Some years ago, when I was serving as a catechist for an eighth-grade faith formation group, I was blessed to have an outstanding catechist aide. Let’s call her Mrs. Kelly. As it turns out, Mrs. Kelly was a nurse at nearby Advocate Christ Hospital. When it came time for us to teach about the coming of the Holy Spirit—our Advocate—on Pentecost, I asked Mrs. Kelly to describe her work as a nurse in pediatrics and how she […]
Imagine that a terrible storm caused considerable damage to the area you live in, including your home. Once the storm passes, you and your neighbors emerge from your homes to assess the damage. Relief workers and first responders are everywhere, but everything is in chaos. In fact, some scam artists are posing as relief workers and are seeking to take advantage of folks. In order to figure out how to get help for you, your family, […]
I’ll never forget the image. I was about eight years old, and I got up in what I thought was the middle of the night to go to the bathroom (turns out it was only about 11:30 p.m.), and as I passed my parents’ bedroom, I saw my dad on his knees saying his prayers. I knew he was a man of faith who went to church every Sunday, but I had not witnessed this […]
Kids ask a lot of questions, such as, “Are we there yet?” Some of their questions are harder to answer than others, especially when they ask, “Why?” One of the questions that most children eventually ask is, “Why do we have to go to Mass?” Parents struggle to find all kinds of answers to convince their children that going to Mass is important and is a good thing but all too often end up telling […]
If one thing stands out about God in the first creation story (Genesis 1), it is that God devotes a great deal of time and energy to work. God works six of seven days! As people made in the image and likeness of God, we “resemble” God when we use our time, energy, and gifts to engage in work. It’s also interesting to note that, while the second story of creation (Genesis 2—3) describes work as one of the punishments for the […]
One of the most compelling reasons for believing in the Resurrection of Jesus—for me, at least—is the fact that the Gospel writers record no acts of vengeance on the part of the Risen Christ. Think about it: if the Gospel writers were trying to protect or restore their own reputations for backing a failed messiah who was publicly executed in the most humiliating way, they would most likely fabricate a story about his return to […]
When it comes to the 40 days of Lent, most of us have an idea of what to do during this season: pray, fast, and give alms. But what about the 50 days of Easter? What do we do during the Easter season to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus? Of course we continue to pray, and almsgiving is always in season. Instead of fasting, we feast (not to be confused with gluttonous behavior). But what […]
It is no secret that Catholics have a deep appreciation for signs and symbols. It is part of our sacramental sensibility that reminds us of the presence of God in our midst. For this reason, Catholics are not shy about displaying sacred images in their homes, including a crucifix, a Bible, candles, and small statues. One unique example of this Catholic home décor is the placement of blessed palms—brought home from Palm Sunday Mass—in various […]
I wonder how many parents have a dandelion, given to them by a child, pressed in a memory book somewhere. A dandelion is a very ordinary thing—a weed, actually. And yet, when a child picks a dandelion to give to Mommy or Daddy to show love, it becomes a precious thing. It is not tossed out, but is set aside, first in a vase with water and then pressed in the pages of a memory […]
We live in a culture that idealizes extroverts. As a society, we too often tend to equate success, not only with money, but also with the person who can talk the loudest and fastest. We live in a culture of personality. Unfortunately (and this is a pet peeve of mine), the same is often true in our Church: we too often equate discipleship with the ability to talk loud, fast, and convincingly about our faith in […]
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