Getting one gun off the street may not have a great impact all by itself, but people such as Monsignor Nalepa and Father Murphy know that sometimes you must try to make a difference. Little by little, gun by gun, we can.

The testimony of two of the brightest young stars in Baltimore sports today can be inspiration for how all of us can be an MVP in our lives of living the Catholic faith. For that, I alter the acronym to stand for “Meaning, Value and Purpose”: MVP in our relationship with God and one another.

Only God knows precisely why things happen. For our part, we will always have the privilege of offering comfort to those who grieve great losses and even livelihoods.

As one of my own daughters prepares to receive her first Communion this spring, my wife and I try to explain that in the Eucharist we encounter the God of the universe. Just as food feeds and nourishes our bodies, the Eucharist feeds and nourishes our souls. It gives us the strength to resist sin and to be Christ’s presence in the world.

Greatness doesn’t just happen; it’s the result of daily dedication and effort.

Perhaps “just-us sessions” initially could lead to discussions of ways to uphold the dignity of others without being torn down for atrocities that took root long before many were born.

Managing Editor George Matysek Jr. shares some personal reflections on welcoming a sixth child to his family.

We need support poles and decking to give our faith life some structure. Those are other sacraments, including reconciliation/confession, and devotionals such as praying the rosary, the Angelus, Divine Mercy chaplet or morning and evening prayer.

God will never dishonor himself by going back on this tremendous gift of free will. And when our choices cause us pain, God never stops encouraging us to “confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help” (Heb 4:16).

The things that weigh us down in this life – fatigue, difficult jobs, pain, injustice, our sins – will all be gone in heaven.