Genius of the Call

A serious diagnosis, untimely death, brutal battles with cancer, and crushing difficulties in mental health, marriage, or finances are all crosses that 2019 brought into the lives of my closest friends and family. Of course, we have covered them in prayers, rallied to offer comfort, and held fast to a hope of healing and restoration, …READ MORE

Today my eyes fell on these words in the Mass readings: “Whoever is begotten by God conquers the world” (Jn 5:4). Conquers the world? Really? As a mother, I do not feel like I am conquering the world. I do not even feel like I am conquering getting dinner on the table tonight. I do …READ MORE

Today marks the beginning of a new year and a new decade—a time of new beginnings, resolutions, goals, and hope. The craziness of the season has died down a bit, the children are enjoying their new toys and the much-needed break from their studies, and we are slowly recovering from all the love poured out …READ MORE

Have you ever wanted to spend time with someone so much that physical discomforts are easily ignored? As a kid, it was one more game with our friends even though we were hot and thirsty and the mosquitoes were biting. When we were older, maybe it was standing in uncomfortable shoes in a parking lot, …READ MORE

The nativity of Christ—when the divine creator of the universe was born onto the stage of human history as a small, vulnerable creature—is incomprehensible to say the least. To me, especially baffling and significant is the fact that God’s choice, from all eternity, was to make his debut in human form amid the mire, stench, …READ MORE

It is hard to get past the saccharine images of Advent and Christmas. It is serious business for me these liturgical days to set aside false piety for the sake of gritty truth. My life is not glossy, but raw and real. And so I need to find the real Christ, however seemingly impious it …READ MORE