Category Archives: Uncategorized

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”

During this time of year, we hear so often that it’s not a season of receiving, but of giving.  The general message during these weeks before Christmas is that we shouldn’t be concerned with what we might receive, but rather with what and how we can give.  And these ideas are true, when we areContinue reading “A Time of Receiving”

“I’m praying for you” is simultaneously one of the most powerful and beautiful sentences we can say to another person.  As the Body of Christ, we have the ability and responsibility to pray for others.  And there is a lot of power in that. There’s a passage from a book I read sometime last yearContinue reading “Power in Prayer”

Last Wednesday I went to mass at a nearby parish for Thanksgiving.  I arrived a little more than ten minutes before mass started.  I was glad to arrive a bit early, so I could spend the time before mass, praying, reflecting, and enjoying the quiet, especially after a long day of work before the longContinue reading “Just Listen”