“The dismissal of Mass marks the beginning of our mission.” Have you ever wondered why we call what we do on Sunday “Mass”? We aren’t referring to a large amount of something nor to a scientific measure. It doesn’t matter how massive the crowd is, either. We get the word “Mass” from the very end of the liturgy, when the […]
Between the Sundays
A Blog by Joannie Watson
Loving Him More
“The measure of our prayer life is not the feeling we have when we pray, but the way we live our lives.” My pastor used to lead our youth group in prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament, having us repeat after him: “Jesus, I love you. Help me to love you more.” Help me to love you more. It’s […]
Uncomfortable Christianity
“It’s time to recognize that Christianity is not a comfortable religion. The doctrines we profess are stumbling blocks, and the demands are uncomfortable.” We have gotten too comfortable. Walking around as baptized Christians, we probably don’t often think about what that means. Christianity is radical. If we really profess what Christianity professes and live what Christianity demands, we will not […]
The Church needs Tentmakers
“As a tentmaker, you have a unique role to play in the Church – that of evangelist, of disciple, in the nitty gritty of life, in the ‘temporal order.’” In his memoir, A Severe Mercy, Sheldon Vanauken details his conversion to Christianity, a journey in which the writings of C.S. Lewis played a part. After readings the works of Lewis, […]
Remembering What’s Important
“In the end, a life that radiates His truth, His love, and His glory is going to do far more to spread the kingdom than an argument on Twitter.” A friend emailed me recently, after finding out that his friend had left the Church. I look forward to his emails – they’re strikingly perceptive and usually make me either laugh […]
The Struggle to Trust God
“It’s hard to believe in our hearts that He can be trusted because we have been hurt when we trusted others.” Happy the one who trusts in the Lord… It’s a phrase repeated throughout the Scriptures- in Psalms and Proverbs and Jeremiah. But perhaps at times it’s hard to believe and practice. Can I really trust the Lord? When asked […]
Edith Stein & Reparation
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, also known as Edith Stein, her name prior to religious life. On this day in 1942, Edith and her sister Rosa were killed at Auschwitz. That summer, hundreds of Catholic Jews were arrested and murdered in response to the Dutch bishops’ public stand against Nazism. I highly recommend […]
Francis and the Portiuncula
Walking into the vast basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi, perhaps the last thing you might expect to see is another church. But you do expect it, because it is why you have come. Despite its size and grandeur, some pilgrims barely look around the larger basilica. They make a beeline for the small, humble chapel in the […]
Preaching: A Woman’s Perspective
“As laity, we have an active duty to work for the Church, in the Church, in a specific way.” For those of you who read these Friday posts frequently, you know that I often reflect on the upcoming Sunday Mass readings. Scripture is inexhaustible, and we can go back again and again to the same passages to pull out additional […]
The Real Lesson from Martha
“Let’s not be too hasty to set up Martha as the bad sister, nor to judge her service as the problem.” Martha, Martha… Familiar words greet us in this Sunday’s Gospel. Much ink has been spilled on the sisters at Bethany, Mary and Martha. They have long been seen as metaphors for the active and contemplative life, although there’s a […]