This is part one of a series exploring saints who lived as missionary disciples. When it comes to missionary discipleship, we naturally think of the saints. They lived extraordinary lives of holiness, often under great pressure or demanding conditions. The fruit of their lives resulted in miracles that were the fruit of their faithfulness and devotion to God, confirmed with “signs and wonders and mighty works.” (2 Corinthians 12:12) Of course, we might find it […]

Whenever we fly somewhere and listen to the instructions from the flight attendants, we are reminded that, if there is a sudden drop in pressure and the oxygen masks come down, adults should put their own masks on first and then assist their children in doing so. The logic is simple: adults will be needed to assist young people throughout the crisis and beyond. We need to take the same approach to our faith formation. […]

We live in a culture that prizes independence. One of the biggest national holidays that we celebrate in the United States is, of course, Independence Day. When it comes to raising our children, we strive to prepare them to be autonomous and independent so that they can lead healthy and productive lives. In the spiritual life, however, there is no such thing as independence. Rather, the key to a healthy and thriving spiritual life is […]

Back in the day, one of the Fruits of the Spirit—kindness—went by a different name: benignity. Now, before we go any further, we need to point out that the word benign has connotations in our culture that do not lend to a good understanding of kindness. Of course, benign is the direct opposite of the word malignant, meaning something that actively destroys. For some reason, however, the word benign has come to basically mean neutral. While it’s good news to hear […]