Category: Behold Vancouver

If you have ever experienced that pit-in-the-stomach feeling before going to Confession, you are not alone. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a beautiful gift from God, but it can be really nerve-wracking. I believe Confession is incredibly powerful (just ask the exorcists!) and that Jesus is present through the ministry of the priest. I almost always walk away feeling lighter, yet at the same time, my anxious tendency is to avoid whatever makes me uncomfortable, and Confession makes me super uncomfortable.

Ironically, Confession has also helped me understand that I am not some anonymous sinner in God’s eyes: I am his beloved child. Over time, I’ve learned that God wants to encourage me and console me. In this way, Confession has led to greater healing and freedom in my life. If you get nervous before going to Confession, I would like to share three practices that have helped me change my approach to this Sacrament:

1. Prepare for Confession as if it were your last Confession.

If we know we only have one shot at something important, we are going to prepare for it in a different way. When I turned 16 and took my driver’s test, I was keenly aware that if I failed, I would have to get a graduated driver’s license with further restrictions. This motivated me to get it right the first time. The Missionaries of Charity are known for having a sign in their sacristy that reminds the priest to celebrate every Mass as if it were his first Mass, his last Mass, his only Mass. 

I once prepared for Confession as if it were my last. I waited in line, meditating on a passage from the Gospel of Matthew where God says, “Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord.” (Matthew 25:23). I let those words soak in like the rain and found myself drenched with longing — longing for God to say those words to me. I thought to myself, if I were to die and appear before the judgment seat of Christ, I want to hear those words. When it was my turn for Confession, I proceeded as usual, recited my list of sins, and received absolution, but before I could hightail it out the door, the priest stopped me and said, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” 

I knew at that moment that God saw me, and he knew my heart’s longing. There was a density of God’s presence in that room. This was an extraordinary experience that helped strengthen my faith in the reality of what happens in Confession. God truly is waiting to forgive, console, and strengthen us.

Why does life feel empty — even when everything seems “fine”?

Fr. Mike Schmitz and Dr. Arthur Brooks, Harvard professor and bestselling author, unpack the real reason so many of us feel restless, anxious, and unfulfilled.

Drawing from both science and the Catholic faith, they explore:

🔸why pleasure isn’t the same as happiness
🔸the “arrival fallacy” and why success doesn’t satisfy
🔸how modern life trains us to avoid waiting
🔸what it actually means to find lasting joy

Try not to rush through your prayer or meditation and you will notice an amazing difference.

In our fast-paced society, it is easy to rush through our daily prayers and meditation. We say we are “too busy” to spend much time on our spiritual lives, and so we simply try to check it off our list and get it done as fast as we can.

Many of us have grown accustomed to things being “fast,” such as “fast food,” or delivery services that only take a few hours to reach us. Everything around us screams, FAST!

Taking it slow

However, praying too quickly can be harmful, as we end up not knowing what we are saying and not really having any meaning behind it. In other words, it becomes the “babble” that Jesus condemns when teaching his disciples how to pray (see Matthew 6:7).

The key to more thoughtful and meaningful prayer is to take it slow and allot enough time to interiorize our actions.

Fr. Francis Xavier Lasance writes in My Prayer Book, “It is also useful, in using the prayers of our prayerbook, to read them slowly and deliberately, making in the meantime practical reflections on their contents, or pausing from time to time to meditate a little and apply the words of the prayers to our own wants.”

We must not be concerned about “finishing” our prayers as much as praying with heartfelt devotion.

As the Psalmist writes, “My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn” (Psalm 51:9).

Similarly, 19th-century writer John Sergieff wrote, “Pray slowly till an echo comes back into your heart from every word of your prayers. Yes. It is an absolute rule. Pray slowly, and with power on every word. Pronounce each successive word from the heart. Keep to the rule that it is better to say five words from the bottom of your heart, than ten thousand words from your tongue only.”

It won’t take long for you to experience the benefits of this practice. After overcoming any impatience you might have, you will look forward to prayer and appreciate the time you have in slow, deliberate meditation.

The next time you pray or meditate, do so slowly, focusing on what you are doing and offering it to God. Peace will reign in your heart and you will have a “mini-retreat” each day from the busyness of the world.

Faith and spirituality are on the decline—but what does that mean for our happiness and sense of meaning? 

In this episode of Office Hours, I approach that question not as a theologian, but as a social scientist. I explore a fundamental truth: human beings are wired to seek meaning beyond themselves. The problem today is that we’re missing out on this essential part of human life.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5 

When it comes to raising children, how do we help them remain in Christ? 

Debbie Herbeck shares the non-negotiables that shaped her family life and how that positively impacted her kids. If we want our children to bear lasting fruit, they must stay connected to the Vine. And that connection begins in the family.

Can people tell you’re a Christian just by looking at you? 

We’re all called to live differently, set apart for the Lord, but how often does that actually show? Fr. Mark-Mary shares simple and practical ways you can start today to visibly witness to Christ in your everyday life.

Amy Orr-Ewing shares the miraculous story of a trip to Afghanistan to give a Bible to a Taliban leader, who had been praying for one for years. 

“It really changed my life, that experience. It changed how I see people. Who could our God actually speak to and reach? Who seems to be outside of the realms of possibility?”

Amy Orr-Ewing shares the miraculous story of a trip to Afghanistan to give a Bible to a Taliban leader, who had been praying for one for years. 

“It really changed my life, that experience. It changed how I see people. Who could our God actually speak to and reach? Who seems to be outside of the realms of possibility?”

Amy Orr-Ewing shares the miraculous story of a trip to Afghanistan to give a Bible to a Taliban leader, who had been praying for one for years. 

“It really changed my life, that experience. It changed how I see people. Who could our God actually speak to and reach? Who seems to be outside of the realms of possibility?”

Amy Orr-Ewing shares the miraculous story of a trip to Afghanistan to give a Bible to a Taliban leader, who had been praying for one for years. 

“It really changed my life, that experience. It changed how I see people. Who could our God actually speak to and reach? Who seems to be outside of the realms of possibility?”