My little brother and I were typical brothers growing up. We would engage in “sibling rivalry” now and again! But we were being raised by a single mother who worked fulltime and cared for us full time as well. One such event when we were a bit older elicited a phrase from my mom to…
Fr. Barnabas Powell
My very best friend in all the world died of a brain tumor several years ago. I know, a weird way to begin a devotional, but I wanted you to know the end of the story so you will value it as much as I do.
You see, Rod was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam…
St. Paul tells us today that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” I confess, every time I read this passage and contemplate this phrase, it always drives me to reconsider my own life. Can I really say this along with Paul?
Of course, the answer is “no,” but before I let myself…
What provokes you? Politics? Religion? Race? Inequity? Violence? Chaos (OK, this one is a personal provocation!)? No matter what might provoke you to action, if you allow the provocation to be your primary motivation, you are sure to always be provoked. You see, provocation is a “result”, not a motive. And learning what is behind…
He was actually bragging about being the best at being the worst! I’m not kidding! I sat in front of him staring in absolute disbelief at what I was hearing. I was lamenting the shallow commitment of my own heart to the rigorous practice of the Faith when he chimed in that “his people” were…
Let’s face it, grammar wasn’t my best subject in school! I’ve always been impatient with the rules, wanting to get to the end without having to mess with all that “process” nonsense! And yes, that is a problem because the process is part of the solution! A bit of wisdom that has cost me quite a…
It seems everyone has a friend like my friend. He was always either on the top of the mountain emotionally or in the pit of despair. His mood swings were huge and usually unhealthy. Finally, he came to me and confessed he was exhausted with the constant up and down of his life and asked…
It’s no secret that family life is filled with challenges. To be honest, I don’t think we’ve seen the real fallout of all the societal experiments we Americans have engaged in since all these movements have been demanding this or that change in society. One of the interesting, if unintended consequences, of these movements is…
I don't like to admit my limitations. In fact, one of my besetting sins is seeing a Speed Limit sign and thinking of it as more of a "suggestion." Knowing my limitations is important information for me. Most of the time I have to learn the hard way!
But we humans have to come to the…
"3 Easy Steps to a Happy Life" or "The Path to Getting Rich" or "How To Beat The Odds in Vegas" Over and over again we are inundated with this or that "formula" to "be happy" or "rich" or any number of wonderful things that will finally make us content.
And these formulas or advice books…