Joy and Sorrow/Joy and Sadness
“Our modernity thirsts for fun and is quite refined at coming up with ways to amuse ourselves. But having fun doesn’t mean having joy. Fun is often just the feverish fluttering of the wings of a soul stricken by despair. Joy lives by the invincible certainty that its object can never be forcibly taken away—not today, not tomorrow, never. Modernity has lost faith in the very possibility of such joy. Thus, we must remind it all the more insistently that such joy is possible in
Hope
“The Christians who worshipped in that original roofless shrine could look up into the sky, in their imaginations following Christ as He ascended from earth to heaven. There is always something inspiring and uplifting about looking up. The sky is one of the many miracles surrounding us, whether we see it filled with clouds or with stars. Sorrow makes our heads hang down and look towards the earth, while joy lifts up our heads.” (Fr. Lawrence Farley) “Christian hope is the con
Family and Relationships
“A conference participant once asked the speaker, "What is the best way for a father to love his children?" The speaker replied, "The best way for a father to love his children is to love their mother." I reflect often upon that superbly accurate statement. And I think the reverse is equally true: the best way a mother can love her children is to love their father. More than anything else in the world, children need a loving family and parents who support each other, even if
Proud Minded
“The striving of the proud mind to know that which is supposedly hidden from others—the temptation of gnosis, self-deification without...
Dangerous Pride
“…pride is stupidity. Why? Because how can we be proud when everything we have is not ours? How can I be proud of my appearance if God...
Peace
“Christ then appears through shut doors in the midst of them and tells them one thing: ‘Peace be with you.’ For these to be the first...
God's Love
“In shame, the only thing we accept is our failure and the idea that we deserve perpetual punishment….The shame we are speaking of is a...
Freedom (as a gift)
“We relish this concept of unfettered freedom. But, of course, it is absurd, even for a secularist. For whether we choose to admit it or...
Falling Down and Getting Up
“…there’s no reason to be depressed by your shortcomings or discouraged when you fall. Repentance as a lifestyle doesn’t mean that you...
Hearing/Listening
“I am becoming increasingly convinced that in our age of inattention, distraction, and scattered focus, the greatest gift we can offer...