Natural disasters are often inevitable, but it is our culpable unpreparedness which makes things worse. The same can be said about our spiritual life. Temptations are like earthquakes. They shake the solidity of our beliefs and undermine our inner convictions. They widen the fault lines which crack the weakest areas of our soul. If we are unprepared, they can reduce our soul to rubble.
Jesus never bowed down before any idol. He was not seduced by political power, money, the use of weapons, friendship with the great of this world, and proposals of success and glory. He always listened only to the word of the Father. The ultimate goal of evil is to undermine the relationship with God by causing doubt in people’s minds that the Lord does not keep his promises.
Many Catholics have developed a disdain for the practice of fasting during Lent, neglecting to understand the deep spiritual fruits it offers. Father L. explains with great clarity why mortifying the flesh is essential in earning for us a place in heaven.
Life is a gift. Existence is a gift. And so is sexuality. What do we do when we receive a gift? We thank the giver and treasure the gift and make it flourish.
How do we treasure the gift and make it flourish? Through chastity. Let us
discover the beauty of chastity as a means of treasuring and integrating sexuality in a positive and fruitful way. We explore the importance of self-mastery and the various means available to achieve it. Chastity is a call for everyone, regardless of their state in life.
“To fight against hunger and food insecurity with the help of Artificial Intelligence”. This is the aim of a new academic consortium created through the initiative of the University of São Paulo, Brazil’s largest public university. The University of Saint Joseph has joined the project and it will foster the development of a new digital radio with a very particular mission: fight against global hunger.
Lent is a time of conversion and penance, leading to a renewed life in Easter. The virtue of penance disposes us to repentance and deeper conversion. Interior penance inclines us to do external penances like prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These classical penances help us re-establish and fortify our relationships with God, ourselves, and others. Fasting is a means to put order and harmony in our lives, while almsgiving is a visible expression of mercy. Lent is a pilgrimage of faith, hope, and love, leading to happiness.
The parish house, a low-rise building, has withstood successive shocks. The city’s great mosques, or the Orthodox or Protestant churches, did not have the same luck. With its doors open, the parish house now welcomes the displaced families who live nearby.
Many young people today may have a misunderstanding of holiness, perhaps due to the portrayal of saints as individuals who perform miracles or never make mistakes, which can be difficult to connect with. Holiness, however, is primarily about belonging to God and living in a love-bound communion. It’s important to consider alternative paths to holiness that may be overlooked in our current context.
Jesus challenges his disciples to go beyond the strict justice of the Old Testament and embrace a new way of responding to violence and injustice. Instead of seeking revenge or resisting evil, Jesus calls his followers to forgive, to turn the other cheek, and to give generously even to their enemies. This radical love, which imitates the love of God, requires a willingness to let go of everything and to put oneself totally at the service of others.
The Catholic Church teaches that “Peace in this world, which is required for the respect and development of human life, is not simply the absence of war or a balance of power between adversaries. It is ‘the tranquility of order’ (Saint Augustine), ‘the work of justice’ (Isaiah 32:17) and the effect of charity. Earthly peace is the image and fruit of the peace of Christ” (CCCC 481).