Special Opportunities
Don’t Take Vacation from God
We all know that things slow down over the summer. School is out. Parish activities stop, except possibly for a parish picnic. Every institution assumes everybody will be traveling or camping. So it’s understandable that we consider summer a time to take a break from everything – including our faith. Summer activity and travel are…
Read MoreWhat Are We Really Celebrating Tomorrow?
Welcome to the last day of Advent! Tomorrow we shift our celebration from joyful anticipation to full-out celebration. To maximize our joy this Christmas season, let’s reflect on what we’re celebrating. If your parish is stuck in “Jesus birthday” mode, you’re going to love reflecting on the full meaning of Christmas. During Christmas, God enters…
Read MoreCelebrate Advent – Wait for Christmas
H.L. Mencken famously quipped that “Puritanism [is the] haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.” A similar attitude is applied to the Catholic Church. There is a horrible assumption in the world – and sometimes within the Church as well – that the world is about having fun and doing whatever you desire while…
Read MoreOur Hearts Are Ready, Lord . . .
Back in June, Pope Francis gave a homily based on St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. He taught that, while grace is freely given, we need to prepare our hearts to receive God’s grace so that we do not “receive the grace of God in vain.” This means to be attentive to God in…
Read MoreAuthor Book Reading – Thus Sayeth the Lord: A Fresh Take on the Prophets
Author Julie Davis reads the chapter “Deborah – Kicking Ass and Taking Names,” from her book, Thus Sayeth the Lord: A Fresh Take on the Prophets. Julie offers a very contemporary and entertaining retelling of Deborah the prophetess and judge. She then offers a personal reflection to help you apply the Biblical story…
Read MoreAdvent – Wait . . . What’s Coming?
Welcome to the first week of Advent! Only four more weeks to Christmas! The word “Advent” means “coming.” Everyone knows that Advent is the season of waiting for the coming of Christmas, right? But . . . Wait . . .What’s with these READINGS! The first week of Advent celebrates (pay attention to that word)…
Read More2 Ways a Christian Can Deepen His or Her Faith
Religious faith is an important part of our lives. In fact, more than 80 percent of individuals around the world claim to adhere to some sort of spirituality, religion, or doctrine. Most identify as Christians, and that is certainly the case in the United States. There are approximately 240 million Americans practicing the faith, representing…
Read MoreEyes on the Prize: The Beauty of Heaven
The seasons of Advent and Lent call us to special spiritual discipline. But to think that their only purpose is to help us prepare for the feasts of Christmas and Easter is a bit shortsighted. Of course, they do help us prepare for the feasts. But ultimately the entire Liturgical Year is crafted to remind…
Read MoreWhat Are You Going to Give Up . . . for Advent?
We’re used to the question. We’ve probably been asked it by our parents, catechists and priests since we were children. What are you giving up for Lent this year? We’re used to thinking about Lent as a time of sacrifice and penance in preparation for Easter. And it makes sense to us (I hope). We…
Read MoreFourth Sunday of Advent: The Week of Charity
This past weekend, my family was watching the movie “The Year Without a Santa Clause.” Early in the movie, one of the characters says, “No Santa Clause? Christmas would have no meaning!” My nine-year-old daughter immediately said, “That’s not true! Jesus’ birth is the meaning of Christmas!” I guess we’re doing something right. Later in…
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