Know - Grow - Go

Generally in the world we think of peace as an absence. They used to say, ‘Visualize world peace’ and they mean nations not fighting each other. But that is not what Christ is talking about — not an absence of conflict or struggle. It’s a presence; it’s something that can be with you. That’s the peace Christ comes to give us. We can’t say, ‘May an absence be with you.’ It’s a presence within us. It’s a way of being. And that way of...

The way we enter into the divine life – and the way we experience the joy and the sense of purpose that come from God – is by fixing our gaze on Jesus, who reveals to us the Father. Real life consists not in fixating on ourselves, but in forgetting ourselves, in letting go and losing ourselves in service to God and one another.

Below is a photo of Rublev's icon of the Holy Trinity, which is displayed in our parish.

Readings at...

When we praise God in the midst of our storms, we’re declaring that He is still in control – that darkness has not overcome the light. Praise pushes back against the darkness and becomes both a weapon and shield, guarding our hearts from anger, hate, resentment, and the desire for revenge or retaliation. It’s okay to cry out or be angry with God; He can take it. Even Jesus sweat blood in His anguish. By reaching out to God in our p...

When you find yourself confronting something new or something seemingly out of control, and you wish your life was different or that things could just continue like they always have — resist that thought. Resist. Remember: God has known about this time and this situation from all eternity, and He’s known about you from all eternity, and He’s chosen this time and this place for you – from all eternity.

Readings at this Mass: Acts ...

The first and most important job of the Pope is to help us walk together, as brothers and sisters of the Lord. St. Augustine is our guide here. He said, “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. And in all things, charity.” So, pray for the cardinals this week. Pray for an open and gracious heart. And pray, too, for our new Pope, whoever that will be. Being Pope is a weighty burden. Let’s help our new Holy Father to carry ...

Our Lord made the journey to Mount Calvary to take on the sins committed by every human being in the past, present, and future. Tonight, as we journey with Him, is the night to recommit ourselves to live out our identity as Christians; to yearn for the Eucharist, the life-giving and eternal food; and to lay down our lives for one another in service, forgiving faults, and creating peace.

Readings at this Mass: Is 52:13—53:12 | Heb...

Jesus' ambiguous answer to the question of who He was should also be a challenge for us: do we call Him our King, our Savior, our God? Do we see Him in all moments of our lives? In whatever way we suffer, do we unite our suffering to that of His? Or do we glorify Him only in the good moments, and put the blame on Him when we are suffering, when we are alone and afraid, when we feel abandoned and rejected?

Readings at this Mass: L...

Judgment is a very dangerous thing. I’m not talking about judging choices, attitudes, or actions, but judging hearts. Condemning and dismissing others. Ridiculing and dehumanizing them. Using them. When we do that, we put ourselves in God’s place — and God takes that very seriously. Only God can judge the heart, because only God can see the heart. Let’s remember that when we’re angry or frustrated or annoyed this week — for the sak...

Our heavenly Father is always seeking us out. He made us for communion with Him and with one another. And when we sin, we break that communion. That’s why every Mass begins with a confession of sin — not because we’ve already made everything right, but because turning back to the Father opens the door for His embrace. God offers us second chances (and third, and fourth, and as many as we need) to come to our senses and return to Hi...

Praying, fasting, and almsgiving are the remedy for inner peace, helping us to imitate the good things that belong to God. Putting effort into praying, fasting, and almsgiving assists us in staying constant in our relationship with God, while also strengthening our conscience, soul, mind, and heart to be always at ease and in peace. If we consistently and intentionally fertilize our soul, our mind, and our heart with these three di...

Fr. Columba Jordan notes that most of us have little pauses in our day that pop up naturally: we're stopped at a stoplight, waiting for the kids to get out of practice, waiting in line at Starbucks, etc. Those are opportunities when we can practice turning our attention inward for just a minute or so, to listen to God. It’s not much at first, but when you make this a habit, you start to become aware of God’s voice.

Readings at th...