Groceries such as Whole Foods online are instantaneous. Gardens are not. Gardens are progressive. We scatter seeds and as we sleep they sprout and grow. Groceries market the obvious by deploying dye or colored lights to make produce more noticeable. Gardens do not....
God come to my assistance, Lord make haste to help me. As I enter into prayer today, I will take a moment to acknowledge where I am in my physical and emotional space. I offer any suffering to Jesus through Mary’s Immaculate Heart. Lord come into my heart and mind and...
When I think of prayer, I often picture myself sitting there, asking for answers, waiting, and trying to hear or see a reply. Or maybe I am on the run and throw out a quick thank you, help me with x please, or a prayer for a friend's request. But in reality, what...
This week on the podcast we talk about service through suffering. In the first reading Alanna connects the symbolism of the story to the symbolism of the New Testament. Service in suffering under the "tree" brings forth fruit, and new life. Abraham serves God with a...
Use this Catholic Bible Study for your own personal spiritual growth or with the apostolate you are involved with. Matthew 20:17-28 Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time 17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to...
This week Fr Ian and Alanna discuss the connections within the Sunday readings. Ezra was a leader in the spiritual revival of Jerusalem after the time of Exile, Nehemiah was the governmental leader who came in and built up the protections for the people. Ezra was...
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy.” - Jeremiah 15:16 What in life seems incomprehensible, many times comes to reveal itself as utterly essential. There are transitions we make in life without realizing it, transitions marked by...
“Life is always a triumph of the improbable and a miracle of the unexpected.” - Henri de Lubac Making a decision is never easy. But it is even harder when we have to decide between two good things. Choosing which has priority is not always clear-cut. Feelings of...
Gospel Reflection for Mark (5:21-43) When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he...
Catholic Bible Study for the Solemnity of the birth of Saint John the Baptist: Our lives are made of broken promises, promises that we make to ourselves and are unable to keep. And yet, somehow, these promises help us live because they spur us on and give us a goal....
“Living is the infinite patience of always starting over.” Ermines Ronchi A few days ago, I was listening to my friend Massimo and his mother discuss their gardens and vineyard. Much of it was lost on me but I was struck by one detail: they had to wait for the...
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark (16:15-20) Jesus said to his disciples: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will...
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 15:9-17 Jesus said to his disciples: "As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in...
“He lost himself in dreams of what could have been had he just left; left without saying anything; left forever, without ever returning home again.” ~ Pirandello Who among us has not felt the urge to just run away and leave everything? This was the case with...
What is servant leadership? As leaders, we should be oriented towards service, self gift. It's a simple principle, but it has to be renewed constantly. We also have to take care of ourselves in order to be able to give of ourselves to others. In this week's Catholic...
“We love only that which is beautiful.” ~ Augustine Freedom has a price, but does love? How much does love cost? Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver. Joseph, in the book of Genesis, was sold into slavery by his brothers. And Orpheus had to make a bargain with...
Are you holding back in your faith? Cowering in the locked upper room like the Disciples? Father Ian VanHeusen leads us in a Catholic Bible Study on John 20:19-31, and the awesome trustworthiness of God to catch us when we step out, risk big, and shed our fears in...
Fr. Ian VanHeusen presents a gospel reflection and spiritual exercise on the Gospel reading for Palm Sunday, Mk. 14:1-15:47. Throughout the Lenten season, Father encourages us to invest in prayer of self-examination, and he provides practical assistance in the method...
Fr. Ian VanHeusen presents a gospel reflection and spiritual exercise on the Gospel reading of John 12:20-33, Jesus' startling statement about hating life in this world in order to gain eternal life in heaven. Throughout the Lenten season, Father encourages us to...
“At Christmas I no more desire a rose / Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows; / But like of each thing that in season grows...” ~ Shakespeare, Love’s Labour’s Lost Seeds cannot be sown at just any time of year. Everything has its time. The life of the...
Fr. Ian VanHeusen presents a gospel reflection and spiritual exercise on the Gospel of John 3:14-21, when Jesus proclaims Himself the Light of the World. Throughout the Lenten season, Father encourages us to invest in prayer of self-examination, and he provides...
Children are the future. They are the lives that continue on. Parents often project their aspirations onto their children and would like to see their hopes fulfilled in them. But, much like the future, the life of a child is not within our control. Though we might...
“Though in Your sight I despise myself and reckon myself dust and ashes, there is something I know about You, which I know not about myself.” - Augustine, The Confessions A few days ago I was with some close friends in Subiaco, (where St. Benedict first founded a...
Father Ian VanHeusen presents a Catholic Bible Study and spiritual exercise on the Gospel reading from Mark 1:40-45, when Jesus cleanses the leper and His reputation for miracles and wonders begins to spread near and far. We invite you to watch Father's video, then...
“He sat quite still, benumbed and cold but little Gerda shed burning tears of joy; and they fell on his bosom, penetrating to his heart, where they thawed the ice...” ~ Hans Christian Andersen, The Snow Queen Many times we freeze ourselves so as not to feel what we...