On this Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, I think about Flannery's words; (yes, I want to be on a first-name basis with this brilliant writer whose books ruin me in the best possible way.) I remember a few years ago speaking with an evangelical friend who told me baptism was merely a symbol of a saved heart and was in no way necessary. …A symbol—merely representing a perceived reality but effecting no real change? Well, if that's the case, I wanted to echo my girl Flannery's words, "Then to hell with it!"

This twinkle in the sky that was last seen during the invasions of Genghis Khan and last seen before that when our Lord Jesus Christ was a baby just recently slipped through our sky again. It is a grace to be connected with generations past in this special way, a common thread that ties a unique experience together. It reminds us that we are a part of something bigger — a family of men and women who come into this world and look toward the heavens for something more. And perhaps the most beautiful gift of all is realizing the beautiful truth that there is indeed something to be seen when we look up.

Just as Christ sanctified the waters of Baptism by His very participation in the River Jordan, so too did our Lord, by entering into humanity through the womb of a woman, sanctify both the dwelling place of the unborn and the family that receives new life.

Why did Jesus become small? He is the author of all life, the science of generation, and the power that begets all things, yet He made Himself small so that through the womb of His mother, He could enter into the vulnerability of man.

They see the impossible before them like the Israelites when they stood before the Red Sea. Frightened and overcome by despair they can’t think past the barrier before them—there is no way forward that doesn’t destroy me…  With their toes on the water’s edge and the Egyptians closing in, do you remember what Moses told the Israelites?

This Advent, give your children what they are searching for, one day at a time. Give them a starting point, context, belonging. Our Jesse Tree helps you to teach your children that the Story of Salvation is their family story, and it isn't over yet! That God has a special mission for them to share in His holy work. And, made in the image & likeness of God, their identity within His family is sacred.

Wines from well-nourished vines lack the flavor for a successful vintage. It's the struggling vine that places energy into producing fruit for the sake of survival. The sweetest grapes attract birds that ensure the seeds of the crop spread. It is the suffering vine that considers life after death, that places the most value in the fruit it gives to the world and gives its suffering purpose.

I have met some of the best humans on the planet while doing pro-life work, but I’ve also met some of the most arrogant and narrow-minded. For most of us, our pro-life efforts are rooted in the truth of our faith, but sadly not everyone does this work by the light of Christ.

Mary and Martha helped me to understand that God is there when our ministries are thriving and when they are hanging on by a thread. He is there to make business decisions with, to laugh with, to cry with… He is there to rehash all the moments you’ve struggled, and He is ready to wrap you in His arms when you sob and explain to Him all the reasons you are unworthy and unable and unbelievably overwhelmed….

If you had one day left to live, what would you do? …Every now and then we'll stumble across a meme that reminds us of what Jesus did on His last day, He washed feet. But I’d argue He didn’t just wash feet, He chose to wash the feet of 12 men, one of whom was Judas. Judas.

“Well, imagine it…He is asking you. Our Lord loves us so deeply that He desires us to have exactly what we need to flourish. He wants to lavish us with His good gifts, His grace, His love, His virtue…

As long as the right to simply live is dependent on any subjective want or need, we will never be able to orient ourselves within our community with confidence that our journey toward our heavenly home will find a successful end. We will constantly wander in a gray area, a sort of disturbance in the magnetic field that throws us off course.

Racism is a conversation that has taken center stage in today's culture and has a necessary place in the work of renewing a culture of life. Protecting those who are vulnerable to the hateful and evil actions of others based on the color of their skin is a fundamental and necessary exercise in protecting the dignity of the human person.

As parents, when we navigate conversations about the dignity of the human person with our child, we cannot exclude addressing the dimension of sorrow that so often is a companion on our journey.

Teaching our children the value and the importance of truth-telling is something that we all want to instill in them as they grow; however, it’s important for us also to remember that Truth isn’t something that is only meant to be spoken: it is meant to be expressed, and lived.

For many parents, our past looks different than the future we desire for our children… It is in these moments that we must allow God’s grace to enter into these conversations.

As members of His Body, we form disciples by encountering the Living Word of God in the day-to-day of family life, and we participate in God’s salvific mission by honoring the dignity of the human person and celebrating God’s gift of LIFE

As a parent, you may recognize the different ways the culture is grooming your child to accept precepts of abortion —i.e., that truth is subjective, love is conditional, and life has value when "wanted" or "useful." These precepts are painful distortions of love that bear tragic fruit in our culture—abortion, euthanasia, pornography, gender confusion, and the list goes on and on.

As human beings, our God-given dignity is rooted in God’s personal invitation for each of us to share in the heart of God—i.e. His Divine life. Mary’s role as our mother is to take each of us by the hand and lead us closer to the heart of her Son, Jesus.