St. Gemma Galgani (1878-1903) was an Italian layperson who lived an intense prayer life. She experienced ecstasies, was reported to levitate, and received the grace of the holy stigmata. She is called the “Daughter of the Passion” because of her deep union with Christ’s Passion.
If you’re like me, and you’re far, far below the “having buildings named after you” tax bracket, you might just think that today’s Gospel has nothing to do with you. You might kick back and relax, thinking of all the poor, rich suckers sitting in the pews, shifting uncomfortably as Jesus praises the meagre gift of the widow and disdains those who only give from abundance, those whose charity results in admiration and praise and all manner of temporal reward.
Once at an evening Mass as a poor college student, the collection basket was fast approaching, and I only had a ten-dollar bill. I was planning on using that to buy my favourite Chipotle burrito that night for dinner. Should I keep the money? Who would know if I did? If I gave it away, what would I eat? Would I be okay?
One of the foundational ideas in Christian theology is that God is the creator of all things. In our ancient creeds, we profess this belief clearly: “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth.” This assertion is fundamental to our understanding of God, not merely as a being among others but as the very source of all that exists. If God is the sheer act of being itself, then anything that exists apart from God must ultimately have its origin in God alone.
Venerable Marthe Robin (1902-1981) was a French layperson and mystic who was paralyzed as a young adult and survived for thirty years on the Eucharist alone, unable to take any other nourishment. She is the foundress of the Foyers of Charity
I didn’t realise how much my arms would hurt when I became a mum. It occurred to me first during Mass when my daughter was just a few weeks old. She was the kind of kid who could only sleep in someone’s arms. I desperately wanted her to stay quiet during the service, so I held the swaddled bundle in front of me like it was a bomb, not daring to move. By the homily, my arms were on fire.
Britons have long appreciated the art of public debate. Crowds gathered eagerly to hear the lively exchanges between political giants like Gladstone and Disraeli. The classic debates of more recent times, such as those between Thatcher and Foot, held the public’s attention with each carefully measured word. Today, televised discussions and social media dissect the statements of public figures and politicians alike. We still value rational, respectful debate as a way to serve the common good.
When we talk about God, we often use familiar terms, but what do we truly mean by 'God'? Understanding God's nature can be challenging, especially when we confront common misconceptions. Many people mistakenly view God as a distant being, a supreme competitor, or simply the most powerful entity in the universe. These misconceptions can lead us to misunderstand God’s true nature, limiting our ability to connect with Him deeply.
Venerable Anne de Guigné (1911-1922) had a profound understanding of Jesus’ presence in the Holy Sacrament. She developed a strong personal relationship with Jesus, declaring that she loved to talk with “little Jesus.”
Leprosy and blindness and deafness — oh, my. The disabilities cured by Jesus in his public ministry really are quite something, aren’t they? Vividly symbolic and rich food for reflection. It just wouldn’t be the same if Jesus had cured eczema or athlete’s foot or compulsive nail-biting.
Near my house there is a school for the blind. Often, I see blind people learning how to navigate the world with only a walking stick, even on a busy street with roaring traffic. I’m amazed to see how adept and carefully they get around without sight. Nevertheless, often a sadness arises in me that he or she cannot see all the beautiful colors, images, and persons filling the world around them. Those days, I find myself deeply grateful for the basic privilege of sight.
Jesus’ command to love enemies and respond to violence with non-violent resistance is a bold challenge to injustice. The Parable of the Prodigal Son reveals God’s boundless mercy, restoring broken relationships through unconditional love. Matthew 25 calls for loving service to others, embodied by figures like Peter Maurin and Dorothy Day, who transformed society by living out the Gospel’s radical call to love.
Sacred Scripture is a God's gift to us. It is a living Word through which God the Father speaks directly to our hearts. Every page of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, reveals a loving God who desires only the salvation and flourishing of His creation. It is in Sacred Scripture that we discover who God is and, importantly, who we are called to be.
Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916) also known as Brother Charles of Jesus, was born to an aristocratic family in Strasbourg, France. He was orphaned at the age of six. By his teenage years he had rejected the Catholic faith. His adventurous spirit led him to join the French army which gave him the opportunity to travel.
I thought it often in my first year as a mother, when I was every day discovering what this new life of parenthood looked and felt like: doing anything with kids is a hundred times harder than doing it without kids. But it’s a thousand times better.
From a young age, I loved winning at sports. I confess that winning was a bit of an addiction. It was probably coming from a deep desire for attention and affirmation from others. Nevertheless, it was a driving motivation for me. Baseball, soccer, track, table tennis, and whatever else I could find was a chance to win. Competition was my obsession.
The Bible is often referred to as the Word of God, a sacred text filled with timeless wisdom, history, spiritual guidance, and a diverse range of literary genres including poetry, prophecy, and narrative. For many, it can also seem a bit daunting: 73 books written over centuries, filled with names, places, and events that might feel unfamiliar.
Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes emphasise humility, righteousness, and peace. His message calls for the fulfilment of the Old Law through love and selflessness, offering a path to true happiness that contrasts with worldly desires for power and wealth. Through examples of non-violent resistance and acts of mercy, Jesus’ call to challenge injustice with love continues to inspire today.
St. Stanislaus Kostka (1550-1568), unable to enter the Jesuit order in Vienna, disguised himself to avoid any objections from his family and walked first to Dillingen, Germany and then to Rome to enter the order. He is the patron of Jesuit novices, students, and Poland.
When I was a kid, before smartphones and Amazon, it was the toy catalogs that we waited for. They arrived in the mail, smiling children’s faces splashed across the cover, like a silent promise that real happiness could be purchased within these magical pages. We fought over who got to look at them first. We imagined playtime with this Barbie or that EasyBake Oven. Without realizing it, we expected that these toys — and the fun they would create out of thin air, the excitement they would inject into our days — would give us new lives. Make us new people.