We tend to look outside our walls to ask how we can help. Where are the hungry or homeless in our community? How can we care for those in poverty or prison?
Who doesn't want the Church to grow or the next generation of Catholics to embrace a deep love for their faith? One simple way we can do this is by asking how our parishes are welcoming to families -- of all ages, abilities, shapes and sizes.
When I made my first confession, I clutched an index card with sweaty palms. On one side, I'd copied the act of contrition, dutifully memorized -- but what if I tripped up in the heat of the moment? On the reverse was a detailed list of my sins, anxiously scribbled lest I miss one.
"Wait for me!" Our 4-year-old runs after his big brothers, coat flapping and boots thumping. As I watch the kids race through the yard, his words echo memories of Decembers past when I waited for a new baby.
Like students taking a test, we often assign God to boxes without realizing it: God will be present at church, in Mass or in class. But we can forget that Emmanuel is with us everywhere and always.
