When you think of a king, who is the first person to pop into your head? It may depend on how much history you know, or which historical period intrigues you the most. As Americans, the first person we might think of is King George III, whose reign has become synonymous in our national lore with the concept of tyranny. We don’t have much familiarity with kingship in modern American society. Kings tend to make us uneasy. Presidents, on the other hand — we can handle those, because we know we are a president’s boss. No matter how much power he has, we are the electorate. We are the source of th ..read more

“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place.” Looking at these words, I have to wonder. Am I reading the Bible or today’s newspaper headline? It’s never easier to despair than when you glance up and take a good look at what’s going on in the world: disasters, natural and contrived, wars, resentments, rivalries, and divisions. It is almost too much sometimes, isn’t it? The twenty-four-hour news cycle doesn’t help. Add social media and it’s enough to push anyone into a nervous breakdown. When you fin ..read more

“Sic transit gloria mundi,” is what they used to say at papal coronations. “So passes earthly glory.” Everything is fleeting. Nothing is here to stay. But in reality, some things are forever. Our actions on earth do have the potential to reverberate in eternity. Everyday Stewardship is a lifestyle that embraces what will last. It is being aware of how our choices and our actions can be received by God, and through His grace, amplified to showcase His glory. Your great-grandparents were married for 60 years. Maybe they shared the greatest love anyone in your family has ever seen, and maybe the ..read more

It seems to me that Zacchaeus may have gotten more than he bargained for when he scaled that sycamore tree. We can only speculate as to what the original intentions of the wealthy tax collector were. We know he wanted to see Jesus, of course — but what does that mean? Was he simply curious about this famous and controversial man? Was he moved by what he heard of Jesus’ teachings? Was he trying to catch a glimpse, or to get close? Whatever his initial motivations, we can safely assume he did not expect Jesus to look up and say: “Get down. I am coming to your house today.” I often find myself t ..read more

If you roll your eyes at the mention of the term stewardship, it’s probably because, in the modern Church, stewardship has become something of a corporate buzzword. It’s often used interchangeably with the concepts of financial endowment and volunteerism. What’s wrong with supporting your parish monetarily? What’s the issue with giving of your time in service and ministry? Nothing at all, in fact — we should all be doing more of these things. But as we do them, we should be constantly asking ourselves the all-important questions: Why am I doing this? How am I doing this? For whom am I doing t ..read more

As the seasons change, a lot of us like to clean out our homes and unload some of the junk we’ve acquired over the summer. One trendy approach to decluttering is the Marie Kondo method, named after the author who popularized it. Overly simplified, it’s a process that compels you to go through your closets, your garage, your basement — all the places you collect the dreaded “stuff.” As you do so, you hold up the items and ask yourself: “Does it spark joy?” It’s a question that is bold in its simplicity. In answering, you’re supposed to go with your gut. If it’s a quick “Yes, it sparks joy,” th ..read more

When you work in the Church, professionally or on a volunteer basis, you become familiar with the phenomenon known as “the zeal of the recent convert.” Sometimes, it really seems that the newly baptized are just stronger Catholics than the cradle Catholics. They smile more at Mass. They are awestruck by the Eucharist. They come out of the confessional beaming. It’s not that they are naive. It’s not that they are in some honeymoon phase of religion, living outside of reality. It’s simply that they remember. They remember what it felt like before the Eucharist or before Confession. They recall ..read more

You’ve probably heard the phrase “Be careful what you wish for.” In my experience, it’s not often utilized with a lot of charity. You usually hear it said as a warning. The unspoken sentiment behind it is this: You’re not as strong as you think you are. As Christians we shouldn’t be surprised to look ourselves in the mirror and own that reality. We are not as strong as we may think. We are time and time again shocked and dismayed by our own weaknesses, our own fears, our own shortcomings. Should we be careful what we wish for? The apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith, and He told them ..read more

Picture it: family game night. What are you playing? Monopoly? Clue? Chess? Poker? Whatever your game of choice, I’ll bet the night is a lot more fun when everyone tries their best to win. Sure, no one likes an obnoxiously competitive opponent — but if we’re being honest with ourselves, it’s actually more annoying to face off with someone who just doesn’t care. A little competition gives the activity a pulse. It keeps everyone interested. It speaks to the worthiness of the endeavor. We are told to “compete well for the faith.” These are confusing words, perhaps, since cutthroat competition do ..read more

Most people don’t intend on being selfish. The reality of selfishness usually lies in the grey shades of our decision-making. We would never go out of our way to kick a homeless person begging by the highway exit. We would never steal money from our parish collection plate. But would we drive past the homeless person without even extending a thought or a prayer toward his need? Would we justify stinginess in time, talent, and treasure because of our own comfort? We all have been guilty of transgressions such as these in the past. We will fall again in the future. Most of the evil in this worl ..read more