The Gospel of Humility

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I was asked once in Spiritual Direction,
“What is your greatest sin?”
And my heart went back
to something small—
a simple plate of cookies.

I was in high school.
A ninth‑grade spirit squad member
offered me what she had made
with kindness,
with sincerity,
with all she could give.

And instead of gratitude,
pride rose up in me.
I thought I deserved better.
I thought I had been slighted.
I thought others looked down on me
because the gift was small.

I still remember
the hurt in her eyes.
Because in that moment,
I did not preach the Good News.
I preached my own wounded pride.

Scripture tells us:
“Clothe yourselves with humility…
for God opposes the proud
but bestows favor on the humble.”
And again:
“Humble yourselves
under the mighty hand of God.”

The Gospel is never carried
by a proud heart.
It is carried by the grateful one—
the heart that receives
whatever is offered
as grace.

So as Christ sends us out—
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel”—
preach from a place of humility.
The humility that sees the giver.
The humility that heals.
The humility that lets love speak.

Prayer 

Lord Jesus, 

Clothe my heart in humility.
Heal the pride that shadows my sight.
Teach me to receive with gratitude,
to honor the giver more than the gift.
Cleanse the wounds my arrogance has caused.
Let mercy be the language of my life.
Send me to proclaim Your Gospel with a humble heart.

Amen

True Food, True Drink

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I was raised Baptist—
grape juice in tiny cups,
cracker crumbs on a silver tray,
passed down the pew
every fifth Sunday.

We called it remembrance—
a way of honoring
what Jesus did long ago.
And I was grateful for it.
It shaped my love for Scripture
and my reverence for the Lord.

But when I became Catholic,
and knelt to receive
the Blessed Sacrament,
something in me knew—
deep knew—
that this was the Scripture
come alive.

Not symbol.
Not poetry.
Not a gesture toward heaven.

Because Christ’s words
never soften their edge.
The Gospel refuses
to be reduced to symbol.

“How can this man
give us His Flesh to eat?”
they asked.

And Jesus did not retreat.
He pressed in.
He doubled down.
“Amen, amen, I say to you…”

True Flesh.
True Blood.
True Food.
True Drink.

And when I received Him,
I knew—
this is the Bread
that came down from heaven.
This is the Life
that cannot be borrowed.
This is the Christ
who remains in me,
and I in Him.

What once was remembrance
became communion.
What once was symbol
became Presence.
What once was ritual
became the very heartbeat
of my faith.

He feeds us
with Himself.
And He raises us
even now.

This is the gift
that found me
when I stepped forward
and opened my hands
to the Living Christ.

True Food.
True Drink.
True Life.
And He raises us
even now.

Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You are the Bread come down from heaven.
Feed my heart with Your Presence.
Steady my steps with Your grace.
Remain in me as I remain in You.
Make my life a witness to Your love.
Raise me to new life each day.

Amen

Drawn Closer by God

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As a deacon and spiritual director,
I hope I have something in common with Philip.
Philip was a deacon;
I am a deacon.
Philip was called to walk beside the traveler
and help him hear God’s voice.
And in my own ministry,
I try to do the same.

But this calling isn’t only for clergy.
Friends, we are all invited into this ministry—
to help people understand,
to help them see Christ,
to share the Good News
by the way we live and love.

And here is a truth we cannot ignore:
many people know the Bible well.
They can quote verses,
recall stories,
debate theology—
yet they do not know God
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Scripture is not a trophy to master;
it is a doorway into relationship.

In today’s reading, the traveler asks,
“How can I understand
unless someone helps me?”
It is an honest admission of need—
one we often hesitate to make.

But God answers immediately.
He sends Philip—
a companion for the road,
someone to sit beside him,
listen,
and open the Scriptures
in a way his heart can receive.

God still works this way.
He sends people at the right moment—
a friend,
a spouse,
a priest,
a spiritual guide,
sometimes even a stranger—
to help us see Christ more clearly,
not just to know about Him,
but to know Him.

And the traveler responds with courage:
“What is to prevent me
from being baptized?”
What is keeping me from going deeper?
What is keeping me from letting Christ
draw me closer?

Jesus answers that longing:
“I am the living bread…
whoever eats this bread
will live forever.”
He wants to stay with us,
to feed us,
to walk beside us
as surely as Philip walked beside the traveler.

Today, may we recognize
the companions God sends—
and may we allow Christ,
the Bread of Life,
to draw us closer still.

Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You walk beside us on every road.
Send us the companions we need,
and make us companions for others.
Open our hearts to Your living Word.
Feed us with the Bread of Life.
Draw us closer to You each day.
Amen.

The Scattered Seed

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“There broke out a severe persecution of the Church...” Acts 8:1 
That was the story of the early Church.
And, it still persists.

Persecution wears different faces.
In parts of Nigeria or the Middle East, it is Christians killed for their faith.
It is smoke rising from a vandalized parish…
or the heavy silence after a priest is taken.
These are the raw, physical crosses of modern martyrdom.

But persecution also comes in quieter forms.
Laws that limit ministry.
Surveillance of gatherings.
The pressure to hide your faith at work or school.
Different methods, same intent:
to make the believer feel isolated and small.

And even in the digital world, the pressure continues—
mockery of the faith,
harassment of clergy or laypeople,
or the subtle message that it’s safer to stay quiet.

Yet Scripture gives us a holy turning point.
Those who were scattered did not fade away.
They went about preaching the word.

And Jesus tells us why we can do the same:
“This is the will of my Father… that I should not lose anything of what He gave me… that everyone who sees the Son and believes may have eternal life.”

So even when the Church is pushed, scattered, or misunderstood, Christ is not shaken.
He gathers.
He protects.
He raises up.

The Father’s will is that nothing be lost.
We may be scattered by the pressures of this world—
but we are held by the hand of the Son.

And His promise stands firm:
He will not lose us.
He will raise us up.
The scattering is temporary.
The life is eternal.

Prayer 

Lord Jesus, 

Gather what is scattered.
Steady the hearts that feel pressed down.
Strengthen all who suffer for Your name.
Let Your light guard every step we take.
Let Your mercy hold our hope in place.
Keep us faithful in every trial.
Raise us up in Your everlasting love.

Amen

Eyes on Christ, Not Politics

 

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I don’t talk about politics.
It’s not what I’m called to do.
My call is to proclaim Christ—
to work for God’s Kingdom,
to lift up His mercy, His peace, His love.

In our world today, we need to remember some simple truths.

The Pope carries the weight of every soul on earth.
He is the Vicar of Christ,
the shepherd who guards the unity of the Church,
the servant of the Prince of Peace.

Civil leaders are entrusted with seeking the common good
and guiding the people they serve.
The President carries the weight of leading a nation.

Different missions.
Different responsibilities.
Different perspectives.

But the enemy loves confusion.
He stirs division.
He twists what people see and understand.
He works to pull our eyes and hearts away from Christ.

So believers must remain strong
and preach Jesus Christ—
not power,
not party,
not nation,
but Christ.

“You are my rock.
You are my fortress.
You will lead and guide me.”

Stephen shows us the way.
Filled with the Holy Spirit,
he looked up and saw the glory of God
and Jesus standing at the Father’s right hand.
Even in conflict, his eyes stayed on heaven.

And Jesus gives us the promise our hearts long for:
“I am the bread of life.”
Not the bread of politics.
Not the bread of power.
The Bread that gives life to the world.

Prayer

Lord, keep our eyes on You.
Make us steady.
Make us faithful.
Make us hungry for the Bread that never fails.

Amen

Many Preachers, Few Servants

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This weekend my wife and I were talking—
just the two of us—
about ministry…
about the way I pour myself out.

She told me she was proud of me.
But then she said something gentle,
something true:
“Sometimes you give too much of yourself,
and you don’t keep enough for yourself.”

And I felt that.
Because I see so much need.
So much sorrow.
So much pain.
Too few priests,
too few ministers,
too few hands to lift people toward Jesus.

Acts tells us Stephen was filled with grace and power—
one man
in a world of need—
and still he served.
He spoke with the Spirit.
His face shone like an angel
because he belonged to God.

And in the Gospel,
the crowd chases Jesus across the sea
looking for more bread.
But Jesus says,
“Don’t work for food that perishes.
Work for the food that endures.”

"This is the work of God, 

       that you believe in the one he sent."

There are many preachers,
but not enough servants.
Many voices,
but not enough hearts willing to break open.

So today I pray
to serve with wisdom,
to speak with the Spirit,
and to rest when God asks me to rest—
so the little I give
can become the food that endures.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, 

Teach me to serve with a steady heart.
Let my giving flow from Your strength, not mine.
Hold me when I grow tired from the needs around me.
Fill me with the Spirit.
Make me a servant.
Help me rest when You whisper “enough for today.”
And let all I offer become food that endures.

Amen