St. Servulus puts flesh on the words of St. Paul: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions (Colossians 1:24).”
Only in the Lord: St. Nicasius and Advent
St. Nicasius understood that human righteousness would overawe neither Huns nor Vandals. Instead, he put his trust in the Lord.
Lover or Fighter? St. Nicholas of Myra
Lover or Fighter? Well, which is he, lover or fighter? St. Nicholas has the distinction of being one of those saints whose name is known to just about everybody, inside and outside the Church. At the same time, few, at least in the west, know his actual story today. I first published a version … Continue reading Lover or Fighter? St. Nicholas of Myra
Who Needs Adventure Stories? We Have St. Barbara
While the basic story of a young woman who accepts martyrdom because she defied her father seems likely enough, some of the miracles associated with her seem to stretch credulity a little too much. Although, who knows? With God all things are possible (Matthew, 19:26).
St. Maximilian Kolbe: Witness to the Gospel of Love
What Do You Do? Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15.13) Picture yourself in the death camp at Auschwitz. You’re standing in formation with all your fellow prisoners. The Nazis who run the camp offer a harsh disincentive to escape: for every inmate who breaks … Continue reading St. Maximilian Kolbe: Witness to the Gospel of Love
Whose Standard? St. Ignatius Loyola
Like St. Paul, who told the Galatians he had been "Crucified with Christ," Ignatius lived two different lives. The crucible of pain and defeat transformed his life. A life of worldly ambition became a new life of sanctity and service.
St. Bridget of Sweden
St. Bridget's success, and our “success” as Christians, consists in fidelity to Christ and in nothing else.
Fruit of the Same Tree: St. Valentine and Ash Wednesday
Fruit of the Same Tree St. Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday, believe it or not, are fruit of the same tree. Granted, that's not apparent to everybody. The last time the two feasts shared the same space on the calendar a priest well known on theh internet posted the following: “This year nothing says happy … Continue reading Fruit of the Same Tree: St. Valentine and Ash Wednesday
Greater Love: St. Maximilian Kolbe
Even more than his eloquence, however, or his ability to communicate the beauty of the Catholic Faith, St. Maximilian witnessed with his own life.
The Church Militant, Spiritual Warfare, and St. Equitius
The Church Militant The Church Militant means our Church, here and now. There’s a battle raging, and we’re all part of it, like it or not. The growing intensity of the Culture War that’s engulfing our society is just a surface manifestation. The real war has been underway since Satan was cast out of Heaven. In … Continue reading The Church Militant, Spiritual Warfare, and St. Equitius