Feb 27 Fri - Why should I go to confession?

 

 

 Feb 27 Fri
Why should I go to confession?

Lent is the most opportune time for considering how we receive the sacrament of Penance, that meeting with Christ, who makes himself present in the priest. In it, He welcomes us as the Good Shepherd, He heals our wounds, He cleanses us and strengthens us. 

When we go to receive this sacrament, we must think of Christ above all else. We must make sure He is the center of this sacramental act. We need to look at Jesus much more than at ourselves. We must keep our eyes on his goodness rather than on our own wretchedness, because interior life is a dialogue of love in which God is always the point of reference.

Every contrite Confession is a drawing near to the holiness of God, a rediscovery of one’s true identity, which has been damaged by sin, a liberation in the very depth of one’s self and thus a regaining of lost joy, the joy of being saved, which the majority of people in our time are no longer capable of experiencing. It is up to us to help others to be aware of, to experience, a sense of loss of God, so that they may draw close to him, for He is waiting for them.

The desire that we have to make Christ the center of our Confession is important if we are to avoid routine.

Previously, we need to make a good examination of conscience.

We must go to Confession to ask for absolution for our faults as we would beg for alms that we would not deserve. But we go with confidence; trusting, not in our merits, but in his mercy, which is eternal and infinite and always ready to forgive. 

He asks us only to acknowledge our faults; to humbly and sincerely acknowledge our debt. That is why we go to Confession — so that the person who takes God’s place and acts on God’s behalf can forgive us for him. It is not so much that he should understand or encourage us. We go to ask for forgiveness. That is why accusing ourselves of our sins does not consist simply in recounting them, because it is not a question of an historical account of our transgressions, but of sincerely and truly accusing ourselves of them: I accuse myself of ... 

St. Josemaría used to advise us that our Confession should be: concise, concrete, clear, complete.

Concise: Confession with few words, just the words that are needed to say humbly what we have done or have failed to do, without any unnecessary elaboration or adornment.

Concrete: Without digression, without generalities. The penitent will declare his sins, the time that has elapsed since his last Confession, the surrounding circumstances that have a bearing on his faults so that the confessor can judge, absolve and heal.

Clear: A Confession where we make ourselves understood.

Complete: Integral Confession, without leaving anything out through a false sense of shame so as not to appear bad in the confessor’s eyes.

The sincere Confession of our faults always leaves great peace and joy in the soul.

Feb 26 Thu - Why do we refer to Christ’s Passion and Death in the Mass?

 

Feb 26 Thu
Why do we refer to Christ’s Passion and Death in the Mass?

The Mass is the sacramental memorial of Christ’s Passion and Death.
A part of the Canon, called Anamnesis or Memorial, comes after the acclamation of the Consecration. In it the Church calls to mind the Lord’s Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension into heaven.

We have just been asked to “proclaim the mystery of faith.” And what is this mystery? Precisely the redeeming sacrifice of Christ celebrated in these rites.

We are now reminded that the Church is acting in memory of our Lord and obeying his explicit command: “Do this in memory of me.” We are mindful of Christ’s mandate and profess fidelity to Christ’s express indication. Thus, the Church declares that the Eucharist is a sacramental reenactment of Christ’s death on Calvary and not an attempt to “add to” the sacrifice of the Cross.

Pope Saint John Paul II wrote: “This sacrificial value is expressed earlier in every celebration by the words with which the priest concludes the presentation of the gifts, asking the faithful to pray ‘that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.’ … Thus, by virtue of the consecration, the species of bread and wine re-present in a sacramental, unbloody manner the bloody propitiatory sacrifice offered by Him on the cross to His Father for the salvation of the world.”
 
We are not mere spectators; rather, we play an active part: we offer. But we should make a distinction here. The common priesthood of all baptized persons empowers us to offer the Mass. On the other hand, the priest, having received the sacrament of Holy Orders, possesses the ministerial priesthood that empowers him to celebrate the Mass.

Lay people are members of the people of God, which is ‘holy.’ United to the entire Church, we now offer Christ’s sacrifice with the desire that it becomes the center of our daily life and apostolic eagerness. Meanwhile, “the Church presses forwards amid persecutions of the world and the consolations of God, announcing the cross and death of the Lord until He comes.”

We not only announce what happened in the past but also prophesy what is to come: the final fulfillment of the kingdom, the light that knows no setting.

The Third and Fourth Eucharistic Prayers show:

- The expectation of the coming of the Lord is explicitly stated. 
- The sacrificial character of the Eucharist is stressed, showing that Christ is the direct object of the offering.
- An element of thanksgiving has been added to that of memorial.

Following the footprints of Jesus, our life should become a prolonged Mass. Here is a summary or program of life by which we can achieve this ideal:

- To remember Christ’s passion and death. It delivered us from the real evil, sin; and merited for us all true good.
- To experience constantly the joy of his resurrection.
- To proclaim his resurrection and ascension, through our words and deeds.
- To center our day on this holy sacrifice, while we look forward to Christ’s coming.

Feb 25 Wed - What kind of priests does the Church need today?

 

Feb 25 Wed
What kind of priests does the Church need today?

In a letter to the priests of Madrid and the entire Church, Pope Leo XIV outlined his vision of the “type of priests that the entire Church needs at this time.”

Let's ask God for priests at the measure of the Heart of Christ. Such priests, he wrote, are godly, men who are in the world but not of it, and characterized by fraternal charity. They are faithful to the living Tradition of the Church guarded by the Magisterium, celebrate the sacraments with faith and dignity, and go to Confession themselves. They appreciate the diversity of charisms and spiritualities within the Church. Above all, they are men of prayer centered on the Eucharist, on the altar, and in the tabernacle.

The Pontiff analyzed how many people, especially the young, are searching for deeper meaning.
In the hearts of many people, especially young people, a new restlessness is opening up today. The exclusive concern for well-being has not brought them the expected happiness; a freedom detached from the truth has not generated the promised fullness; and material progress, by itself, has not succeeded in fulfilling the deep desire of the human heart.

The priests the Church needs are certainly not men defined by the multiplication of tasks, but men configured to Christ, capable of sustaining their ministry from a living relationship with Him, nourished by the Eucharist, and expressed in a pastoral charity marked by the sincere gift of self.

The priesthood, in its most authentic nucleus, is being ‘alter Christus’ -another Christ.

The Pope said that priests should be:

- Christ centered: The priest is never an end in himself. He must refer his whole life to God, without usurping His place.

- Being in the world, but not of the world: Priestly life is marked by commitments that allows the priest to belong entirely to God without ceasing to walk among men.

- Living fraternity: Knowing that we are responsible for one another, resisting the individualism that impoverishes the heart and weakens the mission.

- Faithful to Catholic teaching: When the priest remains anchored in the living Tradition of the Church, and guarded by the Magisterium, he avoids building on the quick sands of partial interpretations.

- Focused on the Sacraments: These are the real and effective force of the priestly ministry. The priest must celebrate the sacraments with dignity and faith. “But do not forget that you are not the fountain, but the channel, and that you also need to drink of that water. Therefore, do not cease from going to Confession, to always return to the mercy you proclaim.”

- Appreciative of the Church’s different charisms and diverse spiritualities.

- Centered on the Eucharist: “Here is what gives meaning to what you do every day and from which your ministry springs. On the altar, through your hands, Christ’s sacrifice is actualized in the highest action entrusted to human hands; in the tabernacle, He whom you have offered, is entrusted once again to your care. Be worshippers, men of deep prayer, and teach your people to do the same.”

Feb 24 Tue - Is love blind?

 

Feb 24 Tue

Is love blind?

Love is not blind: it is profoundly clairvoyant.

Far from being blind, love makes one see, and be perceptive and discover the current inner richness of the beloved.

I’m talking about authentic, genuine love; not mere passion, whim, or a more or less disguised egocentrism.

Real, well-tested love, far from clouding the vision of the person who loves, makes it more penetrating and astute, more subtle, and understanding.

When you love, nature ceases to be an enigma.
We perceive in them all that they have been, all that they could have been, all that they are now, and all that they can be in the future.

Those around them only see them from the outside but spouses, to take the most frequent example, love each other with genuine madness, and this going out of themselves to enter into the beloved, makes them shrewd, understanding, and intuitive.

The same is true of mothers. Each one delights in praising her beloved son as her life, her everything, her love, her king, her heaven, while none of these nicknames seem appropriate for the neighbor’s child.

Only committed love allows one to perceive the intimate dignity and future fulfillment of the beloved.

Love is not blind; it is by no means blinded. Love is bound, and the more bound it is, the less blinded it is.

“The more bound…”: the reason for this truth is that, as the bonds that unite us to the loved one intensify, the identification becomes greater.

The one who loves becomes one with the beloved, transforms into the other, without losing one’s own uniqueness.

Love takes us out of ourselves and introduces us to the intimacy of the beloved.

To love, therefore, means to know in depth what the beloved is in the present and, progressively, to anticipate what they are destined to be, their future ideal, their fullness.

Unlike what happens with merely instinctive desires, which are directed towards anyone who can appease them, true love is always directed towards a specific person, not interchangeable with any other: Love has nothing to do with an anonymous partner in instinctive relationships.

We could say that loving means being able to say “you” to someone; and to say “yes” to them: to accept them in all that they are worth. To love is to see the other person as God intended.

Love not only welcomes the fellow human being in their human condition, but in their strict uniqueness and singularity: as a person, as a unique, unrepeatable ‘you’.

This is also how God, our Father, loves us: His Love is the Greatest Love. “You and I belong to Christ's family, for 'He himself has chosen us before the foundation of the world, to be saints, to be blameless in his sight, for love of him, having predestined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his Will'. We have been chosen gratuitously by Our Lord. His choice of us sets us a clear goal.” Our goal must be personal sanctity.

With excerpts from Tomás Melendo.

Feb 23 Mon - What is today the greatest obstacle to peace?

 

Feb 23 Mon
What is today the greatest obstacle to peace?
Recently, Pope Leo XIV reflected on peace as “a gift, a covenant, and a promise.” 

“Peace is above all a gift. We receive it from those who came before us, and for this, we must be grateful.”

“Peace is also a covenant, which binds us to one another and commits us to preserve it where it exists and to pursue it where it is absent.”

“Finally, peace is a promise, because it opens before us the hope of a better world, a hope shared by all people of good will.”

Politics plays an indispensable role in this task. Thus, we must work together to establish forms of participation in our countries that allow all citizens—men and women alike—to engage in the institutional life of our nations. Upon this foundation of justice, it will be possible to build a universal fraternity that is already taking shape among many young people, a sign of a new era.

“With this in mind, we must reflect on the fact that there can be no peace while humanity wages war against itself—by discarding the weak, excluding the poor, and remaining indifferent to refugees and the oppressed. Only those who care for the least among us are capable of accomplishing what is truly great."

Christians, as followers of Christ, have a particular responsibility for peacebuilding. This responsibility extends not only to relations between nations but also to the concrete places of daily life: the place you live, where you study, and where you work. We must be peacemakers.

If we try to foster harmony within the university or our workplace, or among political parties and civic associations, we will be able to build peace within society as a whole, and even between peoples and continents.

In this context, Mother Teresa of Calcutta remarked that “The greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion, which is war against the child. There, the mother doesn't love, but kills to solve her own problems. Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want.”

Her words remain prophetic. No policy can genuinely serve the people if it denies the unborn the gift of life or neglects to support those in need, whether in their material circumstances or in their spiritual distress.

Communion in the Church, in its many aspects, “teaches us to listen to the perspectives of others, instead of relying solely on our own.” Together we can do great things.

The one God has entrusted the earth to us as a common home for all peoples; therefore, the label “One Humanity, One Planet” finds its fullest expression when completed by the words “One God.” Recognizing in him our loving and benevolent Creator, our religious traditions call us to contribute to social progress by always seeking the common good, which rests upon the firm foundations of peace and justice.

Feb 22 Sun - Is personal conversion the main requirement of this Lent?

 

Feb 22 Sun
Is personal conversion the main requirement of this Lent?

"You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve."
These words, addressed by our Lord Jesus Christ to Satan, are the program of life for man, called to the service of God and God alone. Yet, throughout his life, man is exposed and susceptible to all "temptations," driven by the devil, who does everything possible to dominate and manipulate man by trying to set him against God.

Faced with Satan, who promises man even "all the kingdoms of the world" in exchange for worship, Jesus responds with the light and strength of the Word of God, who had warned the chosen people against the temptation of idolatry.

Lent is a time for inner conversion. Sacred Scripture presents human life in its relationship with God as a continuous inner conversion. God, in His infinite love, calls man to live in communion with Him. But man is fragile, weak, sinful; therefore, to enter into communion with God, he must reverse the path that leads him to evil; he must even change ways of thinking that are opposed to the will and word of God.

And Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, calls men to conversion: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Lent represents in the life of the Church a cry for conversion: "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts." Lent is a continuous, urgent call to the urgency of authentic interior conversion.

Conversion is fundamentally a turning away from sin and a going toward the living God. This is the invitation of the prophet Hosea, who insists on the interior character of authentic conversion, always stirred and inspired by love and knowledge of God.

Conversion is a gift from God, which man must ask for with fervent prayer and which Christ has earned for us. This is what today's liturgy has led us to meditate on in the passage from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans: through the disobedience of the first Adam, sin and death entered the world and dominate man. But if it is true that "through the offense of the one man (that is, Adam), death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ."

Christians, strengthened by the power that comes from Christ, increasingly distance themselves from sin, from specific sins, mortal or venial. Moreover, by overcoming evil inclinations, vices, and habitual sin, they will increasingly weaken the inclination to sin. This occurs to the extent that grace, God's gift, granted by the merits "of one man, Jesus Christ," abounds in us more and more.

In this way, conversion is a gradual, effective, continuous struggle to pass from the "old" Adam to the "new" one, who is Christ. This exhilarating spiritual process, during the period of Lent, must become particularly conscious and incisive in every Christian.

Feb 21 Sat - Is being humble the opposite of being natural?

 

Feb 21 Sat
Is being humble the opposite of being natural?

“When we try to be humble, we feel God's power acting in us, based on our weakness; and we come to understand that we are never stronger than when we have only God to rely on. We also learn that age and experience alone are not a guarantee that we will get things right; otherwise, all elderly people would be geniuses. It is God who makes us more prudent than our teachers and wiser than the aged."

"Humble people realize that their lives are in the hands of God. And when they turn to God in prayer, they do so without pride, without putting on false airs, since they know that their mistakes and sins are not hidden from God's sight."

"Humility prevents us from becoming discouraged by our own faults. Our Father God knows what kind of clay we are made of. Our human weaknesses give our Father God a chance to shine forth and to show His almighty power by excusing and forgiving."
Humility makes us see things as they are and face ourselves in God's presence.
Humility doesn't stop us from aspiring to greatness, but it reminds us that we are merely instruments.

To be humble means being natural; it means being simple and straightforward in our dealings with God and with others. Since we live in the midst of the world, our humility must never be confused with timidity or a lack of self-confidence.

"It may be that an asceticism proper to religious orders could involve some rather eye-catching expressions of humility. But in the Work, the exact opposite is the case. As our sanctity hinges on our work, we need to build up professional expertise and respect, and each of us will acquire, in our own job and social sphere, the dignity and good name we deserve, gained through honest competition with our professional colleagues. Our humility doesn't entail being timid and shy, or lacking in daring in the field of noble human endeavor. With a desire to serve, we must strive to be among the best." (St. Josemaría)

"Some people without a genuine lay outlook on life understand humility as a lack of confidence, a kind of indecisiveness that stops them from taking action. They think it involves waiving their rights (sometimes even the rights of truth and justice) to avoid friction and disagreements, so that they can be nice to everyone. There will always be some who don't understand our way of practicing a deep—and genuine—humility; they may even call it pride. The Christian concept of this virtue has been severely deformed, possibly because the various forms of humility that people have attempted to transfer onto secular society are really more suited to convents than to Christians whose vocation requires them to be at the crossroads of the world."

Let us ask Mary to remove every trace of pride from our hearts so that every day we may become more closely identified with her Son.

Feb 20 Fri - What is inculturation?

 

Feb 20 Fri
What is inculturation?

The term Catholic means universal. Have you ever wondered how the Catholic Church, the body of Christ, connects with different cultures around the world? The answer lies in a fascinating process called inculturation. Inculturation is the process by which the Catholic Church integrates her teachings and practices into various cultural contexts. This approach allows the Church to remain universal while respecting and incorporating the unique traditions of different cultures.

So, what exactly does inculturation involve? It is about adapting Christian practices to fit within different cultural settings. This adaptation happens without changing the core teachings of the Church. The goal is to present the gospel message in a way that is understandable to diverse cultures and from various backgrounds.

Historically, inculturation has been part of the Christian journey since the early days of the Church. For instance, when Christianity spread to Europe, it absorbed elements from local cultures. Existing festivals and customs were often used to celebrate Christian holidays.

This practice continued as Christianity reached other regions, including Africa and the Americas. In practical terms, inculturation allows local customs and traditions to be woven into Christian worship. This not only enriches the worship experience but also makes it more relatable for local congregations.

Missionaries have also utilized inculturation to introduce Christianity to new areas. One of their first tasks was learning the local language. By learning the local language and culture, they could communicate the gospel more effectively.

It is important to distinguish inculturation from syncretism. Syncretism involves blending different religious beliefs in a way that can compromise the original faith.

In contrast, inculturation aims to preserve the core teachings of Christianity while emphasizing cultural elements that align with these teachings.

Pope Leo points out: 
The inculturation of faith is not a question of adapting the Gospel to the world, but of finding in each culture the appropriate ways to proclaim the Word that does not fade away, enriching and serving human existence.

Faced with the evils that undermine society, such as tribalism, interethnic conflicts, wars, and family divisions, the Gospel calls for reconciliation and the pacification of hearts. As Saint Pope John Paul II underlined, ‘The new evangelization will thus aim at building up the Church as family, avoiding all ethnocentrism and excessive particularism, trying instead to encourage reconciliation and true communion between different ethnic groups, favoring solidarity and the sharing of personnel and resources among the particular Churches, without undue ethnic considerations.”

The family of God requires pastors to be close to the people entrusted to them in a spirit of listening, compassion, and benevolence.

In the study of the Church, known as Ecclesiology, inculturation plays a vital role. It shows how the Church interacts with different cultures, highlighting her ability to be both universal and local. This approach reflects the Church's mission to be a global community that includes people from all nations and backgrounds. Through inculturation, the Catholic Church continues to grow and adapt while remaining true to its foundational beliefs.

Feb 19 Thu - Why does the priest raise the Host and the chalice?

 

Feb 19 Thu
Why does the priest raise the Host and the chalice?
After the consecration, the priest elevates –separately– the Host and the chalice containing the Blood of our Lord, inviting us to reflect on the transubstantiation that has been caused.

The priest shows the consecrated host to the people, and then genuflects in adoration. Likewise, he shows the chalice to the people and genuflects in adoration.  

If incense is used, a server incenses the host and the chalice during the elevations. 

This ceremony was instituted to counteract the errors of Berengarius of Tours (eleventh century), who denied Christ’s presence in the Eucharist.

This is the same Body that was hanging on the cross, the same Blood that was poured there: We should repeat these truths once and again until we truly believe them and begin to love. Before the Eucharistic mystery, it is necessary for us, more than ever, to be humble. 

Three things are intended by the elevation of the sacred host:

- To expose Jesus Christ, now present on the altar, to the adoration of the faithful.

- To represent the elevation of Jesus Christ’s body on the cross. He said, “And I, when I am lifted from the earth, will draw all things to myself.”

This is the mystery of Christ that we commemorate: his incarnation, his life of work in Nazareth, his preaching and miracles, his death and resurrection. Through this great mystery, Christ is the center of the universe, the firstborn and Lord of all creation. “St. Paul gave a motto to the Christians at Ephesus: To fill everything with the spirit of Jesus, placing Christ at the center of everything.” This should also be the program of our life.

- To offer to God in silence this only one Victim of our salvation, as the priests of the Old Testament offered God their lambs as victims by elevating them. 

During the elevation, we should glance at the Eucharistic species in adoration. But we should also remember that we have come to Mass not only to worship Jesus Christ present in the sacrament of the altar. That could be done equally well in the Exposition of and Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament. We come to Mass first of all to offer Jesus Christ on the cross with the priest and the entire Church, and to offer ourselves to God with Jesus Christ and as part of his Mystical Body: We come mainly to share in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
As part of the Church, we are united to Christ in the act wherein He offers himself in sacrifice to his Father.

The acclamation of the faithful follows the consecratory formula. We have four responses commonly used in English.

When we recite any of these acclamations, we in effect declare and give witness to the encounter of the risen Christ and Mary Magdalene on Easter Sunday.

We will find the meaning of our life by sharing the Victim’s offering and by proclaiming the message of the cross and resurrection among our peers, announcing it through what we say and do.

Feb 18 Wed - Me? … A saint?

 

Feb 18 Wed
Me? … A saint?

Lent begins today, and God's call us to penance. The Church is offering us an opportunity for a new conversion, to be saints. To be a saint in this world is to develop to the full one's human potential.

The Lord continues to do "mad" things to this day. If we happen to meet some day in the middle of this busy world ask me about the latest mad actions of this God who loves us. Then I will tell you everything He did, and you will love Him with me.

The mad things He did for you may inspire you to seek and find a true and worthy outlet for your loyal rebellion, for your anxious restlessness, for your legitimate unhappiness, for that holy dissatisfaction that you share with other sons of God.

Those who fled from God have now degenerated into a cold and bitter paganism. There are very few heretics left in the modern world. Those who abandon the one true God very soon become slaves of the most barren dryness of soul. They are simply pagans: and today they can be seen all around us straining their sightless eyes, vainly seeking that happiness for which their instincts cry out, groping about in the dark, blindly trying to find the way, the truth, and the life.

We try to help them. We have told them a thousand times to look to our Christ. They have tried to look, but they see nothing. We have shouted at them that Christ is alive, really alive, the same Man that He always was, and always will be, but the force of our arguments was quenched by their cold indifference.

And yet it is easy enough to understand this dryness and bitterness in the souls of these poor pagans when we read the cynical challenge in their eyes: "Show us by your lives that Christ is alive."

Their argument is all too just. We cannot expect them to be won over by treatises on theology, some of them so dry and formal. Their argument is fair enough: "Show us by your lives that Christ is alive."

We look around us, among our fellow Christians of today, for lives to which we could point as examples and models for those men who have lost faith, and we are torn with grief when we cannot find them. It is a cause for bitter regret to see the insipid and crumbling spectacle we present to the world after twenty centuries of so-called progress.

Our world is full of living Christians, but yet it is the lifeless who are in command. We have churches in plenty, but so few good lives. All we lack is lives, lives to inspire these dead people, to convince them, to strengthen the wills of poor weak mortals, to enlighten the minds of the diseased, to soften the selfish hearts of greedy materialists — passionate lives, generous lives, lives ablaze with love. So, few good lives!

We must live this time of penance making specific resolutions to improve. 
Don’t you think that you and I are called to become the saints the world needs?

Feb 17 Tue - How can I achieve consistency in life, living without a mask?

 

Feb 17 Tue
How can I achieve consistency in life, living without a mask?

Consistency in life denotes a harmonious integration of strong faith with daily actions, thoughts, and feelings. This is not merely an abstract ideal but a divine grace that transforms the believer into a living witness of Jesus Christ. To be Christian means to think, feel, and act accordingly, recognizing the Lord's presence in every aspect of life.

This inner unity avoids the scandal of inconsistency—which can distance others from the faith—and fosters a fulfilling life, oriented toward love and service.

Consistency prevents hypocrisy and addresses key questions: Do I truly believe what I proclaim? Do I live what I believe? Do I speak about what I live? This unity between faith and action inspires a credible witness, trusting in the Holy Spirit to renew the Church and engage in dialogue with the world. Holiness is not reserved for a select few but is a path open to all.

Saint Thomas More shines as a powerful example of consistency in life. Imprisoned in the Tower of London for over a year, he endured hardships with serenity and good humor, writing letters filled with faith and familial love. He rejected offers of wealth and power to save his life, declaring, "I am not a man who changes his mind out of fear." He was beheaded on Tower Hill, accepting death with joy. John Paul II proclaimed him "an exemplary model of that unity of life" which expresses holiness in everyday situations and the public sphere.

Thomas More integrated his faith into politics without separating it from morality; he defended the primacy of a well-formed conscience over any human power, living in complete unity between belief, thought, and action. His martyrdom was the culmination of a consistently lived life.

Practical suggestions for living a more coherent life:

- Daily examination of conscience: Dedicate a few minutes at the end of the day to review whether your actions reflect your faith, humbly seeking guidance to correct inconsistencies.

- God's presence in the ordinary: Offer daily work, conversations, and small tasks as acts of love to God, turning routine into continuous prayer.

- Ongoing formation: Regularly read the Gospel and engage in spiritual reading to deepen your understanding of doctrine, informing concrete decisions in family, professional, and social life.

- Self-control and contemplation: Practice small sacrifices (such as controlling your tongue, responsibly using social media, or keeping your environment tidy) to build inner order and avoid divisions in your personality.

- Witness in the public sphere: Act with Christian consistency in the workplace, political, or digital arenas, being a light without imposing, attracting others through the joy and authenticity of a unified life.

- Community and spiritual direction: Seek guidance from a confessor or director who can help identify weaknesses and foster growth in this unity.

Living without masks is not a burden but a liberation: it makes us freer, holier, and happier, reflecting the beauty of Christ in the world. By uniting wisdom and holiness in a single, consistent life, each of us can aspire to be a luminous and transformative witness.
Excerpts from Patricia Jiménez Ramírez, in Exaudi

Feb 16 Mon - How can I overcome hardships in my family?

 

Feb 16 Mon
How can I overcome hardships in my family?

Family life has its challenges. From daily tensions to difficult trials like failing an exam, experiencing heartbreak, or losing a job, these moments can leave us feeling vulnerable. However, the Catholic faith teaches that no adversity is without purpose: each can be an opportunity to grow in love, unity, and trust in God.

Constant distractions, rushing, and cellphones that steal our attention can erode the harmony of the home. The key is to reclaim our presence: looking each other in the eye, truly listening, and turning off notifications when we're together. Learning to be "bored" as a family allows us to enjoy simple things and discover the beauty already present.

A sincere hug, a word of encouragement, a heartfelt "thank you"—these are powerful medicines for the soul. When we cultivate daily gratitude for small blessings (like breakfast together, shared laughter, or a day without major problems), the family becomes a haven of peace, even amidst the daily grind.

A failing grade, an unplanned course, or a learning difficulty can crush a child's self-esteem and worry the entire family. But failure isn't the end; it's an invitation to humility and renewed effort.

From a Catholic perspective, education is an act of love and service, patiently supporting our children without judgment or comparison, reminding them that their worth is not defined by grades, but by being beloved children of God.

Instilling the certainty that God accompanies them in every stumble and that persevering through effort and prayer is already a victory transforms failure into a lesson in maturity and strength.

A broken relationship, a marital crisis, or the pain of separation leaves deep wounds affecting the entire family. True love, however, doesn't disappear; it is purified.

In moments of emotional "dark night," when feelings wane, we can choose to love selflessly, honoring our commitment before God. In marriage, letting go of selfishness and individualism to build a strong "we" brings genuine joy, even when feelings fluctuate.

Forgiving, asking for forgiveness, and renewing affection in everyday life (a gesture, a prayer together, shared silence) heals wounds and shows children that true love endures and grows stronger in times of trial. The family thus becomes a place of healing and a living witness to Christ's love.

Losing a job creates fear, but it's also an opportunity for true family leadership: to protect, encourage, find solutions together, and maintain hope.
Focus on what is essential: a person's dignity does not depend on an employment contract, but on being a child of God. While searching for work, the family can grow in solidarity, with creativity to reduce expenses, trusting prayer, and small projects that bring everyone together.

Have confidence that God never abandons His own and often prepares greater graces through difficult times.

Overcoming adversity as a family isn't about avoiding suffering, but about facing it hand in hand with God and our loved ones.

When we unite in family prayer, in the Eucharist, in mutual service, and in daily dedication, we discover that difficulties do not destroy us; they shape us more into Christ and make us a stronger, brighter, holier family.
Excerpts from Exaudi