A Gentle Force: Lessons from Christ as the Lion and the Lamb
Sometimes it seems to me that there are two Jesuses depicted in the Gospels: gentle, meek Jesus and passionate, hard-truths Jesus. Gentle Jesus endured indignities, sacrificing His own rights, while...
Implementing Daily Jesus Dates in Busy Times
There I was, one brisk autumn evening, in the presence of Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. It had been awhile since I spent an intimate moment with Him. Throughout that past...
Scrupulosity: When Catholic Guilt Goes Wrong
The word scrupulous is usually used to describe someone who is extremely thorough and attentive to detail. It’s meant to be a compliment. However, for many Catholics, being scrupulous is...
What My Dad (and George Bailey) Taught Me About Gratitude
One late spring evening in 2015, I found myself curled up in a recliner at my father’s bedside watching It’s a Wonderful Life. For those of you who haven’t seen...
Setting Meaningful New Year Goals
My hope is that you are leaving this year with a sense of love, gratitude, and inspiration, and that you are energized in mind, body, and spirit for all that...
Not the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Loneliness and Loss During the Holidays
Let’s be honest here. The holidays can be hard. Sometimes Christmas is really not "the most wonderful time of the year.” In fact, this season can be a very painful...
How to Make Blessings Bags
Christmas is built upon a beautiful and intentional paradox; that the birth of the homeless should be celebrated in every home. - G.K. Chesterton Do I know the poor? Do...
Carrying the Cross of Infertility Through Advent
My husband, Stephen, and I wanted a honeymoon baby. We joked about it at first, then talked about it excitedly, planning how we might share the news with friends and...
Home for Christmas: Reaching Out to College Students During Holiday Break
Having a break is absolutely wonderful and completely necessary. We tend to be very busy people, constantly filling our schedule with things to do, ways to make money, people to...
Advent and Christmas Traditions to Start as Newlyweds
My first married Christmas was the first one I had ever spent outside of my parents’ house. It was always my own bed that I woke up in far too...
Holiday Survival Tips for the Introvert
For most of us, the words to the popular Christmas carol "It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" sum up pretty accurately how we feel about the the holiday...
Heavenly Peace: Returning to the Source
Every time we participate in Mass, our priests offer us the peace of Christ, we offer that heavenly peace back to those around us, and then we pray for peace...
