While all suffering is painful, some suffering seems worse than others. We particularly struggle with suffering that lasts a long time, and can even extend to years. This type of long suffering can sometimes cause discouragement, depression, and may even lead us into the sin of despair.
Category «Living the Catholic Life»
Lack Of Civil Discourse
Our nation has followed a disturbing trend of late. It seems we have lost the ability to practice civil discourse and respect for free expression and exchange of ideas in the public square. This has, at the same time, resulted in an increasing trend of tragic violence to plague our nation. We need Jesus.
Catholic Politicians
Pope Leo XIV addressed a group of French Catholic politicians recently on pilgrimage to the Vatican. He had many good words of advice for them, while he also offered some challenges for them relating to a tendency he sees in many Catholic politicians to separate their faith life from their public life.
A Relationship With Jesus
When the Bible uses the word KNOW, it speaks of a level of intimacy reserved for our absolute closest relationships. To know Jesus is to living in a relationship of divine intimacy with him. It is not enough to know about Jesus, we must know him intimately. And he in return knows us intimately.
Marriage Is The Cradle Of The Future
Pope Leo addressed the Jubilee of Families in Rome and told them that the One Flesh relationship of Marriage is not an unobtainable ideal, but it is instead a measure of true love between a man and a woman, and he future reminded us that families are the cradle of the future of himanity.
Forgive Us Our Trespasses
As we contemplate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord during Holy Week, it is good that we focus for a time on WHY Jesus chose to die for us. He gave Himself totally on the Cross as a free gift, so that we might be reconciled to the Father. That necessarily entails the forgiveness of our sins.
The Lenten Retreat
Continuing in the season of Lent, we have many opportunities for spiritual recollection and examination of self. Taking time to go on a retreat, a brief trip into the desert, can do wonders in making our Lenten journey a beneficial one.
Fasting For Strength
As we enter into another season of Lent, it is always good to remember that what the World tells us gives us strength is not always applicable in the spiritual life. This was demonstrated clearly by Our Lord as he started his public ministry by fasting and spending 40 days and nights in the desert.
Walking In Faith
Many have understood the concept of walking in faith to mean to simply trust in God. While that is true, it also helps to learn how to surrender to God in all aspects of your life. Indeed, very soon we find it is not always easy to give over ourselves totally to the will of God.
A Call To Unity
These have been some very tumultuous and divisive days leading up to and even after the last presidential election cycle. In fact, you could argue that the last few decades have been difficult for our country. Perhaps as Catholics we can see a new way going forward, a way of unity. The love of God compels us to seek and live out this unity in His most holy Name.