Lay Life in a Year

52 Reflections on JPII's vision for the Laity

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Read Past Reflections

Week 29 : Rotten Apples

A friend of mine tried to plant an apple tree. He got it planted, but when it came time for the apples to blossom, there were hardly any to be found. And the ones that were there were either bitter or rotten. But the problem was not the apples. It was the soil. The...

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Week 28 : Why are they all leaving?

Why are they all leaving? 50% of millennial Catholics no longer practice their faith. Think about that, in the last 30 years, half the babies baptized are no longer practicing Catholics, half of those who were confirmed no longer attend Mass, and half the young...

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Week 27 : “My life is being torn apart”

“I feel like my life is being torn apart.” My friend was overwhelmed by the demands of work, volunteering, family, and trying to find time to pray.  Thankfully, Jesus actually addresses this terrible feeling. He even used these exact words.  When He corrects Martha...

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Week 26 : That, By God’s Grace, I Will Do

Late one night I stumbled upon an intense, brooding Spaniard. His name was Ignatius of Loyola and he changed my whole understanding of the Faith. I learned about his journey—how he went from a man pursuing worldly glory to a lone hermit to the founder of the Jesuits....

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Week 25 : An Urgent Diagnosis

Imagine you go to a routine check up, and your doctor sits you down: “Look, you need to urgently change some things. In fact, I know you’re already taking some medicine and don’t want to hear this, but as I look at your bloodwork all the fundamental indicators are not...

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Week 24 : Salt of the Earth

I didn’t grow up a Catholic, or even a Christian. So when I would hear my Christian friends say things like “that guy is salt of the earth” I never really understood what it meant or where it came from.  But over time, I began to notice something.  These “salt of the...

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Week 23 : Identity and Mission of Lay Christians

Who are you supposed to be and what are you supposed to do? The answer is really the center of the entire document because it has the potential to change everything about our lives. John Paul II does not mince words: You cannot be a Christian and live just like...

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Week 22 : Responsible for the Church’s Mission

Have you ever told God no?  Moses did. He tried to get out of going to Egypt and came up with all sorts of excuses. Faced with the weight of this responsibility he began to panic: “Who am I?” “What do I tell them?” “Suppose they don’t believe me or listen to me?” “I...

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Week 21 : Kingly Mission

Without a kingdom to rule, the title of “king” is just empty. A king's true identity and purpose are tied to his realm and responsibilities. Since all Christians are called to share in the kingship of Christ, this means that Christians have a real "kingdom" where we...

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