Go outside on a clear day and look at the sun. See how generously it pours light upon the whole earth. More »

“I didn’t sign up for this,” I grumpily muttered to myself one day not long ago. I forget what the problem was—something must have been going badly at home, at work, or just in my daily routine. More »

Sickness in a family member is often a catalyst to seeking extra prayer. Such was the case in the summer of 2001 when a member of my family began to experience severe depression. I called Deacon Al O'Brien, director of the prison ministry for the Beaumont Diocese in Texas, and asked if he knew of a prisoner who could pray for Michael. Since I became director of the Partners in Evangelism prison ministry in 1998, I have found Deacon Al's experience and wisdom invaluable. I call him my "mentor." More »

What could possibly have motivated the wise men to leave their homes and undertake a long, hard desert journey? More »

A real family—I had one once, in my early childhood. Then for reasons that I was too young to understand, my parents went their separate ways. More »

I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul. For he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, and wrapped me in a mantle of justice. (Isaiah 61:10) More »

Thomas knew with a certainty that Jesus was dead. All of Jerusalem knew that the rabbi from Galilee had been crucified and hastily buried. More »

Long before the Second Vatican Council encouraged the development of the "lay apostolate," Frank Sheed and his wife, Maisie Ward, were hard at work building the church. For more than five decades, this couple personified what it means to be always ready to give "an accounting for the hope that is in you" (1 Peter 3:15). More »