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Living In Joy Is Hard Work!
Perhaps the most demanding asceticism within life is the discipline of joy. Rarely is this recognized. For most of us, the word joy itself rings superficial. It speaks of empty
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Conversion Is Revolution!
We live too frustrated by our own mediocrity. The problem lies not in our unwillingness to convert, but in our inability to convert. We keep trying, by the way of
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When Sinners Rationalize
Several years ago, after the pope had been heckled during his visit in Holland, a Belgian newspaper ran an editorial that commented as follows: The difference between the Dutch and
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Signals That Spell Sanctity
Self-delusion is always easy, and nowhere is it easier than in our assessment of our own spiritual health. How do we know whether we are healthy or not? How do
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The Martyrdom Of Obscurity
We crave few things as deeply as self-expression. Deep within the eros that makes us restless and dissatisfied lies the incurable need to express ourselves, to be known, recognized, understood,
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Born Into The Ordinary
Christmas is about God in the ordinary. After the birth of Christ, we need not look to the extraordinary, the spectacular, the miraculous to find God. God is now found
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Like Green Logs In The Fire
Nikos Kazantzakis once commented: “People are impatient, but God’s not in a hurry!” That’s a good line to reflect upon as we enter into Advent. Looking at the religious history
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Fr. Walgrave, We’ll Miss You
Recently, almost unnoticed, a brief obituary note appeared in a number of religious and secular newspapers around the world: Theologian dies – Belgian theologian, Jan Hendrik Walgrave, dead at 75.
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Monasticism And Family Life
There is a tradition, strong among spiritual writers, that we will not advance within the spiritual life unless we pray at least an hour a day privately. I was stressing
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Abortion: No Quick Solutions
For more and more of us, I suspect, the issue of abortion brings up feelings of helplessness that border on despair. The issue is so important that a conscientious person