Friday, May 19, 2023090In a world of insatiable pleasures, temperance is the ultimate saving virtue. Temperance is the virtue that enables a person to have a balanced spirituality and a balanced life. In the Catholic Church, temperance is described as one of the cardinal virtues. Temperance uses reason to moderate or restrain our desires and the pleasures of...
Wednesday, April 19, 2023090Every year we commemorate the season of Lent, which culminates with the celebration of Easter. This is always a reflective season that helps us examine our spiritual lives, identify with the suffering of Jesus, and share in the glory of His resurrection at Easter. During the season of Lent many of us resolve to model our lives on the...
Thursday, March 9, 20230121Have you ever wondered why Jesus told one of his closest friends — Peter — to “Get behind me, Satan!”? (Matthew 16:23). This was the man who had just proclaimed that Jesus was “… the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), and Jesus had responded in the presence of everyone, “Blessed are you, Simon son of...
Wednesday, February 8, 20230364
By Father Jacob Dankasa
Special to The Texas Catholic
People of faith believe in the power and efficacy of prayer – the act of intercession, petition, supplication, thanksgiving to God, or just keeping a relationship with the Lord. In prayer we find joy and fulfilment in communicating with an all-knowing and all-loving Father,...
Friday, January 13, 20230215As we come into a new year, many of us are contemplating how we’ll live in this new year. Many of us have made — or are still making — new year’s resolutions. As we all contemplate what our resolutions will be, let’s remember to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in making our resolutions, and then to help us keep them. Make your...
Wednesday, December 14, 20220284As God lives in our hearts, we need to keep them clean so that we can hear his voice. A clean heart avoids places that pollute the mind; a clean heart speaks words that build, not destroy; a clean heart catches the tongue before it gets loose into profanity; a clean heart listens to others and is empathetic to others’ needs; a clean...
Sunday, November 13, 20220155I once read a story of a little girl who kept praying and asking God to give her a bicycle, but she never got one. Her friends began to tease and laugh at her that God didn’t answer her prayers. But the girl responded to them and said, “He did. God said ‘No.’”
Wednesday, October 12, 20220134We have all experienced moments of varying emotions — some sad, some happy. Humans have different ways of handling or showing emotions, and being emotional is not always a negative thing. In fact, I feel that emotions bring out our humanity, and we must not be shy or afraid to show emotion even as we try to control outbursts of...
Monday, September 19, 20220149Grace is defined as an unmerited favor we receive from God. It’s freely given through God’s benevolence, and God bestows His grace upon anyone He chooses. By our creation as God’s children, every human is potentially a recipient of God’s grace, especially those who draw closer to Him.
Thursday, August 18, 20220169When I was reflecting on what to write for this column, I thought of the story of the Good Samaritan as narrated in the Gospel of Luke 10:25-37. But the term “missionary culture” kept popping into my head. I had no idea what a missionary culture would be in this context, and I haven’t heard or read about it before. But with further...
