Read & Reflect
Articles, reflections, news, and homilies — thoughtful Catholic content for the faithful, published regularly.
Spirituality
Spirituality
When Nothing Seems to Be Happening: Lessons from St. Monica on Patience and Perseverance
A worthy wife brings joy to her husband, peaceful and full is his life…Be he rich or poor, his heart is content, and a smile is ever on his face. (Sir. 26:2-4) St. Monica was a good and generous wife and mother, and we imagine there was a certain paradoxical peace and steadfast trust in her heart am...
Spirituality
AI Chatbots Are Hell
Describing hell is no fun task. Often, images of fire and pits, provided by Christ and portrayed in art throughout the Church’s history, come to mind. Yet, these images are allegories or metaphors (good ones of course!) which try to represent how terrible hell is. We know these images are metaphors...
Spirituality
The Child Is Never the Problem: IVF, Human Dignity, and the Pastoral Challenge Before Us
A few years ago, while teaching a class on bioethics and Christian anthropology, I explained the Catholic Church’s teaching on In Vitro Fertilization, “IVF” (literally “Fertilization in glass”). I discussed the dignity of human procreation, the meaning of the marital act, and the moral concerns surr...
Spirituality
Overcoming Anger with the Virtue of Meekness
One of the most misunderstood virtues we are called to foster is meekness. In Matthew’s Gospel, the Lord invites us to a life of meekness when He teaches: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of h...
Spirituality
The Right Tools Make All the Difference, Part 1
I am consistently engaged in a never-ending series of home upkeep projects, because I want to be a good steward of the gifts God has granted to my family. Even though I have to turn immediately to the next item on the list, completed projects are always satisfying. Still, along the path toward satis...
Spirituality
Beauty Will Save the World
“Beauty will save the world,” Fyodor Dostoevsky maintained. His faithful disciple, Nikolai Berdyaev, echoed the sentiment. In his book, The Meaning of the Creative Act, Berdyaev discusses the special role of beauty that is associated with fine art. “Art,” he declares, “is always a victory over the h...
Spirituality
Overcome the Age of the Embarrassed Catholic
A good number of modern Catholics often speak about their faith as if they were hostages reading from a prepared statement. Simply repeating Church teaching has never been enough of a witness to Christ to soften hearts or change the trajectories of lives. In fact, it can be argued that presenting a...
Spirituality
Behold Your Mother: Fulton Sheen on Learning from Mary
Every journey to Christ eventually leads us to His Mother. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and many of the saints often said that Mary is the quickest, surest, and most tender path to Christ. For Sheen, the Blessed Virgin Mary was not merely a devotional option, but the very path by which Christ enters t...
Spirituality
3 Practical Ways to Start Your Day Right
If you’re reading this article, odds are you’re not totally new to the Faith. You’ve probably read other Catholic blogs, books from the saints, and watched a Fr. Mike Schmitz video or two. This won’t be the first time you’ve read about the importance of starting your day with mental prayer, but, if...
Spirituality
Quo Vadis? Walking into the Heart of Darkness with Cormac McCarthy
There’s a story passed down through sacred tradition about St. Peter fleeing Rome during the Church’s persecution. In his flight, he encounters the risen Christ, weary and forlorn, going in the opposite direction. Back towards certain death. Surprised by this, Peter asks, Quo vadis? (“Where are you...
Spirituality
Crumbling the Myth of the “Nice” Jesus
Observe what is right, do what is just; for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed. (Is. 56:1) Christ’s salvation was about to come to a foreign country. After once again offending the Pharisees (just a few verses before Sunday’s Gospel passage, Christ’s disciples told Him,...
Spirituality
The Aesthetics of Defeat Tempting an Army of Victors
Many young men have spent thousands of hours inhabiting gaming worlds where purpose is immediate, enemies are obvious, and victory is visible. The online battles they fight cost them nothing but time. The real-life battles men fight are far less cinematic most of the time. They consist of changing d...