Author Archives: anastaziejoy

“We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) All things work for good for those who love God. All things, whether they are perceived as blessings or as suffering, work for our good when we receive them from the Lord whoContinue reading “Waste Not”

We live in a world of instant gratification. Comfort is sold to us as the highest goal. Products are marketed as convenient, easy, and effortless. But as I often quote Pope Benedict XVI as saying, “The world offers you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” Greatness requires effort,Continue reading “The Cost of Compassion”

People tend to disparage the Catholic Church as being legalistic, obsessed with strict, burdensome rules. Critics proclaim that “all those rules” rob people of their fun, making life tedious and boring. The rules are seen as either arbitrary, irrelevant to people’s real lives, or worse still intentionally limiting, opposing people’s ability to thrive. This criticismContinue reading “Love and the Law”

One day, as I was teaching Church History, my students and I were discussing the lives of two saints who fought against each other, leading rival clans in a local war. One of my students questioned how they could be fighting each other if they were both saints. I replied simply, “they weren’t saints yet.”Continue reading “Becoming a Saint”

“Well- behaved women seldom make history.” This line has often been used to encourage women to do something dramatic, throwing off moral restraints, in order to be seen, catching the attention of the world. The idea purported is that in order to be significant one must misbehave. However, when Laurel Ulrich originally authored that phrase, she wasContinue reading “Hidden”

Every year on September 8th, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this date, two years ago, I consecrated myself to Jesus through Mary using a popular devotion entitled, “33 Days to Morning Glory.” I had known of this devotion for years but hadn’t given it serious consideration. IContinue reading “Honoring the Nativity of Mary”

“The Heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder’s craft.” Psalm 19:1-2 There is a lot of darkness in the world. Lately I have felt the weight of all the suffering surrounding me. People share with me their hurts and sorrows, the headlines and social media scream at me about the brokenContinue reading “The Glory of God”

Last night, as I sat before the Lord in adoration, He was teaching me about the depths of His love, a love that was sorrowful unto death as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Love accepts suffering for the good of the other, the beloved one. Accepting suffering does not negate the sadness thatContinue reading “God’s “Good Pleasure””

For years I now, I have heard those who support what is commonly known as a “woman’s right to choose,” deride those of us who identify as pro-life for being too narrow minded in our concerns. The point has often been asserted that if we really cared about life, not just the unborn, we wouldContinue reading “Life and Honesty”

At the end of John’s Gospel, there is the famous passage in which Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him. Jesus then foretells Peter’s death and finishes by giving him the command he is meant to live by, “Follow me.” After this deeply personal conversation, whereby Jesus restores Peter to the friendship heContinue reading “You Follow Me”