Posts Tagged
Seize the Moment
The Challenge and Blessing of Hospitality
What is hospitality? You might say hospitality means welcoming people and making them feel at home. It means being friendly and generous, especially toward strangers. This is true—but when we turn to the Bible, several themes indicate there is much more at stake. A SALVATION ISSUE The Modern Catholic Dictionary …
Faith Convo 101
Evangelization is … a lot. On one hand, it’s the task set before us by our Baptism. Yet, at the same time, we often don’t know how. We might have little or no experience evangelizing others and have never seen it done, so we can’t even imagine what it looks …
To Be Barely Touched By Jesus
I’m always reflective at 3:00 a.m. Recently up at that early hour because the baby wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t with the baby. The baby was with my wife, nursing fitfully. I was downstairs in the recliner, trying to sleep, having just stormed out of the bedroom because, of all things, …
The Gobsmacking Gratuity of God
I hate asking for help. In my pride I want to keep the appearance of having it all together; asking for help shatters that carefully crafted illusion. It requires me to admit I cannot solve all my problems on my own. It requires that I face my own weaknesses and …
5 Ways to Keep Your Faith on Campus
You just graduated from high school – Congratulations! Now college is on the horizon, a time full of promise and possibility. You will learn a lot, meet interesting people, choose a career, and possibly even find your future spouse. You will also make important decisions about your faith. A recent …
The Pen that doesn’t write
I’m somewhat of a genetic weirdo. I’m a twin. The hair on my head is dark brown, but my beard is red. I’m also left-handed. It’s frustrating to be left-handed in a right-handed world. Scissors never cut right. When you hold a measuring cup in your left hand, you’re stuck …
Sainthood Here and Now
As Catholics, we love our saints. We have a patron saint for just about everyone. Barkeepers (St. Amand), fireworks manufacturers (St. Barbara), mule drivers (St. Limbania) and dog handlers (St. Hubert of Liege) all have their designated saints. Name an occupation, medical condition, state in life or source of difficulty …
To Know or Not to Know? That is the question
“What does it mean to know God?” A reader sent this question recently, and it just about floored me. This isn’t a surface-level inquiry about a particular doctrine or practice. This is one of those deep, fundamental questions that digs down into the heart of human existence. Every single person …
Answering Challenging Questions
I love answering questions about Catholicism. Seriously, it’s one of my favorite things. First, I enjoy sharing what I’m passionate about, and answering questions allows me to do that. Second, it’s a chance to fine-tune my responses and figure out the best way to answer some questions. Finally, I appreciate …
HOPING AGAINST ALL HOPE
The Bible is full of passages on hope. Paul’s letters alone constantly return to this theme. This is expected since the Bible tells the story about the foundation of our hope – “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27) – and Paul is the great Apostle of Hope. …