“Behold, I am doing a new thing...” (Isaiah 43:19) Somewhere along the way of the Christian life—somewhere amid all of the Masses, the Rosaries, the novenas, and the Confessions—anyone pursuing a life of Christian virtue very often ends up in a rut. The experience of...
TOBET Blog
Revisiting New Year’s Resolutions and Dodging Heresy
“And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:5). Now that we are past the halfway point of January, it’s time to check in on the status of those New Year’s resolutions. How is that new diet or workout routine...
Our Identity: Rooted in Gratitude
“What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me? … I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice and call on the name of the Lord.” (Ps. 116:12, 17) The American holiday of Thanksgiving is a wonderful reminder of the importance of gratitude, a virtue...
The Beauty Beyond the Fall
Psalm 90:10 The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. This October marks ten years since I lost one...
Life Without Limits
Recently, in my sixth decade, I moved cross-country to begin a second master’s degree program. It certainly wasn’t my idea (but God’s!) to uproot my flourishing life, filled with the warmth, sunshine, and outdoor activities in Phoenix and sequester myself in study...
Returning to the Garden
For most Americans, the month of September marks a turning point where the fall season is in clear sight – leaves slowly begin turning colors, the morning air has a subtle unmistakable crispness, and social media fills with friends’ shameless promotions of pumpkin...
Hungry for Reality
At my last haircut, the stylist relayed her excitement from her family’s recent experience of using a virtual reality (VR) headset. Now first, for any fellow elder Millennials out there (i.e., those older than their twenties) who feel out of touch with the times, a VR...
Freedom: Burden or Gift? What We Can Learn from St. John Paul II
The recent celebration of Independence Day is an opportunity to reflect upon our country’s great esteem for the value of freedom. Here, one does not need to be a scholar or historian to recognize that the idea of freedom has undergone—or I should more accurately...
Spiritual Priesthood for Every Man
Twenty-some years ago, I was flying back from speaking in the Caribbean when God suddenly decided to speak to me. Sometimes, when God invades my being so personally, I cry profusely. This was one of those times. As we flew over the turquoise-blue water of the Bahamas,...
Learning to Imitate God the Father
From The Body Is Good In June, we take time to honor and appreciate fathers in a special way; it is fitting that we take a moment to consider the real significance of fatherhood. For many, the notion of fatherhood has become an increasingly outdated and uncomfortable...