The story of two discouraged men making a long journey home after having witnessed the Lord’s grueling passion (Luke 24:13-35) is pure balm for the suffering soul, especially for any suffering in the ways St Josemaria indicates: having lost a sense of hope or of meaning in life.

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As the two disciples recount what had just happened to them on their journey, and in the breaking of the bread, the same risen Jesus stands in their midst and imparts His “Peace” to the gathered disciples. What is the meaning of this greeting here and in the other resurrection accounts?

The post The Peace He Gives Us: Homily for Easter Thursday appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

The devil’s “territory,” apart from those “kingdoms of the world” he claimed as his own when tempting Christ, might be difficult to map out—it was, after all, into the swept and tidied house that the unclean spirit returned with a company of devils worse than himself (cf. Lk 4:5; Mt 12:43-45).

The post Entering the Kingdom by Violence appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

The Lord wants us always to bear in mind two things: the mercy we have received, and where that mercy comes from: the Cross of Jesus.

The post The Price of Pardon & Peace appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

I’d like to have a moment of your time. I’m not asking for myself, but on behalf of the Lord Jesus.

The post Do You Have a Minute? appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

Our own “desert” to which Christ is calling us might be anything from a private home, to an office cubicle, to a city street. Wherever the contents of our hearts can and should be revealed, there the Bridegroom awaits us.

The post Going Out to Meet the Bridegroom: Bringing Love to our Lenten Struggle appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

Anyone who has ever tried to be happy by changing their mailing address or some other merely cosmetic, outward change, has discovered the truth of the saying: Happiness is an inside job.

The post Happiness Is an Inside Job appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

When the Magi prostrated themselves before Christ, what sentiments must have filled their hearts? They must have thought: All of our hardship was worth it.

The post Faith Like That of the Magi appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

The readings for the Mass of Christmas night highlight several appearances: from Isaiah, a light has shone; in St Paul, The grace of God has appeared; in St Luke’s Gospel, the angel of the Lord appeared, followed by a multitude of the heavenly host.

The post Light Shines in Darkness: The Christmas Mystery appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

In a season when Mary’s responsiveness to God’s will is continually before us, the Church in her Advent liturgy invites us not only to reflect on her perfect obedience but also to imitate it.

The post Fulfilling the Fiat: Responding with Mary to God’s Call appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

Whenever our Lady appears on earth it is to remind us of something that we are neglecting. She never comes to reveal something new, but to express in a new and forceful way what we should already know.

The post “Am I Not Your Mother?” Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Vocation of Women appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

Although we might associate St Teresa’s spirituality with the extraordinary—with her numerous visions, locutions, and ecstasies—yet for her, these were never the main issue, much less the goal of her prayer.

The post Between Friends: The Feast of St Teresa of Avila appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

In her poem “Why I Love You, O Mary!”, Saint Therese of Lisieux says that the Blessed Virgin teaches her how to weep and rejoice—what to have sorrow for and what to rejoice over.

The post Prayer that Purifies the Heart: How the Rosary Forms our Interior Life appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

St Josemaria often evokes images of fire and light to show how the Christian faith is spread from one heart to another.

The post Setting Hearts Alight: Insights on Personal Influence from Saints Josemaria and John Henry Newman appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

All sorts of questions fill the air on Easter morning, on that first morning of our new life: “Who will roll us back the stone?” “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?”

The post Our New Life is Born in the Empty Tomb appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

“And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’” (Mt 21:9).

The post Following in His Footprints: Accompanying the Lord through Holy Week appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

The gospel appointed for the Solemnity of St Joseph just might break all the rules for discipleship. Jesus asks to be followed, but here He has effectively hidden Himself from His parents.

The post Companions in Surrender: Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Mother of God appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

A friend of mine once told me: “You are never freer than when you are doing God’s will, and never less free than when you are doing your own.” There you have the Annunciation.

The post Letting God: The Annunciation & Freedom appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

One of the highest compliments we can pay to a place is to say: I feel at home here.

The post Safe, Calm, and Loved: An Invitation appeared first on St. Josemaria Institute.

Looking creates responsibility, especially when looking means seeing another’s distress... The first reading for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross features a look that saves.

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