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
October 2020: Rhythms of Reflective Living
Charles Dickens observed in his Tale of Two Cities the oft repeated truth that this is the best of times and the worst of times. The worst is obvious. In our world we witness a lack of morality, the diminishment of cherished values, corruption and dishonesty in all walks of society. Why have we forgotten what we
September 2020: Six Rules for Formative Reading
Asked to recount what we remember about our favorite teachers, we often recall reasons why their demeanor made a lasting impression on us. They may not have been the most brilliant woman or cleverest man, but they taught lessons from their heart; they related to their students on a human level, inspiring them to pursue excellence and
August 2020: Becoming Little Words in the Divine Word
Being attentive to every epiphany of the mystery in our own and others’ lives enables us to see ourselves in a new way—not as cogs in the machine of an impersonal cosmos but as little words in the Divine Word. This sign of epiphanic living helps us to remember who we most deeply are, however often we