The Life of Christian Prayer
Christian Prayer – What Does it Mean to Pray in the Name of Jesus?
Is there really power in Christian prayer? Because I go to the Father: and whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, that will I do: that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask me anything in my name, that I will do (John 14:13-14). Jesus makes a powerful…
Read MoreGifts of the Holy Spirit: the Gift of Counsel
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit empower us to deepen our intimacy with God and to participate in His Divine Life. Four of the Gifts enhance our intellect: knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and counsel. These gifts enlighten our human understanding with the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Gift of Counsel The Gift of Counsel…
Read MoreHow to Pray – True Humility Is the Foundation of Prayer (Do You Have It)?
If you really want to learn how to pray, you always need to start with uniting your heart to God’s. The virtue of humility gives our hearts the right disposition for a relationship of love with God. But too many Catholics misunderstand this important virtue. Most people think of humility as a refusal to acknowledge…
Read MoreGrowing in the Theological Virtues – Are You Following the Greatest Commandments?
“Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love.” Charity is the greatest of the theological virtues. The theological virtues of hope and faith are at the service of the theological virtue of charity. The very purpose ofthe theological virtues of hope – to teach us to trust –…
Read MoreCatholic Spiritual Growth Requires Faith Community!
In this spiritual growth tutorial on practical prayer, we have seen how important it is to focus our spiritual growth and prayer on our personal relationship with God. We then discussed why we need to continue to learn about our faith so we can grow in intimacy with God. In this article we’re going to…
Read MoreFour Elements of Catholic Spirituality That Will Bring You Fulfillment
Once you have started getting control of your time, you are ready to work on the second foundational Key to Spiritual Growth – developing a habit of spirituality. While I have been a Catholic my whole life, I really rediscovered Catholic spirituality when I took my master’s degree in theology. The Institute for Pastoral Theology (at the…
Read MoreSeeking Divine Intimacy with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist
Divine Intimacy is the core of Christian spirituality. The Holy Eucharist is the greatest intimacy with God that we have available to us. So it makes sense that deepening our participation in the Holy Mass and becoming more open to Jesus’ presence in the Holy Eucharist would deepen our prayer life – and that a…
Read MoreMost Poignant Times for Candlelight Services
Though electricity has replaced candles as the primary source of lighting, there is still a place for them in Catholic spirituality. Less of a necessity and more of a symbol nowadays, religious ceremonies are the perfect time to light candles. Candles represent both the light of Christ and our offering of sacrificial prayer. They also…
Read MoreDaily Reading: His Disciples Were Hungry
Today’s Readings for the Holy Mass In today’s first reading from Isaiah, King Hezekiah is faced with his mortality and pleads with God for healing. God grants his request and heals him from his terminal illness. The psalm reminds us that God is the Lord of Life. While the psalmist doesn’t seem to fully grasp…
Read MoreWhen Everything Changes…
[wp_ticker ticker_title=”Notice” effect=”slide-h” category=”704″] “Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration.” – James 1: 17, Douay-Rheims Sharon has been going through a season of change in her life. There have been positive changes like the…
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