Today, we celebrate the feast day of St. Patrick, missionary, teacher, Bishop of Ireland. He was filled with zeal for the Lord at a young age. He often spent hours upon hours in prayer while going about his daily duties. Born in Britannia, he was captured by Irish pirates and made to tend sheep as a slave in Ireland. He escaped some six years later and returned home. it was back home that he heard the calling of the Lord and dedicated himself to missionary work as a priest. he felt called to return to Ireland to convert the Druid people to Christianity. Legend tells us it is here in…

Faith, hope, and charity. All are innately given to us by God. These theological virtues, when cultivated, enable us to encounter God more fully in our everyday ordinary lives. Furthermore, they give us the ability to continue on in the journey of life through good times and bad. The virtue of hope is one that can often be disregarded as folly or wishful thinking, but it in itself stems from Divine origin as Jesus so beautifully illustrated in His resurrection. It is hope in the resurrected Lord that allows us to hope for our own resurrection and share in the Heavenly Kingdom.What are you hoping for this Lenten season? A…

It is amazing how our world has changed literally overnight. More and more businesses are shutting down, schools are closing for several weeks, and we are being encouraged just about every where we look to hunker down and stay at home….for the next few weeks! Can this be real?Several churches around the world are giving dispensations for folks to stay home and worship God as best you can within the communities of your families rather than the usual communal gathering. You may be wondering how to do this? There are several masses being televised across the globe. EWTN will be broadcasting as will several Youtube channels. You can find the readings…

Preppers. Men and women who feel the need to prepare themselves and their families for an impending danger of cataclysmic proportions. These individuals are hard at work collecting, building, re-purposing, and even engineering ways to uphold a standard of living, basic as it may be , when life as we know it ceases to exist. Whether by means of a natural disaster, world war, economic crash, or ‘zombie’ apocalypse, they men to have what it takes to survive and thrive. Over the past 10 years or so, it seems that every year brings a new calamity and with it the certain annihilation of the general populous. From H1N1 and swine flu,…

Priests, prophets, and kings. These three vocations are what we are called to when we receive Baptism. While most of us will never rule a nation as a king, nor take the sacred vow of priesthood (continue to pray for vocations), we are all EXPECTED to become prophets. What does it mean to be a prophet? Hans Walter Wolff, a leading expert in biblical prophecy offered this definition: “…the people in our midst who inform us of the future implications of our present actions.” Since the beginning God has divinely inspired men and women to bring His message to His people. While He chose to impart private revelation to some,…

Fear, more often than not it is what motivates us and calls us to action. We go to work for fear of losing our jobs, we perpetually say ‘yes’ to projects and events for fear of being disliked or excluded, we overprotect our kids for fear of them being hurt, the list goes on. While non of these actions are necessarily bad, we should stop to reflect just why we respond this way and then seek out a better resolve. Blessed Padre Pio had a suggestion for dealing with fear, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.” It seems simple enough in theory, but how does it translate to practical application within…

“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted” MT 23:1-12. Humility, one of the greatest virtues. The ability to recognize that there is one bigger than ourselves, God, and to live accordingly. As we reflect upon our own lives this Lent we may notice some darkness, some areas of sinfulness that we need to address. Admitting that we have made mistakes takes humility. Going to confession is a great act of humility, one rewarded 100 fold by the grace of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Many great saints down through the ages have spoken and written about humility and how it is essential to earning our…

Scripture is such a wealth of spiritual goodness! Yesterday’s Gospel selection was no exception. We read from Luke ch. 6 verses 36-38. Jesus is instructing His disciples on the way in which they are to live. He gives them a very brief but morally stout charge; to be merciful, to pass no judgment or condemnation on anyone, and to share their gifts with others. It is in this passage that Jesus says “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”It’s the golden rule, isn’t it? Treat others the way you want to be treated. It’s the greatest commandment, love your neighbor as yourself.…

I am begotten by God. You are begotten by God. Everyone here today, and those that have already been called back home, are and were desired by God. I am often awestruck by this reality. Theologians have determined that God exists outside of linear time. With that in mind, imagine God seeing all of eternity in a single moment and deciding that his perfect plan was/is only made so with you and I a part of it. Just let that sink in for a moment……is your mind blown yet? God wants us! We help to complete His plan. He values and loves us so much that he could not image an…

“Lord, it is good that we are here.” These are the words Peter speaks to Jesus in our Gospel selection today MT 17:1-9. I wonder, do we feel like we can say the same as Peter? Are we glad to be on this Lenten journey, here and now? Today is a day for examining this question. What are we looking to “get” out of Lent this year? The church sets this season apart as a time for prayer, fasting, and alms giving. It is not to punish us or make us miserable, rather, it is to draw us closer to our Lord in the same manner in which Jesus drew…