Mary’s View of the Passion

The most solemn week of the year has arrived—Holy Week. After the grand drama displayed before us on Palm Sunday, sweeping from Jesus’ entrance on a colt to His entombment, where should we focus our reflections? One of the best … Continue reading

The Heart of Penance

“Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1:15). These words rang out in Galilee when our Lord started his public preaching, and they were heard worldwide last week on Ash Wednesday. Repentance is a definitive turning away from sin, but … Continue reading

Alluring Landscapes

What is it that makes landscapes so alluring? Both photos and paintings of landscapes can hold the attention of a viewer for long stretches. This particular one by John Constable, which hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, … Continue reading

Queen of Heaven, Rejoice!

Easter is a time of rejoicing. Not just on the day itself, or in the octave, but for all 50 days until Pentecost. This is longer than the 40 days of Lent, which is meant to prepare for Easter without … Continue reading

The Paradox of Willfulness

Lent is more than half over, a good time to remember why we carry our cross. We do it to be disciples of Christ, to do His will in our life and not our own. But surrendering our own willfulness … Continue reading

Faith and Ordinariness

Christians have faith in the supernatural and live supernatural lives. So why is it that so much of Christian life seems ordinary? Given the extraordinary experiences of the saints, it may seem that they lived a different kind of life … Continue reading

Spiritual Deafness

We all have our sufferings and problems, but sometimes other people can see better than we what’s wrong with us. For example, the movie Mr. Holland’s Opus stars a music teacher and composer who finds out that his baby boy … Continue reading

Locking Out Jesus

Jesus is the One who holds the keys to Heaven, but there is one door He won’t unlock without permission: the door of our hearts. Christmas is close, and today the Church’s liturgy calls upon Christ as the Key of … Continue reading

The Standing Now

In a few days we will celebrate Christ the King, which anticipates the moment when Jesus returns, time ends, and eternal life begins. But what do we mean by “eternal”? Is it the same sort of eternity as a traffic … Continue reading

The Shackles of Love

In the 2007 movie Juno, a married man waiting to adopt a child gets cold feet. He not only backs out of the adoption, but he also leaves his wife. While he’s working toward this decision, he laments that his … Continue reading