I watched it all from a distance, which I increasingly prefer these days. I saw the Christianity Today editorial with Mark Galli’s condemnation of Trump and call to remove him, Trump’s petulant response, Timothy...
Tech veteran and Pixar fan Doug Stewart joined us this week to talk about why the church desperately needs to address the idol of accomplishment; whether Facebook regulation will follow the European model; and...
By J.D. ECARMA Netflix’s “Grace & Frankie” is a breath of fresh air in many ways. The title roles are played by Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, reuniting decades after “9 to 5,” the...
As much of our culture turns away from Christianity, the beliefs our faith espouses make their way into the mainstream press less and less. Many media sources, already vehicles of various biases we find unpalatable, make us angry when they misrepresent Catholicism or advocate immorality or scoff at our values. So we boycott. Stay inside our social media echo chambers. Read about how bad the other side is in our preferred news sources without actually reading what the opposition is writing.
It’s not an irrational response — frankly, it’s an understandable response. But it isn’t the best one.
Some follow doctrinal guidelines on fasting and abstaining from meat, but other acts of personal penance are encouraged to help loosen our grip on the world and take stronger hold of our relationship with Christ.
With Lent about to draw to a close, it’s a perfect time to look back at how the fasting season went. No matter how successful we’ve become at following through on our myriad sacrifices, each year affords an opportunity to learn from mistakes and discover how to dive deeper into the Lenten season next year.
I’m realizing I need to worry a little less about the difference I’m making in the world.
Let me take a step back and explain what I mean with that conclusion. Like anyone else’s, my Christian life goes through cycles and seasons as God leads me down new paths or reteaches me old lessons. Last year, He taught me that surrendering my own plans meant being taken in glorious new directions. “Content to fill a little space,” I am happily doing work for the kingdom.
But lately, I’ve been reminded that the most important thing is not the difference I make in this world, but the marks it leaves on me … how my life experiences shape my eternal soul.
Although I still have so many questions, my love for the Catholic Church has grown strong in a short time.
I knew then that I needed to tell my story in a much more complete way than I was planning—scars and all.
Things happen and faith is shaken and we ask “Why?” and “How?”
