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As the Carmelite monks chanted psalms in their church across the courtyard, the head cook labored in the monastery kitchen. There, against the background hiss of boiling water and the steady beat of his knife against the chopping block, stood a middle-aged man—a lay brother whose duties prevented him from joining the others in prayer. More »
“Life is just one big disappointment after another,” Therese thought as she trudged down the stairs to the campus post office. “Here I am, at my second-choice college. Here I am, with one of my horrible migraines. Here I am, a failure at pursuing a religious vocation. What’s next?” More »
While visiting a farm, I remember being asked to retrieve water from a spring nearby. I will never forget stepping down into a cool, dank cave, its walls dripping with moisture. The atmosphere, dark and mysterious, was so pervasive that the cave felt alive, like an extension of my skin. More »
At the Last Supper, Jesus summed up the whole of his life in an act that is inscribed in the great paschal blessing to God, an act that he lives as Son in thanksgiving to the Father for his immense love. More »
Go outside on a clear day and look at the sun. See how generously it pours light upon the whole earth. More »
“I didn’t sign up for this,” I grumpily muttered to myself one day not long ago. I forget what the problem was—something must have been going badly at home, at work, or just in my daily routine. More »
Sickness in a family member is often a catalyst to seeking extra prayer. Such was the case in the summer of 2001 when a member of my family began to experience severe depression. I called Deacon Al O'Brien, director of the prison ministry for the Beaumont Diocese in Texas, and asked if he knew of a prisoner who could pray for Michael. Since I became director of the Partners in Evangelism prison ministry in 1998, I have found Deacon Al's experience and wisdom invaluable. I call him my "mentor." More »
What could possibly have motivated the wise men to leave their homes and undertake a long, hard desert journey? More »