That exchange with those grieving parents has had a deep impact on my Holy Week. The way the pope holds the mother and reaches out to the father shows such compassion and love. The way he pauses to pray with them as if they are the only people in the world is such a beautiful gift.

The redemptive act of Christ, done in obedience to the Father’s saving will, embraced the full range our triumphs, tragedies and sins.

Running behind on something? Don’t worry. You’re still doing better than the postcard my sister and her children sent to us last summer.

Like Jesus, we don’t have to look for approval, control or safety outside ourselves.

During our visit, we encountered Maryknoll priests, sisters and lay missionaries working as pastoral coordinators, catechists, teachers, healthcare providers and agricultural and clean-water advisors

Our older son traveled to Disney World with his high school band, so we decided to tag along as a family.

The fact that the hosts have become Jesus’ body through the consecration is its own miracle. This possible multiplication of the hosts feels like a miracle on top of a miracle—and it fills me with joy.

Rather than demanding a specific percentage of our income, the church leaves the dollar amount of our charitable giving up to our own good-faith discernment of what we can realistically afford.

Every morning when I check the cages, I am relieved to see Ron is still with us, ready for his breakfast, looking forward to the day. I hope he pulls through and that he’s not in pain.

Every year as the Feast of the Annunciation approaches, I think of how our Blessed Mother received the news that she would be the mother of Jesus.