“As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.” Mt 9:9 “‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and Read more…
A few days ago, I came across this line in my prayer book. It’s not some quotable one liner like we sometimes have, but it’s never the less important for us. “Let us first consider the activity which is so closely connected with the spiritual life and which consists in Read more…
A friend recently shared this quote from John Henry Newman: “The whole course of Christianity…is but one series of troubles and disorders. Every century is like every other, and to those who live in it seems worse than all times before it. The Church is ever ailing…Religion seems ever expiring, Read more…
In the Secret of the Rosary, we hear of a certain woman in Rome, who believed that she didn’t need the rosary – it was a devotion “for which she had no taste.” Despite St. Dominic’s advice, she resisted praying the Rosary, and stuck with her own devotions. What happened Read more…
In the past month or so, we’ve covered topics around the Rosary quite a few times. Hopefully, by now, we can see its importance and its benefits for our souls and others. But, all that being said, it doesn’t make saying it any easier. Let’s be frank, a daily Rosary Read more…
We live in a time when immorality is championed as personal freedom. For those of us striving to grow in virtue, we longingly look back to the good old days when sexual sin and temptation was not lurking around every corner. However, when you look to St. Paul’s letters, we Read more…
“To think that it is possible to say prayers that are finer and more beautiful than the Our Father and the Hail Mary is to fall prey to a strange illusion of the devil.” St. Louis de Montfort As someone raised Catholic, I’ve found myself prey to this illusion: “The Read more…
There’s a thought I’ve been mulling around in my head for a little while. Someday, it will probably be a full fledged article for Summons, but today I wanted to share a little bit. Let’s start with these words from Christ: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love Read more…
Somehow back in high school, I remember writing a paper, talking with friends on AIM, watching TV, while playing music in the background. I don’t know how I did it because nowadays, I can’t read a book while someone else is talking in the room. While multi-tasking is darn near Read more…
On June 13th in 1917, Our Lady appeared to the three shepherd children at Fatima, Portugal, the second of six apparitions. There’s so many lessons, warnings, and riches in the story of Our Lady of Fatima. But today, I wanted to highlight one in particular that I’ve been pondering. After Read more…
There’s a latin phrase you’ll sometimes hear in the Church: “Lex orandi, lex credendi.” Roughly translated to “the way we pray is the way we believe.” According to the USCCB, the phrase goes back to a fifth century Christian writer. And, this is very much a timeless truth of our Read more…
Here’s an interesting little thought experiment: What would you do if you knew you wouldn’t fail? What would you attempt, if you knew that it would work? Would you ask that girl out? Would you start your own business? Would you take the Gospel to the ends of the earth? Read more…
For us lay folks, there’s a sort of balancing act that we need to walk. As men, husbands, fathers, citizens, employees – we operate in the world. But, we’re not meant to be “of the world” as St. Paul says. We’re called to detach the very world that we spend Read more…
Since reaching working age, I’ve had a hard time placing work into my life of faith. Often times, I find myself wondering, does God really care about this marketing campaign? And, I’ve learned more and more that the answer is yes, just maybe not in the way we think. Work Read more…
When it’s all said and done, we will stand before the throne of God and face judgment. It’s hard to imagine what this will actually be like. But, it’s something that we must try to prepare for, and live our lives accordingly. In Chapter 25 of Matthew’s Gospel, we see Read more…