A summer of transitions

Listeners and readers, I was ahead of myself the last time I posted. As it turned out, that very week Relevant Radio announced a brand new direction for their morning programming, with Morning Air retired from the airwaves, and replaced with a new show, The Mark Swartzberg Show. I did have a chance to talk with Mark, though not on the air, and I am excited to join the show officially this coming Monday, June 29 at about 8:05 am eastern. As always, find out how you can listen here.

I just want to say a huge thank you to John Morales, who, over the past several years, has been a pleasure to speak with and given me many, many opportunities to be on the show and discuss culture, prayer, and all the other good stuff happening in the life of the church and our own interior lives. It’s funny to talk to someone many times but never “see” them, as is the case on radio, and yet I feel I know him and his family well. I do wish John all the best in his next venture, and am happy to continue to work with Sarah Tafoya and Gabriela Burke on the producing and scheduling side.

Here is to transitions and new adventures!

Taking your spiritual life on the road

Last month I spoke with John Morales on Morning Air about the ways we can bring our faith life with us when we travel. From finding out where Mass is ahead of time, to bringing pocket-sized versions of your usual devotions, this is a timely topic as the summer travel season kicks off. You can listen to that conversation here.

I will be joining again this week on Thursday around 8:25 am eastern to discuss: what is family prayer, and how can my family get started? See here where you can listen live.

The little thing your prayer life may be missing

This morning I spoke with John and Glen on Morning Air about the necessity of asking God for peace with what we have. What’s that mean? Well, it’s more than gratitude: it’s perspective, it’s grounding in reality, it’s learning to love like God. You can listen to the conversation here.

As I have written, gratitude is its own prayer. What we were taking about this morning, though, was less about praying with gratitude, and learning HOW to recognize how good our lives are. If you’re reading this in America, chances are, your life is good. Yes, there are tragedies and heartbreaks, but we always think we need more, when really, we often don’t - we just need to learn to appreciate what we have.

A caller called in and talked about some situations that required her to be thankful for all God gives even in the times he takes away. Her perspective was correct, as hard as it can be: be grateful for the extra year with your dying parent, even though you lost them.

There is a strange, powerful philosophical question here about control. When we thank God even for the darkness we experience, it is a way to let go of our sense of control. I used the example of praying for an enemy: if you really mean it, then you’re free from the ill feelings that bind you to them. Likewise, when thanking God, you’re saying He is in control, because what He says, goes. Not what we say.

I also brought up the saying attributed to Blessed Solanus Casey: “Thank God ahead of time.” That means in every circumstance, thank God. I think of saints who willingly underwent great torment - think of St. Maximilian Kolbe. That is thanking God for the situation you are in. Wow!