Freedom is tied in the very identity of God and who we as his children made in his image and likeness. Understanding the real meaning of freedom revealed to us by Christ, will help us respond to the evils of our world and build a more just and virtuous society. As Catholics, our liberty must ultimately point to the participation in the Divine life. Snippet From the Show: “Real liberty is the ability to make a gift of oneself.”
Solidarity is the idea that we are one, we are together. It is rooted in empathy for the person or groups who may not have advantages we have. GoFundMe Campaigns are an example of people living out solidarity. It is a way to live out our faith and helps us know we are not alone. Subsidiarity is the idea we are most effective when we start closest to home and heart. From there we can transform our state and our nation. Colin believes that real subsidiarity starts in the heart with virtue. Subsidi...
Engaging on social media with charity and clarity in 2020 is not easy. Inspired by St.Thomas Aquinas, I offer a few principles to help us respond to issues and conflict on social media in a productive and charitable manner. If we remember the humanity of those we disagree with behind the screen, we will learn to truly love our enemies as Christ calls us to do. Snippet of the Show “ It's not just about winning arguments, it’s about winning hearts and building relationships.”
In our pursuit of holiness, we tend to overlook the little things in life. It’s the small moments in life that can either push us upwards towards heaven or pull us down towards evil. Snippet From the Show: “Little things have a great power to move us.”
Colin talks about a time he had an encounter with Christ while listening to beautiful music that brought him to tears. As he was irresistibly drawn in, he realized that art, music, culture, and beauty can be opportunities for evangelization. Colin calls this invitation to have an encounter with Christ through beauty an “assault of beauty”. It’s not an assault that takes away from our free will, but one that draws us in. This week, find a way to extend this invitation to someone else. Listen to s...
When we unite our suffering to Christ and offer it all up to the Father the way Christ does, everything changes. Our joys, work, hearts, and sufferings can all be offered alongside Christ and given back to the Father. When we learn to offer it all up, we grow in holiness and experience healing. Snippet of the Show Give every part of your life back to the Father the way Christ does, it changes everything.
Although the pandemic has shifted many of our plans and disrupted our normal routines, we can still choose to rejoice because we know the Lord is close to us in our suffering. Today, I encourage you to choose joy in the midst of the obstacles we face this year. Snippet of the Show In the midst of our trials and sufferings, we rejoice because we trust that the Lord draws near to us in our darkest moments.
Sainthood is possible no matter the circumstances. Today, I am joined by a very special guest to discuss schools reopening and the gift of the diverse group of saints we have in the Catholic tradition to help us in our walk with Christ. Snippet of the Show We are all capable of becoming saints, no matter where we have been, what we look like, or what we are facing.
Research indicates that talking about faith in the family plays a critical role in our commitment to the faith as we grow up. Today, I encourage you to go deeper with your family by having intentional conversations about God and what he's doing in everyone's life. Snippet of the Show Don’t be afraid to talk to your family about faith, the Holy Spirit can move in powerful ways if you simply give him a chance.
2020 has been a challenging year for all of us. In the midst of the uncertainty and chaos of this year, there are still good lessons we can learn from our experience. Today, I reflect on 5 things that I have learned this year. Snippet of the Show “If we don't confront evil with the power of the Gospel, then we're in big trouble."
What’s going to happen in the fall? Will kids be in school? What will religious education and sacramental prep look like? In this episode, I discuss the importance of remembering our goal of reaching heaven as we plan for uncertain times in the fall. Snippet From the Show: Our ultimate goal is to become who God has created us to be and to go to heaven, and this goal cannot be thwarted by a pandemic.
Navigating social media with love is a challenge we all face today. Looking at the lives of the saints and Jesus himself, Colin and Aimee MacIver discuss why cancel culture is incompatible with the Gospel and how to use social media in pursuit of holiness. Snippet From the Show “Our goal is not just to share truth but ultimately to love each other”
Near a spot where Colin takes his son fishing, there is graffiti on the side of a building. There was a new one however, which caught his eye. "Seen everything but Christ." Snippet From the Show _For the world to see Christ, we must to make him visible by our words and actions. _
Racism is present in our nation, and there is tension between races and classes. There is a danger of the center not holding politically. When Walker Percy wrote, "the center did not hold," in Love in the Ruins, he wasn't speaking just politically, but the interior state of the person. In today's podcast, Colin gives some pointers on where we can find our center. _Snipped From the Show The center is only found in Jesus Christ's grace and mercy. Our minds and hearts must be fixed on him. He is th...
Today, Colin shares how the basics of conversation from his son’s perspective, sharing good news and asking good questions, are the basics to evangelization. _Snippet From the Show Perhaps part of the reason we experience good things is so we can share them with others._
This week, we pause to meditate on our identity, purpose, and desires. Identity: We are the children of God. It’s who we are at the center of who we are. Ask God, who am I? Purpose: If we are the children of God, then our purpose is to love and live as God does. There might sense of purposelessness, so we dive deeper into screen time. If so, then there’s a need for restoring the sense of purpose by doing chores and cultivating your relationships with others. Desire: What do you really want? What...
There’s likely going to be two types of people who will need to be reached once the churches reopen. Those who have become used to not going to Mass and won’t come back to church once the doors reopen. Then there’s some who have been doing some soul searching during quarantine. For the former, we will have to work pretty hard to get them back into the pews because they have found they are just fine without Jesus and church. The latter are more spiritually sensitive than before quarantine. They w...
If the world is a ship, then right now it’s taking in water. We’re pulled apart right now, keeping in touch through virtual means, but we must acknowledge that we cannot maintain a digital existence in perpetuity. This cannot be the new normal. As a Church, we need to be able to return to the sacraments at some point. It’s wonderful that we’re able to connect online right now, but it’s not something we can continue with forever. This is not where we ought to be, but it’s where we are. Let’s offe...
Colossians 1:24 indicates that Jesus left some things undone, not in himself, but in each of us. St. Paul says, ““I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.” Another way of saying it is that God invites us to participate in the salvific action of Jesus through our own suffering. Jesus forever transformed the meaning of suffering through his passion. No longer is sufferin...
As stay-at-home orders extend, we’re relying more and more on screens. They’re one thing that keeps everyone pacified, and it’s especially tempting to keep kids entertained in exchange for a few hours of quiet. There are definitely positive uses for screens, like education, communicating with friends and family, and spiritual devotions, but we have to be careful when it comes to mindless entertainment. Here are some ideas to keep a balance in your home: * Pray - Pray the St. Michael prayer often...
As we enter into this Easter season, we see that the Resurrection is not just a reason for joy and hope, but invites us to go on a mission to spread the good news and make disciples throughout the world. Snippet from the Show For us, in this unprecedented time, we will be empowered for a mission by the resurrected Christ.
If this Lent didn’t go the way you wanted it to, you are not alone. But God can take our disappointments and failures, and use them to do something good in our lives. One good thing is to humble ourselves and realize that we are deeply in need of a savior. We can’t save ourselves, and luckily we don’t have to. Jesus is our hope and our salvation. As we enter into Holy Week, I’m praying for you and your family to experience fully the saving power of Jesus’ sacrifice.
The extraordinary “moment of prayer,” the Urbi et Orbi blessing of March 27,2020 was the first ever of its kind offered apart from the election of a pope, Christmas, or Easter. On a bleak Friday during Lent and in the midst of worldwide pandemic and upheaval we witnessed the Vicar of Christ express the eloquence of his office. He pleaded, intereceded, and blessed. He taught with authority and spoke to weary hearts words to rouse.
Catholic parents have become the abbots and abbesses of 1000’s of domestic monasteries. Like all good monasteries yours needs a workable schedule and a focus. Unlike most monasteries, yours may or may not include brooding teenagers, sassy six year olds, or active nine year olds who have just had all of their team sports cancelled. In our home—so far—we’ve experienced lots of trial and error and reset. I’ve learned about weaknesses in my own leadership and have witnessed God’s grace bringing me a...
As many of us are practicing social distancing, we’re confronted by the things right in front of us. For me this brings to mind this line from The Little Prince, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.” This line shows us that while we’re preoccupied with statistics and never-ending news cycles, what’s most important is what’s right in front of us: Our communities, our families, and our God. Snippet from the Show “It’s hard to make sense of...
“What does Lent mean to you?” This question really made me think about why Lent exists. We know it’s derived from Jesus’ forty days in the desert, but what caused Jesus to go there in the first place? Matthew 4:1 says, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” So the origin of Lent, the reason Jesus went into the desert in the first place, is because he was led by the Holy Spirit. We too, are prompted by the Holy Spirit to fast, pray, and give alms for...
If you’re struggling with your Lenten commitment already, that may be a good thing because the purpose of Lent isn’t to do it perfectly, it is to reveal the things we’re putting before Christ. When we realize that there are things we prefer to Christ, we can go to the root of the problem and ask God to enter into that temptation. St. Benedict recognized this when he established his rule for monks. The rule ensured that their ascetic practices pointed to their ultimate goal of preferring nothing ...
A face-to face encounter can be a powerful thing. I experienced this with my own son while praying for someone who was sick and suffering. His sincere prayer for their deliverance brought me to tears. It’s something we can all do. Before Lent, come face-to-face with Jesus, and make a sincere offering. Snippet from the Show “An encounter that’s face-to-face is really the heart of the spiritual life. We seek to look into the eyes of Christ.”
How should we be preparing for Lent? By enjoying the good things God has made (celebrating Carnival/Mardi Gras) and planning out our fasting, almsgiving, and prayer for the forty days of Lent. Here are some resources to help you plan for Lent! * 25 Weird Things to Give Up for Lent (http://media.ascensionpress.com/2019/03/04/25-weird-things-to-give-up-for-lent/) * 20 Out-of-the-Box Things to Do for Lent 2020 (http://media.ascensionpress.com/2020/02/14/20-out-of-the-box-things-to-do-for-lent-%ef%b...
