Skip to main content
Ever let your tongue create problems for you? If you answered no, surely you must be ready for sainthood. Two years ago, while on retreat at Manresa, I discovered the healing power of the Epistle of James. It was as if the Holy Spirit opened the Bible to the first page and forced me to read. When I did, I discovered a small, concise how-to guide for living my life everyday. Do I always follow it, no. Does it speak the truth, yes. Last week at our small Christian community session, my wife was filled with the Holy Spirit and proclaimed a serious life lesson that I want to share with you as well. She said we should all take a sheet of paper and draw two circles on it. In one circle, we are to place all of the things we can control. The other circle is for things we cannot control. We should then focus on the circle of things we can control. If we are walking with the Lord, that circle will not be very full and we will not be burdened with a heavy load. If you still have not read The Shack (http://theshackbook.com/) make it a priority before the summer is done. Also, I have rediscovered the blessed voice of Kathy Troccoli. Enjoy for yourself (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVqR6kTu8lE&feature=related). Finally, I want to lift up Pope Benedict and ask the Lord God to heal his broken wrist quickly so that he can resume his mission here on Earth. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! (James 3:5)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Praying With The Five Wounds Of Jesus

I am just beginning to dive into the beautiful, ancient devotion to the Five Wounds of Jesus, and I wanted to share a bit of the journey with you. It can feel a little overwhelming at first to look at the Crucifix this closely, but I’ve found such a gentle guide in St. Bernard of Clairvaux . In his Jubilee Rhythm on the Passion, Bernard doesn't treat the wounds of Jesus as distant historical facts or sights to be avoided. Instead, he approaches them with the tenderness of a friend, speaking directly to the feet, hands, side, and face of our Lord. For someone like me who is just starting out, his rhythm teaches that prayer isn't just about reciting words; it’s a holy hide-and-seek. Bernard invites us to literally hide ourselves within these wounds, seeing them as clefts in the rock where we can find shelter when our own lives feel turbulent or heavy. As I start this process, I’ve been practicing what I call gazing and greeting. Following Bernard’s lead, I look at the Crucifix an...

From Fisherman to Foremen: Peter’s First Act as Shepherd

In the immediate aftermath of the Ascension, we see a profound transformation in Peter, moving from the impulsive fisherman who once fled in the garden to the courageous shepherd of the early Church. By standing up in the heart of Jerusalem to deliver his first great "sermon" at Pentecost, Peter is not merely offering an inspired speech; he is stepping into the primordial role of the Papacy. He was specifically commissioned by Christ on the shores of Galilee to "feed my sheep," and here we see that nourishment take the form of the Word. He takes control of a frightened and confused community, providing the definitive interpretation of the Resurrection and anchoring the fledgling Church in the truth of the Gospel. This moment in the Acts of the Apostles reminds us that the authority of Peter was never about personal power, but about the sacred duty of unity and guidance. By taking the lead in the upper room and before the crowds, Peter demonstrates that the "key...

Just War and the Gospel: How Christ and the Catholic Church Define Moral Conflict

The Catholic understanding of a just war begins not with violence, but with the teachings of Jesus Christ, who calls His followers to love their enemies, seek peace, and act with mercy. In passages such as the Sermon on the Mount, Christ elevates forgiveness and reconciliation as the highest ideals of Christian life. At first glance, this seems to stand in tension with the idea that war could ever be morally justified. Yet the Church, drawing from both Scripture and reason, acknowledges that in a fallen world marked by sin, evil can threaten the innocent in ways that demand a response. Rooted in Christ’s command to love one’s neighbor, the just war tradition insists that any use of force must ultimately serve the protection of human life and the restoration of peace. Over centuries, theologians such as St. Augustine of Hippo and St. Thomas Aquinas helped articulate the moral framework that guides Catholic teaching on war. Their insights, later developed in the Catechism of the Cathol...