This third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, calls us to rejoice—not with shallow cheer, but with the deep gladness that comes from knowing Christ is near. The rose candle flickers with hope, reminding us that joy is not a passing feeling but a gift born of His presence.
Continue reading “Opening the Door of Our Hearts”
John the Baptist’s cry echoes through Advent: “Make straight his paths.” It is a summons not only to prepare for the Lord’s coming but to reform our lives so that nothing hinders His presence.
Continue reading “Making Straight the Path”
This second week of Advent moves us from hope into peace. The candles we light on our Advent wreath remind us that peace is not simply the absence of conflict, but the deep assurance that flows from trusting God. Without hope prepared in our hearts, peace cannot take root. Hope steadies us; peace settles us.
Continue reading “Are You Anchored in Peace?”
Advent begins with hope—the quiet, steady light that faith ignites in the darkness. Hope is not wishful thinking; it is the assurance that God’s word is enough. In this season, we remember that Christ came as a child, vulnerable yet victorious, and we wait with confidence that He will come again. Faith gives birth to hope, and hope sustains us in prayer, even when the world feels uncertain.
Continue reading “Advent Hope Rooted in Faith”
The deepest struggle in marriage is not money, miscommunication, or even differences in personality—it is hardness of heart. When our hearts grow hard, we stop listening, stop forgiving, and let the sorrowful mysteries of life overwhelm us. Instead of turning toward one another, we retreat into silence or resentment.
Continue reading “Breaking Open With Love and Hope”
The season of Advent invites us into a sacred rhythm of waiting, expectation, and discovery. It is more than a countdown to Christmas-it is a time to pause, reflect, and rediscover the deeper meaning woven into these weeks of preparation. In that spirit, I’m delighted to share the Hinges of Hope Advent Retreat guided by Fr. Hung Pham, SJ. This retreat offers a space to gather with friends from across the globe, to breathe deeply, to ponder our deepest hopes, and to reflect on how the “doors” of our lives might open wider to grace, to love, and to one another. You’re warmly invited to register here for the ZOOM session and step into this journey of reflection.
As we begin Advent, I offer you the following meditation on Holy Doors, a journey through the door of Christ.
Continue reading “Get Hinged to Hope This Advent”
In a world that prizes noise and productivity, Christian contemplation offers a sacred counterpoint—a quiet path to God, and a way of becoming more like Christ.
Continue reading “The Quiet Path to God”
Four years ago, I wrote something that still rings true today: Grace grows as we notice good fruit in ourselves and others.
Continue reading “Noticing the Fruit That Grows”
Our spiritual life is most deeply shaped not by abstract ideas, but by lived experience. The divine is the depth dimension of everything that exists—God as Being itself, dwelling at the core of who we are. When we discover a place of at-homeness within ourselves, we awaken to the unique God-dimension planted in each soul.
Continue reading “Thanksgiving: The Lived Experience of God”
Every day, our attention is under siege. Notifications buzz, headlines flash, algorithms whisper, “Look here.” Social media, phones, and the endless scroll of the internet promise connection, entertainment, even meaning. But in the rush to consume, are we missing what truly matters?
Continue reading “What Are We Really Paying Attention To?”
Smitten With Goodness 