In the month of June, we celebrate the greatest love known to man: Jesus’ Sacred Heart. From 1673 to 1675, Jesus appeared to the French Visitation nun, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, and gave her stirring revelations concerning His Sacred Heart. One of Jesus’ most moving and convicting messages is the following…
For many men struggling with pornography, beautiful women are the last thing they want to see in public, especially given the flourishing of immodest dress. A scandalously dressed, pretty woman can trigger the wounds caused by pornography and often lead them further into addiction…
When I think of death and grief leading to resurrection and new life, I am reminded of the movie, The Passion of The Christ. I am deeply moved at how the Blessed Mother is portrayed in that film. I can’t imagine how unbearable it was for Mary to witness her son being scourged, forced to carry a heavy cross, crucified, and die a slow, agonizing death.
Perhaps this statement seems obvious and self-evident. Maybe you’re saying “Father why are you telling us stuff that we already know?! Porn is bad, I get it!” I wish that I didn’t have to reiterate that simple statement. However, a couple of weeks ago, I was talking to a friend of mine, Mr. Jim O’Day, from Integrity Restored,
A central mystery of the Christian faith is the Paschal Mystery – the death, resurrection and “going forth” of Jesus Christ. Christians are called to imitate this mystery in their lives; to die to self, to rise again, and to go forth and share the message of Jesus with others. For an addict in recovery, this mystery can be lived in a very concrete way by following the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. (Other 12 step programs use steps that are very similar but some of the wording is changed, so this reflection will use the AA steps).
Lent is a time of remembering our sinful nature and remembering our need for God’s mercy. It can also be a time of great spiritual renewal for ourselves and relational renewal for our marriages.
