I encountered one of my greatest fears less than one month after taking a thirty-day trust leap into Jesus’ arms.  In my daily life, it had been more and more evident to me that my trust in God was lacking. I feared trusting Him, because I feared disappointment. So I kept hope at arm’s length. This is better, I thought. It seemed better to be realistic so that I could brace for my fall, rather than stumble with no plan on how to best land. I believed I could trust both that God had everything in His hands, and that I was in the best posture to handle whatever He was holding.  In this grasping to control I came upon the book Jesus I Trust In You: A 30-Day Personal Retreat with the Litany of Trust, a personal retreat led by Sister Faustina Maria Pia, S.V. Having been familiar with praying the Litany of Trust, I knew this book wouldn’t disappoint.  Beginning the Retreat Throughout this month-long retreat, Sister Faustina offers practical tips and helpful invitations to prayer which slowly and consistently strengthen our trust in Jesus.  Day 8 My preparation for the unexpected was to imagine all possible scenarios and consider how I would respond to each result.  On day eight of the retreat Sister writes,“The unexpected arises in all of our lives, but our preparation is trust—just like Joseph and Mary received Jesus on that Christmas night. Can I recognize the immediate next step even if I cannot see the full plans of the future?” This really put radical trust into perspective for me. Jesus was with Joseph and Mary, yet they still did not know what each year would hold. They didn’t even know where He would be born. But they just kept knocking on doors, hoping for a place of refuge where Mary could deliver her Son. And shortly thereafter, the next step was fleeing to Egypt to escape the Massacre of the Holy Innocents by Herod. Mary and Joseph had plenty of reasons to doubt God’s plan, but they persevered, and they continued trusting, just taking the next right step.  Day 12 “...we too can feel overwhelmed by what God is inviting us to. This is the very place He wants to restore trust in our hearts.” It is in our vulnerability that we have the opportunity to grow. It’s hard to grow in trust if there is no reason we need it. Sure, we can choose to self-protect in our moments of weakness, but then that is where we stay. There is no hope for growth when we face the next challenge.  Day 15 “Do I have a plan for when discouraging thoughts come my way, either in the midst of temptations or afterward, to reject those lies? A simple phrase, such as ‘I do not consent,’ stops these thoughts from coming into our hearts.”  This simple tip has been transformative. When I start feeling the hot breath of the evil one whispering into my ear, saying the words, “I do not consent,” reclaims my power over the devil through the power of Christ. This prayer gives me the strength to rebuke the devil, casting him back into hell.  Put To The Test As I neared the end of this retreat I could feel trust building and hope re-emerging.  And then I was brought to my knees, as I lost my new baby to miscarriage. Day 25 “Situations that bring us to our knees, helpless, press us to seek what true strength is. Is not love at its strongest when, in our moments of deepest need, we allow His life to course through us? [ . . . ] We too can experience ‘it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me’ (Gal 2:20). Trust knows we are as strong as His love.”  Through an experience I had hoped never to have, God’s grace came rushing over me. His grace sustained me, and I felt a peace I didn’t know was possible during such a hard moment.  Because growing in trust had put me in a better posture to receive, I could very tangibly feel Christ’s life coursing through me. Living in me. I know this because I would not have handled it as well on my own. My heart was broken, but sustained.  Day 26 Each day of this retreat seemed to be divinely appointed.  “‘Is my afternoon being taken from me, or will I give it as a gift’—or my future, my plans, my health. Trust frees the heart to live the gift of my life.”  Would I see our child's life as being taken from us? Or would I give him back to the Lord? Would I trust the Lord enough to offer my child back to Him as a gift and trust Him with the future? “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).  Choosing Daily Through her words, Sister Faustina encourages her readers to trust that God’s ways are higher than our ways. But because life happens, this isn’t always an easy task. This is why her thirty-day retreat proves so helpful. It is where the Holy Spirit speaks into our lives, giving us the motivation to keep on trusting. Sister Faustina doesn’t sugarcoat hardship and tragedy, but she reframes it in a way that brings life and not defeat.  Jesus wants you to experience this life. Will you trust Him with yours?

I remember being in undergrad when my roommate and I were talking about just how busy our schedules were and how stressful our study load felt. It was then that she quoted a line from Saint Francis de Sales, who said, “Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer a day, except when we are busy—then we need an hour.” It reminded me of something my mom and dad would pray over me. That God would “multiply my hours.” The first time they said it, I thought it sounded a little funny. God multiplying my hours? Like, would He really be able to make one hour of my time seem infused with two? And was that okay to pray for? Maybe I just needed to be more productive with my time rather than praying for a miraculous amount of “more” of it. But I let their prayer wash over me, and I saw the fruit of it. When I prayed for God to “multiply” my time, I frequently found myself getting way more done than I had expected. Which brings me back to Francis de Sales. There are so many times when I think of visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, but don’t make it a priority. It was much easier in college, a time when Adoration was a block away. In my current state of life, as a wife and mother of small children, making a Holy Hour isn’t quite as simple as it used to be. Praying more than fifteen minutes each day isn’t as simple as it used to be. But it is possible. I just need to make it a priority. But of course, different seasons call for different needs, and just “making it a priority” can seem easier said than done.  For example, when I’ve just had a baby, the healthy thing to do for my mind and body is to rest. Waking up at 5 a.m. to get prayer in before little bellies need to be filled would be admirable, but perhaps not prudent. Especially with multiple middle of the night feedings. If I can string along a decent number of hours of sleep in a night, I feel much more refreshed to take on the day. Or maybe you’re not postpartum, but are fighting illness, or are sleep-deprived, and getting in good rest is the best decision for you. I’m not going to tell you to grin and bear it and wake up before the sun. But I will encourage you to plan a time each day, or even just a set amount of time, when you plan to pray.  I was recently convicted that I needed to spend five minutes of my prayer time just being still with the Lord. Usually I spend my daily prayer time doing a variety of spiritual reading and journaling. My eyes are usually scanning something, whether it be words on a page or the blank page before me, ready to be filled.  {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} But Jesus was asking me to just sit and listen. So that’s what I’ve been trying to do, even when a dozen to-do’s are swirling around my head. My daily prayer time isn’t lengthy, and it’s not always at the same time of day, but I try to be consistent, and I incorporate that five minutes of silence and stillness. I try to follow the advice of The Rule of St. Benedict, and listen with the ear of my heart. Sometimes it doesn’t always feel fruitful, and I don’t always feel like I’ve walked away with a specific word or message, but I usually always feel more at peace. My prayer time feels more about Him than about me. Without that five minutes, I find I’m consumed with seeking consolation from Him. However, with the five minutes, I’m reminded that I’m just simply His, and that, at least for a few moments, I’m not expected to be anything but that. This grounds me in the Truth and helps to keep me encouraged throughout my day.  So maybe it’s not an hour that the Lord is asking of you, but surely, as Saint Mother Teresa said, He is knocking at the door of your heart. Jesus is hoping you will open the door and invite Him in, in whatever form that looks like.  We read in John 21:15 that “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’” In calling me to five minutes of just waiting on Him and listening, Jesus was asking me if I loved Him more than I loved my list of things to do. Did I love Him more than a swept floor, an emptied dishwasher, or a text that needed a response? He was asking me to follow Him. Sometimes following Him can feel like stepping into the unknown. Are you willing to take the risk? How might He be asking you to return to Him in love?

I remember returning home from a spring semester abroad. It was four months filled with beautiful walks along cobblestone, picturesque sunsets viewed from the Spanish steps, and an unexpected grace to love the thirty other people I was living in community with. Loving all thirty of these people didn’t come easily at first. I definitely felt more good will towards those who were easy to like and sensed more tension and frustration with a few others. Yet sometime around Easter, I felt such an outpouring of grace, which deepened my ability to love. I experienced a grace which made being charitable so much easier.  Then came setting my feet upon American soil and re-entering normal life. Within just a few days I started noticing how impatient I was becoming with my family. I had just been living this blissful, Italian life for a gorgeous spring season, and when summer hit I found myself struggling to be gracious. What I and my fellow travel companions were realizing is that our family accepts us for who we are. They’ve seen most of our weaknesses and know our faults, yet they love us anyway. Because of this, it was easier to take my family for granted. I knew they’d accept me no matter what, so in a sense, the bar was lower. I didn’t need to impress my family with kindness, hospitality, and a good attitude. I could just be me, flaws and all, and I didn’t try very hard to hide or fix them. {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} When I think of my comfortability with my family, it makes me think of how I sometimes respond to Jesus. I know He’s there, He knows I love Him, and I know He loves me. And because He’s always there, I take His presence for granted. I tend to stop looking for the Holy Spirit breathing in my life.  Maybe this is why in John 21:17 Jesus asks Simon a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” The Gospel continues explaining that “Peter was distressed that he said to him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you.’” Peter was being sincere when he was telling Jesus that he loved Him, but also knew that he had denied Jesus three times at a time when Jesus was most vulnerable. And part of his distress was this remembrance of the denial and the hesitation to accept forgiveness for what seemed unforgivable. In this story Peter learned that Jesus lets us return to Him again and again. He desires us to return. Even when we fail and forget to acknowledge Him. Even when we reject Him. Especially when we reject Him.  Jesus isn’t intimidated by our weaknesses. Psalm 136 tells us over and over that “His mercy endures forever.”  He will keep waiting for you. What are you waiting for?

An Irishman taught me about the Spanish mystic, Saint John of the Cross, and I can’t imagine a better teacher. I learned from Irish Dominican Professor, Father Paul Murray, a poet, writer, and professor. He taught all about Saint John, with special attention to his poetry and specifically his poem, The Dark Night of the Soul.  The saint was born on June 24, 1542, to a poor family in Avila, Spain. In his early twenties he entered the Carmelite monastery in his hometown, the same town where he would meet his good friend, Saint Teresa of Avila, and later become the confessor and vicar of the monastery where she became the prioress. Both were reformers and both would become Doctors of the Church, passionate about the slow but essential work of purifying one’s soul and striving for Christian perfection.  A Hard Confession A few years ago I was in Confession, confessing my struggle to forgive and have mercy (a common theme for me). After the priest had listened to my sins, he gently quoted Saint John of the Cross to me: “Where there is no love, put love, and you will draw out love.” I left with my soul clean, but my head confused.  What did this mean? Did it really mean that I could draw love out of a place where there is no love, simply by the love I put there myself? Did that then mean that I would have to be the source of the love I was seeking? And if so, how does that make sense, and how is that comforting?  Getting Context This quotation was found in one of his letters to a prioress in Spain. Saint John had spoken against attempts that were being made to change Saint Teresa of Avila’s constitutions. This in turn left him without an office. While he accepted this, others became very frustrated, one of whom was a prioress living in Segovia. He wrote to the prioress, saying:  “Do not let what is happening to me, daughter, cause you any grief, for it does not cause me any. What greatly grieves me is that the one who is not at fault is blamed. Men do not do these things, but God, who knows what is suitable for us and arranges things for our good. Think nothing else but that God ordains all, and where there is no love, put love, and you will draw out love.” These written words came from a man who was imprisoned by the Carmelites in his own monastery in Toledo. After he worked to bring positive reform to the order, they kidnapped him and kept him in a tiny cell for nine months, barely big enough to lie down in. He had a meager diet of bread and water and was lashed in front of his community weekly. This man, who was not at fault, trusted that what was done to him, however unjust, was done for his good.  {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} Love Permeating Through Redemptive Suffering So going back to the words, “[W]here there is no love, put love, and you will draw out love,” what are we to make of this?  I asked a priest friend of mine about these words, and he agreed that it is a confusing statement. Yet he said that it sounds like Saint John is offering his wisdom on how we are to engage the world, especially in times of suffering. For example, when we encounter pain and suffering in the world, we have an opportunity to love in the same way that Jesus did as He suffered for us on the Cross. Through uniting our suffering with Christ’s, and through the mystery of redemptive suffering, love will pervade.  With this I can answer my earlier question of whether or not I had to be the source of love that I was seeking. And the answer is no. No matter how much I try, I can’t possibly be the source of my own love and comfort, because all love comes from Him.  “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love . . . if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us” (1 John 4: 7-8, 12).  I live because He lives in me. I love, because His love is within me.  “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me” (Galatians 2:19-20).  Love Is Not A Feeling What these scriptures remind me of is that love is not a feeling. As hard as it might be to love in a trying circumstance, I don’t have to feel the warm fuzzy feeling of love while I am choosing to offer it to God. I might not even be promised that the gift of my love will be appreciated or reciprocated. But in the selfless act of putting love where there is none, Jesus will fill in the gap with Himself. If we die to self and invite the Lord to love in us and with us, He will be there when we don’t feel strong or courageous enough to do it on our own. When we invite Him into our hard circumstances, His love will pervade, and through His grace, love can then be drawn out. 

Blessed Mother. Our Lady. Stella Maris. Theotokos. Mama Mary. Our Lady of Victories.  Each of these are just a few of many different titles for the mother of our Lord.  One cathedral that we now mourn and long to be traditionally rebuilt is Notre-Dame de Paris. I used to think that whenever people referred to “Notre-Dame” it meant the Notre-Dame. The gorgeous French Gothic cathedral with the rose window, located on the Seine. But what I found when traveling, is that in France, almost every city has their own Notre-Dame. Notre-Dame de Reims, Notre-Dame de Beaune, etc. It’s spectacular, really. Notre-Dame simply means “Our Lady” and almost everyone wants to honor her in the naming of their cathedral or basilica.  Our Lady of Victories Stepping into the Basilica of Notre-Dame des Victoires, “Our Lady of Victories,” in Paris, I especially felt the warmth of the Catholic faith. The foundations of the church were blessed on December 8, 1629, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and her presence and intercession are evident. In this special church stands the statue of Our Lady of Victories. She stands surrounded by literally tens of thousands of ex-votos left at the basilica. This church used to be on the route of the Camino de Santiago, and devotional pieces have been left in thanksgiving to Mary’s intercession for prayers being answered. Wherever you stand in this church, symbols of hearts bursting with gratitude are all around you.  A Family Devotion There is a chapel dedicated to Saints Louis & Zélie Martin in the back of the church, and it is the first chapel in France under their patronage. This wasn’t done without meaning, as the Martin family had a very special devotion to Our Lady of Victories. Louis implored her intercession while discerning his vocation and later, while living in his vocation as husband and father, he wrote to his wife Zélie,  “I had the happiness of receiving communion at Notre-Dame de Victoires, which is like a little earthly paradise. I also lit a candle for the whole family.”  Zélie too sought her intercession, making a written Christmas request to her brother: “...you live very close to Notre-Dame des Victoires. Well! Enter it only once a day to say an Ave Maria to the Blessed Virgin”.  Their daughter Saint Thérèse of Lisieux shared in this devotion as well. While on pilgrimage in Rome to ask the Pope for permission to enter Carmel, her father and sister stopped inside the basilica. As she lay before the statue of Our Lady, she thought,  “Notre-Dame des Victoires. Ah! What I felt at her feet, I could not say…The graces she granted me moved me so deeply…I understood that she was watching over me, that I was her child, so I could only give her the name of Mom.”  {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} Mama Mary (Header) No matter where you pray, Our Lady of Victories wants to pray for you. She is waiting for you to call upon her. She hears you, and she hopes that you will consider her your own mother, just as little Saint Thérèse did.  In the Dogmatic Constitution, Lumen Gentium, on the Church, promulgated by Pope Saint Paul VI, there is a section written specifically on Mary as the Mother of Grace. Paul VI invites us to call upon her intercession, because through her we will experience her accompaniment and great maternal love:  The “motherhood of Mary in the economy of grace continues without interruption until the final consummation . . . In fact, after the Assumption into heaven, her role in salvation is not interrupted . . . Her maternal love makes her attentive to the brothers of her Son whose pilgrimage is not complete, and who find themselves engaged in perils and trials until they reach their promised homeland.”  Sisters. Our pilgrimage is not complete. While we hope for a smooth journey, perils and trials may come our way, and this is right where Mary wants to meet us. When we find ourselves at the foot of the cross, she is right there with us, just as she was with her Son, Jesus. It is her mother’s promise that she will continue to be with us each and every day:  In the suffering, the joys, and the simple moments of everyday life.  In the words of Saint Mother Teresa, “If you ever feel distressed during your day, call upon our Lady, just say this simple prayer: ‘Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.’ I must admit, this prayer has never failed me.” How do you experience Mother Mary as your own mother?

“Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” That’s what my mom would gently remind me of as I awaited the outcome of different events throughout my life. Would I pass my driver’s test, get a good ACT score, get into the college I wanted, etc.? Then, in the years beyond high school graduation, there came many more seasons of waiting. Will I land a job that I enjoy? Will I meet my future husband in college? How about in grad school? Still no…okay, what about later in my twenties or thirties? Am I called to religious life? Which order? Mission work? Where? Then even when some of these questions were  finally answered, I never seemed to find the peace that I assumed would come along with these answers. After I met my husband and got married, the questions continued: Will I have children? Will my unborn baby make it to full-term? Will I have another child?  Time and time again I have found my heart in another season of waiting, with great longing building up within me. In times like this I find that I resonate deeply with Psalm 130:5-6: “I wait with longing for the Lord, my soul waits for his word. My soul looks for the Lord, more than sentinels at daybreak. More than sentinels for daybreak.”  Learning from Longing Even as I write this, I find myself again in a season of struggling to “wait.” I am pregnant with our rainbow baby, and I am thrilled! But I keep thinking of all the things that could go wrong and of all the things that must go right. I want my waiting to result in what I hope for: a smooth pregnancy and a healthy child. In this season of being asked to wait, I notice myself hurrying about. I struggle to be still. To listen. I rush from thing to thing hoping that I will be distracted, and time will pass more quickly. I fear that if I stop to listen to His voice, He might say something I might not want to hear. I worry that His answer won’t align with the one I have in mind.  And then, when I do finally pause to listen, He gently calls me back into His arms, asking me to trust His goodness. He tells me that he wants more for me than my constant worrying about all the “what-ifs.”  Holy, Just, and Beautiful Saint Francis de Sales wrote: “While taking a walk by yourself, or when you are alone at some other time, turn your eye to God’s universal will . . . Then with profound humility, accept, praise, and then bless this sovereign will, which is entirely holy, just, and beautiful . . . Ponder this a while, as you consider not only the variety of his consolations, but above all the trials suffered by the good . . . Conclude with an act of great confidence in his will, believing that he will do everything for us and for our happiness.” Holy. Just. Beautiful. That is the will of our Father.  These three words are bringing me comfort in my time of waiting. I can rock in the rocking chair, keeping busy and going nowhere, or I can start walking in faith and in hope, confident that God wills my happiness.  {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} Tested By Fire However, knowing that God wills our happiness doesn’t mean trials won’t come our way. In fact, scripture tells us just the opposite: we are basically promised suffering.  [A]lthough now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-7)  When gold is tested by fire, it burns all the impurities away leaving absolutely pure gold. This testing by fire reminds me of the lyrics in Blessing Offor’s song Believe.  What if you will something I won’t? If you don’t give me what I want But you give me what I need Is that enough to believe? So often I enter prayer with my intentions, hoping that God won’t will something that I don’t. I forget to praise God for who He is. To enter into prayer with the highest form there is: adoration. In this season of waiting, for me, and for you, we can remember that in this trial we are being purified. And through this time of being tested by fire, we can bring God praise, glory, and honor for his holy, just, and beautiful will. Despite our unknown. So turn up that praise and worship music. Don’t be afraid to praise Him. “Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8).  We have a good Father and we can trust that even when it’s hard to understand, our waiting will result in an indescribable and glorious joy.  And if we don’t get what we want? Keep waiting. “The Lord will fight for you; you have only to keep still” (Exodus 14:14).

With the start of the new year, the scent of freshly sharpened pencils and blank slates comes to mind. I want to do this year right. While I did not make any specific New Year’s resolutions, I do have hopes and goals in mind. As I pause to consider what this year holds, and my desire to live it well, a book written by a professor from my alma mater comes to mind.  The book is titled Getting Work Right: Labor and Leisure in a Fragmented World, written by Dr. Michael Naughton, director of the Center for Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas. An Entrustment and an Example Naughton’s main thesis is that in order to get work right, we have to get leisure right. In the very first book of the Bible, God both gives man both the responsibility of work and sets the example of rest and leisure.  Before God entrusts us with work, He shows us how to rest. “God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation” (Genesis 2:3).  Then, a few verses later, “The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it” (Genesis 2:15).  Our task now is to rightly order this relationship between work and leisure. As Naughton says, “rightly ordered labor and leisure gives us roots in a world that too often only gives us cut flowers.” This book will help grow the roots for a garden that flourishes. Defining Our Terms Before we get into the integration of work and rest, let’s define what we are talking about.  Labor  God created man to work. In the words of Pope Saint John Paul II, work is: “something that corresponds to man’s dignity, that expresses this dignity and increases it . . . through work man not only transforms nature . . . but he also achieves fulfillment.”  Naughton affirms this point, stating that “work is central to the practical life of goal-setting and decision-making . . . from which springs our well-being as creatures who are by nature doers.”  While goals and achievements are important, Naughton does warn against the two opposite extremes of viewing work as purely a job or becoming consumed with one’s career. To view your work as just a job is to look at it solely as a source of income and a means to an end. In doing so, work can feel empty and depleting. However, the other extreme of being consumed by one’s career can result in an identity that is so connected to one’s work that it becomes the only source of self-esteem. While work is good, it is not our ultimate purpose in this world, and continually chasing the temporary high of the next rung on the ladder will leave one equally empty. Leisure  In Leisure: The Basis of Culture, a source which Naughton drew heavily upon, author and philosopher Josef Pieper wrote, “leisure is . . . to be found in the soul that receives the reality of the world.” It is to “steep oneself in the whole of creation.” To contemplate. Leisure is to sit in the stillness and be open to what it may want to reveal to you. My favorite quotation by Pieper is his sentence, “When we really let our minds rest contemplatively on a rose in bud, on a child at play, on a divine mystery, we are rested and quickened as though by a dreamless sleep.” We are restored.  The purpose of leisure is not to distract ourselves from the world through television or our phone. This pulls us out of reality, not deeper into it. Naughton views leisure not as amusement or utility, and cautions readers not to fall into either trap:  “Wiktionary defines amuse as ‘to stare stupidly at something,’” he writes. This “amusement” does not fulfill our longing for rest, but rather stirs up restlessness in us as we find our time wasted scrolling through our social media accounts or watching our favorite streaming service. We know our time could be used better and we want our time to be used better.  To view leisure as utility is to see it only as a means to the end of work itself, but not as a good in and of itself. It is like seeing leisure as a necessity in order to get back to the work week refreshed, but then when the work week is over, we find ourselves drained and in desperate need of what we see as a well-deserved break. It’s a vicious cycle with a gloomy future. {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=} Integration Over Balance So how do we get to rightly ordering our relationship between labor and leisure? First, we need to make sure we are not putting labor and leisure into two different boxes: labor  in our nine-to-five box and leisure in our after-dinnertime or on-the-weekend box. We are called to integrate our active life with our contemplative life, not to place these areas of our life into separate boxes, hoping that if they never touch each other we’ll achieve a “balanced” life.  Our contemplative life is meant to touch all the other facets of our life. Naughton writes, “We were created both to work and to rest, both to be active and to be contemplative. These two dimensions of our lives are meant to inform each other as part of a deeper whole rather than exist as two modes of being that balance each other or effectively cancel each other out. Integration Through The Sabbath In the final chapter of the book, Naughton focuses on celebrating the Sabbath as a way to allow our contemplative life to touch our active life. He writes, “The Sabbath—the commandment to both rest and celebrate—is essential to our work and to the order of our lives.” He argues that if we don’t get Sunday right, we won’t get Monday right: “Sunday is the day when production, consumption, and especially technology do not own us; but when we are defined not by our doing or having but by our being made in God’s image; when we remember that life is a gift  given, not a task achieved”. In other words, it reminds us who we are and Who we were created for.  When we celebrate Sunday as we are meant to, keeping it holy and taking time for true rest, we put ourselves in a position to rest in the loving embrace of our Father. To receive Him. “The power of Sunday is in the rest it provides, not the work it produces; in receptivity, not in activity; in its celebratory affirmation of the deeply ordered goodness of creation, all of which nurtures our relationship with Christ.” This time with our Maker is never wasted, but enables us to grow in our identity as children of God. When we submit to the stillness Christ invites us to, we recognize that we become more fully human through what we receive from Him and how we respond to Him, not by what we achieve. HIS WORD CHANGES LIVES God is speaking to you through His Word. In this personal study, you will learn to hear God's voice by reading slowly and praying deeply. BEGIN THE JOURNEY

Our quads were burning as we continued walking higher, higher, and yet still higher, with the goal not yet in view as apartments and gift shops surrounded us on each side. But it was a beautiful, sunny day, and we had just spent days savoring cheese and croissants, so we didn’t mind the exercise.  It was our last day in Paris, and my husband and I were spending our last evening walking to the highest point in the city, Montmartre, The Mount of Martyrs. A place where a number of Christians were martyred, including Saint Denis, Paris’ first bishop and patron, who was beheaded there. This is a famous spot, not only for its picturesque and panoramic views of the city of lights during sunset, but also for the spiritual significance it holds as the location of the Basilica of Sacré Coeur (The Basilica of the Sacred Heart).  Small Offerings Made Big With eleven million visitors annually, Sacré-Coeur is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Paris. Groundbreaking for the basilica began in 1875 and the church was completed in 1914, finally being consecrated in 1919 after the end of World War I.  This is no small building. It stands at 272 feet tall, 115 wide, and 272 feet long. This is almost as tall (and long) as the height of the Statue of Liberty! With a space this large I would assume that it was commissioned by a number of generous and wealthy benefactors, but this was not the case. In fact, large sums of money were refused. Only small offerings from private individuals, dioceses, congregations, etc. were accepted and the names of these donors are engraved in stone. Even Saint Thérèse of Lisieux contributed to the basilica. While on pilgrimage to Rome with her family, her group stopped in Paris for Mass in Sacré-Coeur’s crypt (as the basilica was still under construction). Afterwards Thérèse herself offered one of her gold bracelets to be melted down for use in the basilica’s monstrance.  Looking for Jesus This basilica is known for its adoration chapel, so when we arrived, my husband and I circled the perimeter looking for the Blessed Sacrament. We peeked into every side chapel, but still didn’t spot Jesus.  After spending a few minutes confused that we couldn’t find the place where we heard so many friends speak about praying, we decided we would just take a seat in one of the pews and pray in the nave. It was then that we found Who we were looking for. Sure enough, Jesus was present in the Blessed Sacrament right above the main altar. We had missed him because the monstrance was standing far above eye level and suspended several yards higher than the altar’s tabernacle. If we had looked more closely around the center of the church, we wouldn’t have been able to miss Him. It was so refreshing to see Jesus exposed front and center, and not off in a side chapel like in so many churches.  {formbuilder:OTk3ODc=}  A Bombing and Pandemic Since August 1 of 1885 perpetual Adoration has remained uninterrupted in Sacré-Coeur. That’s over one hundred thirty-five years of perpetual Adoration! One of the Benedictine Sisters of the Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre said in an article for the National Catholic Register that “adoration hasn’t stopped even for a minute, including during the two world wars…Even during the 1944 bombing, when some fragments fell right next to the basilica, the adorers never left.” Then, in 2019, when the pandemic posed difficulty for perpetual Adoration to continue as the basilica was closed to the public for over two months, the fourteen nuns of this community reorganized their life in order to make sure someone was always with Jesus in the sanctuary. This meant that each sister had two holy hours each day . . . or longer if one of the sisters accidentally slept through her middle-of-the-night alarm.  Night Adoration Adoration is open to the public every day from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and even overnight for those who register for a night hour. Adorers are free to choose the time they want to pray during the night and are then given a pass to enter the basilica. A small fee is taken for adorers to sleep in a dormitory, but the night includes compline sung in the basilica with the Sisters, a 10:00 p.m. Mass, lodging in the guest house, morning Mass, morning prayer, and a simple French breakfast before departing.  Two of our very own BIS writers have experienced a night hour with Jesus at Sacré-Coeur. While neither one of them experienced the kind of midwestern or southern hospitality that some of us might be familiar with, they were blessed with a time of intimate prayer. Olivia Spears spoke of how her night hour was a time of “spiritual resting” in a “little haven” in the city. Grace Bellon also spoke of the peacefulness in the dark and quiet chapel. She also noted the fact that the basilica is literally surrounded by the Red Light district with Moulin Rouge just down the street. “Looking back . . . it makes perfect sense: ‘where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more’”  (Romans 5:20).  This reminds me of the motive behind the Eucharistic Revival, which began this past summer on the feast of Corpus Christi. The USCCB website reads: In the midst of these roaring waves, Jesus is present, reminding us that He is more powerful than the storm. He desires to heal, renew, and unify the Church and the world. Jesus desires to bring this to completion through the grace of the Holy Eucharist, just as the summit of Montmartre points to the source and summit of our faith.  How has Jesus healed and renewed you through Eucharistic Adoration? How is He equipping you through this Sacrament, to be a source of healing and renewal for others?  Sacré-Coeur // The City of Lights Made Brighter #BISblog // -->> CLICK TO TWEET

If you hear the two words “church father” you might be thinking of an ancient, white-haired man who probably did some good things for the church a long, long time ago. At least that’s what I used to think of. But when learning more about each one, like actually learning, I realized how big of an impact their lives have had on my own. For example, Saint Ambrose. It is thanks to him that today I love praying with the Bible using Lectio Divina. And it was Saint Ambrose’s intimacy with the Lord through Scripture that prompted Augustine to take a closer look at the faith—making him a great intercessor for those in our own lives who may have fallen away from the faith, or perhaps, have yet to find it. From Roman Governor to Bishop of Milan Ambrose was born to a wealthy Christian family in 340 A.D. His father died when he was just a child, so his mother brought him to Rome to be trained for a career in law, where he received a great education in the classics and rhetoric. While in his thirties he was headquartered in Milan as governor of two of the northern provinces in Italy. Here there was much fallout between the Christians and Arians, even after the Council of Nicea sought to resolve this heretical controversy. Peace was not achieved, and many people still adhered to the heresy that denied Christ’s divinity. Ambrose continued to work towards this desired peace. The former Bishop of Milan, Auxentius, was in favor of Arianism and thus considered to be in opposition to the Catholic faith. Ambrose himself believed in the Nicene Creed, disagreed peacefully with the Arians, and was abreast of the theological controversies of the time. So after the death of Auxentius, Ambrose gave a discourse on peace and moderation. It was during this that the crowd began chanting, “Ambrose, Bishop!” But this would become much more than just a chant. Through the influence of the people, he was considered elected. So eight days later, December 7, 374, Ambrose was consecrated Bishop of Milan. In eight days he was baptized, ordained, and consecrated (the custom at the time was to wait to be baptized until as close to death as possible). While Ambrose was well-educated, he was a layman and didn’t know Scripture very well. His new role as Bishop launched his deep dive into Scripture reading, and eventually, he started praying using lectio divina as his way of listening to the Lord’s words and the promptings of the Holy Spirit to inspire his preaching and writing. In the words of Saint Ambrose, “When we take up the sacred Scriptures in faith and read them with the Church, we walk once more with God in the Garden” . . . a place where Saint Augustine, a contemporary of Saint Ambrose, had an experience of transformation. Conversion in a Garden Augustine was raised by a Pagan father and a devout Christian mother. For himself, he chose Manichaeism, a dualistic religion that taught that the world was evil and salvation could only be found through knowledge. Like Ambrose, Augustine was known for his rhetoric and eventually became a professor in Milan, where he frequently visited the cathedral just to hear Bishop Ambrose speak. This prompted him to shift his religious views to one that incorporated both the philosophy of the Roman pagans and Milanese Christians. Augustine admitted that he was a sinful man, but he still grappled with overcoming the temptations he so enjoyed giving into. When looking back on a time in his childhood when he stole pears with his friends, he said, “Our real pleasure consisted in doing something that was forbidden. The evil in me was foul, but I loved it.” But no matter how evil or foul his sins, his mother Monica prayed fervently for his eventual conversion to Christianity. As Augustine walked in his garden, reflecting on his life and feeling restless about the choices he made, he heard a child’s voice saying, “Take and read.” He took these words to heart, and picked up the letters of Saint Paul to the Romans. . . . let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh. // Romans 13:13-14 These are the words that gave Augustine hope in the truths that Scripture held, and he would become further inspired by Ambrose’s example, seeking him out as a mentor and going to him frequently for advice. The Attractiveness of the Gospel It was Ambrose’s testimony and the witness of the church in Milan that made Augustine attracted to Christianity. He was moved by the witness of the church community, and by how unified they were in their strong resistance to the influence of Arianism. Ambrose taught in such a way that helped Augustine more fully understand the history of the church and the beauty of the mysteries it holds. “Searching Out The Meaning” It was not only Ambrose’s preaching of the Gospel that struck Augustine; it was his personal approach to reading Scripture. When Ambrose wasn’t meeting with people to give spiritual guidance, he himself was pouring over the Word of God. But unlike the custom of the time, he read silently. Augustine wrote in the Confessions: When Ambrose read, his eyes ran over the columns of writing and his heart searched out the meaning, but his voice and his tongue were at rest. Often when I was present-for he did not close his door to anyone and it was customary to come in unannounced-I have seen him reading silently, never in fact otherwise. I would sit for a long time in silence, not daring to disturb someone so deep in thought, and then go on my way. This was unusual, because at the time, Scripture was meant to be read aloud, both for others to hear, and for the reader’s own understanding. Augustine was struck by how familiar Ambrose seemed to be with Scripture, and through this close relationship with the text, how well he lived the faith out. This informed Augustine’s own approach to the faith and on April 24, 387, Ambrose baptized Augustine in the Cathedral of Milan. A Bit Of Honey In addition to being a patron Saint of Milan, he is also a patron of beekeepers and is known as the “honey-tongued Doctor.” There are a few good reasons for this. The word “ambrosia” is Latin for honey, and his rhetoric, as Augustine experienced, was as sweet as honey to the soul. Legend even says that while he was laying in his crib as a baby, there was a swarm of bees flying in and out of his mouth, but never stinging him! Saint Ambrose, pray for us to share God’s word as eloquently as you, coming not from head-knowledge but from an experience of the heart.   [bctt tweet="Saint Ambrose // Walking with God in the Garden #BISblog //" via="no"]

I felt the hard, uneven cobblestones beneath my feet and took in the views all around me with fresh, wide eyes. It was one of the first days of my study abroad program in Rome and I was in awe of the beauty and history all around me. The streets of this historic city were like another world compared to the city I had just left in the Midwest. It was surreal to be walking into whatever church we happened to stumble upon and then see the original artwork of a familiar childhood image. This took place a number of times, but one of the first was when we entered the seventeenth century church Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini (Our Lady of the Conception of the Capuchins). It wasn’t particularly eye-catching from the outside, but when we went inside we were met with gorgeous paintings in the side chapels, including work by Pietro da Cortona, an Italian Baroque painter and architect. Then the one I was so thrilled to see, an altarpiece of St. Michael the Archangel Defeating Satan by Guido Reni. The Dragon Does Not Prevail I love this piece because it shows the physique of both Saint Michael and the devil. While the devil is being crushed under the heel of the Archangel, he isn’t portrayed as weak. Rather, you can see Satan’s triceps, biceps, even the tendons in his hands flexed in resistance as tightly as he can muster. His muscles are literally rippling. In contrast, you see the serene countenance of Saint Michael, gracefully pulling back his sword to strike the source of all evil. He is fearless. As it reads in Revelation 12:7-8: Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. This is why we ask Saint Michael the Archangel to “be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil” and why many parishes pray the Prayer to Saint Michael after Mass. A prayer written by Pope Leo XIII after he had a terrifying vision of demonic spirits. After witnessing this horrific sight he requested that the prayer be said at the end of Mass so that as we go back out into the world, Christ’s light will shine over the darkness. We can pray this prayer daily, as we intercede for the salvation of all souls and reflect on our own death. In this month that we call to mind all those who have died, let us return to Santa Maria della Concezione again. Beneath which you will find a crypt where the remains of four thousand Capuchin friars adorn the walls. The Chilling Capuchin Crypt in Rome If you enter this crypt you might feel goosebumps raised on your skin and feel yourself chilled. Not just from the coldness which emanates from the cold ground, but also from a plaque which reads, “What you are now, we once were; what we are now, you shall be.” This quotation is displayed among the bones of friars who have died between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. At the time the church was built, Pope Urban VII commissioned this church with the hopes that it would provide a space for the growing congregation of Capuchins. When the architecture was completed, the remains of Capuchin friars who had been buried nearby were moved to Santa Maria so that all of the Capuchin remains would be together. But instead of reburying the bones, the monks used them as ornamentation in the crypt to be a reminder of momento mori. To remind them that death is imminent. Purification and Purgatory So here we are, reminded that we are not promised tomorrow, but gratefully living in the presence of God on earth today. In this gift of life that we share in today we have the Christian responsibility to pray for the souls in Purgatory. We also share in the great hope that they will soon be greeted by Saint Peter as he brings them face to face with Jesus. All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. // Catechism of the Catholic Church 1030 While there are many unknowns about what Purgatory may be like, we can rest assured that we are on our way to Heaven’s gate. As Pope Saint John Paul II said, Purgatory is not a place but a kind of existence. “Those who live in this state of purification after death are not separated from God but are immersed in the love of Christ. Neither are they separated from the saints in heaven—who already enjoy the fullness of life—nor from us on earth—who continue on our pilgrim journey to the Father’s house. We remain united in the Mystical Body of Christ, and we can therefore offer up our prayers and good works on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Purgatory.” Saint Michael, pray for us! As we remember the souls who have passed from this life on their journey to Heaven let us call upon the intercession of Saint Michael the Archangel. We can turn back to the pages of Revelation to recall his great strength and pray the Saint Micael prayer, not only for the souls in Purgatory, but also for our own souls. Saint Michael, be with us as we reflect on our own mortality. Pray for us to have your strength, strength to overcome our own spiritual battles. What is your favorite way to pray for our deceased brothers and sisters?   [bctt tweet="Angels, an Artist, and the Capuchin Crypt in Rome #BISblog //" via="no"]

1,119 pages. This is the page count of my copy of Kristin Lavransdatter. It is well over 200 pages from the longest book in the Harry Potter series. This Nobel Prize winning trilogy which was published in the 1920s is a historical fiction piece set in fourteenth-century Norway. (Author Sigrid Undset donated all of her prize money to charity.) It combines her novels, The Wreath, The Wife, and The Cross, complete with maps of medieval Norway, explanatory notes, and a list of important Norwegian holy days. I’d be lying if I told you that picking up this book would be an easy undertaking. But neither is confronting our sin or receiving undeserved mercy. Both of which this book will ask of you. The Humanity and the Holy in Kristin Lavransdatter What is unique about this novel is how it invites you into a deep experience of the human heart. It is a medieval story complete with elf maidens, chieftains, hearth, and home. It is about kinship and family lineage, exhilarating passion, betrayal, scandal, breathtaking Norwegian landscape, motherhood in its rawest form, holding grudges, learning how to get over our ego and ask for forgiveness, free will, and opening one’s heart to receive mercy. Ultimately, this is a book about grace. What will have you turning page after page is the way that Undset dives into the morality of each character, how their conscience informs their choices, and how they transform over time. But these transformations involve pain. As Gunnulf, one of the priests in the book says, we should “all have the courage to suffer. Who would be so foolish not to accept pain and torment if this was the way to a faithful and steadfast bridegroom who waits with open arms, his breast bloody and burning with love” (page 449). This book is about God’s open arms. Meeting The Characters One of my favorite college professors warned against letting anybody spoil this story. Rather, it is meant to be slowly unraveled with the turning of each page. I respect him too much to defy his words of wisdom. So rather than give you spoilers, I will give you a glimpse of some of the story's important characters. Kristin Lavransdatter: This is a coming of age story with Kristin as the protagonist. You will get to know her from her childhood on to her womanhood. As a child, she holds a deep respect for her father Lavrans and loves him above all. She is his little companion whom he cherishes deeply. In Norwegian culture it was customary to have your last name come from your father. Because Kristin was Lavrans’ daughter, her last name becomes “Lavransdatter”. Lavrans Björgulfsson: Lavrans is Kristin’s father and a hard working, well-respected, and gentle man who is the landholder of Jörundgaard manor. He lives out his Christianity generously and courageously making him a character to pay attention to, learn from, and look up to. Ragnfrid Ivarsdatter: This is Lavrans’ wife who inherited their estate (Jörundgaard) from her father. She strives to live out her vocation as a wife and mother well, but suffers from depression after the death of her young sons and a guilty conscience from sins of her past. Arne Gyrdssön: This is one of my favorite characters in the book. He is a fun loving, childhood friend of Kristin who grows to love her as he becomes a young man. Simon Andressön of Dyfrin: This is the son of a neighboring landowner and the man whom Kristin is betrothed to. He is an honorable man and becomes a good friend of Lavrans. Erlend Nikulaussön: This is the knight who meets Kristin while she is still betrothed to Simon. He falls quickly in love with her after their first encounter. He is good-looking, endearing, passionate, but also hot-tempered and wild. Erlend has been excommunicated from the Catholic Church for being in an adulterous relationship. Gunnulf Nikulausson: Erlend’s brother, a priest, and another favorite character of mine. He is a man who possesses great knowledge and virtue. He isn’t afraid to say things as he sees them and will point out the flaws he sees in others, but he always does so out of charity. A Few Excerpts This book is like a long examination of conscience. As you walk alongside Kristin you will have a front row seat not only to her weaknesses and vulnerability, but also those around her. I couldn’t help but pause to reflect on how I struggle with some of the same vices that Kristin expressed. The Wreath, Part II, Chapter Five “She began looking for evidence that other people, like herself, were not without sin. She paid more attention to gossip, and she took note of all the little things around her which indicated that not even the sisters in the convent were completely holy and unworldly." Kristin also had a tendency to cling too tightly to the world. While she had a fiery passion for her husband and fierce love of her children, she needed to learn to loosen her grip on them. The Wife, Part II, Chapter Two When Kristin spoke of her love for her children Gunnulf says to her, “all other love is merely a reflection of the heavens in the puddles of a muddy road. You will become sullied too if you allow yourself to sink into it. But if you always remember that it’s a reflection of the light from that other home, then you will rejoice at its beauty and take good care that you do not destroy it by churning up mire at the bottom”. In his honest efforts to help Kristin see the light of God’s love he reminds her of the gift He gives us of our free will. “If God wanted to, He could take our souls by force; then we would be completely powerless in His grasp. But since He loves us the way the bridegroom loves the bride, He will not force her; if she won’t embrace Him willingly, then He must allow her to flee and to shun Him.” // Gunnulf to Kristin Yet even in our sin, Christ reaches out to us, inviting us back into His embrace. The Wife, Part II, Chapter Four “And so he would have to put his trust in God who judges a man not according to his worth but through His mercy”. // Thoughts from Simon Andressön I’d include an excerpt from Part III, but I’m afraid it might hint at spoilers, so instead I’ll just say that the third book is a culmination of how Kristin uses her free will and what her pleading with the Lord and her answered prayers brought to her. Will she end up with Arne, Simon, or Erlend? How will the strength of the relationship she has with her Father shape her womanhood? Will her mother ever find true happiness? What does Gunnulf have to say to you that might have you running to prayer or reconciliation? It’s all yours to find out, one page at a time. Have you read this novel before? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // Kristin Lavransdatter #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

I am a repeat Facebook deleter. Since I was allowed to have my first Facebook account as a teenager, I have deleted it multiple times. Now, there are days that I am still tempted to remove myself from the social media platform, but then I am reminded of the benefits it provides. The Roses and Thorns of Social Media Facebook has brought me to tears by friends sharing about vulnerable challenges they are working through in their life yet continuing to place their trust in God (things like infertility, miscarriages, depression, cancer diagnoses, etc.). It’s a great place to find out about local events like our library’s story time for kids, concerts in the park, farmer’s markets, and food truck festivals! I also love it for the ways it helps me to take a peek into the lives of my sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews who live a state away! Seeing them in person is always better, but it brightens my day to see my family enjoying the amusement park I grew up going to as a kid, or even seeing them eating popsicles in their backyards! At the same time, the use of social media can be isolating and destructive. We must be vigilant lest we fall into the internet becoming our primary means of socialization and, as Pope Francis says, become “social hermits.” It can be destructive to ourselves by enabling us to so easily compare our lives to others. It can be destructive to our neighbor if we use our online perusing to be a source of gossip or fail to be respectful in our comments or posts. Direction from Dorothy Day The internet allows for anonymity, and this anonymity can be the fuel one needs to make nasty comments online (or maybe honest comments, but made without prudence and charity). There are countless virtual “fights” between people who have never met each other before. This lack of personal encounter makes it easy to cross the line from respect into mockery. Without knowing the background of the brothers and sisters we engage with online, it is crucial to tread lightly. Lead with patience and openness. Give it a few hours or even a couple of days before firing off a post at lightning bolt speed, creating a word storm potentially wreaking havoc. If that comment is still burning inside of you after allowing an appropriate amount of time to pass, pray about how you can offer your opinion with a merciful heart and words inspired by the Holy Spirit. As Dorothy Day said: Everything a baptized person does every day should be directly or indirectly related to the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. These Works of Mercy are our guide to help us serve our neighbor both spiritually and physically. They can also be our roadmap for growing in relationship with others beyond the facade of our screens. Corporal Works of Mercy The Corporal Works of Mercy call us to tend to the basic needs of our neighbor. The Catechism states that these works include feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, burying the dead, and giving alms to the poor. Here are some concrete ways to live out these acts of charity and justice! Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, and Give Alms to the Poor Have you recently seen one of the friends you follow post on social media about serving at a local food shelter or pantry? Consider reaching out to them to find out how you can volunteer your time in the same way. Maybe you could create a Facebook event where you invite others to donate needed items and bring them to your house so that you could drop them off at the pantry or go together for an afternoon of volunteering. Another option is setting up a Meal Train for a friend in need and sharing it (with their permission) on social media! Sheltering the Homeless Similar to the first point, look up nearby homeless shelters and set up a time to go serve and invite some of your friends on social media to join. Or ask your parish if they could create an event on Facebook that you could share on your wall, inviting others into. Another option would be to find a homeless shelter that you would like others to donate to in place of a birthday gift. Visiting the Sick and Burying the Dead Have you seen one of your friends post online about an illness or death in their family? Give them a call to see how they’re doing or write them a note letting them know you are praying for them. Visiting the Imprisoned Around Christmas time, use your Facebook search under “Events” to see if there is somewhere that you can buy and donate gifts for children whose parent/s are incarcerated. Angel Tree is a great place to start. Spiritual Works of Mercy The Spiritual Works of Mercy call us to meet our neighbor’s spiritual needs. “Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently” (CCC 2447). Instructing and Advising People are often asking for guidance on social media. When it comes to those looking for direction, say a prayer for the person you are reaching out to before answering. Then, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the words to say. Consoling and Comforting Instead of just typing, “I’m sorry,” and hitting “send” to the person you see in your life who is going through a hard time, send them a handwritten note via snail mail to let them know you are praying for them and ask them if there is anything you can do to help. Forgiving and Bearing Wrongs Patiently There are many times in our lives when we may feel wronged. Sometimes through the words we read on one of our social media accounts. The next time you find yourself stewing by a comment online, take a moment to pray for patience. As mentioned earlier, hit pause and refrain from posting a reply until at least a few hours have passed. Then go before the Lord and ask Him if he wants you to respond, and if he does, then ask Him how. Which work of mercy has you excited to serve?   [bctt tweet="Why I Still Have Facebook // Social Media + The Works of Mercy #BISblog //" via="no"]

If you ever find yourself in the hustle and bustle of Trafalgar Square in central London, you’ll be surrounded by historic statues and fountains, some built as early as the 1800s. You’ll also find London’s National Gallery, which is open to the public free of charge. It is home to paintings by Raphael, da Vinci, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, and Italian artist Michelangelo Merisi Da Caravaggio (1571-1610). Caravaggio was a Baroque artist who was skilled in creating three-dimensional scenes by using oil and canvas. He was very talented in the “chiaroscuro” technique. This was used to create depth by accentuating the extreme contrasts of light and shadow. Caravaggio used this method in order to bring the viewer face-to-face with the characters in his paintings. He wants the observer to take notice of the intricate details of the expressions on his character’s faces as well as their body language. Caravaggio is known for his tendency to paint biblical stories very dramatically and sometimes grotesquely. Even American Film-Director Martin Scorsese has been inspired by the work of Caravaggio. An example of one of his more intense paintings is Salome with the Head of John the Baptist. Saint John the Baptist This is the John who leaped in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary greeted her cousin after making her long journey through the hill country to Judah. The John who we learn in the first chapter of Mark’s Gospel “appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins…clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey.” He proclaimed to the people that one mightier than he would be coming, one who would not just baptize with water, but would baptize with the Holy Spirit. John’s Imprisonment and Beheading The Gospel account on the Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist speaks of Herod’s arrest of John. Herod had him imprisoned in order to heed the request of his new wife, Herodias, who was formerly the wife of Herod’s brother, Philip. John spoke to Herod about how it was unlawful for him to have his brother’s wife. He was not shy about speaking to Herod honestly. Because of this, “Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so” (Mark 6:19). Despite the fact that John spoke to Herod of his sin, Herod had a respect for him. He did not share his wife’s dislike of the man. Rather, he had a holy fear of John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. He kept him in custody, and though he did not always understand the things John was saying, he enjoyed listening to him. While John was imprisoned, Herod had no intent of killing him. That is… until the day of his birthday party. At Herod’s birthday celebration, Salome, the daughter of Herodias, performed a dance for Herod and his guests. This pleased Herod so much that he told Salome that he would give her whatever she asked for. Herodias suggested to her daughter that she ask for the head of John the Baptist. Under the influence of her mother, Salome made the request and asked that John’s head be brought to her on a platter. This is what is portrayed in Caravaggio’s masterpiece Salome with the Head of John the Baptist. Entering into the Scene The name “Salome” is derived from the Hebrew word for “peace.” However, the Salome we encounter in this Bible story is not a woman who exemplifies the roots behind her name. In the famous use of Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro, we are brought right into the presence of the four characters in his painting. It is as if Caravaggio is trying to push John the Baptist’ head into our view while spilling his blood out of the frame. The Four Characters Executioner // The executioner appears nonchalant and apathetic about the deed which he just carried out. He looks ready to wash his hands of this chore and pass along John’s head to the woman who requested, removing himself from any responsibility. Yet at the same time, there is a slight look of repentance in his eyes, not totally understanding the purpose of what has just been done. He grips his sword in a position where the handle and his hand form the shape of a cross. Elderly Woman // An elderly woman appears in the background with her hands folded. Though her face does not show much emotion, it appears that her hands are clasped together in prayer. Salome // Here is the very woman who asked for the head of John to be served to her on a platter. Despite the haste in which she had her mother’s request made, she can’t seem to turn her eyes towards John’s lifeless face. John the Baptist // We see John’s head at the forefront of the painting, his mouth hanging open. Fitting, as he is the man who is known as the forerunner of Christ. He is the one who spent his life actively preaching about Christ’s coming. What Does It Mean? This image reminds us of the sad indifference that people can have towards Christ. It illustrates to us the distance people have placed between them and morality. John is there to call us out of this indifference saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:2). If we have become lukewarm or detached from our faith, John pleads with us to humbly return to Christ. The elderly woman in this painting has her hands folded in prayer. What is the prayer that you want to bring before the Lord today?   [bctt tweet="Baroque Art and a Beheading #BISblog //" via="no"]

I am in second grade. I breathe in the crisp, fall air and recite the Pledge of Allegiance with my classmates: "...one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Day after day, each of us eagerly awaits our chance to pull the rope which enables the American flag to wave proudly in the schoolyard. But today, the American flag is sometimes viewed as an exclusive and offensive symbol. Anti-Americanism is popular. So what are we to make of the virtue of patriotism? Patriotism vs. Nationalism When it comes to our duties as citizens across the globe, the Catechism speaks of contributing to society through “truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom” (see CCC 2239). No matter our country of origin, we are to love and serve our country with a spirit of gratitude. To be patriotic is to live out the theological virtue of charity and then strive to make each of our countries better. What it doesn’t speak of is nationalism, which would be a disordered love of one’s country paired with hostility towards other cultures and countries. To be truly patriotic means to help one’s country uphold its ideals while also recognizing the dignity of every human person no matter their culture. Nationalism backs the government, even when it goes against morality, while also harboring animosity towards people from different backgrounds. The Founding of an Ideal It is true that there has been a devastating amount of violence and riots in the U.S. over the past couple of years. Our mainstream American culture often stands in opposition to what we believe as Christians. Our government seems broken, petty, and ineffective. Social phenomena like cancel culture, wokeness, and censorship can sometimes make it feel like our freedom of speech and religious liberty are being stolen from us. In light of all of the division, it is natural to ask whether our country is still worthy of admiration and loyalty. Most of us learned about the founding of our nation in school, and with that the the simple yet radical idea upon which it was founded: ...that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. // Declaration of Independence We learned that both at our nation’s founding as well as throughout her history, many Americans have given their very lives in defense of that ideal. What are we to make of this unabashed patriotism of our forefathers? Were they mistaken all along? Is it an idea which was once noble and necessary, but whose time has passed? Or is there more for us to learn? The Keeping of an Ideal I believe the most important thing the Founding Fathers would have to say about the present state of our union would not be the basic ideas of equality, liberty, and God-given rights which they enshrined in our country’s founding documents. I say that not because these ideas are no longer relevant (quite the contrary), but simply because these ideals have more or less won. These principles now sit at the foundation of not only America, but effectively all of the West, as well as many other parts of the world. I believe in our modern world, the trait we need to learn from our Founding Fathers is not the ideal itself, but a willingness to fight to keep that ideal. Benjamin Franklin was once asked by a woman after a session of the Constitutional Convention, “What kind of a government have you given us?” “A republic,” he replied, “if you can keep it.” He knew that, as we can clearly see now, our nation is only as strong as our willingness to remain committed to its ideals. Similarly, John Adams warned that without virtue, “there can be no Republican Government, nor any real liberty.” These men were not merely critics, they were men of action. They didn’t just talk about what our nation ought to be, they debated, argued, fought, and even dueled with each other as they hammered out the details of the United States. The Man in the Arena Just as in every generation, it is easy to be critical. America has flaws. But she has never and will never need citizens who only want to criticize her. In this light, the words of Theodore Roosevelt’s famous “Man in the Arena” speech ring as clear and as true as ever: It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. America needs citizens who will fight for the ideals upon which she was founded, Christians who understand the dignity of every human person to raise their voices, and patriots who are not discouraged by her flaws but enamored by the promise of what she can be. Love of Country C.S. Lewis writes that patriotism is a “love of country.” Hopefully, this love of country pushes us to help her be better. The United States is a nation founded with great ideals. As Americans and as Christians we are charged with upholding these ideals and being worthy of them. In celebration of our country, we can take guidance from John Adams who suggested in a letter to his wife, Abigail, that the day “ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty,” a day celebrated with “Pomp and Parade… Games, Sports,” and “Bonfires.” How will you celebrate the founding of this great nation?   [bctt tweet="The Virtue of Patriotism: Are We in the Arena? #BISblog //" via="no"]

Amoris Laetitia. The joy of love. This is the title of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation which focuses on the love within the family. Just over a year ago, on the Feast of Saint Joseph, he launched the year “Amoris Laetitia Family,” which comes to an end this June during the World Meeting of Families in Rome. This year promulgated because he saw the great witness that the family can be to the world. Within the family one can experience sincere communion when it is a house of prayer, when affections are serious, profound, pure, when forgiveness prevails over discord, when the daily harshness of life is softened by mutual tenderness and serene adherence to God’s will…the family evangelizes by the example of life. To Married Couples Pope Francis expressed a deep desire to show his love and support for all individuals, married couples, and families. He expressed this in his Letter to Married Couples for the “Amoris Laetitia Family” Year. He writes about his recognition that life often brings us out of our comfort zones. Sometimes to roads that may seem unpaved and rocky. Yet our relationship with God holds us steady and carries us on. This letter is pure gold. Planting Seeds of Trust Francis urges parents to be aware of how closely their children watch and observe them. It is to parents that they look to learn what love means and it is our love for which they hunger. How important it is for young people to see with their own eyes the love of Christ alive and present in the love of spouses, who testify by the reality of their lives that love forever is possible. Parents have the blessed responsibility of witnessing to their children the joy of what it means to know and experience God the Father’s love. Through seeing the love shared between their mother and father, children begin to plant seeds of trust in their Heavenly Father. The beauty of this example helps to build up a sense of security in your children. A confidence that they will never be abandoned. [bctt tweet="How important it is for young people to see with their own eyes the love of Christ alive and present in the love of spouses. // Pope Francis #BISblog //" via="no"] Transforming Society The laity is charged with the mission to transform society. This can be done by one’s presence in the workplace and advocating for the needs of the family to be considered. It can also be done through the gifts and talents a couple may share, and by offering those to be used by your parish or diocese at large. I encourage you, dear married couples, to be active in the Church, especially in her pastoral care of families…Never forget that the family is the ‘fundamental cell of society’. The family is a domestic church. Through marriage and family life, Christian values are passed from generation to generation, thus building up the “culture of encounter” which Pope Francis speaks of. Welcoming Jesus Into Your Boat One of the things I love about Pope Francis are the word pictures he paints. He writes about the vocation of marriage in the context of a boat. Marriage, as a vocation, calls you to steer a tiny boat—wave-tossed yet sturdy, thanks to the reality of the sacrament—across a sometimes stormy sea. Though waves may abound, the Sacrament ensures that Jesus is with us amid the storm like in the Gospel of Mark when the winds died down after He got into the boat with the Apostles. Like Peter, we must fix our eyes on Jesus. In doing so, we will find peace to overcome. Problems won’t magically disappear, but He will help us to view them with new eyes. It is in suffering through the storm that we come to know Christ and learn to depend on Him more fully. Forgiveness Pope Francis also acknowledged moments of tension which arise within marriages. Here he advises couples to go before the Eucharist in Adoration, a place of peace and refuge. When one of you is a little angry, take him or her by the hand and force a complicit smile. As hard as it might be, try not to let a spirit of stubbornness settle in your heart. Ask Jesus for the grace to forgive. He knows that our human love is weak and He is waiting for us to call on Him for strength, just as Peter called out to him when he was sinking. Presence and Perseverance Pope Francis ends his letter by asking Saint Joseph to pray for families to have “a creative courage” and for the Blessed Mother to help us practice the gift of being present to others so that we may truly encounter them. Live out your vocation with enthusiasm… your husband or wife needs your smile. Your children need your looks of encouragement. Your priests and other families need your presence and your joy: the joy that comes from the Lord! Reflect on your marriage and family life over this last year. Can you identify moments or seasons of grace in this year of the family?   [bctt tweet="Letter to Married Couples in the Year of the Family #BIS blog //" via="no"]

I tend to keep a constant running checklist and I like to accomplish those tasks ASAP. Sweeping the floor (again), making returns, scheduling appointments… the list goes on. My last Lenten observance was aimed at being more present to my spouse and especially my children. For example, in those weekday morning hours when my to-do list threatens to turn my head away from the captivating eyes of my son and daughter and toward texts to reply to, events to plan, and emails to send. It didn’t come as a surprise on Ash Wednesday, then, when after putting my phone in a removed, designated spot, my morning was suddenly more peaceful. When I chose to be more intentionally present with my children and remain with them, I experienced the grace to let go of the list. Then, the day immediately following Easter Sunday, I justified having my phone beside me all day because I "just had too much that needed to get done." The day didn’t go well. Shocker. So today, I try again and again to focus more on my family than on my tasks. Phone or no phone, to-do list or not, being in the present moment can be hard. Duties do not disappear and they must be carried out responsibly; but I have learned that lists should not be checked off at the cost of losing patience. [bctt tweet="Duties do not disappear and they must be carried out responsibility; but I have learned that lists should not be checked off at the cost of losing patience. #BISblog //" via="no"] [elementor-template id="707561"] One of the blog posts I read regularly is Christy Wilken’s The Work of Motherhood. She speaks of motherhood as sanctifying, writing that “what matters is not how perfectly our days are going according to plan, but how perfectly we are surrendering our plans to Him.” God is God, and I am human. It should seem obvious to surrender my plans to Him. So while I am still working on it, I know that, when I choose to remain, He will bear much fruit, and the fruit will be good. Without me you can do nothing. // John 15:5 When I brush past God, it is as though I am grasping at the fruit on the tree to try to fill my basket before the rainstorm. It is like I am swatting Him away, refusing His help in an effort to pave my own way. In reality, the fruit that I pluck by myself is withered and bruised. // How has surrendering your plans to Jesus born fruit in our own life? // Do you find yourself distracted and fretful when your priorities are misaligned? Have you experienced the opposite, positive fruit?   P.S. Grab this free wallpaper for your phone or computer to remind you of your focus during this summer series (and beyond)!   [bctt tweet="REMAIN Series // The Peaceful Present #BISblog //" via="no"]

When I hear the words “Theology of the Body” (TOB) I think almost instantly of Pope Saint John Paul II as well as people who have devoted their lives to making this great treasure of the Church more accessible. I think of the books I have read on the topic and the conversations which have been sparked because of it. While the Theology of the Body can sometimes be mistaken as what the Church tells us we “can’t” do when it comes to sex, the goal of TOB is to help us understand how our bodies reveal God Himself. It isn’t just for married couples. Books about the Theology of the Body The Theology of the Body teaches us what it means to be human and points to our ultimate vocation: a vocation of love. The book list below will explain how. In The Words of JPII Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body by John Paul II, translated by Michael Waldstein The great work of John Paul II himself must be included at the top of any list about the Theology of the Body. This is the pope who delivered one-hundred and twenty-nine papal audiences on the topic, taking him five years to complete. In these addresses, he spoke about Christ’s spousal love for the Church and how this very real and genuine love is actualized through human relationships and through our gift of self. It’s Not Just About Sex These Beautiful Bones: An Everyday Theology of the Body by Emily Stimpson Chapman For ten years, I’ve been waiting for someone to write a book about the theology of the body that wasn’t just about sex. Emily explains why she wrote These Beautiful Bones, a book that speaks to the beauty of the Theology of the Body beyond the bedroom. In the words of Dr. Scott Hahn, Emily “uses the sacramental lens of the liturgy to explore a wide range of activities in daily life. Whether it’s your eating habits or clothing styles, the dignity of hard work or the pitfalls of pop culture, you will find in this book lots of graceful guidance in living out the physical side of being spiritual.” As she points out, the Theology of the Body is about treating both ourselves and others around us with love and respect, recognizing that they too are made in the image and likeness of God. “Magna res est amor!” // “A great thing is love!” Marriage: The Mystery of Faithful Love by Dietrich Von Hildebrand While he doesn’t focus specifically on the words “Theology of the Body,” Von Hildebrand does write about the role of love within marriage and provides an understanding for why God chose marriage as a symbol for His relationship with us. In less than 100 pages, he shares the right motive for marrying, the difference between marriage’s meaning and its purpose, how marriage reveals God’s love for us, and so much more! He writes that marriage is used as a symbol for God’s love for us: because marriage is the closest and most intimate of all earthly unions in which more than in any other, one person gives himself to another without reserve…in love the partner we love Christ simultaneously. In the beloved, we love Christ. My “Three Stages” For Couples Looking back, I think of three different “stages” of books about the Theology of the Body that my husband and I read throughout our relationship. First Stage Theology of the Body for Beginners: Rediscovering the Meaning of Life, Love, Sex, and Gender by Christopher West I consider this one to be “first stage” because we each read it individually while we were single, and then together when we were dating. It is a wonderful entry-stage book that really takes you into a deep, Catholic understanding of sexuality. In these pages, Christopher West provides the foundation for better understanding Saint John Paul II’s teaching on the Theology of the Body. It also helped my husband and I come to a greater appreciation of one another, to better understand what we were created for, and to deepen our gratitude for the Church and why she teaches what she does. Second Stage Good News about Sex & Marriage: Answers To Your Honest Questions About Catholic Teaching by Christopher West In Archbishop Charles Chaput’s foreword of this book he writes, “...it’s not a theoretical work, nor a textbook. Rather, it’s a source of practical nourishment, because it continually shows that dealing honestly with issues of sex and marriage brings us face-to-face with the whole Gospel message and the meaning of our lives.” My husband and I read this during our engagement and I loved how comprehensive the topics were. Chapters include a focus on: Church Authority Chastity Outside of Marriage Chastity Within Marriage Reproductive Technologies Same-Sex Attraction and more One of my favorite aspects is the Q&A format of the book. I appreciate how honest the questions are and how thoroughly each is addressed. Questions include why there is a widespread misunderstanding that the “Church is down on sex” as well as questions regarding what the Church teaches when it comes to oral and anal sex, masturbation, impotency, and infertility within marriage. Third Stage Holy Sex!: A Catholic Guide to Toe-Curling, Mind-Blowing, Infallible Loving by Gregory K. Popcak, Ph. D. Now we arrive at the “stage three” TOB book that my husband and I read together during our engagement and it’s one I recommend waiting to read with your significant other until then. Despite the fact that this book remains faithful to Church teaching in regards to sexual union, Popcak goes into great detail about it. And while the book offers helpful questionnaires and quizzes, it is probably best to wait until engagement before diving into those deep and intimate questions together. Beyond the questionnaires and quizzes, this book shares real life testimonies from couples who talk about their own experience of sexual intimacy. Stories which include feelings of shame and/or fear of vulnerability, and how they found healing from their past and grew in trust of their spouse and their spouse’ intentions. This book provides the answers for so many questions you might be afraid to ask. What Books about the Theology of the Body Do You Love? I hope that through one or more of these books, you will come to find a deeper and more full understanding of who God created you to be and how He created you to love. What is your favorite book on the Theology of the Body?   [bctt tweet="Best Books about the Theology of the Body #BISblog //" via="no"]