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Over the weekend, while on a retreat, the director giving the talks made a statement that I’ve been thinking about since.  She shared that many people have reduced Christianity to “having good table manners and being nice and good.”  But Jesus was radical and He reminds us several times in scripture that we will beContinue reading “Hated by the World”

The Easter Vigil, on Holy Saturday, is my favorite mass of the year.  There is so much from the mass to think about and reflect on.  One of the main themes that resonates throughout the mass is light.  Once everyone heads back inside to the church after the blessing of the fire and lighting ofContinue reading “Bearing the Light of Christ”

As Catholics, we are in the most sacred and significant week of the year: Holy Week.  It is the week that changed the world.  And all these years later, the commemoration of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection is still changing the world.  Is it changing our world?  This week is different from the rest.  HowContinue reading “The Heart of Holy Week”

In today’s (Monday 4/7) Gospel, Jesus says, “‘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). Reading this passage and this line specifically had me reflecting on the suffering that we all face and the darkness that so often accompaniesContinue reading “The Value of Suffering”

In so many passages in scripture, we read about Jesus going up to the mountains to pray.  Sometimes, it was with His disciples, and oftentimes, it was by Himself.  Powerful spiritual moments often took place on the mountains.  From significant encounters with God to deeper prayer, and so much else, there were countless times whenContinue reading “Up in the Mountains”

Saturday evening, I was driving with my mom, and we were on the interstate for a large part of the drive.  We had been following a semi-truck for awhile, but I hadn’t paid much attention to it, knowing it was there of course, but not really seeing it.  After some time, I looked at theContinue reading “Deo Gratias”

Last April I had my wisdom teeth removed.  My sister Abbey was my designated driver to take me home after the procedure.  One thing about Abbey is that she is not particularly fond of dealing with blood.  Even just the word “blood” being brought up in conversation is enough to make her feel squeamish.  AfterContinue reading “Expecting Nothing in Return”

Last year I read a book called Into His Likeness: Be Transformed as a Disciple of Christ by Edward Sri.  One point that the author made has stuck with me since.  He talked about how disciples would walk behind their leader, “following him so closely that they would become covered with the dust kicked upContinue reading “Covered in His Dust”

One of the hardest parts about being on a retreat or some other spiritual mountain-top experience is realizing that while your faith has been changed and transformed just a little bit more than before, the outside world did not change while you were gone. When you experience the love of Jesus so profoundly and haveContinue reading “Blessings Poured Out”

The season of Lent is just a little more than a week away.  Every year as we approach this season, we find ourselves asking what we will do- how will we increase our prayer, what will we fast from, how will we give more generously of ourselves, our time, and our money?  The goal inContinue reading “A Great Step Forward”