Gazing upon the crucifix helps us grow in virtue
Almost 11 years ago during a semester abroad in Rome, some classmates and I opted for a day trip to Orvieto, Italy. We visited the Orvieto cathedral, praying in front…
Let grief refine you into a person of hope
In the five months since the passing of my father, I’ve come to learn that grief is a process of searching. It is searching through photos on my computer for…
Understanding what humility is — and what it’s not
“You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gn 3:19). These words, often heard on Ash Wednesday, were originally spoken by God to Adam after Adam ate the forbidden…
Finding living water in the desert of Lent
When I think of Lent, I think of self-denial, misery and general suffering often made manifest in cold showers and dessert-less meals. After the indulgence of the Christmas season, and…
How to live a ‘little’ Lent
Every year when Lent rolls around, we find ourselves facing the same question: “What should I do to live this season well?” In Stephen Covey’s famed book “The 7 Habits…
Let God transform the love in your heart
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year” I once relayed to my classes on Ash Wednesday. Not surprisingly, my students met my remark with questions, less-than enthusiastic responses, and…
The 90-day Lenten challenge for women
With Lent nearly upon us, it’s time to start praying and discerning which practices the Holy Spirit is calling us to in this season. Some years, especially those in which…
Praying with the Seven Sorrows of Mary
I was raised Southern Baptist, with an aversion to the Catholic faith. When I met and fell in love with a Catholic Marine, I was as horrified as my parents….
How to find joy in Easter when you feel forgotten by Jesus
It’s Easter. But maybe it doesn’t feel like Easter to you. Maybe you’re still in your own Gethsemane, weeping, feeling alone in your agony. Maybe you’re still on the cross,…
Carrying the cross: A reflection on suffering
Suffering. Every human being experiences it at some point in this life. Rich or poor, old or young, male or female, it makes no exceptions. Grief, disease, anxiety, guilt, hunger…