What does it mean to have the heart of a servant? It can be fascinating to dig into the history of a word. Nowadays we tend to equate the word “servant” with “slave,” and that is indeed a popular meaning. But the word is very old and has had manyContinue Reading
“Forgiveness is a habit, and like all habits it is one we need to practice” Forgiveness comes hard to our human nature. It is difficult, but not impossible. As Christians we are called to listen to the “better angels of our nature.” But we often fail at this. God gaveContinue Reading
“why don’t you become a missionary?” Saint Katherine Drexel On March 3, we celebrate the feast-day of Saint Katherine Drexel. The name is probably familiar to many Americans as the Drexel family name is till with us today in the form of Drexel University. Drexel University was founded by AnthonyContinue Reading
“When we make others happy, we experience the joy that human beings are meant to experience.” The Perfect Gift Have you ever found the perfect gift for someone, the gift you knew would delight that person like no other? I was once shopping for a birthday gift for a friend.Continue Reading
“In Baptism we are born again, the sanctifying grace that God intended for us to have is restored to us.” Death and Rebirth In 1995 neurologist Oliver Sacks published a book titled “An Anthropologist on Mars.” In the book he discusses a man named Virgil. Virgil was born blind butContinue Reading
“We are called to think big, to think beyond the need that we see immediately before us” A Limited Vision The 1965 film “The Agony and the Ecstasy,” wherein Pope Julius II clashes with Michelangelo, is a wonderful reflection on faith, inspiration, and the trap of thinking small. For artistsContinue Reading
“To go out into the wilderness is to leave behind our attachment to our everyday world.” Why the wilderness? The Lost Inca City Back in the “golden age” of archaeology (think Indiana Jones,) an archaeologist set off for South America to track down a “lost” Inca city. It wasn’t reallyContinue Reading
“our primary work then is to preach the Gospel, if we do this well, the rest will follow.” What is this time of Advent truly about? A Revolutionary War Lesson During the revolutionary war, a spy, loyal to the British cause, learned that Washington had crossed the Delaware River duringContinue Reading
“In the final accounting it will all come down to whether or not we have learned the true meaning of love.” The Seven Works of Mercy In 1607 the church of Pio Monte della Misericordia in Naples approached the Renaissance painter Caravaggio about a commission. They asked for a seriesContinue Reading
“Each sings a song, and helps to make music for the world.” Saint Teresa of Calcutta What is the purpose of the gifts, talents, and abilities that have been bestowed upon us? Saint Teresa of Calcutta was once staying with a community of sisters working with the Aborigines of Australia.Continue Reading