Upjection
We used to have a small orchard of fruit trees on our property until the racoons started pre-empting the harvests. I was in charge of it, and I would spray the trees, a cherry tree, a couple of peach trees,...
Tagged: Grace
The Mystical Theology of the Transforming Grace of Pentecost
Each year at the conclusion of the Easter Season the Catholic Church liturgically celebrates the Solemnity of Pentecost, but it is sometimes difficult to understand the specific nature of the grace of Pentecost that is given to the faithful who...
Jordan Daniel Wood – Grace, Theosis, and Virtues
Jordan Daniel Wood is the first guest we’ve had on a second time…and we will have him on for a third! I had a whole list of things that I wanted to talk with him about the first time we...
Neo-Pelagianism in the Sacristy
Our Holy Father Francis has written two exhortations, Evangelii Gaudium (2013) and Gaudete et Exultate (2018), that warn against two of the most pervasive and corrosive heresies in the 2,000 years of the Church: Neo-Pelagianism and Gnosticism. The pope, sensing...
Any bit of contrition
Always lost for words, I never knew what to say to God as I tried to focus my attention on him at Sunday Mass. I admit that I did not always find Mass interesting. I attended every week mostly out...
“Everything Is Grace”
Two years ago, the Pew Research Center conducted a poll and found that barely 1/3 of self-described Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This realization that most of those who identify themselves as Catholics do...
The Book of Revelation: A vision of our ultimate future
A Reflection on the Readings for May 22, 2022 — The Sixth Sunday of Easter The Book of Revelation can seem frightening at first glance. Strange visions, violent encounters, bizarre creatures—the apocalypse! However, when you dig deeper, you will discover...
Sometimes our prayers seem to go unheard
During his Wednesday Audience this week, as a part of his ongoing catechesis on prayer, Pope Francis confronted one of the most difficult questions that face Christians: “if God is Father, why does He not listen to us? He who...
“Everything Is Grace” at Christmas with Pope Francis
We sat in the car, my husband and I, still stunned, trying to eat a quick dinner before we drove to the hospital. I was avoiding looking at the medical building we had left earlier, the one with the unfamiliar...
Wednesdays with Pope Francis: The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
In this catechesis series, Pope Francis teaches us about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is the second course in the “Wednesdays with Pope Francis” series. The first course was on the sacraments. This free resource includes no original...
“On the occasion of the current world epidemic”
On March 20, the Holy See Press Office announced that the Apostolic Penitentiary had established a series of plenary indulgences during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. These indulgences include: Plenary indulgences for COVID-19 patients who watch Mass online during the ongoing...
Love, even when it’s difficult
On the day he found out he had an aggressive form of leukemia, my father received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time in 53 years. Many faith traditions place an emphasis on atoning for wrong done. In the...
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