Putting God First Our Scripture readings this weekend speak of the necessity of dying to ourselves and taking up our cross. Without the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, this teaching can seem harsh. For those growing toward spiritual maturity, it is foundational to being a disciple of Jesus Christ. What the Lord is actually teaching us is that God must come first in our lives, not be a secondary consideration. I remember reading a warning years ago about this perennial temptation: “The...

Yoked with Christ I am writing at the close of a deeply blessed five-day retreat at Franciscan University in Steubenville. The talks, Adoration, and prayer have been consoling and restorative. I leave rejuvenated and eager to share what the Lord has poured into me. On the first night one presenter spoke about acedia, a spiritual weariness that pushes us to substitute activity and busyness for real intimacy with God. The remedy he offered comes straight from Matthew 11:28–30: “Come to me, all...

Reparation — Overcoming Evil with Good If you have not read Archbishop Etienne’s pastoral letter on the Sacred Heart, I highly encourage you to do so. It appears in the most recent edition of Northwest Catholic and is also available on the Archdiocesan website. It offers a beautiful exposition of the Sacred Heart devotion and explains why it is so relevant. Reading the section on reparation reminded me of an experience I had while attending the 2005 International Retreat for...