How can I be happy, humble, and trusting? What John, the priesthood, and our vocation have in common.

I stood nervously at the bottom of the steps, going over all the possibilities in my mind. Maybe I would get one of those great men that brought Christ to thousands like St. Patrick or St. Francis Xavier. Or it could be one of the saints that had a really specific virtue like St. John of the Cross and his prayer or Blessed John Paul II and his devotion to Mary.

What am I talking about?

Year of Faith: A living encounter with Jesus Christ

Over 250 people just finished participating with Benedict XVI in the General Synod of bishops on the New Evangelization. The Synod kicks off the year of the faith which opened in early October and will last most of 2013. How can we share our faith in today's world?

The Holy Father has also made it the theme of all of his Wednesday audiences. Every Wednesday, he will talk about some aspect of faith.

Here's a short excerpt from last Wednesday:

In our series of catecheses for the Year of Faith, we now consider the nature of faith. More than simply knowledge about God, faith is a living encounter with him. Through faith we come to know and love God, who reveals himself in the life, death and resurrection of Christ, and in so doing reveals the deepest meaning and truth of our human existence. Faith offers us sure hope and direction amid the spiritual confusion of our times. Before all else, faith is a divine gift which enables us to open our hearts and minds to God’s word and, through Baptism, to share in his divine life within the community of the Church. Yet faith is also a profoundly human act, engaging our intelligence and freedom. When we welcome God’s invitation and gift, our lives, and the world around us, are transformed. May this Year of Faith help us to live our faith fully, and to invite others to hear and welcome God’s word, opening their hearts to the eternal life which faith promises. Benedict XVI, 24 October 2012

Tell me what faith means for you!

Giving and receiving new life: What is baptism all about?

Should I tell them that it was my first time or not? When to do it? It would be a great opener, and everything seems more special. But they might get nervous. I could tell them at the end, but by that time it wouldn’t mean much. 

Here I was about to perform my first baptism, both nervous and excited. We, men, like to achieve things, to do things for others. We like to be able to accomplish things that support and sustain others – earn a living, raise children, be the best.

When life gets tough: Travis Mills starts walking again.

I've been meaning to post about this story for a while. When I watched this video, I couldn't wait any longer.

Rimsha Masih: faith, freedom, music, and what's really going on.

Each day we hear of more intolerance and persecution of religion. It can be more subtle in the failure to respect freedom of conscience in providing health care or not allowing politicians to express their beliefs openly.

Other times, it is dramatic and violent like we've recently seen in Syria and Pakistan. The latest seems to be the story of Rimsha Masih, a young handicapped girl in Pakistan accused of blasphemy for carrying a rubbish sack that contained burnt fragments of the Koran without her knowledge.

Ooberfuse, the same music project that I blogged about a couple of months ago (His Blood Cries Out) has released a new single in less than a week's time responding to the call for justice and charity.

They have hit it on the head, in the face of these incredible injustices, it's clear that we must:

Turn the tide of hate to the tide of love!
Set her free!