Temptations are inevitable. Through a lack of self-discipline, we leave ourselves at greater risk of temptation. However, even the spiritually prepared must be on guard against trials and temptations. This is particularly true during the time of Lent, where we may receive many graces from our Lord, but are also likely to be targeted by…

The Church’s law requires Catholics to receive Holy Communion no less than once a year, between the start of Lent and Trinity Sunday. However, when she says Catholics must receive the sacrament, she means they must receive worthily. One of the elements of worthy reception is to have a good intention, that is, to be…

The world, which places a premium on freedom, pressures Catholics into losing sight of the gravity of sin. We fail to appreciate how great our sins offend God. Sin is an awful thing. It is a rejection of friendship with God. And while God offers His infinite mercy through the sacrament of confession, we must…

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the new Adam, come to undo what the devil has done. While Our Lord has no need of preparation, penance, and fasting, he endures the 40 days in the desert as a model for us all. He wants us to be ready for the onslaughts of the devil and to…

Lent is a great gift from the Church. It is a time to do penance, both for our past sins and to bring our lives back into alignment with God’s will for us. We must ask ourselves, “What do I need to do to be more surely on track to God?” To assist us in…

Dom Hubert van Zeller, the famous Benedictine writer and sculptor, once observed that we find religion boring. At some time or another, may of us have been tempted to find our religion, or some aspect of it, boring. We know the Catholic Faith is necessary, but for most of us, we want as little to…

All learned commentators agree that in the Parable of the Sower, the seed is the Word of God. The question for us, though, is what type of ground do we prepare to receive this seed so that it may bear spiritual fruit? Our anger, resentments, ingratitude, and indifference, not to mention placing too much emphasis…

In the Gospels, the leper and the centurion stand as models of faith. Like them, we need a strong, living, and vibrant faith. Faith, as a gift from God, requires prayer above all else, but we must nourish this gift so that it continues to grow in us. This is why good reading is essential,…

Twice during his earthly ministry, Christ fed a multitude of people by multiplying loaves and fishes. These miracles were performed not only to relieve the people of their physical hunger; they were done to relieve every one of their spiritual hunger, too. In these miracles, Christ shows us all Who God is, that He is…

He who never risks for God will never be an extensive dealer in the riches of heaven. With this in mind, we consider the Magi, who were among the first figures in the New Testament to place their earthly comfort in jeopardy for Our Lord. We consider as well the sacrifice all must make, priest…