In 2013, I had a student who at the time directed a regional UN branch in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a time of great upheaval and violence. His job was to negotiate peace. In my student’s experience, a mere four men got 3000+ armed rebels to not only lay down their arms but to also integrate back into the national army. People of faith can do much, much, more.
Like all faith traditions, the Catholic Church has been losing its children to the secular world for the past 60 years. How would the world be different today if children, and parents, learned simple ways to pray?
Recently our mass readings included the passage of Ezra praying for God’s pardon on behalf of his people. It made me think how often I’ve prayed in remorse for my own offenses against God, and those of others, but not ours. It might seem a trivial distinction but those trivial details are usually the most important…
Throughout this past century, Satan carried out his evil plan of disseminating his serpents throughout the world. At the same time, God has given us leaders who preach and teach us of the calling to which He has commanded: the universal call to holiness. It is time to answer the call.
The grace of the present moment, sometimes referred to as the sacrament of the present moment, is recognizing that every moment bears the will of God and so we should endeavor to live that moment as a blessing to Him. When we do so, we live in the grace of that moment, in His Spirit who is sanctifying us. This is what He created us for, to live in His love. So why is it so difficult?