Exciting News!

My new book just came out!!! And it’s all about Sacrifice!!

My new book just came out!!! And it’s all about Sacrifice!!!

Not a moment too soon, either, for we are living in trying times. The world seems to have lost its way, and many of us feel powerless to correct its course. We begin each day wondering what happened to the world we once knew, and some are fearful of the future. But it’s very possible that Our Lord has allowed this opportunity in history as a reminder for us that this world is passing away. (1 John 2:17)

Now is a perfect time to step back from material things and remember that there is something more for which we were made. As Christians, our allegiance is not to this world, but to God alone, through His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So what should we do? Perhaps we should take this time to return to our roots, examining what it means to be a Christian in the world today.

It would seem that anyone who truly desires to follow Christ, should return to His words and find out what He actually said to His would-be followers. We owe it to ourselves and to Him to consider His call as He made it, unblemished by the mores of the culture:

“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?
(Matthew 16:24-26).

Surely Christ’s words are challenging. I don’t know about you, but if given the opportunity, my natural inclination is to avoid the cross like the plague. I’d rather walk around it, step over it, crawl under it or run from it – anything but embrace it.

Yet these were the words of Christ to his disciples. These are His living words to us. Today. The question is, how do we go about doing this? What does denying myself look like? How exactly must I carry my cross? That is the subject of my latest book — The essence of what it means to be a Christian. Essentially, it means sacrifice.

In The Lost Art of Sacrifice, you will learn

The difference between suffering and sacrifice.
Why life is not measured by what you get – it’s about what you give.
The reason God prepared your soul for sacrificial love.
How to avoid Satan’s traps by recognizing lies of the culture that are sure to lead you astray.
Why sacrifice is not something that happens to you but is an act of the will.
How to cultivate the Art of Sacrifice in your life.

Find your copy now at most booksellers near you or online! Click on the book below to order at a discount directly from the publisher, Sophia Institute Press:

The Family and The Mystical Body of Christ

Some days I feel like the entire day is spent encouraging, lecturing, threatening, and punishing kids into applying the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you…When you think about it, families can be composed of individuals who would never choose to live in the same hemisphere, much less in the same home!

I struggle as a Mom. Some days I feel like the entire day is spent encouraging, lecturing, threatening, and punishing kids into applying the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Knowing my goal is not tyrannical subjugation, but rather a “disposition of reciprocal openness and autonomy together,” I’ve tried every analogy under the sun. The one I use most frequently is that as a family, we are all part of the same team (our younger kids have been around team sports a lot more than they’ve studied anatomy). As a team, we celebrate each other’s victories, because, well, they are victories for all of us. And we mourn each other’s losses because, well, they are our losses too. And most importantly, we build up, we do not tear down. When we build one another up, we are building up the entire team. When we tear down, we are harming the entire team (i.e. the family).

At times, this is easier said than done, given the wide variety of personalities in our home. But apparently, our home is not alone in this struggle. G.K. Chesterton once said,

“The best way that a man could test his readiness to encounter the common variety of mankind would be to climb down a chimney into any house at random, and get on as well as possible with the people inside. And that is essentially what each of us did on the day that he was born.

This is, indeed, the sublime and special romance of the family. It is romantic because it is a toss-up.” – Brave New Family, p. 43

Of course that’s true. For when you think about it, families can be composed of individuals who would never choose to live in the same hemisphere, much less in the same home! In The Birth Order Book, Kevin Leman says that if a family is a tree, the children are the branches – and of course, branches grow in all different directions. In fact, Leman says,

“One of the best predictions in life is that whatever the firstborn in a family is, the second born in the family will go in a different (and oftentimes opposite) direction.”

What better soil for the organic development of a healthy and robust Body of Christ? For growing in consideration, patience and selfless love?

Of course, if our family is any indication, sometimes I don’t have much hope for the rest of world. In those moments I’m mediating until my tongue is in knots, or separating a couple of rowdy kids because I fear the damage resulting from being together will out-do the damage caused by being apart. In those moments, I question God’s grand plan for the sanctity of the world. In those moments I would give anything just to walk away from the awesome responsibility of raising saints.

But there are others. There are moments — thankfully, many moments — that give me hope. Those moments can only be described as sacred portrayals of God’s Holy Will for all of mankind. When one notices a slight, and goes out of her way to offer comfort and support. When another takes his siblings out for dessert in a restaurant, just because. When one repents harmful behavior and seeks forgiveness; but even more, reconciliation, and there is mercy and acceptance and…love. When they help each other with schoolwork, do a chore without being asked. Write a note. Draw a picture. Say a prayer for a family member. These are moments that offer hope for the future. There are moments of heaven in family life – when all the struggles, sacrifices and suffering have their reward.

Even more importantly, in those moments, our family is a family. It is in those moments what God intended it to be. We are one body, united in the Holy Spirit, pouring ourselves out for one another in love.

If we can become one body within the confines of our own homes, beginning in the confines of our own hearts, than there is hope that we can be one unified body in our communities, in our states, in our country, and throughout the world. And that hope is necessary. Because when I watch the news, read the paper or browse through social media, I see a diseased body, contorted and vulgar in disparagement and hatred, inflicting violence against herself. There is no discourse. There are only cancerous walls full of anger and hatred and inexplicable disdain.

I cannot change the world. I cannot heal the Body of Christ. But I can pour my heart and soul into our own little domestic church, calling upon the Holy Spirit to strengthen the cells of this microcosm of Christ’s Body within our home. By God’s grace, perhaps one day our children might be sent out into the greater Body of Christ, full of strength, probiotic in nature, resilient and immune to the cancers of hate and selfishness. I can keep grasping at those little moments of hope I am privileged to witness every now and then, as my husband and I do our best to infuse our home with the love of Christ, knowing that the infusion is our path to sanctity. Over time, we are bound to witness an increase in the reciprocal openness and autonomy together, that simultaneous intimacy and dignity which comes from the Holy Ghost.

In the end, whatever struggles we endure and whatever sacrifice is necessary, we must persevere. For the family is the only hope for the world, particularly as it applies to the mystical body. As Saint John Paul II said in a 1986 homily,

The family is the “first and vital cell of society”. In its own way it is a living image and historical representation of the mystery of the Church. The future of the world and of the Church, therefore, passes through the family.

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Art: The Happy Family by Jean Honoré Fragonard, c. 1775

A Beautiful Reflection on The Hidden God

Coram Sanctissimo
by Mother Mary Loyola

VII
The Hidden God

Vere Tu es Deus absconditus!
(Isaias xiv. 15.)

There is no use denying that with the exception of rare intervals, our intercourse with God in this life is more or less laborious and difficult. This is only saying that Heaven is not yet come. Faith was meant to be a trial, and a trial it certainly is. The evidence of sense is against us; the levity of imagination is against us; the inconstancy of our desires and of our will is against us when we kneel down to pray.

“Behold He standeth behind our wall”(Cant. ii). We know He is there, close as the priest in the confessional, with attention to every word we say. Yet, for all that, the words and the confidences come slowly. It is hard to prolong a conversation that is all on one side, and this, so it seems to us, is the case in prayer. Useless to tell us that our faith is at fault. That in the presence of the Pope, or the King, we should be all attention. Where the conditions are so different, there can be no parallel. The voice, the look, the question and answer, the surroundings—all these are wanting. Such admonitions irritate us by their injustice, and we look away wearily for help elsewhere. But where to look? We cannot alter the present state of things or fix our wandering thoughts and unstable heart. No, but we can accept all things as they are in truth, and in the truth find a remedy.

“Behold He standeth behind our wall.” But the barrier between us is not a drawback, an obstacle to union with Him—inseparable indeed from the present condition of things—yet an obstacle for all that. It is distinctly willed by Him as a necessary part of our trial, a wholesome discipline, a purification of love. It has in it all the privileges, advantages and blessings that in this life belong to pain, and can be won by pain alone. It is a present blessing as well as a pledge of blessing to come. “Blessed are they that have not seen and have believed.”(John XX) It is a pledge of that full clear vision, “reserved in heaven for you, who, by the power of God, are kept by faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein you shall greatly rejoice, if now for a little time you must be made sorrowful…That the trial of your faith (much more precious than gold tried by the fire) may be found unto praise and glory and honour at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen you love; in Whom also now, though you see Him not, you believe, and believing shall rejoice with joy unspeakable” (1 Peter i.).

“We see now in a dark manner: but then face to face”(1 Cor. xiii).“I shall see Him, but not now” (Numbers xxiv). How will that face to face vision be the brighter and the sweeter for the dimness now! How will the joy of that moment when we part for ever with faith be intensified by what faith has cost us in the past!

O days and hours, your work is this,
To hold me from my proper place,
A little while from His embrace,
For fuller gain of after bliss.
That out of distance might ensue
Desire of nearness doubly sweet,
And unto meeting when we meet,
Delight a hundredfold accrue.
—In Memoriam

Thank you so much to St. Augustine Academy Press for cooperating with this endeavor! If you are interested in this or other works by Mother Mary Loyola (as well as many other great books for spiritual growth and meditation), please check out their website.You will find many wonderful treasures from which to choose!

Has Your Child Left the Church? You are not Alone, but Elisabeth Leseur Can Help

In a recent homily, our parish priest discussed the staggering fact that 80 percent of baptized young people are leaving the Faith before they are 25 years old.

In a recent homily, our parish priest discussed the staggering fact that 80 percent of baptized young people are leaving the Faith before they are 25 years old. He was sharing the findings of a newly published study conducted by St. Mary’s Press, in conjunction with Georgetown University. The report — Going, Going, Gone! The Dynamics of Disaffiliation in Young Catholics — discusses the self-reported reasons Millennials give for leaving the Church. Our pastor mentioned three:

They do not believe in God
The Church is full of Hypocrites.
What the Church has to say about morality (particularly sexual morality) is diametrically opposed to what the culture is teaching Millennials.

Elisabeth intuitively recognized and understood each of these reasons, and sought to eradicate them through the only productive means possible — personal transformation. May each of us be inspired to adopt her resolutions, that His light may be encountered by every soul we meet:

It is not in arguing or in lecturing that I can make them know what God is to the human soul. But in struggling with myself, in becoming, with His help, more Christian and more valiant, I will bear witness to Him whose humble disciple I am. By the serenity and strength that I mean to acquire, I will prove that the Christian life is great and beautiful and full of joy. By cultivating all the best faculties of my mind, I will proclaim God is the highest Intelligence and that those who serve Him can draw without end from that blessed source of intellectual and moral light. — The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur, p. 10

Elisabeth Leseur, Pray for us!

Important Note: The brief reflection above was written for a wonderful website promoting the cause for Elisabeth Leseur’s canonization – an effort I pray will be fruitful, as there is so much we can learn from this holy woman. Please check out elcause.org for more information and join EL Circle of Friends!

Spiritual Reading for Children

A list of great spiritual reading books that will inspire Catholic children from preschool through high school.

This post is an answer to a reader who must have seen my post on Lenten reading. She specifically requested a list for kids under 12. For those of you with older kids, I’ve included teens as well! I wrote a version of this for National Catholic Register a couple of years ago – I tried not to overlap here too much; regardless, anything from either list is highly recommended! Keep in mind, this is an organic list – please comment with your own great recommendations!

Pre-school, Elementary and Middle School

Because there is such a wide range of reading levels in this age group, it’s virtually impossible to judge exactly where any particular book would fall. I would consider just about any of these books to be a great read aloud for younger kids. I’ve estimated age appropriateness, but please check out the links so you can see for yourself how each book would work for your family.

Gloria Children’s Books (12 Volumes) – Ages 3-8; These tiny treasures are beautifully illustrated and simply written for the youngest of souls. And yet, with titles like The Our Father, Ten Commandments, The Story of Mary, The Rosary, The Hail Mary, The Guardian Angels, The Holy Family, Favorite Prayers, The Apostles Creed, The Mass, The Boy Jesus and The Sacred Heart of Jesus, these books provide wonderful catechetical instruction.

Treasure Box Books – Ages 3-9; Available individually or as a set of 10 or 20, these are perfect books for younger children! Reprinted from the 1950’s, each book includes wonderful poetry, games, and stories about saints, guardian angels and more. They inspire a great love for God, and are full of doctrine that is taught for the hearts and minds of little children. On top of all that, the illustrations are lovely.

Angel Food for Boys & Girls (4 Volumes) – Ages 3-9; Wonderful little stories, each of which shares an important moral. Just a little skim through Volume II will find The Boy who Weighed an Elephant (purity), The Orphan’s Plea (love of God), The Boy who Dusted the Devil’s Tail (never trust the devil), and many more.

The Weight of the Mass: A Tale of Faith by Josephine Nobisso – Ages 3-103; A beautiful picture book about the value of a Mass and a life lesson for an unbelieving baker. This is a precious story that you will read with your children over and over again.

King of the Golden City by Mother Mary Loyola – Ages 7-107; Great book to read with First Communicants! Mother Mary Loyola does a dynamite job of demonstrating that our Faith is about not “rules,” but rather, love. That said, she does inspire readers to live a life of orthodox faith in response to Christ’s love for us and our desire to be united to Him. (There is a study guide available for this book.)

Loyola Kids Book of Saints by Amy Wellborn – Read aloud ages 3-10; self-reader grades 3-5; I love reading this to my kids! The stories are lively but brief, and Wellborn demonstrates that the issues we face today are the same issues faced by saints of 1,000+ years ago. These stories offer inspirational alternatives to worldly responses when addressing the human condition.

Christopher’s Talks to Catholic Children by David L. Greenstock- Read aloud with ages 7-11; otherwise information for ages 7-107; Sadly, this book is out of print. But it is so good that I highly recommend searching high and low for a copy. It will be well worth your effort. As a convert, I’ve learned many things from children’s books – this one in particular. Greenstock inspires a great love for Christ and His Church, along with a desire to know, love and serve Him as a member of the Body of Christ. He takes challenging doctrines and simplifies them for young ears without removing a scintilla of their depth or beauty. I’ve read this book aloud to my kids at various ages.

The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare – Grades 4-8; Newberry Medal historical novel that takes place during the time of Christ. It is about a young man’s conversion from blind hatred and vengeance to understanding and love. A story that will move hearts and minds.

Outlaws of Ravenhurst by Sister M. Imelda Wallace – Grades 5-8; A great novel with many lessons on the Catholic faith. This quote from an Amazon review speaks volumes: “My late husband was taught by Sister Mary Imelda in Auburn, Nebraska back in the late 20’s. As a reward for their good behavior she would read her next installment as she completed it. He never forgot the story and always felt that this was what gave him his love and devotion to the Eucharist. This is a must for…Catholic youth.” (There is a study guide available for this book.)

Creative Catechism Series from Holy Family Press – Read aloud and work along with younger children, or independent for Ages 8-12; These are not regular reading books, but rather, informative activity books. We have given them for Easter gifts and as supplements for First Communion gifts. They are also great for a family road trip or a rainy day. Available titles: Miracles of the Holy Eucharist, Mary Our Mother, Our Lady of Fatima, Children’s Prayers, The 7 Sacraments, Sacramentals, Guardian Angels, The Great Battle for Heaven, The World of the Holy Angels, Creation, The Ark and the Rainbow

High School

33 Days to Morning Glory by Father Michael Gaitley – An engaging and doable preparation for Marian consecration. Gaitley profiles four great saints to illustrate the role of Mary in our lives. This is a great book for teens who have little time, but want profound inspiration in bite-sized chapters.

Before I Go: Letters to Our Children about What Really Matters by Peter Kreeft – All the letters I would love to write to my teens, but written from the heart of a loving father. These letters are short, easy to read, and yet packed with catechetical wisdom that only the intellect of Kreeft can offer.

The Gospels – One chapter a day is a sure way to renew your relationship with Our Lord through Lent.

Home for Good by Mother Mary Loyola – Unlike most of the recommendations in this section (which were written for a broad population), this book was written specifically for teens about how to navigate the temptations of the world – poignant for that age when the world beckons from every direction. The wisdom here speaks to teens today with as much relevance as it did to those for whom it was written over 100 years ago.

Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis – the classic spiritual guide upon which countless saints meditated daily. Each page speaks directly to the heart of the matter; timeless wisdom for all.

The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth by Scott Hahn – Revives a great love for the Eucharist, using Sacred Scripture to demonstrate the value of the Mass, and its supreme role as heaven on earth. Hahn’s enthusiasm is contagious – this is an inspiring read that will help teens to approach Mass with renewed eyes and an open heart.

A Map of Life: A Simple Study of the Catholic Faith by Frank Sheed – From beginning to end, this is a thorough yet concise guide that will lead us on the proper path toward our true Home. Profound and life-changing.

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis – In this great work, Lewis offers a rational argument in favor of Christianity. Compelling – particularly for teens who are hearing from every direction that faith and reason are incompatible.

The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis – A must read for everyone who risks allowing the world to distract them from life’s purpose (meaning EVERYONE). Lewis’ humor is engaging and his angle – letters from a senior devil to his protege on how to trip up humans, that they might forego heaven for an eternity in hell – make this the most original plea for holiness ever written.

A Second Look: Encountering the True Jesus by Mark Hart – The first line in the introduction is, “The road from your head to your heart is the longest journey you’ll ever take.” Need I say more? Hart brings a unique and amusing perspective to profound biblical texts. He speaks in a way that invites teens to relax and engage.

The Story of a Soul by Saint Therese of Lisieux – A “little way” to holiness. I have met countless young ladies who were forever changed by this humble work of profound faith.

Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence by Father Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure and Saint Claude de la Colombiere – A tiny book of monumental proportions. This will help every teen to know that, no matter the challenge or however great the struggle, we can trust that God will use it to guide us toward our greatest purpose, which is perfect union with Him.

The Way by Saint JoseMaria Escriva – Brief bits of wisdom that don’t beat around the bush – Escriva offers the frankness that teens are looking for, divided into categories for easy reference or organized meditation.

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10 Great Books for Lent That You Won’t Find on Other Lists

Most of us are looking for spiritual reading suggestions that will serve us well during the Lenten season. Of course, there are the tried and true recommendations – Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux, Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales and others are amazing choices, and can certainly be read over and over again. But if you’re looking for something a little different this year, I have just the thing.

Most of us are looking for spiritual reading suggestions that will serve us well during the Lenten season. Of course, there are the tried and true recommendations – Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux, Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales and others are amazing choices, and can certainly be read over and over again. But if you’re looking for something a little different this year, I have just the thing. You may not find many of these books on other lists. You may not even have heard of them (with the exception of the top two, which I mention in my book and in just about every interview I’ve ever done:)). Regardless, every book on this list is an absolute classic that is sure to inspire tremendous change in your life!

1 The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur (1866-1914) – Marriages seem to struggle more often than not these days. Elisabeth Leseur had an amazing knack for seeing only light in the souls of those around her. Her goodness resulted in her husband’s conversion from atheism to Catholicism. In fact, upon her death, he even entered the priesthood! Rather than pray that others would change for the better, Elizabeth asked only that she could love more, and that the Holy Spirit would use her as an instrument to share Christ’s light with others – most especially those who mistreated her in any way. Read this book if you want to see your relationships thrive. Not only will you learn to focus your eyes on your spouse’s better traits, but you’ll learn to love and appreciate everyone else that God made as well.

2. Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence: The Secret of Peace and Happiness by Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure (1588-1657) and Saint Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682) – Anyone who knows me knows that this is one of my all-time favorite books and a life-changing one at that. Having been held at knifepoint in college, I spent years afraid to be alone. Instantly upon reading this book, I was able to hand my life over to God, trusting Him with every moment of my life, and even the hour of my death.Suffice it to say that there is a world of wisdom within the pages of this tiny little companion and it will completely shatter any touchy feely paradigm you may have about God and His Hand in your life.

3. The Twelve Steps to Holiness and Salvation by St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1987) – The title says it all. Step by step, you can walk through Lent in a way that will help you to grow in holiness as you unite yourself to Christ. Liguori’s writings cover the twelve key virtues necessary for salvation, including faith, hope, love of God, love of neighbor, poverty, chastity, obedience, meekness and humility, mortification, recollection, prayer, and love of the cross. For those who appreciate practicality, order and simplicity, this book is a treasure trove of teaching that is concise and yet profound.

4. Way to Inner Peace by Fulton J. Sheen (1955) – If you long to be directed in the way of humility, love and service, Fulton Sheen will lead the way. With 59 specific recommendations for practical steps one can take toward inner peace, Sheen offers inspirational stories, entreaties into psychology, theology and good old common sense to lead you to a place of calm contentment, no matter the storms that threaten your progress as you continue on the path toward heaven.

5. The Hidden Power of Kindness by Father Lawrence Lovasik (1962) – If you’re not quite sure what to do for Lent this year, this book will give you plenty of ideas on how to grow in holiness. No matter how kind you think you are, you’ll find plenty of room for improvement, and you will feel much better for making the effort. Even better, your relationships will flourish and you will wonder why you never read this book before. Be prepared to have highlighter in hand, for every page is filled with practical wisdom and sage advice.

6. Summa of the Christian Life (3 Volumes) – Writings of Venerable Louis of Granada (1504-1588) – Beginning with the existence of God and what that means for our everyday lives, Granada’s words direct readers clearly and succinctly toward holiness. His writing is simple yet beautiful. Venerable Louis of Granada was a favorite spiritual writer of St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Charles Borromeo, St. Francis de Sales, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Rose of Lima and many others. You can’t go wrong if you allow this great man to guide you on the path to holiness.

7. Guidance to Heaven by Cardinal Giovanni Bona (1658) – Guidance to Heaven begins by making clear the purpose of this life in preparing for eternity. Cardinal Bona will help readers to prepare themselves for death by addressing vices with which many of us struggle, and helping us to bring them under control. The jacket of my book says it all and reads in part,

If the reader derived no other value from this book than the realization we are each one going to die – we know not when – and pass to our real life which will last for all eternity, and that our every waking hour of this one should be a preparation for that one, then a reading of this book would have been for him of ultimate value – the best thing he ever did.

8. Jesus of Nazareth: The Story of His Life Simply Told by Mother Mary of Loyola (1906) – If you are looking for a book on the life of Christ, this one is beautifully told. Jesus of Nazareth was originally written for children, and I did read it to my kids last year. But it was also re-packaged as an adult book because at 300+ pages and with beautiful language and captivating commentary, this book is a must read for anyone ages 10-110. If, like me, you struggle with imperfect contrition, Mother Mary of Loyola will help you to love Christ implicitly for His simple, yet beautiful goodness, for His loving obedience to the Father and for His great sacrifice, made selflessly for the sake of our eternal union with Him.

9.Counsels of Perfection for Christian Mothers by the Very Reverend P. Lejeune (1913) – This is an amazing book for mothers. If you are anything like me, you strive for perfection in so many areas that you sometimes forget to put first things first. Wisely, Fr. Lejeune recognizes this temptation for women, and begins his book with a discussion of the meaning of perfection. Clarifying the only definition that matters – Perfection is accomplishing the will of God in a constant and generous fashion – Lejeune then sets out to direct us on how to actually achieve perfection in that light. Advising mothers on everything from how they spend their time to what they say and how they say it, this book offers a plethora of things to consider in the pursuit of holiness, as well as how to take proper steps to achieve it in our lifetime.

10. A Practical C ommentary on Holy Scripture by Bishop Frederick Justus Knecht, D.D. (1923) – A great way to read the Bible through in story form with commentary that helps you to understand the Faith, as well as practical applications for daily life. I found it to be a wonderful supplement during my time spent reading Sacred Scripture. According to the back cover of my edition,

This book is a great introductory Bible study all by itself – for it brings out the Catholic teachings that are hidden in Sacred Scripture! A famous book – one which received recommendations from 14 bishops when first published and which went through at least 16 editions – this commentary is not a work for scholars; but rather a very practical book for the ordinary Catholic.

Five Ways to Model Your Family after the Holy Family

The Holy Family is the ideal to which all other families should subscribe, if they hope to find joy and fulfillment in this life.

“The triangle of truisms, of father, mother and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.” — G.K. Chesterton, The Superstition of Divorce

The family is the cornerstone of all the institutions in the world, and yet has suffered from an unbelievable assault over the past few decades; an assault that has produced unfathomable damage, including everything from divorce to elective single parenthood, to lower marriage rates and a new definition so freewheeling and loose that the core identity of the family seems to have been irreparably weakened.

Whether due to circumstance or choice, it is true that families come in all shapes and sizes. However, the Holy Family serves as a model of the family that God intended, and the family that until just a few decades ago, was considered standard form in every social circle. The Holy Family is not the Universal family, for there is no such thing. Rather, the Holy Family stands as the pinnacle of all families throughout the history of the world. The Holy Family is the ideal to which all other families should subscribe, if they hope to find joy and fulfillment in this life.

Families matter. And your family can be an incredible light to the rest of the world. Not by being perfect. By being a family. I speak from personal experience. When I was growing up, God used family after family to inspire me to seek His truth. Again, these weren’t perfect families. But they were families. And I’m willing to bet that not one of them has any idea of the impact their faithfulness had on my life. But it did. Families are beacon to the world of the Light of Christ. And the contribution of the family is critical to society. As Saint John Paul II said in Familiaris Consortio, “The future of the world and of the church passes through the family” (75).

So what better way to affect the future for good than to have a great family?! And where better to seek inspiration than in the Holiest of Families?!

Here are five ways to model your family after the Holy Family:

Be grateful. Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord and my soul rejoices in God my savior…” (Luke 1:46-47). Think about those words every day. We are His handmaids in this family with which He has so blessed us. Rather than think, If only this child would cooperate, or if only my husband would be more patient – thank God for those beautiful, amazing personalities that He has deigned you worthy to serve.
Be joyful. Think of the Joyful mysteries – those mysteries associated with the Holy Family. Mary was overwhelmed with joy when the Holy Spirit overshadowed her and she conceived by the Holy Spirit. St. John the Baptist was overjoyed when he beheld Christ in the womb of Mary, His mother. Heaven and earth rejoiced at the birth of Christ. Simeon was overcome with joy when he held the baby Jesus. And Mary and Joseph were overwhelmed with joy upon finding Jesus in the temple.
Paul said to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice” (4:4). So rejoice! Your family will love you for it!
Be Absolutely Devoted. From the moment the angel appeared to Joseph and secured his understanding of the situation at hand, Joseph was absolutely devoted to his wife and foster child. He led them to Bethlehem, showing particular care and consideration as he guided his expectant wife to shelter. Shortly thereafter, upon receiving further direction in a dream, he immediately woke his wife and child and led them to safety in Egypt. When the family returned to Nazareth, Joseph devoted his life to quiet, but diligent work in order to serve his family.
Spend Time Together. Jesus, Mary and Joseph were together. Presumably until Joseph died, the three were very much a single unit. In fact, St. Joseph is the Patron of happy deaths; particularly because tradition teaches us that he died in the arms of Mary and Jesus.
Sacrifice. Ultimately, each member of the Holy Family sacrificed his own life for those he loved. Joseph raised a child that wasn’t even his own, while remaining a celibate man for his entire married life. Mary was told from the moment she presented her son at the temple that she would suffer as a result of her motherhood. She didn’t balk. Rather, she loved with a devotion that none of us can fathom. Her seven sorrows were a result of her love, and yet no doubt her love was strengthened in her sorrow. And Christ? Well, in addition to sacrificing his very life for each and every one of us, the God of the Universe lowered himself to the level of a child, and “was obedient” to his parents all the days of his life. If that’s not sacrifice, then I don’t know what is.

The family, as a community of persons, is thus the first human “society.” — Saint John Paul II, Letter to Families.

Family is sacred. And God is so good that He allowed each of us the privilege of entering the world by way of a family. Even more, many of us are married and blessed with children of our own. Family is a gift that we must cherish beyond all things. There is no argument that trumps that bond. There is no disagreement, no selfish action, no betrayal, nor any sin that should break that union. Pain and suffering may make it more challenging, but regardless, always cherish that beautiful family you’ve been given the opportunity to love.

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Artwork: La Santa Famille by Francesco Vanni, 1871

Reconciliation: Don’t Wait to Rejoice!

Do not wait to take advantage of the opportunity to know God’s mercy as soon as possible, to live in His light, and to experience His joy right now!

by Rev. Jeff Loseke

This Sunday, Lætare Sunday—whose name comes from the first words of the Entrance Antiphon at Mass, Lætare Ierusalem (Rejoice, Jerusalem)—marks the halfway point in Lent and invites us to begin experiencing the joy of the Resurrection even as we continue our journey to the Cross. Hopefully, our Lenten practices and penances have been chipping away at our hardened hearts so that they are already being freed from temptation and slavery to sin through God’s grace. Our works alone are incapable of effecting this interior change, however. Only in cooperation with God’s work do we experience the movement from darkness to light.

Were an athlete or a musician to wait until the last minute to begin practicing for a contest or performance, he or she would not likely perform to the best of his or her ability. All the weeks and months of potential growth would have been squandered through procrastination. I would suggest that we ought to consider our spiritual life with a similar mindset, especially during Lent. Too many Catholics, perhaps, like to wait to the last minute to go to Confession before Easter so that they will be “squeaky clean” for Easter Sunday. Unfortunately, by putting off the Sacrament of Reconciliation to the last minute, one is left to struggle through Lent without the particular help of that sacramental grace. While on the one hand, Confession in the eleventh hour will bring us full forgiveness of sins prior to the Easter Mysteries, on the other hand, it leaves us potentially in a state of sin now, stymieing the effects of sanctifying grace, which could have been growing in us over time. The fullness of our Easter joy is potentially stunted because of our tardiness in choosing to be freed from sin as soon as possible. The earlier we are freed, the longer we walk in grace and grow in joy.

Almost everywhere you go, a number of extra opportunities are being made available during Lent for the faithful to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Do not wait to take advantage of the opportunity to know God’s mercy as soon as possible, to live in His light, and to experience His joy right now! Had the Prodigal Son not waited so long to return to his father’s house, he would not have had to face starvation and destitution. Why, then, should we wait to be forgiven? Rather, we should be running to our Savior, who cannot wait to give us the fullness of His joy. Therefore, with the whole Church we cry out: “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.

The Reverend Jeffery S. Loseke is a Priest of the Archdiocese of Omaha and is currently the pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Gretna, Nebraska. Ordained in 2000, Fr. Loseke holds a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.) from the Pontifical Athenaeum of St. Anselm in Rome and is working to complete his doctoral degree (Ed.D.) in interdisciplinary leadership through Creighton University in Omaha. In addition to parish ministry, Fr. Loseke has served as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force, taught high school theology and college-level philosophy, and has been a presenter for various missions, retreats, and diocesan formation days across the country.

Art: The Confession by Giuseppe Molteni, 1838

This Year – Give Dandelions to God

Whatever you offer to God this Lent, may you present it with all the awkward generosity, sincere devotion and loving desire of a child.

There is something precious about a three-year-old presenting his mother with a bouquet of dandelions. No matter that the flowers handed over are a crushed and virtually unrecognizable sweaty clump of weeds. There is a sacred element to the gift as a result, not of its quality, but of the depth of the child’s desire to please. That desire is evident in the exuberant bounce of the step, the excited thrust of the gift into her open palms, the devoted gaze and the joyful anticipation of mother’s reaction as she receives such a loving gesture.

When we think about Lent, doesn’t it seem likely that this is what God desires for us as we approach this sacred season? For our own sakes, He doesn’t want us to approach Lent with a show of indifference, where we give up something like caster oil or spinach and call it good. On the other hand, He isn’t looking for heavy sighs and feigned martyrdom when we consider what we’d like to offer God this year. He doesn’t want us to spend the next 40 days trudging from here to there with gritted teeth, downtrodden expressions, sunken eyes and never-ending groans of agony until Easter morning. That said, He also isn’t looking for us to beat ourselves up because we commit to a mountain of resolutions and then fall short.

He wants the simple but joyful sacrifice of a child. More than anything, He is looking for the genuine desire to give what we have to Our Lord for his pleasure.

Lent is a call for penance, fasting and abstinence. Not for His sake, but for our sake. Just as a grateful and generous child grows in virtue in the very act of giving, Christians develop virtue and grow in holiness when they generously offer penance, fasting and abstinence as loving gestures in order to please God; not merely to fulfill an obligation.

It is no coincidence that Lent falls shortly after we celebrate the greatest gift of all time – the gift of the Incarnation, wherein God condescended to become Man in order to lead us to Himself. What is Christmas but the beautiful celebration wherein Christ offers himself as a gift for all mankind. According to Jean Danielou, S.J. in The Angels and Their Mission,

The true mystery of the Nativity is the self-abasement of the divine Person of the Word, a “little lower than angels” (Hebrews 2:7), p. 41.

Webster’s Dictionary defines self-abasement as “voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for some wrong-doing. Synonyms are “self-mortification, penance.”

From the moment of the incarnation, Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice. Lent, in a very special way, calls us to a new springtime of union with Him. A union wherein we cooperate in His sacrifice by giving of ourselves. Where in all weakness and humility, we try to offer back to the God who has given so much to us. By His example and through His grace, we are able to offer our own self-mortification and penance. During Lent, we are given an opportunity to sacrifice.

What does it mean to sacrifice? Saint Teresa of Calcutta said it best:

“A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt, and must empty ourselves.”

These are words we should keep in mind as we approach Lent.

But there is a difference between emptying ourselves, and letting everyone know the cost of the emptying. Lent is about offering gifts to God. As is evident when we gaze upon a crucifix, the greatest gifts often come at the greatest cost. But when we offer ourselves and our gifts in love, we don’t count the cost.

When one loves, one does not calculate – St. Therese of Lisieux

Have you ever received a gift from a reluctant giver? Or from a giver who goes on and on about the cost or challenge in obtaining or sharing the gift? More often than not, most of us would rather that person had kept his gift than that he bemoan the difficulties sustained in its presentation.

Lenten resolutions bemoaned and endured turn us into victims. Resolutions offered in love, no matter the cost, are called sacrifices. Through a willingness to carry our crosses, we unite ourselves to Christ on His Cross. By eagerly giving of ourselves, our offering becomes united to His Offering. Our love is united to His Love. Our sacrifice is united to His Sacrifice.

Imagine the reaction when we run to God with our gifts, no matter how small they may be? Imagine His joy when we thrust them into His wounded palms, His pride at our humble willingness to look like fools for God – that our desire to give far outweighs our desire for perfection. Our desire to look good. Our desire to win.

Whatever you offer to God this Lent, may you present it with all the awkward generosity, sincere devotion and loving desire of a child.

Artwork: from The Fountain: with Jets of New Meaning, 1870

A Lenten Retreat that will Last a Lifetime!

What do you say? The reading of these good books does not concern you? But I find this duty more incumbent on you than on those living in the security of the cloister. For you who sail on the open sea, whether you will it or not, are beset by a thousand occasions of sin. Thus the aid of spiritual books is for you a necessity. A religious cannot be wounded, because she is far from the combat. But you who are in the midst of battle, must protect yourself with the buckler of holy thoughts drawn from good books. – St. John Chrysostom, Discourse 3

This world is a battleground, and we, the Church Militant, are called to fight evil – whether on a societal level or in the deepest recesses of our own souls – that we might grow in union with God and join Him for all eternity in heaven. But the battle is difficult. And weak as we are, it is easy to get get wounded, to grow soft in discipline or get distracted from our mission. Sometimes we succumb to the world and all its demands and then look up to find that we are not where we hoped we’d be. Somehow we need to ground ourselves before we head out into battle each day. To retreat from battle that we might arm ourselves with the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), cling to the Pillar of Truth (1 Timothy 3:15), and fill ourselves with the buckler of holy thoughts, in order to face the enemy each day.

Prepare for Battle

What would you say if I offered you the opportunity to go on retreat for 15-30 minutes five days per week, directed by some of the greatest minds in the Church? This retreat will offer rewards like you’ve never dreamed. After 15-30 minutes of quiet, prayerful meditation, you will be ready to face your day like never before. If you embark on this retreat, I guarantee you will be equipped with everything you need to make progress in your spiritual life – progress that will be witnessed by your family, friends, colleagues and fellow pilgrims you meet each day.

You’ll find this retreat in How to Read Your Way to Heaven: A Spiritual Reading Program for the Worst of Sinners, the Greatest of Saints and Everyone in Between.

Sound like a far-fetched sales pitch?

Absolutely not! In just 15-30 minutes per day, you will

Meditate on Sacred Scripture
Read 1-2 paragraphs from the Catechism of the Catholic Church
Read a few pages from some of the greatest minds in the history of the Church

Spiritual reading is organized around the Four Pillars of the Catechism:

The Profession of Faith – What we Believe as Catholics
The Celebration of the Christian Mystery – Liturgy and the Sacraments
Life in Christ – Man’s Vocation as a Christian
Christian Prayer

For the person who hasn’t done much spiritual reading…

this program offers a no-fail plan, sans dates or pressure, so you can get started right away, and pace yourself – while reaping great rewards found through Sacred Scripture, the direction of the Saints and wisdom of the Early Church Fathers.

For the avid reader…

this program provides rhyme and reason to your spiritual reading. It puts order into what is often a random process, allowing for accelerated progress in the spiritual life. Spending concentrated time in each pillar allows you to learn from various perspectives and to practice what you’ve learned in your daily life for an extended time, before moving on to the next topic.

The Time is Now

Lent is upon us – do not delay. Make spiritual reading your Lenten resolution. How to Read Your Way to Heaven is a tool that will help you with all facets of the process. Make this your best Lent ever by uniting yourself to Our Lord like never before!

What’s Inside:

Why Spiritual Reading is critical to our lives as Christians

Important considerations when embarking on a Spiritual Reading Program

What is Syntopical Reading and how it can help you make great strides in your spiritual life

What kinds of works to read

How to read sacred scripture

How to structure your reading time

Specific assignments for a 1-Year, 3-Year or 5-Year Reading Program

Blank spaces each day so you can add or substitute books of your choice

Two Fabulous Book Lists: 99 of the favorite reads of notable Catholics; Fr. C. John McCloskey’s Lifetime Catholic Reading List

A lay-flat binding to ensure years of use

There isn’t enough space to extoll the benefits of spiritual reading – Rather than belabor the point, I’ll leave you with a final quote from Venerable Louis of Granada, favorite spiritual writer of St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Francis de Sales, St. Charles Borromeo, St. Vincent de Paul and St. Rose of Lima:

So great is the light and fruit of spiritual reading that we know from experience many person who have changed their entire lives by this means. When asked the root and cause of such a change, they responded that after reading such and such a book they resolved to amend their lives…

So sublime are the mysteries that the Christian religion proposes to man and so powerful for moving hearts that I would not be surprised if they effected a great change in anyone who attentively considers them. – Summa of the Christian Life, p. 7-8

What People are Saying about How to Read Your Way to Heaven:

Recently, Catholic radio host Allison Gingras of breadboxmedia.com, sent me a link to a recent program, where she and guest Cristina Trinidad had been discussing my book. What a fun show! All discussions about Lent and spiritual reading should be so joyful!! I hope you’ll check it out – let these ladies give you their perspective on the book:

A Seeking Heart – 2/17/17

Personal Message:

Just finished reading Rome Sweet Home and loved it. I’m also enjoying the Book of Matthew. I think it’s a great book to start with. I’m looking forward to my reading time early every morning. I thank God for giving me you…to show me the way to reading His Word. I love to read and this has been something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time.

Check out Amazon for Reader Reviews!

Editorial Reviews

“If you want to develop a deep knowledge of our Faith, here is a reliable book that shows you how.” Fr. C. John McCloskey III

“We can read all day and read forever, and still feel as if we’re not making progress. Vicki Burbach gets us out of the rut and onto a track toward real spiritual — and cultural and intellectual — progress. This is the kind of book that can make life so much richer — by leading to many more books, and all in good order.” Mike Aquilina

“Whether you’re a lifelong Catholic or a skeptical inquirer, you’ll find How to Read Your Way to Heaven by Vicki Burbach to be an indispensable gift for your intellectual and spiritual life. With this timeless treasure, Vicki has helped solve my so many books and so little time problem by providing a masterplan that’s both exciting and accomplishable.”
Lisa M. Hendey Founder of CatholicMom.com and author of The Grace of Yes

“Getting to heaven often requires that we rely on the wisdom of those who have gone before us. Vicki Burbach has done us a great service by providing an insightful reading plan and approach that, if absorbed and followed, will no doubt produce saints!”
Dan Burke, President of the Avila Institute

My new book just came out!!! And it’s all about Sacrifice!!!

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VII The Hidden God

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Elisabeth Leseur, Pray for us!

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Prepare for Battle

For the person who hasn’t done much spiritual reading…

For the avid reader…

The Time is Now

What’s Inside:

What People are Saying about How to Read Your Way to Heaven:

Personal Message:

Check out Amazon for Reader Reviews!

Editorial Reviews

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VII
The Hidden God