In my previous article, I discussed how Dante made his descent into the depths of Hell to not only witness the torments of unrepentant sinners but also face down his own sin and personal hell. At the end of Dante’s Inferno, at the very bottom of the ninth circle,...
Do you know that God loves you just as you are? He loves you in the present moment, the moments past, and the moments to come. He is the divine artist who has been creating a beautiful and wonderful work of art that is you! Holy Scripture declares it: “You formed my...
Even before entering into recovery for my food addiction, I had heard a slogan that kind of, sort of made sense…but didn’t really. Don’t just do something. Sit there. I knew at least intellectually that it meant, “Stop trying so hard. Stop being a perfectionist. Let...
There are several reasons why we might begin to wane in our faith. On some level, this is part of the spiritual life. We may not always feel close to God when we’re suffering or in a particularly difficult season. But if we’re sincerely striving after Him, even if we...
If you are anything like me, I always start off Lent with a plan for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. In Catholic circles, it becomes almost a required part of the small talk we make. “So, what are you doing for Lent?” It seems to demand an answer that demonstrates...
When we are caught in our active addictions or unhealthy attachments, we seek short-lived fulfillment, pleasure, and temporary reprieve from the realities and suffering of life. Yet, when we are reawakened to the Lord’s crucifix and begin working our recovery, we...
As time passes, our recovery brings with it new growth and awareness of God and ourselves. By living a life of honesty, openness, and willingness, God fills our hearts, minds, and spirits with new knowledge and wisdom, or “God thoughts.” For me, these thoughts have...
In today’s culture, the world tells us that each of us is supposed to have what it takes to satisfy our interior sense of emptiness—this hunger for more that we all feel. Those of us who have been blessed with what we call “addiction” (and yes, it is a blessing for...
The world would be uninteresting without uncertainty. There would be no fear, yes, but also no surprise. There would be no pain but there would be no joy or wonder, either. That’s why people enjoy scary movies in which the monster isn’t revealed until Act III or never...
In his book Healing Prayer, John Horn details how the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius provide a way of healing deep childhood wounds through the guidance of a competent spiritual director. I completed the Spiritual Exercises in May 2020 and it was a very healing...