Don’t Shoot For The Stars. Shoot For Heaven
The historic timing of Jesus’ coming was not random. He came, as Scripture puts it, “in the fullness of time” (Gal. 4:4). What does that mean and why might God have chosen that time over others? Let’s put it into a broader context. The moment of Our Lord’s coming was when many currents of world history were coming together, specificall...
5 Ways to Develop the Virtue of Magnanimity
Each and every one of us are called by Almighty God to be holy. We are called to be saints. To reach such sublime heights, one can say that we are called to be great. This greatness is what is referred to as the virtue of Magnanimity – which translates to ‘greatness of soul’. It was St. Thomas Aquinas who said, in his Summa Theologica, that m...
One Key to Success in All Things
Walking through the door and hearing “daddy’s home!” is a tremendous experience. Whatever the circumstances of my day, or entry, they are immediately required to disappear. What matters in that moment is being present to my family, and being fully present is a task I hope to take into every area of my life. I have often heard stories about...
Do You Have the Vice of Ambition?
St. Thomas Aquinas is not a teacher best studied as an isolated topic, but as a guide into reality. It is often the experienced that approach St. Thomas and feel taken aback at the accuracy of his descriptions of things like vice and virtue, not because of the brilliance of his reasoning (this too of course), but because he is helping you see som...
Become the Leader You Were Meant to Be
I have been privileged to work at two institutions dedicated to leadership: the Augustine Institute and the University of Mary. The Augustine Institute instills leadership for the New Evangelization through its Master of Arts programs and its inspiring catechetical series. The University of Mary, America’s Leadership University, embodies servant ...
Reclaiming “Greatness” from Political Sloganry
Great is a word I use all the time. It is a word used by almost everyone all the time. When this happens with words, they become vulgar – meaning common (as opposed to foul or dirty). With that, they can sometimes lose their magnificence. We live in a fabulous country. We are blessed. We are also in need of a resurgence of greatness. The Ameri...