His light, we are better able to follow the path He wants us to walk, the path that leads us closer to Him.

Light is something that we crave and that we are drawn to.  Think of the sun.  When it comes to the weather, there is nothing better than a bright, sunny day, especially after long periods of cold, overcast, or rainy days.  When the weather is dreary and cloudy, we long to see the sun.  Most of us probably enjoy the warmth and brightness of the sun, as it is thought to increase the brain’s release of serotonin.  In the same way, we crave the light of Christ and are drawn to this light.  Every single person longs for the Son and the light He provides, whether they realize it or not.  Each and every one of us was created with this longing for God that no one and nothing else can satisfy.  His light reveals the truth to us and fills us with love and joy, which can then fill the world around us.
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If we stay focused on Christ, we will never have to walk in complete darkness.  Allow each day of your life to be illuminated by His light.  Because when we follow the light that shines in the darkness, we will be able to see.  We will be able to see all the goodness and beauty that surrounds us.

Every time I reflect on the Stations of the Cross, I am reminded of the saint name I chose for confirmation.  In the sixth station, Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.  This station has always stood out to me.  I remember choosing Veronica because I found her simple act of compassion towards Jesus to be so profound and moving and for some reason, it really resonated with me.  Each one of us has the ability to show compassion and love to each and every single person that we encounter each day, to wipe the face of Jesus.  Just as the face of Christ appeared on Veronica’s veil, our lives can reflect the image of Christ to others, by our words and actions.

Whether we realize it or not, every day, we have opportunities to reflect the image of Jesus to those around us.  When we complete an act of kindness, offer to pray for someone, listen to another in a time of need, or simply serve someone in any way, we are wiping the face of Christ.  The love and compassion we show to others is love and compassion that we show to Jesus.

It would have been much easier for Veronica to not step out from the crowd and to remain indifferent.  In her feeling of helplessness and knowing that she could not alleviate Jesus’ suffering, she came forward and wiped the blood and sweat from His face.  Oftentimes, it is the same for us.  It is easier to stay hidden among the crowd, to follow the way of the culture, to not take a stand for what we believe, to ignore the suffering and hurting of those around us, to be indifferent.  But this is not the way Christ calls us to.  We are called to reach out to others and to walk with them just as Christ walks with us.  We cannot all do big things or accomplish tremendous tasks.  But we can love.  And many times, it is in the simplest and most seemingly small gestures that we can make a difference.
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Jesus, thank you for suffering and making the ultimate sacrifice for each and every one of us.  Give us the courage to step out of our comfort zones to wipe the blood, sweat, and tears from your face.  Help us to know that whatever we do for others, we do for you.  Imprint Your image onto our hearts so that we would show the world who You are and be a reflection of Your love.  Amen.

Last week at work, an excel spreadsheet was sent to staff members and we were asked to “list our pronouns” on the document next to our names.  New email signatures and ID badges are being made and some staff from the DEI committee wanted to encourage all employees to have their “preferred pronouns” included.  (For anyone unfamiliar with this, it involves listing pronouns of how people should refer to you, like “she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs or a variety of other options which make absolutely no sense.)  As I scrolled through the spreadsheet, I was shocked by how many people had obliged to the request.  Almost all approximately 40 people in my department had typed in a list of pronouns next to their names.  I could only wonder about the organization’s other 100+ employees and how many of them would be including pronouns on their IDs and email signatures.  What I did know was that I could not support or affirm this practice by participating in it.  I did not submit anything to the spreadsheet and when a follow-up email was sent, I stated that I did not want anything listed.  

In today’s world, this issue is quite prevalent and I knew it was only a matter of time before it would likely come up in this setting.  As Catholics, we cannot support the trend of “identifying  pronouns” and the rise in the gender ideology movement.

A lot of people may say to just give it up and that it’s not a big deal.  Others may think that there’s no harm in something so seemingly insignificant.  Many people have the mindset that going along with it is respectful and the loving, compassionate thing to do because it shows support.  But this is a hill I’m willing to die on.  I disagree with all of these arguments.  As males and females created in the image of God, we do not get to choose pronouns nor do we need to let others know what pronouns people should use to refer to us.  Knowing what words to use when talking about men and women is just a basic part of the English language.  

​God has created us all- as either a man or woman, and this is something that cannot be changed.  We live in a society that reduces gender to feelings and appearances.  We live in a society that rejects truth.  To reject the reality that there are only two genders is to reject truth and God Himself.

In the midst of this insanity and all of the people just going with the flow in order to not be seen as bigoted or hateful, there are some people who truly struggle with accepting who they are.  We need to affirm them in their goodness and see their dignity.  We need to walk with them in their struggle.  When it comes to men who think they are women, women who think they are men, or those who think they are neither, we need to treat them with the same love and compassion that we would anyone else.  However, to love is to want what is best for someone and desiring good for that person.  And this means speaking the truth.  We must be firm in our convictions and not back down.  Our witness on this issue is an opportunity to be Christ to others and share the truth, beauty, and goodness of the human person and who we were created to be.

If you’ve paid any attention to the media recently, whether the sports world or political world, you’ve probably heard about Lia Thomas and Rachel Levine.  Both of these males, now identifying as women, have insulted womanhood by reducing it to surgeries, clothing, and how they think it “feels” to be a woman.  And to be honest, my heart hurts for the people in our country who accept and celebrate this ideology.  It is disheartening that there are so many people who believe that who we are as male and female, and how we are different, doesn’t matter.  However, this simple truth is the basis for humanity.  God created men and women to complement each other and to reflect His love in unique ways.  This can never be changed, no matter what the world thinks.

As our country continues in this direction and we try to navigate this gender and pronoun war, we need to keep our focus on God.  We need to immerse ourselves in His love and the truth of how he created us- male and female, and in His image.  As we continue to encounter people sharing pronouns and asking us to go along with this whole ideology, we must give every person the respect and dignity they deserve, always speaking and acting with love.  However, “we can’t surrender to a lie.” -Chris Stefanick

For those of you who work desk jobs, you can probably relate to the struggle of trying to maintain good posture and being attentive for hours on end.  It is easy to become restless and to lose motivation.  What helps me to sit up straight and stay focused is my desk chair with a solid back to lean on.  There are a lot of things we probably lean on and depend on to get us through the day.  Whether it’s something like a chair, a favorite activity to give us a break, or other people, we all turn to different places for support.  But above it all, what, or who, are we leaning on the most?  Matt Maher, a contemporary Catholic artist, has a new song, “Leaning.”  These lyrics, “Let my restless soul be still and know, I am leaning on your everlasting arms” sum it up quite well.

In all that is happening in the world around us, we need to be still and be aware of the presence of God in our lives.  We need to let ourselves lean on the arms of Jesus.  This is the strong foundation we all need in our lives.  If we don’t lean on Jesus, we will lean on the things of this world.  These things cannot hold us up and we will fall into temptation, weakness, sin.  But to lean on the arms of Jesus is to know that we will never be dropped. 

Leaning on the arms of Jesus does not mean that we will never fall.  However, it does mean that we will be lifted up and embraced with an infinite and transformational love and mercy.  How do we lean on Jesus at all times?  We must fully put our trust in Him and surrender ourselves to Him.  We must deny ourselves, carry our crosses, and offer up sacrifices, asking Jesus to help us.  We are called to live every day with joy and use each moment as an opportunity to love.  It is only by leaning on Him that this can be possible.  

Think of people you know who have a really deep and strong faith that is unwavering.  The people that come to mind for me are people who are humble, but confident in Christ’s real and personal love and they are aware of their deep need for Him.  I want to be like these people, always leaning on His everlasting arms.  
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Jesus, help us to be still and know that we can lean on You because You are the only one who will never let us down.

A few days ago at work, conversation with a co-worker turned to faith.  (This is the same co-worker who had asked me about my faith and going to mass earlier this year).  The conversation involved discussion of Ash Wednesday, giving up things for Lent, not eating meat on Fridays and involved several questions.  She also asked if churches still had Stations of the Cross and told me she used to always go with her grandma when she was young.  She stated that she should go back to mass and in an attempt to offer encouragement, I simply responded, “yeah, you should!”  She said that I would have to go with her because she would not want to go alone.  What she said next is something that I’ve been reflecting on since.  “God wouldn’t welcome me back.”  I told her that God welcomes everyone back.  As Christians, this is what we are called to do.  To help others know that God loves them and pray that they would experience that love.

Maybe this is something that we focus on as we journey through this Lent.  As we walk with Jesus through the desert and reflect on His suffering and death, we have the opportunity to invite others to enter into their own spiritual journeys of prayer, reflection, and purification.  Everyday, as we work to turn our hearts and minds toward God and deepen our prayer lives, the hope is to become more like Christ.  And as we become more like Him, the hope is that others might see a glimpse of the love Christ has for them by the words we say and the things we do.

​Imagine if every single person would look at a crucifix and know that Jesus died for them because of a deep and personal love He has just for them.  Imagine if every single person would not only know this in their minds but also believe in their hearts that if they were the only person to ever exist, He still would have suffered and died for them.  

As we walk this journey and reflect on the passion and death of Christ, may we allow Him to remove every distraction, material attachment, worldly desire, and sinful habit in our lives so that after these 40 days we would be more like Christ.  When we become more like Christ, we can better reflect Him and His love to the world around us.  

My prayer for these next several weeks is that every Catholic, who has left the church or fallen away,  would look at Jesus on the cross, with His arms stretched wide open, and know that He is ready and waiting to welcome them back to Him.