From the very beginning of time, when God first created the universe, his intention was that we would all come to him to receive the grace, wisdom, and strength we needed. The Book of Genesis uses the image of the two trees in the Garden of Eden to convey this central truth: The tree of life held all the treasures of his divine plan, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil supported the philosophy that we could decide for ourselves what was right or wrong—we didn't need to be fed and sustained by God. Continue »

Is there a Catholic alive who hasn’t heard or said the words, “This is my cross to bear”? We all have times when we are challenged to face some kind of trial—and to face it in faith and trust in the Lord. Continue »

Every Lent, the church invites us to draw closer to the Lord by taking up the ancient practice of fasting. Every Ash Wednesday, we are urged to return to the Lord “with fasting, and weeping, and mourning” as we turn away from our sins and seek God’s mercy. (Joel 2:12). Continue »

We’re often urged to “pray for vocations.” Almost always, this is meant as an encouragement to ask God for more priests and religious for service to the church. Certainly, this intention is crucial and timely. Continue »

Isn’t it amazing the way Scripture turns so many things upside down? The meek inherit the earth, while the proud are humbled and brought low. It’s only in dying that we find life. Those who are last become the first. Over and over again in Scripture, things are not what they seem, and the more time we spend reading the Bible, the more paradoxes we seem to find. Continue »

I remember seeing a billboard once that showed a graphic portrayal of Jesus suffering on the cross. Underneath was the caption “Be a priest like me.” It was a startling message for vocations. Continue »