“Moving on from there Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them” (Matthew 15:29-30) Was Jesus being insensitive? [...]
The Power of Positive Living
Have you ever had the experience of hearing someone say something and it’s as if you received a revelation? That recently happened to me. I was having a conversation with someone and he said, “You can’t think your way into a new way of living; but you can live your way into a new way [...]
Stillness
Lately I’ve had a desire for deeper stillness in my soul, a desire to live in the present moment, a desire to be present to God’s presence within me. I wrote this poem as a meditation on the stillness in Christ’s soul—His resting in the Father—from the Incarnation, through His life, passion, death, and resurrection, [...]
The Saints: Teachers of Authentic Happiness
This is a video of my homily from All Saints Day at La Salle Academy, the high school where I am blessed to serve as chaplain. The Mass was celebrated in the gymnasium. It’s such a great feeling to be able to preach to over 1400 teenagers! Thanks to my campus ministry colleague, Ms. Maggie [...]
Sunset
The tinge of auburn which remains From the evening sunset Glows gently through the thin clouds, As if You have taken the painter’s brush And gently stroked the horizon. The evening breeze blows Gently on my face. As I gaze toward the west: Peace, gentleness, love In the beginning You spoke And creation came to [...]
Unanswered Prayer?
“Why doesn’t God answer my prayer?” Let’s be honest: most of us have probably had this thought; many of us have probably even expressed it vocally. Why are there times when it seems that God is distant, that He just doesn’t seem to hear my request, that He doesn’t answer? Well, the truth is that [...]
How to Deal with Disappointment
On Monday evening, our priest-seminarian basketball team played its first game against St. Patrick Academy students and alumni. It was a great event and quite an intense matchup. Both teams fought to the finish, with the “Padres” (that would be us) prevailing by one point. Although I missed many more shots than I made, I [...]
Of Hugs and Broken Bottles
It was a precious moment gone awry. A few weeks ago I was at my parent’s house for a big Sunday dinner and birthday cake for my oldest sister, Debbie. My mom called me as I was on my way home and asked me to stop at the liquor store to buy a couple of [...]
Personal Powerlessness
I actually like Anthony Robbins. You’ve probably seen his infomercials on TV. He’s the tall guy with big teeth (a joke he makes about himself) and a deep voice who claims to be able to help people to change anything in their lives. I appreciate his work. I’ve listened to a lot of his CDs [...]
One Year Anniversary of Live Holiness
Okay, so Father is in a blogging slump. I’m not sure why. I’m tempted to make all kinds of excuses: the busyness of the new academic year, my new assignment as high school chaplain while maintaining my other responsibilities, etc. But the truth is, I’ve just been in a writing slump. So, I apologize for [...]
An Extraordinary Life
On Sunday, August 15, my beloved godmother and great-aunt went home to the Lord. She was a truly amazing woman, and I wanted to share with you my homily from her funeral Mass. I hope this glimpse into her life inspires you to live closer to the Lord. Thirty-one years ago, Rose Turano was given [...]
Chuck E. Cheese and the Spiritual Life
It was Uncle Mike to the rescue. Last Monday, my sister Maureen had an appointment in Cranston, which is very close to where I live in Providence. She asked if I could watch the girls for a couple of hours during that time. Of course, I was happy to do so. I’m blessed to have [...]
Stop Striving!
I’ve come to see a pattern in many people who are trying to live a holy life: they strive for moral perfection, realize it is unachievable, give into discouragement, and then begin to strive again… Repeat cycle… Truth be told, I’ve seen this pattern in my own life as well. It’s this idea of striving, [...]
Lessons Learned from My First 10-Miler
I ran my first 10-mile race on Friday and it was a phenomenally exhilarating experience. There were almost three thousand people who raced, and the atmosphere was both festive and electric. Many runners were there with family and friends; I actually went by myself, but was so impressed by the kindness of the runners. I [...]
The Gift of Leisure
I just enjoyed a wonderful 4th of July at my parent’s house with family and friends. It was a typical Najim cookout: lots of people, lots of food, and lots of fun. For all intents and purposes, this afternoon was the beginning of my summer reprieve. I usually take some time in July to enjoy [...]