Q) I feel like my faith keeps failing. I will have these moments when I feel close to God and strong in my faith, but then I always “crash” and feel nothing. What am I doing wrong?
I was in the town of Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala. With a backdrop of two volcanic mountains and facing one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, it was a picturesque place. It was also where, in 1981, Father Stanley Rother became the first American citizen to be martyred.
Last year's Lent felt as if it never ended. There was not the usual release and elation of Easter as I watched from my laptop at home, instead of with my church family.
Do you remember what it’s like to shake someone’s hand or even give a high-five? Do you remember what it’s like to hug and kiss those you love? We all feel that pain of not being touched.
Many years ago, before my ordination, I spoke with a priest in confession about some trouble I was having in a relationship. The priest listened calmly. Once I finished, he looked up and said in his typical witty fashion, “Sometimes, it’s nice just to go home and look at the pictures on the wall.” He always had a way of making me laugh.
Q) Thank you for the lesson on the particular judgment, Father (Dec. 3, 2020 issue). But the person wrote and asked about the Final Judgment. What is that?