We Make Mistakes Along The Way. But Until That Final Breath, There Will Always Be . . . Second Chances. Cries in the night, You sought my comfort and reassurance. Sleeping lightly in those days, I found my way to you quickly. You didn’t seem to mind my voice when I sang to you, Always off-key. And you’d slowly fall back to sleep; The soft, slow rising of your chest Signaling peacefulness, and my time to leave. As you grew, as I... Read more

Sometimes We Have to Step Outside Of Ourselves To See Others You don’t know me. We’ve never met. But what if you did know me? What if you knew that I am not shielded from pain? Or that I have a voice That you can’t yet hear? Would you feel any differently? Did you know that I can hear you? And that my thoughts are mine? Thoughts which dispatch awkward movements, yes. But even so, movements which incessantly probe The... Read more

We are always free to choose. We can engage this world by leading with our anxieties, frustrations, fears, and despair, our hearts and our minds turned ever inward. Or we can work to empty ourselves, surrendering fully into that presence, that love, that envelops, bears down upon, and transforms our heavy burdens into freedom and light. So take this yoke upon you and find rest. Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life with fear. Rather,... Read more

 Back To That New Place Noise. Confusion. Turmoil. Surrounded by the music of chaos. The muscular winds hint of Some radical cleansing just ahead. A restoration of sorts, perhaps. Or maybe something altogether alien and new. What was once so natural and expected Things of dignity, and modesty, And excellence, and virtue, Feel now so foreign and so distant, And all but out of reach. But from deep within, A primitive reconciliation stirs Commanding my essence, My very being, To... Read more

I rarely spend enough time in prayer. It’s not that I can’t make the time. I can. But I let my days, all too often, just slip away. And other things – things which feel so much more important, things which feel so much more pressing – quickly overwhelm. They take over. And even time spent pursuing good things can cause us to forget about the power of connection. But that power is not necessarily one that can or will change... Read more

Sometimes the perfect metaphor just screams out at us, commandeering our full attention. If you have ever used the Waze app, or any GPS system for that matter, it should quickly become obvious – as Bishop Barron observes in the video embedded below – that it is a nearly perfect metaphor for how we can directly connect to our spiritual lives. Think about it. Invaluable guidance awaits our mere inquiry. We need only tap into it. We are given nearly... Read more

Do you sincerely want to grow? To grow as a person? To grow as a spouse? To grow as a parent? To grow as that child of God you were meant to be? Well then, you have to take some risks. Serious, life-changing, too-scary-to-look-back, risks. Risks that are worthwhile, calculated, and thoughtful. But be prepared to make a fool of yourself. There is no growth without risk. And there is no risk without the possibility of failure. I’ll let Thomas... Read more

I’ve often wondered whether the remainder of this woman’s life was truly changed for good by her one encounter with Christ. I suspect not. Especially with those last words left throbbing in her ears. But then again, it just might be my own projection: Then he bent down and continued writing on the ground. When they heard this they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until the last one had gone and Jesus was left alone with... Read more

It just may be. Mother Teresa began with a simple yet profound question (click on the video embedded below): How Can You Say That You Love God Whom You Do Not See If You Do Not Love Your Neighbor Whom You Do See? So, how have you loved your neighbor? But perhaps more to the point: Do you love your neighbor? Have you fed him when he was hungry? Not only hungry for food, but for love? Have you covered him... Read more

On January 1, 2004, in connection with the World Day of Peace, Pope St. John Paul II published An Ever Timely Commitment: Teaching Peace. A dozen years later, it’s a message that resonates still today. Perhaps, even more so. It’s an appeal that would have us all come, finally, to deeply know these three things: That peace is possible. That peace requires forgiveness. That peace is our first, our last, and our absolute duty. The Church . . . has always... Read more