Running the race with perseverance doesn’t always involve running. Sometimes, running the race simply means moving forward. St. Joseph certainly did a lot of walking. From Nazareth to Bethlehem to Egypt and back again. He is a model of faith because he keeps walking, even in the dark. So here’s to saying yes to God, to walking and moving forward even if (when?) doors are slammed in your face.
Happy Leap Day! Given this day comes around once every four years, I am excited to use (or abuse) the occasion to ask you to take … wait for it … a leap of faith with me. Read more about this call from God that has me completely energized and absolutely terrified all at once. It’s called The Well: An Encounter for Women.
Feeling tired? Limping along? Thanks to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and a sweet five-year-old, I was reminded that sometimes we simply must allow the Good Shepherd to give us a piggyback ride for a while.
While reading the daily Mass readings on the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, I was struck not so much by Saul’s dramatic conversion rather by Ananias’ faithfulness and obedience. St. Ananias reached out to me so forcefully that I declared him my February Saint of the Month right then. Here’s what he’s teaching me about developing a close relationship with the Lord.
Before I move on from my January saint of the month and share February’s, here are a few thoughts resting on my heart inspired, in part, by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. It’s a confluence of ideas, of sort — Old Testament figure meets the first American-born saint who then collide with a pop culture icon. Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but work with me here.
We often tell the story of how we met, but do we ever wonder why we met? If God has a plan your life, and He brought the two of you together, God must have a plan for your marriage, too. What is it?
So how is Catholic school treating your family? That’s the question Joel and I have received a lot since enrolling our oldest child in Catholic school and not homeschooling this year. Given it’s National Catholic Schools Week, the time seemed right to offer a response to that FAQ.
Ever say YES! enthusiastically to something and then wonder, “What made me think I ought to agree to that request?!” When the lovely Southern Belle Mrs. Erin Franco came knocking on my door, asking me to chat on The Right Heart podcast, I eagerly accepted her invitation. I didn’t think twice, even though we hadn’t yet decided … [Read more…]
It’s that time of the year when many of us enlist the help of an online saint generator to randomly select a saint who journeys with us throughout the year. Rather than journeying with one random saint this year, I’ll walk with at least twelve. Think of it as a saint of the month club. My January saint of the month is Elizabeth Ann Seton – daughter, wife, mother, widow, friend and the first American-born saint.
At the time Israel was being conquered, the prophets were proclaiming the coming of a savior. Imagine the longing of the Israelites to believe this message, which must have sounded too impossible to believe. Deacon Joel shares his homily for the Fourth Sunday in Advent.