I’ve been thinking a lot about sacrifice and self-denial lately, maybe because it’s Lent, the season where we meditate on the ultimate sacrifice of Christ for us. Whatever the reason, I have felt drawn to do more and to go further in this practice of sacrificial living. But the deeper I dive into sacrifice, the […]

Jesus gives us a tall order in the Gospel today: “Be merciful … Stop judging … Stop condemning … Forgive … Give …” (Lk. 6:36-38). Well, ok, mercy, acceptance, understanding, forgiveness, generosity — we know that practicing these things in our daily lives is part of being Christian. And we all try our best to […]

Lent is here. And with it comes the opportunity to change your life. The Lord goes into the desert for forty days to fast and pray, to be in solitude with His Father, to prepare Himself for the road to Calvary. Lent is the time when the Lord asks if we will join him there, […]

Lent begins in two days and I am beyond excited. With my overzealous personality, I usually dive right in and give up all sorts of things — TV, music, mirrors, and whatever else I can think of! This year though, I’ve really been praying more about what the Lord wants for my Lent. What has […]

This past week has been full of what I like to call “martyr days” —  liturgical commemorations of various saints who have given their lives for Christ. One of my favorites is of St. Paul Miki and his companions, a group of 26 Japanese Catholics who were crucified at Nagasaki in 1597. Their story is […]