Joy is not the absence of suffering, but the presence of God (Pope Leo XIV). Even though the Church continually invites Catholics to live in
When you hear someone described as a “Scrooge,” that means miserly, miserable, and greedy, right? Well, the other side of Ebenezer Scrooge – the way
There is an old saying that ‘comparison is the thief of joy.’ Comparison slips quietly into our hearts the way a pickpocket moves through a
Even though the Catholic Church continually invites Catholics to live in the Resurrection, many of us cling to our suffering; we don’t know how to
My brothers and sisters, I have the best news you could ever have or hear: Jesus is Lord over all! Jesus is Lord over the
In my deepest wound, I saw your glory and it dazzled me (Saint Augustine). Most people assume they will automatically feel cheerful during Christmas. Not
I don’t mean to be a curmudgeon, but oftentimes, I don’t feel like rejoicing when I enter the House of the Lord. God knows we
The most famous ambassador of a childlike spirituality is St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a Carmelite nun who lived in the late 1800s. St. Thérèse defined
Only the humble can travel with Jesus through Good Friday and Holy Saturday to receive joy on Easter Sunday. As Jesus reminds us in the
January is almost my favorite month of the year. It doesn’t have October’s bright leaves or brisk weather – up here in Maine January is
When we suffer trials and tribulations, we don’t feel joyous. In fact, we experience anything but joy. We may be in panic mode or simply
This December, a series of daily Advent, devotional postings is running from December 1st to December 25th. Journey beside Mary, the Mother of God, as she
Joy, which was the small publicity of the pagan, is the gigantic secret of the Christian (G.K. Chesterton). The first time my husband and I
I teach English to International Students. I had to teach one lesson explaining the difference between the pronunciation and meaning of the words wonder and
Easter reminds us that as a result of Christ’s death on the Cross we are all called to die to ourselves – to our old
Only the humble can travel with Jesus through Good Friday and Holy Saturday to receive joy on Easter Sunday. As Jesus reminds us in the
Joy and happiness are all too fleeting and many children of God are unable to enjoy either. Daily struggles affected/created by human frailties, illness, poverty,
A wonderful retreat master, a holy priest, told our retreatants’ group that we all seek two things in this life—joy and love. Lacking in either
The idea of emotional capital comes from the business community of deposits and withdrawals of money. The more dollars we put into the bank, the more
As I type out these words on this feast of St. Stephen, I do so with much gratitude and amazement. It is my twenty-fourth article
I grew up in the Philippines, where Christmas music hits the radio airwaves as soon as the first “ber” month comes. Yes, as early as
Is Advent a penitential season? Yes, it is. No, it isn’t. Well, maybe it ought to be again. The answer you get depends, I suspect,
