For fatherhood in America, these are the best of times and the worst of times. So says a new Pew Research Center report on fathering trends. The report, released in June, found that today’s fathers are active in their children’s daily lives to a degree not seen in nearly half a century. Live-in dads now […]
Who can name the geniuses who have wrought our modern world? The scientists and engineers whose imagination, sweat and determination created the artifacts of material culture we use and rely upon each day? I’m not talking Thomas Edison, Henry Ford or the Wright brothers. Everyone already knows about light-bulbs and cars and airplanes. But how […]
The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field (Matthew 9:37). It will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of the Father speaking through you (Mt 10:20). I am not ashamed of the gospel, it is the power of […]
Author’s Note: I read with interest Mary Kochan’s article on the Catholic Lane website, “Catholics, Please Say Something about Jesus!” I was somewhat surprised by the passionate responses, both pro and con, to her article. As I said in my own response to Mary’s article: “I think the argument should not be over what you […]
My brother John has a great photo from the birth of his first child. It’s a picture of his daughter’s unbelievably tiny baby-hand gripping his finger. His daughter’s whole hand, so perfectly formed and so amazingly small, can only just wrap around John’s bony knuckle. You just can’t conceive how they were ever that little. […]
Had not the LORD been with us, let Israel say, Had not the LORD been with us, when people rose against us, they would have swallowed us alive, for their fury blazed against us. The waters would have engulfed us, the torrent overwhelmed us; seething waters would have drowned us. Blessed be the LORD, who […]
Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain […]
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it […]
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. “The lamp of the body is […]
Did you ever look at your husband and wonder just what you did in your life to deserve such a man? Does that scene in The Sound of Music, where the Captain and Maria declare their love for one another finally make sense to you? (“I must have done something good….”). There are so many […]
My wife and I were at the home of another married couple for dinner. While a roast finished cooking, we sat around the table talking and eating salad. When the oven timer rang, the wife turned to her husband and said, “That’s a corn job.” The husband got up and went to the kitchen. He […]
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim (Acts 2:3-4). And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy […]
You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever (Psalm 16:11). You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence (Acts 2:28). Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is […]
Talk is cheap. E-mail is even cheaper. Maybe that’s why we’re inundated with trash talk and junk mail (of both the snail variety and it’s fleeter “e” relation). Silence – now that’s precious. Silence is golden. It’s also rare. You don’t realize just how rare until your one-year-old falls asleep in the stroller and you’re […]
Sometimes I marvel at the creative power of the human mind. Like whoever first thought of grabbing the wind out of the sky and putting it to work for us. Someone, somewhere long ago, needed more grain milled. What to do? Get more serfs, hire more hands, harness more horses. But what if you don’t […]
I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my […]
Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal (John 6:27). Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and […]
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said […]
You have been raised to life with Christ, Set your heart then on things that are in heaven, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Let your thoughts dwell on things there, not on things here on earth. For you have died, and your life lies hidden with Christ in God. Your […]
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear […]
Editors Note: The five previous article spoke of Lent as a time to “open wide our hearts to Christ”, a time “to listen to God’s voice”, a time “to repent in words and actions“, a time to “pray for miracles and a time “to give from the heart.” This article will look at Lent as a grace-filled time to […]
Editors Note: The four previous article spoke of Lent as a time to “open wide our hearts to Christ”, a time “to listen to God’s voice”, a time “to repent in words and actions” and a time to “pray for miracles.” In works of charity one offers fine flour, and when he gives alms he presents his […]
Editors Note: The three previous article spoke of Lent as a time to “open wide our hearts to Christ”, a time “to listen to God’s voice”, and a time “to repent in words and actions.” This article will look at Lent as a grace-filled time to pray for miracles — small ones and big ones. These […]
Editors Note: The two previous articles spoke of Lent as a time to “open wide our hearts to Christ” and “a time to listen to God’s voice.” This article will look at Lent as a time of true repentance and penance, but not just in words but also in our actions as well. The word […]
