The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer by Father John Bartunek, LC, ThD No one who is learning or desires to learn to pray more deeply and meditate more effectively on the person and work of Christ should go without this book. It offers a basic but at the same time sufficiently comprehensive … Read more
Abandonment to Divine Providence By Father Jean-Pierre de Caussade Abandonment to Divine Providence (also known in another translation as the Joy of Full Surrender) has been a life-changing book for me. Aside from scripture, it is the only book that I have read through multiple times (at least three cover to cover). The great power … Read more
Why do such vile and useless words pour so easily from my mouth? The infinite beauty of Your works among man and Your creation and redemption should fill me in such a way as to drive me to speak of them always. Why would I think and speak about so much of what is broken … Read more
Dear Father John, Do you have to know you are committing a sin in order to actually commit one? You would think this simple question has a simple answer. But it doesn’t. We have to get a little theological here to unravel it, but I’ll try to be brief anyhow. First of all, we have … Read more
Dear Dan, why would the Church recommend that we meditate on such horrible things as hell and the last judgment (aren’t there four things.)? Anyway, if there is a benefit to doing such a thing, what would that look like? “The Last Things”, or “Eschatology” is the subject that deals with the ultimate truths of … Read more
After all the interest generated by our recommendation of Father Philippe’s book, “Time for God,” we thought you might be interested in a recent interview with Father Philippe by Carrie Gress for Zenit.org. In this interview, Father Philippe discusses the simple precepts of interior prayer, common misconceptions and the fruit that can be expected when … Read more
Dear Father Joseph, I pray frequently on a daily basis. I constantly talk to God during my work. However, a friend recently told me that I should also be spending dedicated time on a daily basis for prayer. Is this really necessary if I already pray as I mentioned? Isn’t it enough that I regularly … Read more
Time for God by Father Jacques Philippe: Book Recommendation Someone once said that true genius is not in understanding complexity but in the ability to communicate complex issues in simple terms that anyone can understand. Father Jacques Philippe accomplishes in a very short easy read what most require volumes to explore and explain about the … Read more
Why Genuflect? When a man is proud, he stands tall; his posture reflects his self-perception. When a good man (one who is not suffering with excessive pride) is in the presence of greatness, he knows to humble himself whether it be in posture or expression. His instinct is to lower himself and he, in some … Read more
Dear Father John, Thank you for your excellent series on scrupulosity. I have a question that relates to it, namely the occurrence of “bad thoughts” — thoughts that are negative, vile, or even blasphemous against any of the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity or Our Lady herself. I understand that these may occur in … Read more
The Sacred Chain of Holiness If we want to learn to pray, we’ve got to learn how to be quiet, how to listen, how to enter into the silence of beauty and humility. If we surround ourselves with non-stop noise, the gentle whisper of our Father’s voice will be drowned out, and our prayer will … Read more
“O my God! make me worthy to understand something of the mystery of the burning charity which is in You, which impelled you to effect the sublime act of the Incarnation! which brings to man, with the outpouring of love, the assurance of salvation. How ineffable is this charity! Truly there is no greater than … Read more
The Source of our Joy … and a Prayer Request! More than 200 hundred of you responded to our holiday poll regarding joy and sorrow. What is troubling me this morning is that 13 of our readers are feeling only sorrow. So, I thought that maybe you might have a word of encouragement for them. … Read more
Love Beyond Love Almighty God, I do love and fear you. What fool would fail to tremble at your ability to cast it into the eternal suffering of its own making? But I am not motivated by your power to effortlessly give me what I have often requested by my choice of sin. No, I … Read more
Q. Dear Father John, What is the difference between those who find Mass something to be endured and those who find it deeply nourishing, and what does my experience have to do with my own disposition? A. The short answer to this question is: don’t worry about your experience of Mass, just focus on the … Read more
Christian Meditation: A Simple Guide Each day you should reserve some time–5, 10, or 15 minutes can be a good start–to spend in quiet, heart-to-heart conversation with Christ. This is called Christian meditation. The goal of this kind of prayer is to deepen your personal relationship with Christ, praising God and receiving his grace, and … Read more
Psalm 63 — A Psalm of King David When in the Wilderness of Judah O God, thou art my God, I seek thee, my soul thirsts for thee, as in a dry and weary land where no water is. So I have looked upon thee in the sanctuary, beholding thy power and glory. Because thy … Read more
My Bed Calls to Me… My Bed Calls to Me: This morning Lord, my heart is dull and seems only half alive. I come before you only by my will, not my desire. I am tired and weary after a night of tossing and turning. My muscles ache, I am weak, the bed is calling … Read more
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