When the annual year-end lists of best selling books came out, I was thrilled to see that The Shack was still on there. I have written about the transforming power of this book in the past. I have given this book to many of my family members and urged them to read it. Most of them agreed that Willie Young's writing is powerful and each of them had a story to tell. I think that is what marks good fiction or writing of any kind. Once you have finished reading the book, it makes you continue to think. It makes you react. Hopefully The Shack is bringing more people to the Holy Trinity. With over 10 million books in print, it is apparent that Willie is bringing the Lord to a lot of people. I was also excited to see that the beatification of Pope John Paul II will take place on May 1. As you probably know, this is the last step before possibly having John Paul II declared a saint. What was really interesting was how excited Pope Benedict XVI was when he made the announcement. As someone who lived through the entire period of John Paul's leadership, I can say that his ascension cannot come fast enough. He was the face of God throughout his time on earth. His personal example left little doubt that he was definitely listening to God each and every day. I pray that God sends us more saintly examples like John Paul II and that more people accept the mantle of being Christ-centered in a world that is hurting and searching.
Born during the turbulent era of the French Revolution, Saint Jeanne Jugan rose above hardship and a lack of formal schooling to become a profound vessel of Christ’s mercy. After losing her father at a young age and working through her youth as a kitchen maid and nurse, her life radically changed one freezing night when she encountered a blind, paralyzed elderly woman with nowhere to go. Jeanne carried the woman back to her own home, placed her in her own bed, and began a lifelong mission of radical hospitality. This act of profound love blossomed into the Little Sisters of the Poor , a thriving community dedicated to sheltering and honoring the destitute elderly. Despite later facing heavy trials—including being unjustly sidelined and stripped of her leadership by a controlling chaplain—Jeanne accepted her obscurity and exile with a joyful spirit, resting her complete trust in God's hidden providence until her death in 1879. In our daily lives, Saint Jeanne Jugan invites us to lo...
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