The Second Most Important Thing… Let’s face it; life is fast-paced. We never have enough time to do everything we want to. We rush around from commitment to commitment and still can’t squeeze everything in – especially something like prayer, which is not only difficult and demanding, but its results are most often intangible. So, … Read more
Dear Father John, I have a question about preparing for meditation. I have been deeply blessed by the insight you and have provided with respect to meditation recently. I wonder if what I am seeking as a fruit of meditation is too lofty. Why? Because it doesn’t change day to day and I don’t perceive … Read more
There is a New Version of the Liturgy of the Hours … and it’s known as The Mundelein Psalter For those of you who love the Liturgy of the Hours but prefer more traditional forms and chant, the Mundelein Psalter is a beautiful work. Here are a few of the details about it: Translations of … Read more
Make a Decision… Decide. You’ve got to decide. Once and for all. If you don’t decide, really make a firm, specific, concrete decision to build your life on the earthquake-resistant foundation of prayer, then your life won’t be earthquake resistant. If God matters to you, then you will spend time with him – that’s prayer. … Read more
My reading in the gospel this morning made me laugh (Luke 5:12-16). Here’s the breakdown. Jesus heals – Jesus tells the healed to not tell anyone – the word gets out anyway – a crowd gathers – Jesus leaves to pray! I can just imagine a dumbfounded group of people, particularly the disciples, saying “Hey, … Read more
Sufferings of Longing for my God Woe is me, woe is me, Lord, how very long has been this exile! And it passes with great sufferings of longing for my God! Lord, what can a soul placed in this prison do? O Jesus, how long is the life of humans, even though it … Read more
Dear Father John, I have been following your blog since the beginning, and I have noticed a pattern in your answers – a pattern that disturbs me. You seem consistently to counsel people against trusting in their experience of God. You seem to recommend instead a kind of abstract faith. But didn’t Jesus become man … Read more
The workings of God within us carry out in the course of time the designs which Eternal Wisdom has formed in regard to everything. In God all things have their own design, and His wisdom alone knows what that is. Though you read the will of God in regard to others, this knowledge cannot direct … Read more
Dear Father John, I am a fairly recent convert to the faith. My conversion took place over a period of 3 years in which I had a series of powerful experiences of God’s presence and action in my life. It wasn’t just coming into the Church for me – it was discovering that Jesus is … Read more
It is only because they do not know how to make use of God’s action that so many Christians spend their lives anxiously pursuing a multitude of methods of perfection. These might prove useful if ordained by God’s will, but they actually become injurious the moment they keep us from simply surrendering ourselves to God’s … Read more
Dear Father John, I am a busy executive and struggle to make time for prayer. What should I do? I do want to improve my prayer life but I just struggle with time. The desire to improve your prayer life is a sign of God’s presence and action in your soul. Be grateful for it … Read more
There are many ways to understand God’s leading in our lives. One way, came as a helpful surprise during spiritual direction. My director asked me, “What is the Holy Spirit leading you to focus on at this time?” As a reflex, I reached over to my daily planner and quickly flipped back through the pages … Read more
O my Lord, how obvious it is that You are almighty! There’s no need to look for reasons for what You want. For, beyond all natural reason, You make things so possible that You manifest clearly there’s no need for anything more than truly to love You and truly leave all for You, so that … Read more
Dear Father John, I know more than a few people who are fallen-away Catholics. They make fun of the Church sometimes, or they make fun of me. But my question has to do with “Catholic guilt.” They mention this sometimes and smirk, like it’s some kind of inside joke on me. I am not sure … Read more
The present moment is like an ambassador who declares the will of God. The heart must ever answer, “Let it be so.” Then the soul will go steadily on by all means towards its target and goal – never pausing in its course, spreading its sails to all winds. All routes and methods advance it … Read more
Dear Father John, What tips would you offer to a person seeking to maintain the presence of God throughout the work day? First, take a look at the treatment we gave this issue in the post on “Prayer – Practicing his Presence.” But since the observations we made there apply to every vocation and life-stage … Read more
God’s Desire for You For years, though I had been a committed Christian and enjoyed what many call a truly personal relationship with Christ, I had not really internalized the thought that God desired me. That he wants and longs for a relationship with me. The idea seemed odd that the great God of our … Read more
Prayer of St Francis of Assisi * Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, grant that I may … Read more
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