Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we say, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The first half of this prayer is directed toward the Second Coming of Jesus. Continue »

Every day, thousands of Masses are said around the world—and the Lord’s Prayer is recited in every one of them. Millions of rosaries are also prayed around the world every day—and the Lord’s Prayer is recited with each decade. Continue »

What do you think about when you hear the word "invasion"? Do you perhaps recall the invasion of June 6, 1944, when millions of British, United States, and Canadian forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, to liberate Western Europe from Nazi control? Continue »

Scripture tells us that faith is "the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). According to St. Paul, faith creates a desire for God and a longing to be with him, "clothed with our heavenly habitation" (2 Corinthians 5:2). Continue »

Say "invasion," and people shudder. The word conjures up a range of disturbing images: hostile armies, aggressive diseases, identity thieves, pests, weeds, even creatures from outer space. Continue »

This Christmas Mary Lou, my wife, and I are expecting twenty-five family members to visit our Florida home all at the same time. To prepare for their coming, we have undertaken a major housecleaning. And to make more room for overnight guests, we are clearing years of clutter from our "rec" room, which we sometimes affectionately call our "wreck" room. Continue »

About ten years ago, as Advent was approaching, I began to feel that my relationship with God had reached a plateau. Wanting to find deeper meaning in the season, I took one of the Advent calendars provided by our parish which listed each day’s Mass readings. Continue »

1000 hours (10:00 a.m.): I am traveling with a military convoy, making pastoral visits to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment. First stop is their Forward Operating Base (FOB) in a central Iraq town. I set up for Mass in a corner of the busy area where the Marines eat, recreate, and do triage for the wounded. Continue »

The Christmas countdown is on, and people are shopping, planning festive menus, and merrily dashing about. But the season can wear a different face for those of us who live alone -- who haven't yet married (or fear we might never), who have aged and watched our parents die, or who live far from our folks and siblings. Others of us have spouses who are far away, perhaps on necessary business or even in combat. For these and other reasons, we may find ourselves largely isolated in this season of family togetherness. Continue »

Savvy adults know that every minute with young children is an opportunity to communicate values and ideals. They also realize that "teaching moments" don't have to be heavy to be effective. Sometimes, the most powerful lessons slip in unawares. Continue »

Reflect on how you currently celebrate Advent and Christmas. Are you happy with your family traditions? Did you choose them, or did they just happen for no good reason? Do you and your spouse agree on them? Are they focused on Christ? Do they reinforce the values you want to communicate to your children? Continue »

When the street-corner Santa asked Richard and Bernie what they wanted for Christmas, the four-year-old identical twins had their answers ready: "Some Lincoln Logs and a doctor kit and a Lionel Train that makes real smoke." And there was something else. Continue »

My parents had a rule about December twenty-fifth: No one could so much as touch one present until after we had attended Christmas morning Mass together. We five children prowled around the tree, longing to dive into the inviting pile of gifts, but Mom and Dad stood their ground. Though I admit to having been somewhat distracted at those Masses, my parents’ insistence ingrained in us something deep and lasting: It taught us that Jesus comes first. Continue »