When the Mexican teenager walked into the county jail, he was understandably nervous. More »

You have heard, O Virgin, that you will conceive and bear a son; you have heard that it will not be by man but by the Holy Spirit. The angel awaits an answer; it is time for him to return to God who sent him. We too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion; the sentence of condemnation weighs heavily upon us. More »

A friend was struggling. You could see it in his eyes and in his growing estrangement from his family and from church. I prayed for him, sensing he was headed for deep trouble. And since the need was so great and the crisis so near, I entrusted my friend to the care of St. Nicholas of Myra. More »

Have you ever noticed how good we can be at noticing other people’s weaknesses, while still having a blind spot for our own? Fortunately, God is familiar with this tendency. More »

Ah, Christmas—that joyous, exciting, most wonderful time of the year! It seems that everyone, even the most secular among us, gets swept up in the magic of the season—buying gifts, hosting parties, and decorating their homes. We just can’t wait for Christmas to come! More »

One Christmas I was assisting at the midnight Mass presided over by the pope in St. Peter’s. It was time to intone the Roman Martyrology for the day of Christmas: More »

Advent is all about welcome—about preparing a way for the Lord and being received as members of Jesus’ family gathered at the manger. It’s about recognizing Christ in the people around us and welcoming them as openly as he would. It’s about removing every barrier and obstacle to the Spirit’s work. More »

Every parent knows this scenario: you go into your child’s bedroom and say, “Rise and shine! Time to get up for school.” More »