The Path to God

Jesus speaking on the Road to Emmaus This past Saturday, more than 40 brothers and sisters in our community gathered for something that became far more than a workshop. It became a living testimony to what God can do when we open our hearts, our stories, and yes — even our trembling voices — to share our faith & to share His truth. We gathered, like St. James — not polished speakers or trained preachers — but ordinary people willing to speak about the extraordinary love of Jesus Christ. What happened next was nothing short of miraculous. Miracles that Stirred Our Hearts Two mothers’ prayers answered: daughters coming home to faith Not just one, but two mothers stood before us, each sharing how they had persistently prayed for years that their beloved daughters would return to Christ, to community, and to Bible study. One daughter became the answer to her mother’s long prayer when a stranger told her daughter's friend, “You’re going to bring someone back to God.” That ...

Today, as we celebrate the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, we are invited to rediscover a love story that echoes within each of us—a story of longing, faith, and the transforming power of encountering the Risen Lord. Father Diego Ruiz, I.V.E., in his homily today at St. Joseph's Catholic Church here in Emmitsburg, Maryland, beautifully reminded us how Mary Magdalene’s search in the Gospel of John mirrors the passionate longing sung in the Song of Songs. It is a reflection that reminds us how love, when rooted deeply in the heart, drives us beyond fear and despair, leading us to unexpected encounters with the Divine. The Unyielding Search for the Beloved Picture Mary Magdalene: in the quiet darkness before dawn, drawn not by understanding but by love. She goes to the tomb, unaware of the Resurrection but moved by an aching desire to be near the One her soul loves. The Song of Songs echoes this tender pursuit: “On my bed at night I sought him whom my heart loves; I sought him, but...

The Sword and the Peace of Christ In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us words that sound almost shocking: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come not to bring peace, but the sword.” (Mt 10:34) At first glance, it may seem that Jesus is encouraging animosity among us or division for its own sake. But let us look more deeply: did Jesus truly come to separate us from one another? No. Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). His deepest desire is for reconciliation, unity, and love. So why does He speak of the sword? Here lies the mystery: Jesus brings both conflict and reconciliation — and it is not a contradiction. The Gospel forces us to choose: do we stand with Christ and His truth, or do we cling to comfort, approval, or old attachments that keep us from Him? In this sense, the “sword” Jesus speaks of is not about violence or destruction, but about cutting away everything that keeps us from loving God fully. It often begins with tension: ...

On this feast of St. Benedict, let us pause and draw wisdom from his life and his Rule, whose spiritual vision remains strikingly relevant amid the chaos of modern life. In an age marked by constant noise and radical self-assertion, St. Benedict offers us two enduring guideposts on the road to holiness: the transforming path of humility and the sacred discipline of listening . Together, they call us to move beyond the closed walls of individualism into the luminous freedom of communion with God and neighbor. Humility: Climbing the Ladder Toward God For St. Benedict, humility is not merely a single virtue, but a spiritual ascent—an inner pilgrimage with twelve distinct degrees . It begins with the fear of the Lord , not as servile dread but as profound reverence before His majesty. This holy fear awakens us to our utter dependence on God. It leads us through stages that purify our hearts: sincere self-examination, patient endurance of hardship, and joyful acceptance of our condition...

As Americans gather to celebrate Independence Day , waving flags and honoring the birth of our nation, we in the Families in Christ Jesus Community (FCJC) pause to reflect on a deeper truth— that true freedom is not merely a political gift but a spiritual responsibility . Venerable Fulton J. Sheen once wrote: “The Declaration of Independence is also a Declaration of Dependence—on God .” In these words lies a bold and timeless reminder: that the foundation of liberty is not self-will but surrender to the divine will . Freedom, in its truest and deepest sense, is never free. It requires sacrifice —not only the courageous sacrifice of those who fought for national liberty but the interior sacrifice of self-love, pride, and fear so that we may be made free in Christ. The Paradox of Christian Liberty: Dependence as Freedom Fulton Sheen reminds us that we are free from tyranny only because we are dependent on God . If we detach liberty from its divine source, we risk losing it altogether. ...