Don’t Let Go of His Hand

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By: Madeleine Karako

For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of being a mother. When we got pregnant on the honeymoon, I couldn’t have been more thrilled. Then we lost our first child to miscarriage after being married for 2 months. My husband was in a different state for Officer Training School in the Air Force, so I didn’t see him until a month after we lost our child. I went through it without him, which made the experience all the more painful. Even in those darkest moments, God was taking care of me. I couldn’t see it then, but looking back now I see all the little miracles He gave me. 

  1. My mom (who lived in a different state) showed up for a visit the day before I started miscarrying, so I had her with me through it all. 
  2. My dear friend, Lizzy, showed up at the hospital when I had to have an emergency D&C because I was hemorrhaging. She held my mom’s hand and prayed a rosary with her while I was in surgery. 
  3. My Dad cancelled an important business trip to come and be with my mom and I during that first week after our loss. 

Those are the big ones. There were many more little miracles, but I couldn’t see any of them at the time. I cried most days and felt like my heart was being ripped apart. The whole thing felt so backwards, so cruel. Going through labor, feeling all that pain, enduring emergency surgery; those were the “easy” parts. Going home without a baby, feeling the emptiness in my heart, doubting God’s love; those were the hard parts. 

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Choosing Christ Over Treasure: Walking the Way, the Truth, and the Life

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

A reflection on the Gospel of Matthew 10:26-33

Dear Friends in Christ,

Imagine a man named Jose, standing at a crossroads in his life. After years of hard work, Jose suddenly loses his job. He’s anxious about his future, not knowing how he’ll provide for his family. Friends and colleagues gather around him, each offering their advice—some well-meaning, some not so much. “Jose, you just have to do whatever it takes to make money,” one says. “Forget about your scruples. In this world, you have to chase after gold and treasure, or you’ll be left behind. Cut corners if you need to. That’s how people get ahead.”

Jose listens, but deep down, he feels unsettled. He remembers how fulfilled he felt working at the parish food pantry, helping families in need and comforting the lonely. He isn’t sure that chasing money at all costs is the answer. Instead, he feels drawn to serve, to lift others up, and to find meaning in loving his neighbor. Yet, the pressure mounts. Bills don’t pay themselves. The voices pushing him towards worldly success grow louder, and Jose finds himself torn between the world’s promises and the quiet tug of his conscience.

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Saint John the Baptist: The Humble Harbinger to Jesus

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Every year on June 24, the Church celebrates the birth of Saint John the Baptist. That alone makes him remarkable. Aside from the Blessed Virgin Mary, John is the only saint whose birth the Church celebrates in the liturgy.

Yet John’s uniqueness began long before his birth.

The Gospel tells us that when Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, the child in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy at the presence of Jesus (Luke 1:41). Long before he preached in the wilderness, baptized in the Jordan, or pointed crowds toward the Messiah, John recognized Christ. In a sense, the first person to acknowledge Jesus as the Savior was an unborn child.

John’s entire life would follow that same pattern. He existed to point beyond himself and toward Christ. Even his name reflected God’s plan. Saint John Paul II noted that the name John means “God is benevolent.” Through John the Baptist, God prepared His people for the coming of His Son and revealed His desire to save the world.

The feast of Saint John the Baptist is therefore much more than a celebration of an extraordinary birth. It invites us to reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation and on the man chosen to prepare the way for Jesus Christ.

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When God Writes Straight on Crooked Lines

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“All Things Work Together for Good”

By: Mauro Russo

The Lord carries out his plans through our lives without ever cancelling our will or our freedom. Starting from this truth, the words of the Apostle Paul ring out as an absolute certainty: “All things work together for good for those who trust in the Lord.” (Romans 8:28)

This is why even the most tragic of our stories, however irreparable it may seem, the Lord always has the power to turn into something beautiful.

But this is not an abstract promise. It is a promise that Scripture has already proven, more than once, in ways no one could have imagined.

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Why Sacred Art is Needed More than Ever

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Editor’s note: Article originally published on August 22, 2019. This article is sponsored by Holyart.com.

Our world is an ugly place. Disease, cancer, war, hunger, greed, murder, abuse, and countless other appalling things have existed throughout human history. Because of the original sin of Adam and Eve, humanity fell out of communion with God. Thankfully, God had a plan. A redemptive plan of salvation. Through the Suffering, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, God provided a pathway for us to return to Him. Two thousand years later, not much has changed with humanity. Human nature is always the same. Self-centered. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide the Catholic Church as a harbor and teacher of truth.

Catholic Church

Baptized Christians are called to a life of grace. This is best lived out by participation in the Sacraments. Life on earth is temporary. Our true home is Heaven. St. Therese of Lisieux said it best, “The world’s thy ship and not thy home.” Nothing is wrong with admiring the beauty this world has to offer. It only becomes an issue when the good of the created world is preferred to the good of God.

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