For the person considering a vocation. I was one of those who were laughing at those who wanted to be nuns until the Lord captured me. When you think about it, you see that you did not choose for yourself. The story of most people whom the Lord calls, you know the Lord chose them. Do you remember Saul on his way to destroy Christians? He had that voice. When Ananias was told to go to Saul, Ananias was afraid, and…
What does it mean to be loved and celebrated? We are favored sons and daughters worthy of celebration—of being served. We are worthy and loved by God, and this episode discusses a step in the right direction regarding what it means to be loved and celebrated. This is a gentle call to conversion and repentance, an invitation to be loved sacrificially and give God and others permission to…
So, when I was a kid, something traumatic happened to me. Plants invaded our house. Vines from the outside got so strong that they started to destroy our brick wall. You can see my dad peeling off that plant carpet that got so strong that it was destroying our brick. In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches.” Jesus is the great unifier. We are all…
If you want to know something new about death, keep watching. You see, the concept of death was there right from the beginning. Don’t eat the forbidden fruit. If you do, you will die. And death came. So, Adam brought in the death given to him by Eve and the serpent. And the serpent does everything he can, even these days, to bring about the death of people. Adam’s disobedience ushered in death. As the Bible states…
What does it mean to be made for freedom? We are all called to live in freedom as sons and daughters of God. We are seen, loved, and chosen by God the Father, and there’s freedom when we experience that. In this episode, we’ll explore the mechanics of freedom and learn more about how the experience of home and trust can help us understand that a little bit deeper…
So, the coat of arms in my archdiocese is epic. It shows a phoenix, which is a symbol of resurrection. And on the chest of the phoenix is the IHS, which is the holy name of Jesus. And so, in the first reading for this Sunday, Saint Peter, our first pope, heals a man by the holy name of Jesus. He can heal because of his name because Jesus’ name is mighty. In the Old Testament…
You’re missing out big time if you’re not practicing this daily. Joy is very important in my life. You hear what the Bible says: that it is like medicine. It cures. When you have joy, it gladdens your heart. It gives you energy. It gives you life. Many things can happen to you, but with joy in your heart, you can overcome it. It would help if you were not too serious all the time. Some of us are always focused on getting more money…
Imagine the way you would gaze upon your newborn baby for the first time. This is the universal way the Father loves everyone. He’s constantly looking at us, delighting in us, and rejoicing in our existence. The Father’s gaze is always filled with the same delight, love, and rejoicing as a father’s first look at his newborn. This is how our Heavenly Father looks at us, delights in us, rejoices, and contemplates us right now. Even when we…
So, Captain America is obviously the best out of all the superheroes. When he receives the soldier serum, he becomes more of himself. He doesn’t become less of himself. He becomes perfected. Before the serum, he was weak, but he was good. After the serum, he is still good and perfected. This is precisely what Jesus says in the gospel today: that we believe in the…
Are you struggling with decision paralysis? This one’s for you. Our conscience helps us distinguish the good from the bad. It makes us evaluate our thoughts and desires because our conscience allows us to make the right decisions. And if you have a bad conscience, you do bad things. And how do you form a good conscience? It’s a collaborative effort. You start by praying to the God who created you and knows you inside out…
