The Life of Virtue

God has moved within me!  Because of that movement in recent moments, I have received great clarity on the idea of happiness. The question that heads this essay is one that might have a thousand different answers from a thousand different men.  However, because I am a man who has experience in many different states of life, and because I know that there is one Ultimate Happines, I know that I am "qualified" to answer such a perplexing question.  In fact, the question becomes quite an easy one because of the various perspectives from which I have seen, endured, and lived this human life. The first Psalm of David says: "Blessed [sometimes translated 'happy'] is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night" (vv. 1-2). I certainly am a man who has walked in the counsel of the wicked; I...

Ahh, it is good to be able to sit down for a few precious moments of scribal bliss!  Only today have I been able to find the requisite time to spill my thoughts into the cyber domain.  I do expect, however, that the output of my fingertips will increase during the next weeks. What have I been working on, you ask?  In the early days of this month, I was putting the final touches on a four-part Bible study that I created.  It is entitled "The Mass in Scripture and Scripture in the Mass," and it is TOTALLY AWESOME!!!  (That's according to the youth who were engaged in the study, not just me.)  Apart from that, I was conducting the final sessions of my high school Confirmation course and wrapping up the Spring semester of the youth ministry year.  Once both of those responsibilities faded into the rearview, I began to focus on the Summer ministry schedule, which includes a Steubenville youth conference and the World Youth Day celebration,...

As a Catholic husband, father, and minister, there is one area of my life over which I nearly constantly worry: money.  I suppose that most average adults can attest to the fact that "there never seems to be enough," or that some unexpected financial obligation always interferes with the grandiose plans.  After more than two years of marriage and nearly one year of fatherhood, I have gained infinitely greater respect for the tough financial decisions that adults face; and I have struggled over and over again with becoming a good steward rather than indulgin my own selfish desires. As I continually gain new experiences in this area, I seem to be in prayer continually: asking the Provider to help stretch those last few dollars until the end of the month and for the grace to place my family's needs above my own.  The Mass readings for today , as well as a short passage from the Divine Office, offered emotional and spiritual reinforcement that was much-needed. The first chapt...