The Word Among Us

Lent 2015 Issue

Fasting, Prayer, & Almsgiving

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Publisher's Letter

The Wings of Prayer

St. Augustine once said that fasting and almsgiving are the two wings that we need for our prayer to rise up to God. It makes sense, doesn’t it? More »

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

When You Fast . . .

“Next week is Ash Wednesday,” said the mother to her three young boys. “This year, we’re going to give up candy and ice cream for Lent.” “Aw, Mom,” the youngest one replied, “we already give these up every day between bedtime and breakfast. Isn’t that enough?” More »

Draw Near to God

Can you remember when you went on your first date? You wanted everything to be just right—your hair, your clothes, the place where you met. You wanted to do everything you could to build a relationship with this special person. More »

Your Father Will Reward You

St. Augustine once said that fasting and almsgiving are the two “wings” that help our prayer fly up to heaven. An image like this gives us the idea that denying ourselves and caring for the poor are closely related and that together they can give a powerful thrust to our spiritual lives. By helping us put aside selfishness, they make it easier for us to focus on Jesus and the selfless love he wants to build up in us. More »

Let Works of Mercy Be Our Delight

Dearly beloved, we have been taught by our Redeemer, “Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word of God,” and so it is right that all Christians, no matter how much they fast, should cultivate the desire to satisfy themselves with the “Word of God” rather than bodily food. More »

Special Feature

Seize the Grace!

Sometimes it seems like changing bad habits takes forever. But is that an illusion? Is change fast, or is it slow? More »

Baby Steps to the Altar

Have you ever felt the Holy Spirit leading you to do something that seemed ridiculous? That happened to me one day as I sat in the waiting room of a doctor’s office. I sensed an inner prodding that I have come to recognize as the way God speaks to me. He seemed to be saying, “I want to bring this doctor to myself. I will work through her, and she will do great things for me.” More »

Penance behind Bars

On Good Friday 2013, I got in my truck and started driving. I had some serious thinking to do. Over the next three days, alone with my thoughts, I covered more than a thousand miles—all the way from my home in southern New Jersey to Detroit, Michigan, and back. More »