Find what you’re looking for
Let me ask you: Are there moments when you place yourself quietly in the Lord’s presence, when you calmly spend time with him, when you bask in his gaze? Do you let his fire inflame your heart? Unless you let him warm you more and more with his love and tenderness, you will not catch fire.
— from the book Believe in Love: Inspiring Words from Pope Francis
“When I was by myself, I began to reflect on the spirit of poverty. I clearly saw that Jesus, although he is Lord of all things, possessed nothing. From a borrowed manger he went through life doing good to all, but himself having no place to lay his head. And on the Cross, I see the summit of his poverty, for he does not even have a garment on himself. As exteriorly we should possess nothing and have nothing to dispose of as our own; so interiorly we should desire nothing. And in the Most Blessed Sacrament, how great is your poverty!
“Dear Lord, Thou knowest my weakness. Each morning I resolve to be humble, and in the evening I recognize that I have often been guilty of pride. The sight of these faults tempts me to discouragement; yet I know that discouragement is itself but a form of pride. I wish, therefore, O my God, to build all my trust upon Thee. As Thou canst do all things, deign to implant in my soul this virtue which I desire, and to obtain it from Thy Infinite Mercy, I will often say to Thee: ‘Jesus, Meek and Humble of Heart, make my heart like unto Thine.’”
Often, the desire to reach out to others begins in our home. Gospel values need to be incorporated into day-to-day family life as much as they need to be lived out by God’s larger family. The simplicity needed to appreciate God’s love helps us appreciate how our immediate families connect with God’s larger family. All earthly families merge and find their common identity in God.
How do we keep our faith as a family? Do we keep it for ourselves, in our families, as a personal treasure like a bank account? Or are we able to share it by our witness, by our acceptance of others, by our openness? We all know that families, especially young families, are often “racing” from one place to another, with lots to do. But did you ever think that this “racing” could also be the race of faith? Christian families are missionary families. They are missionary also in everyday life, in their doing everyday things, as they bring to everything the salt and the leaven of faith!
Truly Christian families are known by their fidelity, their patience, their openness to life, and their respect for the elderly…the secret to this is the presence of Jesus in the family. Let us therefore propose to all people, with respect and courage, the beauty of marriage and the family illuminated by the Gospel! And in order to do this let us approach with care and affection those families who are struggling, forced to leave their homeland, broken, homeless or unemployed, or suffering for any reason; let us approach married couples in crisis or separated.
The testimony of faith comes in very many forms; just as in a great fresco there is a variety of colors and shades, all of which are important, even those that do not stand out. In God’s great plan, every detail is important: your witness, my humble little witness, even the hidden witness of those who live their faith with simplicity in everyday family relationships, work relationships, and friendships. These are the saints of every day, the “hidden” saints, a sort of “middle class of holiness,” as a French author said, that “middle class of holiness” to which we all can belong.
I have been a Catholic from birth but often have questions about some of the issues we are facing today, such as the evils associated with slavery. The Romans had slaves, but is there any evidence that Jesus condemned that institution?
How did Pope Francis recently change the Catholic Church’s teaching on the death penalty?
I understand the Church’s teaching on Eucharist. Transubstantiation means it changes completely from bread and wine to the flesh and blood of Jesus. I believe in the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith. I also understand that our senses cannot tell the difference. Therefore, why are gluten-free hosts needed?
