The Christmas story is full of angels. But, have you ever wondered what an angel looks like? Well, a few weeks ago, my wife Lili and I met one. Here is the story.
An Hour with An Angel
Day by Day: Wisdom from Ecuador’s Journey
In July, my wife Lili and I took a 13-day trip to Ecuador with Gate 1 Travel. We went there for the adventure, and we were not disappointed. From the Galapagos Islands to the Andes Mountains to the Amazon forest: we were awed every single day. But more than exciting adventures, the trip gave us valuable life lessons. One of them came early in our trip. Group …
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Navigating Leadership: Lessons from the Amazon and St. Paul
On our recent trip to Ecuador, my wife Lili and I spent three nights at the exquisite Sacha Lodge, deep in the Amazon jungle. To get there, we rode a motorized canoe along the vast Rio Napo (a tributary of the Amazon River) from the town of Coca. Along the way, the captain skillfully zigzagged …
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Reflections on Grief and Faith After Texas Floods
Getting rain in the notoriously hot Texas summer is a blessing, and in the past three weeks we’ve had more than our normal share of it. I loved it. But my heart also goes to everyone who lost their loved ones in last week’s flash flood in Central Texas, not least the families who lost …
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Giving Away Instead of Giving Up: Rethinking Lent Through Mark 10:17-27
(Terjemahan dalam bahasa Indonesia tersedia di bawah, sesudah References.) Lent has just begun, and I already feel uneasy. As it happens, the Bible reading from Monday Mass—just two days before the start of Lent—was one of my “least favorites.” It’s the story from Mark 10:17-27, where a good, religious man asks Jesus, “What must I …
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Facing the Unexpected with the Holy Family
“Wow, what’s going on?” asked Bevo, my elderly cockapoo, as he looked at the closed door of my home office. “This is my office, and it is already 8:30! Have I been laid off, Dad???” Every morning, after he wakes up and does his backyard routine, Bevo marches straight to my home office. For over …
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Bringing Christ(mas) Lights to the World
Except for a weekend trip to Atlanta to visit our son Austin, his fiancé Tori, and her family in early December, Lili and I are staying in town this month. As I put up the Christmas tree on Friday the 13th (yes, a bit late! 😊), the ornaments we’ve collected from our many trips transported …
Precious and Beautiful: Three Days in Assisi, Italy
In our first trip to Italy earlier this year, my wife and I visited Assisi, a graceful hilltop town in Umbria, and we absolutely loved it. As the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan movement, the town has a strong spiritual character. Yet, it is also a place of magnificent views, relaxing walking and hiking, and good food. All in a peaceful atmosphere.
Rome: The Eternal and Crowded City
My wife and I went to Rome for the first time this year, and we found it too crowded and noisy. As the Church celebrates the great Saints Peter and Paul today, I can’t help but reflect on their lives, accomplishments, and sacrifices in the same crowded city two millennia ago. In our first vacation …
Judged by Goodness: A (Short) Lent Reflection
I went to the 7 AM Mass at St. Mary’s Basilica in downtown Phoenix on Wednesday this past week. The old Catholic church (the oldest one in the city) was a nice 10-minute walk from my hotel in a cool winter morning, and I got there just in time. St. Mary's Basilica is located in …
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REFLECTIONS ON LIFE, WORK, AND FAITH IN THE 21ST-CENTURY AMERICA 