In the opening words of his first encyclical, God Is Love, Pope Benedict XVI quotes words from the First Letter of John, which he says are a kind of summary of the Christian life: "We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us" (4:16). Coming to believe in God’s love, says the pope, describes the fundamental decision of our life. More »

"Peace and war begin at home. If we truly want peace in the world, let us begin by loving one another in our own families. If we want to spread joy, we need for every family to have joy." (Mother Teresa of Calcutta) More »

And now, at this moment, weak servant of God that I am, I must assume this enormous task, which truly exceeds all human capacity. How can I do this? How will I be able to do it? All of you, my dear friends, have just invoked the entire host of saints, represented by some of the great names in the history of God’s dealings with mankind. In this way, I too can say with renewed conviction: I am not alone. I do not have to carry alone what in truth I could never carry alone. All the saints of God are there to protect me, to sustain me, and to carry me. And your prayers, my dear friends, your indulgence, your love, your faith, and your hope accompany me. More »

Readings: Mass during the Day: Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 34:2-9; 2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18; Matthew 16:13-19. More »

In the past, there were two persons of the Trinity whom I loved and experienced and prayed to— the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father, however, was always somewhere in the distance, a person I could not reach. I didn’t feel I was worthy to reach him, nor did I believe that he had time for me. More »

Christians for three centuries have treasured The Practice of the Presence of God—the collection of Brother Lawrence’s letters and conversations in which he reveals the secrets of walking with God at all times. His advice is especially pertinent today, when the hectic pace of modern life often makes it difficult to spend quality time with the Lord.

St. Thomas More is widely known as "a man for all seasons," but he is best known for the final season of his life. A prominent government official when Henry VIII seized control over the church in England, Thomas refused to go along with the power grab. For that, Henry had him executed, in July 1535. More »

But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalm 13:5-6) More »