Come Away By Yourselves

Jesus shares his compassionate concern for the world with us, his disciples.  To help him feed the crowd, however, we need to give all that we have while receiving everything from him.  Times of crisis are opportunities to put our hope in the Lord God, who made heaven and earth.  

Contemplating the great multitude of saints in heaven, we realize the power of God to change and purify us.  From heaven the saints speak to us of the primacy God should have in our lives.  The purification necessary to be in heaven comes from our acceptance of the cross.  

The ascetical struggle--a true fighting spirit--is a key element of following Christ.  While the Christian's battlefield is mainly an internal one, the goodness of the world itself depends on our willingness to fight against sin and the suggestions of the devil.  To refuse to fight is worse than being defeated, it is to desert ranks and make things worse.  

In the Gospel of John, Jesus promises us "the fullness of joy" if we keep his commandments.   Reflecting on his relationship to God the Father, we can ascertain several aspects of Christ's own joy, a joy which he shares with us.  This helps us to avoid recourse to false joys and teaches us some key ingredients to true happiness.  

Zacchaeus's encounter with Jesus is a great model for our own relationship with Our Lord in prayer.  By overcoming obstacles to meet Jesus, Zacchaeus is rewarded with the joy of Jesus's presence in his life and the experience of a radical conversion.  We too need to identify and confront obstacles to our prayer life, placing ourselves clearly in our Lord's presence.  The payoff is w...

Having the true God as our personal God is a great accomplishment and privilege.  The worship of false gods can take various forms.  In order to be truly human and  to love God as he deserves, we need to identify and cast out our idols.  

Jesus's encounter with the Samaritan woman poses the question of our appreciation of God.  By prayer, silence, study, and conversion we can come to a greater sense of awe and wonder at God's grandeur and presence in our life.  

Although difficult, humility is liberating and beautiful.  Since the truth sets us free, humility is a condition for having Jesus as our savior.  Acceptance of our neediness and limitations is a sure path to trust and love.  

Originally published 8/15/2020. The Assumption of Our Lady is one of God's wonderful works.  It provides an opportunity for us to increase our faith in God and to contemplate our Lady's presence with her Son in heaven.  

Our Faith teaches us that the Holy Mass makes present the sacrifice of Our Lord on the cross.  Keeping this in mind during the Mass and during the day is an effective means of union with Jesus.  

The radical reality and transcendence of God is often forgotten or overlooked.  Remembering and reflecting on the greatness of God is key to understanding our own identity as his children and disciples.  

The Word of God is a powerful reality.   Nourishing ourselves with it through reading, reflection, and prayer is a sure-fire way to change our lives.  

The calling of St. Matthew teaches us about our own Christian vocation.  We need to see Christ look at us, hear him call us, and follow him into a new life with him.  

A poor widow wins Jesus's praise by giving "all that she had to live on." In doing so she becomes radically dependent on God.  Jesus's image of the vine and the branches teaches us a similar lesson.

Jesus compliments Nathanael for his lack of "guile."  Sincerity and authenticity are virtues pleasing to God.  They are also a way to let him love us.  

To love God above all things is to strive to be pleasing to him.  One of the things which delights God is our trust in him.  

On the Feast of St. Josemaria, we reflect on Jesus's presence in our ordinary lives and work.  

The Feast of the Sacred Heart helps us to imitate Christ's love, meekness, and compassion.  

The real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament reveals his humility and his tremendous love for us. 

Christians have always run to Our Lady in difficult times.  Her Visitation to Elizabeth reveals the secret to her greatness.  

When the Holy Spirit descends on Pentecost Sunday he comes as wind and fire.  What does this coming mean for you and I?

Bringing the Ascension to our prayer reveals how much Jesus does for us from heaven.  

As Christians, Christ's presence should touch our entire experience and all of our thoughts. 

During these challenging times patience is a key virtue in our imitation of Christ.  Praying about Christian patience can help us to live it.  

Witnessing Jesus teach the crowds who followed him, we learn the secrets of a deep and resilient joy.