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Year of  Hope

So often, this time of year – especially these days in New England! – makes us want to ‘hunker down’ and practically ‘hibernate’ due to the many cold dreary days and only ‘slightly’ longer days of sunlight. Yet, this should not be so with the Christian, and this certainly would not be the year … for several reasons! … to simply ‘curl up’ and wait for a new ‘springtime’ when it might be more ‘comfortable’ to go out to ‘all the world’ and tell the Good News! But what do I mean?

Well, recently, Pope Francis called the Catholic Church into a Jubilee Year of Hope, a year – essentially – of mercy, forgiveness, dynamic flourishing and ‘new beginnings.’ I know these little phrases may not be the first ones that come to mind when we read about the Pope’s desire to join the Church for a year of ‘pilgrimage,’ but as we continue along in this Third Millennium of Christendom, we realize all the more that true Hope is so needed by many – if not all! – in the world, especially our young people. Yet, this pathway of ‘new beginnings’ has already been ‘paved’ for us by young Saints!          

First, we can see in this Jubilee Year of Hope, a year of ‘mercy’ in which we first ‘receive’ from GOD His Divine ‘pardon.’ This gift of mercy is first and foremost seen in His ‘descending’ into our world – the ‘Creator become creature’– by virtue of the Incarnation, which we just celebrated in His birth in Bethlehem. This, if you will, is God ‘taking’ our lowliness into His Sacred Heart, as if to ‘take upon Himself’ our suffering and making it ‘as His own.’ For sure, no other GOD so loving ‘becomes like us’ – in all things except sin – in order to ‘redeem’ us. Yet, He did, for love of us!         

Second, this great Love is revealed through His forgiving us, ultimately by way of His Passion and Death, and ‘claiming’us once more as His own. Yes, we can truly say that we have become His ‘sons and daughters’ because He has made us His own children perfectly through our Baptisms. For this, we, too can proclaim with our Most Blessed Mother, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the LORD!” for our Hope is now free of constraint!         

Third, if we have been ‘redeemed’ and ‘claimed’ once more, then we are free to begin again in ‘human flourishing’ when our Hope begins to ‘soar’ and to lift us up and assure us we are never again alone. In fact, this Mercy of God is His infinite love for us manifested not ‘from on high,’ but rather ‘from below,’ so that everything we now do is taken up into His Sacred Heart, into His Divine Heart.

Thus, by His mercy and forgiveness we are set free to flourish, given new Hope in our lives and in our humanity. Though never perfect, we must strive to bring this Jubilee of Hope to all the world, warming ‘frozen’ hearts made so by fear and healing the ‘broken’ hearted from the wounds of loneliness. So ‘great’ is this work of bringing about a ‘new springtime,’ that we ourselves must ‘return’ to the font of its source: Jesus Christ! But how?

Well, might I offer two great examples of role models, really, who forever ‘hold’ today as their ‘feast’ day: St. Timothy and Little Christina Dangond! United in Spirit though separated by some 2,000 years – the ‘breadth’ of Christendom itself! – these two ever-young saints offer us new hope today.

St. Timothy was the young companion of St. Paul, instructed by and eager to take up the ‘mantle’ of his elder.  His name itself means: ‘honoring GOD’ or ‘honored by GOD.’ He is considered an ‘apostle’ (though not one of the Twelve) and an early Evangelist (though not one of the Four), as well as the first Bishop of Ephesus.

Little Christina, whose very name means ‘follower of Christ,’ is an apostle (meaning ‘one who is sent’) and an evangelist (meaning ‘one who proclaims the Good News’) through her ‘going out to the whole world’ via her great many Facebook videos proclaiming the Mercy of GOD with her, “JESUS, I Trust in YOU!” This ever relevant and needed message is a proclamation of hope for all people; for no one is outside of Christ’s Mercy!

Maybe in this Jubilee Year of Hope, we might ‘take up’ the mantle of Little Christina and proclaim more and louder this Good News so needed in our Church and in the world today: “ JESUS, I Trust in YOU!” St. Timothy, pray for us! Little Christina, pray for us!

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Freedom in Forgiveness

God desires us to live in freedom. Because he has so much love for humanity, he sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to die for us all. Even though this has transpired, some of us still have heavy chains that we carry around due to our inability to forgive others and ourselves. This gets in the way of us living in freedom. It imprisons our souls and impedes the tranquility and peace that unites us in grace with God.

When we bestow mercy on those who have hurt us, we mirror God’s love! The process of forgiving involves humility, pain and, at times, many tears. Yet, only when we forgive can we be truly free! As Mother Teresa tells us: “If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive.” Forgiveness heals, strengthens and sanctifies us.

God’s word is full of references on how important forgiveness should be to all of his followers. Reading these scriptures mends our hearts and shows us the way! For example, Leviticus 19:18 says, “Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your own people. You shall love your neighbor as much as yourself.” Holding grudges and choosing not to forgive, closes our hearts, making it impossible to love our neighbor. Some of us also hold grudges against ourselves. We condemn ourselves because of our sins. This is not what God wants for us! He does not want us to live in the darkness of sin! Jesus himself says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

There was a time in my life when I myself walked in darkness.   I was indulged in sin and fell into a deep depression because I could not forgive myself for what I had done. I was caught in the devil’s trap. He was telling me I did not deserve forgiveness and making me feel unworthy of God’s love. I needed God’s grace to free me from my guilt and shame. After being Christian for so long, I felt like I should have been better at repentance. I felt I could not go to God again until I “fixed” that part of me.  Thankfully, God spoke to my heart. He told me it was in moments of doubt and shame that I needed to come to him the most. Even though I felt like a failure for not upholding his promises, I needed his help to work on the part of me that was broken.

It only stands to reason that if we are forgiven over and over again by God, we must offer the same kindness and mercy to those who have hurt us. Saint Teresa of Ávila had this to say:  

I cannot believe that a soul which has arrived so near to Mercy itself, where she knows what she is, and how many sins God has forgiven her, should not instantly and willingly forgive others, and be pacified and wish well to everyone who has injured her, because she remembers the kindness and favors our Lord has shown her, whereby she has seen proofs of exceeding great love, and she is glad to have an opportunity offered to show some gratitude to her Lord. (Way of Perfection, Ch. 36)

Despite receiving God’s mercy, we struggle to reciprocate it. Forgiving is not just deciding to not hold something against someone, it is an act of dying to self. There is tremendous wisdom in letting go!

Fortunately, God loves us exactly where we are in our faith journey.  God’s grace will meet us when we fail. As Christians, we are in a constant conversion – the closer we grow in intimacy with God, the more we realize our vulnerability and weakness.  Whether we forgive others or forgive ourselves, we let loose those chains and stop living in the shadows.  God is calling us toward forgiveness! We do not have to carry this burden any longer! Instead, may we find peace by acknowledging Jesus Christ’s love and inviting him into our hearts!  

May we increase our devotion to Jesus Christ in everything we do, both in our efforts and in our failures. May we always recognize that Jesus Christ forgives us even in our unforgiveness and continues to love us more than we deserve!

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Make Your Faith Visible

I love friendship bracelets. I love that they are sort of an invitation to talk to strangers and make new friends. I love that you can put words in them; words that have meaning like favorite songs, artists’ names, or, in my case, my core values. I have five friendship bracelets that I wear almost every day. The words that I chose for each one of them are “Family”, “Mom”, “Mama”, “Keep going”, and “With God.”

The “With God” friendship bracelet led to a very meaningful exchange in the least likely of places: the office. I was sitting in a conference room waiting for a meeting to start when the person next to me said, “Would you mind telling me a little bit more about your friendship bracelet, the one that says With God?” I was a little caught off guard by the question. The office is such a sterile place. There are so many restrictions to be yourself. You’re expected to be neutral, to be distant, and, to an extent, impersonal. It’s so easy these days to offend someone when you use the incorrect pronoun or the wrong word. The question about my faith was so personal. How do I answer it without getting in trouble? I didn’t have much time to think about the answer, the meeting was about to start, so I went ahead with a simple answer: my faith is very important to me, my life is better with God and for God. He nodded softly, the meeting started, and we moved on to another topic.

A couple of days later I received a meeting invite from the same person, no agenda. I showed up fully prepared on the potential topics we might discuss, except he wanted to talk about my faith again. We had a meaningful and candid conversation about what God had done in my life, and he felt comfortable to share his experience. His faith journey had been bumpy, and he didn’t feel close to God, but he saw the friendship bracelet and the conversation with me as a sign, an invitation from God to rekindle his relationship with him.

This exchange got me thinking about how to make my faith more visible, not as an imposition, but rather as part of me – a fundamental part of me. A month later at a work lunch with a large group of people, I noticed someone at our table deep in prayer. When we were done with our meal, I approached him and told him how moved I was to see him, a very senior executive, so immersed in prayer in such a public setting. He was clearly surprised, and, for a split second, I thought I had made a mistake, but then he said, “I would love to talk to you about your faith and your ministry.” Within two hours his assistant scheduled a meeting with me. In that meeting, I told him about my faith journey, about Build the Faith, and about its founder, Christina Dangond. By the end of the meeting, he was teary and emotional and asked me if it was okay to join him in prayer for Christina and her mom, Monica. I thought about the other people sharing the office cafeteria with us; it must have been an odd sight. 

We now have monthly prayer meetings, where we simply pray for a few minutes and talk about the work of God in our lives. Over the last few months, there have been several exchanges like these two; complete strangers wanting to learn more about my faith and wanting to share their own journey, some more timidly than others. I strongly believe that in these rather confusing times, many of us are looking to be closer to God and to feel loved, protected, and guided by him. God’s love seems to be the one and only thing that never changes; it’s always there, no conditions and no questions. Collectively we are finding that, amidst all the chaos and busyness of modern life, God is truly the only source of peace. These seemingly random faith encounters are not random at all. They truly are the realization that, as the world gets more complicated, and for so many more painful, more and more of us need the peace that only God can give, and, finding God and the peace he brings can be easier and more fruitful if someone walks alongside us.

I invite you to make your faith visible, to share your journey, and to speak proudly of your relationship with God. So, so, many people are ready, and even more need it!

“Do not be afraid to open wide the doors to Christ.” ~ St. John Paul II

 

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The Mystery of Christmas

Given our recent celebration of Christmas, I think it’s worth peering a bit into the mystery of this holy day and season. The Church always seeks to speak to us in a symbolic language, so that through signs and symbols, we can come to see what would otherwise be hidden from our eyes. The first sign to notice is the very placement of the Solemnity at the time of the Winter Solstice, after which the sun breaks into our world making the nights shorter and the days longer. This carries a deep spiritual significance in that with the birth of Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the World, the darkness that oppresses us retreats as His light fills our lives.

Darkness is often a symbol of fear and uncertainty and this darkness obscures our relationship with God. We tend to think that Christianity consists in trying as best we can to be good, lest God punish us for all of the sins that we commit. This stifles our relationship with Him, because then whenever we sin, we recoil from His presence. We hide from God out of shame for our faults and for fear that if He uncovers them, then it is certain condemnation for us. Fear of the Lord is known to be a gift of the Spirit, but the sort of fear of the Lord here described is not it all, it is a perversion of the genuine fear we are called to have of God; and, this is precisely what Christ desires to transform in us through His Nativity.

Of all forms the Lord could have taken, He chose to become like us and so during Christmas, we see Him in the form of a tender child. This is because new life is similar to light in that it draws creatures to itself. When a child is born, people rejoice almost immediately and maybe not even knowing why. They draw near to the child, desiring to hold it and carry it close, but with great care and delicacy. The last thing that anyone would want to have happen would be to lose that child and this is precisely why Jesus Christ became a baby. Rather than run away and hide from Him, Jesus desires that we draw near to Him and especially in our spiritual poverty.

It is so fitting that this little child be born in a filthy cave in Bethlehem, for the innocence of God manifests in a dirty place, pointing to the Lord’s desire for us to approach Him despite our sinfulness. Moreover, Jesus desires to instill in us the proper Fear of the Lord, which is not a fear of being punished by Him, but a fear of losing Him. The cave of Bethlehem is the peak of poverty – Mary and Joseph were without family, Joseph was without work, and they were without proper shelter and protection. Yet, having the presence of Jesus Christ, they were not lacking in anything. This tells us that the Lord desires that we do not fear the likes of poverty, unemployment, financial instability, loneliness or separation from family. In other words, do not fear losing anything in this world, but do fear losing Jesus Christ. People may have everything they desire, but if they don’t have Christ, it means absolutely nothing. On the other hand, people may possess absolutely nothing, and yet in having Jesus Christ, they have everything.

May we approach Christ, who in His innocence draws us to Himself, despite our faults, that we may taste the tenderness of our Heavenly Father who calls us back to Himself through the forgiveness of sins.

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Listening and Trusting

On the evening of January 29th, 2024, I was driving home from Boston when I felt the urge to stop and get some dinner. I didn’t really want to take the time to stop, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to stop.  Despite my exhaustion and determination to continue onward, I succumbed to my feelings and left the highway to get a quick bite to eat.  That stop saved my life!

As I was getting into my car with my sandwich, I experienced and arrhythmia that caused my heart to stop beating for twenty seconds before being shocked back into rhythm by the cardiac device in my chest.  Modern medicine is amazing!  What’s even more amazing, though, is how God works in our lives. At the moment when my heart stopped, I was sittingin my car … not driving … not walking in the parking lot … sitting! I knew that God was with me.  I could have been badly hurt or even killed.  I could have killed others too, but I was sitting in my car!

Sometimes we get feelings or urgings, and in the moment, we don’t realize that they are coming from God. Unfortunately, all too often, we ignore these signals, but we all need to acknowledge that God speaks to us through our gut. St. Bridget of Sweeden once said, “God talks to us all the time, but most people don’t know how to listen.”  Thankfully, in that moment last January, I did listen.  Since then, I have been working hard at listening better. 

Listening is only part of it, though.  In order to act on the listening, we have to trust. In that moment on the highway, I did not think it was in my best interest to take the time to stop.  That’s the thing, we don’t always know what’s in our best interest, because we don’t have all the information.  That’s why we have to trust. The more we trust, the better off we become.

Even so, listening and trusting doesn’t just happen.  We have to work hard at it.  It takes time, patience and persistence. I’m convinced that this is why Christina prayed, “Jesus, I trust in You” so often.  The more we practice listening and trusting In God – the more we work at it – the better we can do it and the better our lives will be.

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The Family

With just a few days left until Christmas, my gaze turns toward the Holy Family of Nazareth and my own family. I realize how much I have been given. I grew up surrounded by hugs and days that seemed endless; where laughter blended with the daily chores and the nights ended with my mom praying the Our Father and Hail Mary with us—prayers that, unknowingly, wove a bridge between God and my family.

How easy it is to take the extraordinary for granted when it becomes part of the routine. It wasn’t until my daughter Cristy received her diagnosis—during that time of uncertainty, pain, silence, and, at the same time, hope for a miracle—that I understood, as if whispered to me by heaven itself, the magnitude of what God had already given me. It was then, in the middle of the trial, that I discovered the unconditional love that upheld me: my family, that silent rock; my friends, who became a safe refuge; and millions of people around the world who embraced us from afar with prayers and words that felt like roses in a desert. There, in the pain, I saw God closer than ever, with a love so pure that even in the darkest night, His light could still be glimpsed.

I think of Him, of everything He has done for me. God, who has given me more than I could have ever asked for, more than I needed, and so much more than I deserve. And yet, when He chose to enter our humanity, He did so with a disarming humility: He chose the fragility of a manger, a poor, cold, and silent corner, where love was the only wealth. “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger” (Luke 2:7).

Today, as Christmas draws near, I want to invite all of us to pause during our busy lives. To look around with new eyes and discover, perhaps for the first time, how fortunate we truly are: a family that embraces us, friends who accompany us, and a community that sustains us.  

In these days, more than material gifts and abundant tables, let us give thanks from the depths of our souls and offer sincere love to those around us. May gratitude return us to Him, who always waits for us with open arms, with infinite patience and a mercy that never runs dry. For the greatest gift has already been given to us: a Child in a manger, a Savior in our world, love itself made flesh.

Merry Christmas. “Jesus, I Trust in You.”

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Waiting Impatiently

In my personal list of virtues, you’d have to bow your eyes pretty low to find the word ‘patience.’ Growing up, the expression ‘we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it’ was used more often than ‘go brush your teeth’ or ‘what’s the magic word?’ It was evident from a young age that my desire to speed ahead to the good part was always going to overshadow any ability to savor the process. 

Naturally, therefore, the Advent season always has and continues to feel like absolute torture. It ranks last on my list of favored liturgical seasons. No four candles, one by one weekly ignited, bringing light into darkness, can slow an overly-eager heart. For those of us who struggle with forbearance, Advent can feel like a litmus test of holiness; and, spoiler alert, we who are void of stoicism rarely achieve impressive results. 

The rose candle is the biggest offender. On this, Gaudete Sunday, the Church lights that special pink candle to remind us to find joy in the waiting. That candle feels like stacking ‘unreasonable’ on top of ‘improbable.’ Please don’t misunderstand me, joy is readily available always, but to find joy in waiting is another matter!  

In today’s first reading, the prophet Zephaniah exhorts shouting, singing and exaltation. The passage begins with fireworks of explosive joy! It isn’t until the future tense of verbs begin to creep in (He will rejoice over you with gladness and renew you in his love. He will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals) that the reader begins to understand that Zephaniah is speaking of something that is to come, something not yet fully revealed. Joy in waiting is clearly at the heart of his prophecy. 

But, how? How do we find joy in a state of being that, for some of us, feels so uncomfortable? What should we do? 

In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist may give the impatient among us a hint about what to do with all this eager energy. To anxious crowds, also asking ‘what should we do?’ The Forerunner exhorts: ‘share your cloak,’ ‘collect only what is needed,’ ‘be honest,’ ‘be satisfied,’ and remember ‘the one who is mightier is coming!’ 

John the Baptist highlights that while we wait, we needn’t wait. While we wait for the coming of the Reign of God, we needn’t wait to build up the Reign of God. One cloak at a time, one candle at a time, the work of the gospel is in the incompleteness of the present. The imperfection of impatience can call us to action. In the building up, the very waiting itself, we may see small sparks of light that resemble fireworks of joy amidst the discomfort. We may get a glimpse into the vast completeness of our incarnate God, loving us with complete joy even in our impatience.

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Embracing the Beautiful Chaos of Family 

We tell people we’re hoping for four kids, and suddenly, it’s like we announced we’re starting a soccer team. Friends with one or no kids just laugh and say, ‘No way! The factory is closed! No more for us!’ Even so, we’re like, ‘Oh yeah, we’re aiming for four kids.’ Their jaws drop—it’s like they’re waiting for a punchline!

The truth is, we see each kid as a crazy, wild, amazing blessing. Saint Josemaría Escrivá said it best, “Each child that God grants you is a divine blessing: do not fear children!” So yeah, we’re diving in, we’re embracing the madness; and honestly, in a world that sometimes seems like it’s got its priorities flipped upside-down, what could be better than investing in a big, loud, love-filled family? Four kids isn’t a factory—it’s a legacy! We’re making sure the love (and laughter) keeps going strong.

As a married couple blessed with two young children and, obviously, hoping for more, we often reflect on the teachings of our Catholic faith regarding family and the gift of life. In today’s culture, the idea of having a large family seems counter-cultural, even radical. Yet, our faith calls us to see children as a gift, each one loved and cherished by God. We hope to share the joy and beauty of a large family rooted in the Catholic understanding of why openness to life is a powerful act of love and trust in God.

The Magisterium of the Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a sacred bond, a vocation that reflects God’s creative and redemptive love. In Humanae Vitae, Pope Paul VI emphasized that marriage has two essential purposes: the unitive (the love and companionship between spouses) and the procreative (openness to new life). Having children is a way of living out both the natural and spiritual dimensions of marriage. Each child we welcome is a reflection of God’s generous love, not just an addition to our busy life. They are our mission—gifts that deepen our love, stretch our patience, and unite us in purpose.  Moreover, the Catholic Magisterium calls us to rely, not solely on our own plans, but to be open to God’s will. In Gaudium et Spes, Vatican II highlights the importance of responsible parenthood, but also calls us to welcome life with trust in God’s goodness. God knows what we need, so let’s trust Him.

As parents, this trust is not always easy. We understand that each additional child brings new financial, emotional, and logistical demands; but we also know that God has given us grace and strength, along with a community to support us. Having a larger family challenges us to grow in faith, humility, and reliance on God rather than on our own limited resources. We learn that love and sacrifice, when shared and lived fully, deepen our joy and strengthen our family bonds.

Scripture speaks directly to the beauty of children. Psalm 127 says, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!” (Psalm 127:3-5) Children are part of our inheritance from God, and each one adds to the richness of our family and our community.

When we imagine our future family, we see more than just numbers. We see relationships… we see siblings who will encourage each other in faith, learn from one another, and support each other throughout life… children who will witness and experience the value of service, responsibility, and teamwork. In our experience, children bring new energy and joy into our home, making it a lively place filled with laughter, play, and spontaneous moments of wonder. As Rosa Pich, mother of 18 children, would say, “In large families, joys are multiplied and sorrows are shared.”

Of course, raising children is not always easy; that’s mainly, because there is no instruction manual to follow nor an undergraduate degree or internship where you can get some experience beforehand. There are sleepless nights, financial challenges, and endless messes, but these sacrifices are part of the joy of family life. We believe that God gives us the grace to handle each moment, no matter how difficult, because each moment is part of our calling to be saints.

We invite others to consider this call to openness with faith and courage. Children are not obstacles; they are blessings that deepen our love, shape our character, and bring us closer to God, for He lives in our family. We welcome each child with open arms and hearts, trusting in God’s wisdom and love to sustain us.

We entrust to the Holy Family of Nazareth, the fruits of our family, which are our children – those who are here today and those who are to come.

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Advent

It’s hard to believe that the season of Advent is already upon us!  During Advent we are asked to pray more often and more fervently, seek forgiveness and be more forgiving of others, and prepare for the coming of our Lord by making sacrifices and doing good works.  While we are often on board with these ideals, putting them into practice can be challenging as we try to fit more things into our already busy schedules.  Here are some ideas to help you and your family make Advent more meaningful this year.

Pray – Taking time from your busy schedule to sit with the Lord can be challenging during the busy holiday season, but you will find that there are times when praying is easier and more natural than other times during the day.  As you wake up in the morning, pray the Our Father or a Hail Mary.  When you go to bed at night, think of three things for which you can thank the Lord.  At dinner, say grace.

Penance – Going to confession can feel scary or awkward; what do I say? What will the priest think of me? Can’t I just ask God to forgive me from the pew at church?  Jesus gave us the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a gift.  Don’t let your concerns get in the way of receiving this powerful gift.  While you’re at it, reconcile with others and be more flexible this Advent season.

Sacrifice – By definition, to sacrifice is to “give up something of value to you in order to help someone else.”  Therefore, a sacrifice can be tangible like money or it can be intangible like time. Either way, though sacrifice is never easy, it can be simple and rewarding. Be creative.

Good Works – This can be as simple as creating good will by smiling at others more frequently or holding the door for someone as you walk into a building or it can be more complex like participating in your church’s holiday giving program.  If you want to encourage your children to be more “giving” during this Advent season, “give” them an example to follow.

How will you put God’s love into action this Advent season?

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A Simple Prayer of Thanksgiving

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have bestowed on us. You have provided us with more than we could ever have imagined. You have surrounded us with people who always look out for us. You have given us family and friends who bless us every day with kind words and actions. We are grateful for all we have and all You do. Amen.

~ adapted from Xavier University

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