The Christian liturgical year is built around feast days, seasons of fasting, and the ordinary time in between. How do we faithfully structure our eating rhythms, and how might they lead us deeper into Scripture? In this three-part series, writer Annelise Jolley explores the spiritual implications of our eating… Read More

A typical Manhattan morning is noisy, crowded, and busy, and this day was no exception. Like the thousands of individuals I shared the sidewalk with, I had somewhere to be and was running late. As I hurried down Fifth Avenue, I heard a noise that stood out from the… Read More

The Christian liturgical year is built around feast days, seasons of fasting, and the ordinary time in between. How do we faithfully structure our eating rhythms, and how might they lead us deeper into Scripture? In this three-part series, writer Annelise Jolley explores the connection between physical and spiritual… Read More

Why does a pervasive longing and restless disquiet fill our lives, despite brief moments of fulfillment? How can we satisfy this ache that is so profound it leaves us wanting something we cannot name? In The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality, Ronald Rolheiser masterfully crafts a… Read More

I went to bed last night in that oh-so-familiar pre-bed state. You know the one. Contrary to every health guru blogger, doctor, and grandmother’s advice, I did not wind down. There was no long bath with salts, no cello music drifting through lavender oil-scented air. Light glared from bulbs and… Read More

Have you ever read something that shook you? Words that you couldn’t get away from? Words that played over and over in your mind? That is what happened when I read Galatians 5:1. Even though I had seen the words many times before, this time was different. The words… Read More

When I imagine Jesus working alongside Joseph, learning his father’s trade as a carpenter, I wonder how much they talked. Woodworking has always been a noisy business, and that makes conversation hard. Imagine, though, how important those times of working and talking together must have been as Jesus was growing… Read More

We’ve all been there—in the midst of all the pressures of your life, a situation arises that calls for you to make a decision. Is it time for a career change? Which school should my child go to? Or is that person “the one” I’ve been waiting for? Making decisions under pressure… Read More

As a kid, one of my favorite things to do was to color. I was a perfectionist. I had to stay inside the lines at all times. Crayola was my favorite brand of crayon because they color the best. You couldn’t bring me cheap crayons because I wouldn’t use them. Read More

The Ignatian spiritual exercise of Gospel Contemplation lets you use your imagination to interact with a passage of Scripture. The reflection below delves into Luke 7:36-50. Feel free to try it on your own! Read the Gospel passage twice slowly. Close your eyes and reflect: What do you see,… Read More