Focus on Faith
A heart that weeps
It is only in the mystery of the cross that our suffering, and our fasting and penances, can truly bear fruit. Jesus seeks to meet us there, show us his heart and share his mercy. He shows us that his heart is one that loves and weeps.
Seek Jesus’ healing in the confessional
Our readings this week are all about being seen. We hear in the first reading that it is not until Samuel sees David that he is able to anoint him and bestow the gifts of the Lord upon him. St. Paul tells us in the second reading that even though we were once in darkness, we are now light in the Lord. Thus, we are to live as children of the light and do the things that are pleasing in the sight of God. Finally, the Gospel tells us that it is not until Jesus sees the blind man that he is able to perform the miracle of restoring his sight. All of these readings show us how important it is for us to be seen by the Lord. While this may seem like a simple point, it is one worth reflecting on in order for us to grow in our spiritual lives.
Despite our sinfulness, Jesus thirsts for us
Chances are, we’re all familiar with this weekend’s Gospel. But did you ever notice that there’s not just one, but two thirsty people at the well?
Consolation and desolation
The Gospel reading for this second Sunday of Lent presents us with St. Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration. Jesus takes Peter, James and John to the top of Mount Tabor, where “he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.”
Letting God love us, no matter what
Q. I sometimes get so down on myself. Even though I want to do good, I keep messing up. The problem is, I know that it is my own fault, so I feel bad about asking God for help.
Don’t go it alone this Lent
In the Gospel for this first Sunday of Lent, we are told that immediately after his baptism, Jesus goes out into the desert, “to be tempted by the devil.” But is that all he is up to for those long 40 days?
When the world becomes too much
I will be showing my age and possibly run the risk of losing many Generation X and millennial readers when I use this example, but sometimes when I feel at the end of my rope, or look around at the state of the world or even look at how my day-to-day life can seem out of control, I often think of a 1970s television show called “Hee Haw.”
Take God’s gift of freedom to next level
Most people would agree that living an ethical life boils down to our personal choices between “good” and “evil.” Others might use different criteria, such as useful or not useful, pleasurable or not pleasurable, etc. Whatever our standards, we value the freedom to identify our own paths as one of the most treasured aspects of being human, and we resist someone else telling us what to do.
Fighting the ‘noon-day devil’ of acedia
Q. I sometimes just wish that I could run away from the life I am living. There is nothing terribly wrong with it, but I get this feeling that I should just leave this behind and try something new. Is this a sign that I should?
Posture during Our Father; Catholic-Jewish wedding
– “Orans” posture during the Our Father
– Catholic-Jewish wedding
Assurance of continuing Christ’s mission
Once a week, I help at an after-school center in my community. The long-standing program, which provides supervision and enrichment activities for disadvantaged children, is a place of pride for the community because it fills an important need for many struggling families. It has become a valuable resource in improving the prospects for their children.
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