April 2021: Becoming Poor in Spirit
There are good reasons why the first beatitude in the Sermon on the Mount is: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Mt 5:3). To hear these prophetic words as if Jesus were proclaiming them directly to us dispels the deception that what we possess determines our temporal and spiritual worth.
March 2021: Moving into Meditation
Have you ever said to yourself or heard others say, “I can’t meditate. I don’t know how my mind races here and there, no matter how hard I try to concentrate.” These experiences point to the fact that all of us have been drawn from time to time to a quiet place to ponder where we are
February 2021: Silence in a Noisy World
Silence is golden, so why is there so much noise inside of us, to say nothing of the pulsing world of social media around us? This cacophony cannot cancel the command: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10). The belching of buses and the roar of trailer trucks; the crunch of cement drills; the
January 2021: Growing in the Life of the Spirit
Our Lord reminds us in Matthew 7:17-20 that we can tell good from bad trees by the fruit they bear. How we cultivate the tree of our life reveals whether or not we radiate a harvest of goodness guided by God or revert to the spoiled fruit of selfish concerns. When Christ is the center of our
December 2020: Awaiting the Coming of the Lord
“The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God’” (Lk 1:35). So profound and full of power were these words told to Mary that we, too, bow in wonder and
November 2020: Living in Gratefulness
“Give thanks under all circumstances” (1 Thess 5:18). To understand this imperative, we need to remind ourselves that growing in the attitude of gratitude is not a luxury for believers only; it is an absolute necessity in today’s world. It is our best defense against cynicism, disbelief, and distrust of God. It prevents us from sinking into