Something that everyone of faith has to deal with is doubt. It is a ubiquitous theme that I have to deal with when giving young adults spiritual direction. For some, it feels surprising, as they are clearly trying to live out their faith well. They go to Mass, confession, maybe even adoration. How is it possible that they have persistent doubts about the faith? It doesn’t sound fair, and it can feel very painful. I remember one young woman, Katerina.... Read more
Jesus was a master of taking the most mundane human experiences and using them to teach about what is most vital to salvation. How often do we think of eating? Many of us are theoretically in the habit of eating three times a day. But perhaps we snack in between. I was able to accompany a group of young adult pilgrims on the totally awesome, incredible National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. One day, some of them asked in our Whatsapp... Read more
How do you respond to change? Look at your hands; do you live with your hands open or closed? Open hands signify a heart open to God’s grace. Closed hands signify being closed to his grace and his plans for your life. We can learn a lesson from the raccoon. Once upon a time, I read the book Where the Red Fern Grows. Somehow, I have managed to forget everything about the book except that there is a section detailing... Read more
Evangelization is a hot topic. Should we evangelize? The biggest argument in favor is that Jesus sent out his apostle two by two to preach the Gospel. Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two (Mk. 6:7). Importance of Evangelization Jesus sends his apostles out to evangelize, so it must be important in some way. What do we need to evangelize? Over the course of the centuries, the Church has grown and developed a certain... Read more
Faith is a completely different way to live our life and to perceive our surroundings. One of my favorite images to explain faith comes from the first Star Wars movie. Luke is practicing with his light saber and his mentor, Obi Wan Kenobi, forces him to do it blind so that he can practice being attuned with the Force. As Christians, we do not believe in the Force, but the experience is as removed from our ordinary experience as living... Read more
Suffering and peace go together, though not always right away. I remember when I was younger and my Mom got sick. When my brothers and I got up in the morning, our neighbor was in our kitchen. This time seemed to be different. I remember asking, why is she here and where are Mom and Dad? She eventually went back home and I helped take care of the house and my three siblings.; I was the oldest and did a... Read more
We can all feel like the disciples in the boat who cross the sea with Jesus to face the storm. Everything pointed to shipwreck. They seem upset about the boat sinking. Incredibly, they are even more concerned about whether or not Jesus cares about them. This Gospel gives witness to the tenderness of Christ’s heart. Jesus does indeed care about each one of us. Rise of Anxiety and Depression I imagine we are all aware that anxiety and depression are... Read more
Game 5 of the NBA Finals 2024 seemed more like a coronation ceremony for the Boston Celtics than a competition. It was not hard to believe. During the whole season, the team has put up incredible numbers and had taken the first three games in a row from the Dallas Mavericks. After the game, I watched the trophy ceremony and was impressed by the humility of the individuals involved. Each one was quick to thank God. They were quick to... Read more
Jesus wants us to understand the Kingdom of God. He knows that it is hard for us to establish a personal relationship with God as Father. This task which has become even harder in our modern world. We are driven to think about ourselves as independent and can tend towards God being an afterthought in our lives. Jesus knows that all good in our souls originates from having a personal relationship with our Father in Heaven. He himself has an... Read more
Mortal sin is deadly sin. When we look at what sin is, we recognize that it is a transgression against God’s law. Sin damages relationships between people. It affects our relationship with the natural world. It affects our relationship with God negatively. Ultimately, sin leads to death as it is a rebellion against God. In Catholic moral theology, we distinguish between venial and mortal sin. While venial sin weakens our relationship to God, deadly sin kills this relationship. Mortal sin... Read more
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