On this Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, I encourage you to read this reflection on prayer and the human heart written by Augustine Institute professor, Jim Beckman. Enjoy! How do we get into a real and growing relationship with Jesus? How do we navigate depth in our prayer life so we’re not just going through the motions, not just putting …
Imagine the meeting of these two expectant mothers. What joy and excitement they must have had for each other. The joy-filled reception of Mary and Jesus in the Visitation is reminiscent of the way the ark of the covenant was welcomed in the Old Testament.
Check out this article, Pope Francis: Reform in the Footsteps of St. Pius V, by Augustine Institute professor, Dr. Jared Staudt to find out!
Over the next couple of weeks, I am going to be writing a series of blogs on the New Evangelization, and the things we want to keep in mind in terms of how we pass on the faith in this new cultural situation. Today, I want to simply clarify what the term ‘New Evangelization’ means. The New Evangelization is definitely …
Since Christ died for us, Saint Peter reminds Christians to live a life worthy of Him: You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot (1 Pet. 1:18-19). In antiquity, …
The witness and testimony of the apostles leads to the conversion of many in Jerusalem: ”The Word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7). This growing success increases the resentment of the chief priests and leaders; a conflict is brewing, …
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. – Luke 1:26-27 What was Mary’s life like originally–before she learned that she was to become the mother of Israel’s Messiah? …
On their way to the Temple, Peter and John encounter a man born lame begging for alms. Peter responds that while he has no silver or gold, he will share what he has; “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6). The lame man, “leaping up,” praises God and, to the amazement of the people, he walks …
The story of Jesus’ resurrection takes place on a particular day of the week, the “first day of the week, at early dawn” (Lk 24:1). The Church Fathers understood that because of Jesus’ victory over death, a new age had dawned and therefore the resurrection marked the “first day” of the new creation. This seems to be suggested by John, …
As the first rays of sunlight banish the lingering darkness, a new day and age begins dawning on the world. God’s new creation has begun. But this is not what brings Mary Magdalene and the other Mary out to the tomb of Jesus. These are two of the courageous women from Galilee who followed Jesus to the bitter end. Unlike …