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Do You Want to be Well?

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In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus asks a man who has been ill for 38 years if he wants to be well. Your initial reaction to this might be, “Well, obviously. Who doesn’t want to be healed?” And you’re right. It does sound obvious. Still, when it comes to illnesses that are of the mind rather than the body, it can be a more difficult decision.

I tell myself that if Jesus came up to me right now and asked if I wanted to be well, I would say, “Yes, Lord, take away my worries.” It sounds so easy. To just sigh a sigh of relief and say, “God, Jesus, Holy Ghost, take my troubles away so that I may feel at peace with any issues that I may have now and forever. I’ve waited for so long for you to ask me. Just take it all away.”

The funny thing is… He’s already doing that. Jesus has already offered us the gift of peace and hope, we just choose not to take it. Or, at least, I choose not to take it. Why? Why am I fighting so hard against the love that He is trying to give me? Why am I fighting against the peace that he is so ready and willing to give me?

In my Lenten small group last week, we discussed some reasons that we may be so hard on ourselves and forgo God’s peace. Are we skeptical that God could do it?  Is it because we think we need to do everything by ourselves? Is our upbringing or society at fault? It sure isn’t God holding us back, because He knows our hearts and wants nothing more than for us to place our trust in Him.

I know that accepting Our Father’s love can be difficult, but that doesn’t mean that he stops offering it. Instead, he is patiently waiting for us to come to Him. He can wait. He knows when we are ready and want to be well, that we can come to Him.

So, today I want to remind you to be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself. Be sympathetic towards your own situation. Remember that God’s peace is always offered.

Breathe in.
Breathe out.
“Yes, Lord, I want to be well.”

 

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Faith Bubble

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I was brought up in a typical Catholic home. My grandparents were Catholic, all my cousins were Catholic, my mother has been a catechist for 12 years, my father is a Grand Knight in the Knights of Columbus, and my siblings and I were always very involved in our Faith Formation program. Even now, as I work at a Catholic company there are plenty of times that I took my knowledge and faith for granted.

When you’re surrounded by your faith, it’s hard to remember that there are people with no sense of true peace in their lives. You get comfortable and don’t think about the people that don’t know God or don’t like the God that society has portrayed.

It’s easy to tell yourself that someone else has told them about God and believe that they’ve already decided that it’s not for them. We don’t know their background and we don’t want to be rejected or made fun of, so we say it is someone else’s problem.

It wasn’t until I was talking to my boyfriend last year that I realized that he didn’t know what Easter was even about. He shyly asked me what Easter was all about and I laughed. He was so confused as to why Catholics chose to celebrate the death of Jesus. It wasn’t until I explained that we didn’t celebrate his death, but his resurrection, that he learned that Jesus rose from the dead.

This was after a year and a half of us dating.

I felt terrible! How could I call myself a Catholic, say that I proclaim the glory of God, and yet my boyfriend had no idea what my whole religion was founded on? How many times had I just assumed that he knew? How many times had I assumed that everyone around me knew?

As embarrassed as I am, I’m glad I had this experience. It reminded me that living in a bubble is too easy to dismiss. You can surround yourself by Catholics and tell yourself that everyone else’s faith isn’t your problem, but that’s false. It is our responsibility as the people of God to do just that: Evangelize.

Lent is the perfect time to ease into it. With ashes on our foreheads, fasting, and abstaining from meat, the conversation has already been started for us. It now becomes a matter of us choosing to say, “Oh, I’m Catholic,” or doing our research so we can tell people our reasons for fasting. Tell them why we get ashes. Tell them the story of Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

As silly as it may seem to you, they may not know. Don’t get too comfortable in your faith bubble, because that is not what we are asked to do. Paraphrasing Pope Francis, we were not made for comfort. We were made for greatness.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Community

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Last week, I joined a Lenten small group. There’s only five of us and we’re reading “Give Up Worry for Lent! 40 Days to Finding Peace in Christ” by Gary Zimak. As someone with anxiety, this small group was simultaneously calling out to me and scaring me away. What better time than Lent to work on my faithful solution to my anxiety?

At the same time, the thought of a small group was uncomfortable enough without having to talk about our struggles. I couldn’t be alone. I mean, a small group where worriers have to talk about their worries? Hilariously, I just imagined a group of us, sitting there, too much in our heads to actually talk out loud.

The reality of the small group was actually extremely comforting. I was finally surrounded by people that understood what I was going through. I know I am not alone, but sometimes it can feel that way. My loved ones try to understand what I am going through, but they can’t always put themselves in my shoes. You can’t fully understand the illogical feelings of depression and anxiety if you don’t have it.

But these people, these four others that also had the courage to say yes to a small group? They understood.

One of the questions we discussed was what we do when we’re worrying and how we cope with worrying. Personally, when I feel worried about something, I just focus on something else. Sounds great in theory, but in reality, it just means that we find ourselves focusing on anything but the actual issues in our lives, both big and small.

However, this group wasn’t all about agreeing with each other on how to avoid life. It’s about living a spiritually worry-free life through Christ. This meant that we shared how we coped with our worries and how our faith helps us. For example, in college, I found that talking to myself helped me put things into perspective and work through things. Now I talk to God in an out-loud conversation. I know that he is listening and is planting small seeds of confidence and trust while I talk to myself.

One of my peers also told me about how they talk with the people that they are close to. I find it hard to do so in fear of being judged and rejected, but she went on to say that the conversations with loved ones have been the most calming and fulfilling. This weekend, I tried having that conversation with a loved one and she was right. The people that surround me are there because God handpicked them as my family and friends. They have the same beliefs as me and only want the best for me.

This experience made me realize that although I have found a way to use God’s strength instead of my own, I still have trouble asking others (humans) for help. But God did not put me in a bubble. He put me in a community. As Catholics, we are a part of a community of faith, meant to help each other through the hard times that we cannot handle ourselves. Do you rely on your community of faith? Do you help others?

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Remembering the Path

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“Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.”

This line, taken from today’s Responsorial Psalm, is something that I have been praying every day since the beginning of Lent and plan on praying throughout Lent. It reminds me every morning that my Lenten sacrifices aren’t for me to become a better version of myself. They aren’t for me to lose weight or wake up earlier. They are for me to become better in my relationship with God — a time to return to walking in the Lord’s truth.

It is so easy to give something up or take something on for Lent and not grow closer to God. I mean what does not eating chocolate really do for my relationship with God? What does waking up at 5:00 am to work out do for my relationship with God? I could easily use Lent as a 40-day trial period. Try getting fit for 40 days and if I don’t like it, then I don’t have to do it anymore.

Kinda defeats the purpose, though.

Lent is not a trial period for you to better your worldly self, but instead a time for us to refocus our goals and to actively work towards our heavenly goal. In a society focused on numbers, we want to believe that it only takes 21 days to form a habit. We want the quick and easy formula that will set us on the path to success. We all want to believe that if we do yoga at exactly 6:15 every morning that we will become flawlessly relaxed and in tune with our bodies. That’s just not the case. And that’s okay.

Our situations are constantly changing and we have tools within our faith to help us. Even if we lose ourselves in the uproar of humanity, there is hope for us. Similar to Levi, the tax collector in our Gospel reading, there is always time to follow Christ. There is always time to course correct.

Tomorrow we begin the first week of Lent, so it’s definitely not too late. If your Lenten sacrifice has nothing to do with God, add a faith element to it. For example, I mentioned not eating chocolate. Instead of just not eating chocolate, say a Hail Mary every time you get the urge to eat chocolate. I mentioned my own Lenten sacrifice of waking up at 5:00 am. I say my daily prayer and then do some scripture reading. It doesn’t have to be going to Mass every day or saying a Rosary every hour (although these are great). It just has to be something that serves as a reminder that Lent is a faith journey and a time of faith reflection.  

Lastly, it’s important to remember that course-correcting does not happen immediately, but instead is understanding that you’re not going the right way and making a step in the right direction.

Which direction are you moving this Lenten season?

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.
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Stress and Peace

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The older I get, the harder it is to put my trust in God. At the young age of 24, my life is just starting to become increasingly… real. Any young adult knows how I feel. There’s the never-ending student loans, the black hole of paying rent, and the exciting/terrifying purchase of your first home. Your work and romantic relationships become more important and friendships become harder to maintain due to differences in lifestyles. Not to mention that you actually have to consciously exercise and eat healthily.

Gone are the days of handing your parents your problems and here to stay are the years of soul-crushing reality.

Thankfully, the more reality sets in, the more rewarding it has become to put my trust in God. Yes, I have all of these new and overwhelming things entering my life, but I’ve also become better at relying on the strength that is not my own.

I have finally come to a point in my faith that I understand that as long as I trust in God, everything will be okay. I understand through consistent communication with God that His plan for me is so much greater than any plan I’ve had for myself. Yes, everything new and scary is still new and scary, but by putting my trust in God, I have the ability to have stress and peace at the same time.

Still, I am human, so having faith in God is not my initial reaction to my fears. I panic and a million works-ending scenarios run through my mind. The difference is that now when I feel myself worrying, I pray.

I no longer hand my parents my problems and walk away; I talk to them about my problems and listen to their advice. Similarly, I don’t just say, “You can take care of this one, God.” I talk to God about how to handle the situation. I ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. I listen to Jesus’ willingness to give everything to God.

My fears are nothing compared to the strength of God. So why wouldn’t I put my trust in Him? Why wouldn’t I borrow the strength that He so willingly provides?  

Today’s first reading reminded me that I don’t have to shoulder the burdens of life alone. Jesus died for my sins, but he also died for my struggles. Our God does not only exist in the clouds… He has not forgotten about us. He is ever-present in each and every one of our lives.

Today, make it a point to have a conversation with God in which you voice your concerns. Tell him about your struggles. Be vulnerable. Borrow his strength. Ask for his advice.

Then, in silence, listen.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Go to Him

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I found something extremely interesting in today’s Gospel. The first line says that Jesus summoned his disciples and then sent them out. A lot of the time, we may feel that we are being asked to live our lives, but feel unprepared.

As someone that loves a good plan, it can be really hard for me when things go wrong. In life, how can you plan for the unplannable? Well, that’s where Mark 6:7 comes in, because we are not just sent out into the world to magically deal with everything. First, we are summoned by Jesus Christ himself.

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, our God, loves us so deeply that if we were the only people in existence, he would create the world all the same. He would do it all over again if it were just you. This is a God that calls us. We don’t spread the message about Jesus because it’s written in the Bible, we spread the message because we have a love so great that it cannot be contained.

I was recently talking about the song Reckless Love and how it makes me cry every time. When asked why I said that the song made me feel so vulnerable and recognize how much I needed God. Right after I said that they that told me that it’s okay to come when He calls.

So many of us are afraid of asking for help, afraid of admitting we were wrong, or even worse, we feel guilty. That shouldn’t keep us from God. These feelings of pride and guilt are feelings straight from Satan. We don’t need to hide our nakedness from God. In fact, we are summoned to him, just for having these feelings so that he can show us just how wrong we are.

We are loved and we are worth it. This is what God is trying to tell us. If we weren’t worth it, then he wouldn’t have sent his only son to be crucified. He wouldn’t have made Jesus a human, someone we could relate to. I don’t even think that God would have bothered creating Adam, let alone Eve, his companion. But he did. Because you are worth it.

So when you are feeling unworthy and unsuccessful, remember that God is not asking you to face the world alone. He is summoning you with open arms. Go to him.

Haven’t heard Reckless Love? Click here to hear my favorite version. (It’s okay to cry.)

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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It’ in the Air

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One of my favorite phrases to hear is, “Love is in the air.” The reason I love it so much is because of today’s first reading:

“Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only-begotten Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
 In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.”
(1 John 4:7-10)

It’s a short reading, but it’s more than enough to try to take in. I mean,  the fact that God doesn’t “love” us, but just exists and his existence is love?? It hurts my brain a little bit, but I love it!

God is the purest form of love that there is. In fact, we can’t even conceive of love so undoubting, so full, so nonjudgemental, so unending. Can you? I mean, my parents love me with their whole hearts, but you’re telling me that God loves me even MORE? How lucky are we?

Okay, so God loves us more than anyone else and we can’t even compare it. Now, go a step further and try to understand that not only is God love, but anyone that loves inherently knows God.

Let me repeat that. Anyone that knows love, knows God.

What does that mean? It means that the person that doesn’t believe in God is literally an embodiment of God when he loves his wife and when he loves his child. It means that pretty much everyone has encountered God in their lives, even if it’s not on a daily basis. So what does that mean for us, as disciples of Christ?

It means that love is in the air and we need to breathe it all in.

God is all around us and in us and we’re sitting here acting like it’s not totally, mind-blowingly awesome!

Today and every day, the choice to live God’s will, his love, is ours. If God is love, then all we need to do is love and we are being ministers of our faith. Simply be kind, and you will spread the Gospel. People will notice. People know God, whether they are Christian or not because he is already a part of their lives and of their existence.

Spread love – spread God – through your actions

Looking to read something about the miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes? Click here!

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Preparation

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Have you ever been to a concert of your favorite band?

You stand in a mass of people waiting for the band to come out. Everyone just wants to get to the front, to be closer. Some are chanting the band’s name while others are quiet in anticipation.

The buzz of excited conversations about where they first heard the band, how much they love this band, and all the facts they know about them. You overhear, “I can’t believe I’m finally going to see them,” as you squeeze through the crowd to get closer to the front.

You put this day on your calendar and count down the days to this monumental event. Some people, maybe even you, drove hours to be here, listening to the band’s music the whole way in order to get into the spirit.

When the band finally comes out, everyone screams excitedly and claps. Everyone sings their songs together as they play and for a couple of minutes everyone is unified and smiling. “I love this band.”

Maybe I’m the only one that feels this way about concerts, but I think this is how we should behave as we await the birth of Christ. Yes, that was thousands of years ago, but each year we are asked to ground ourselves in our faith in order to await the birth of our Lord.

We prepare our hearts and countdown the days until Jesus arrives. We sing Advent songs as we wait and celebrate with a Mass, yet… Where is our excitement?

Everyone is excited about the gifts, but when it comes to the actual celebration of Christ’s birth in Mass, we are disinterested. In Christmas Eve Mass, everyone is yawning, falling asleep, or just plain bored. The majority is half listening and half planning when they’ll have time to wrap the Christmas gifts.

Where is the joy? Where is the love? Where is the glorious realization that God gave up his only son to make him human, to go through our mundane struggles so that he could be sacrificed to pay for our sins? Where is our priority?

On this last day of preparation, ask yourself these questions. Prepare your heart. Remember your God. Remember just exactly what the birth of Christ means.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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God Will Provide

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Today we are reminded that God will provide for us.  “The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces,” and provide for us. No matter our struggle, God is good.

In today’s first reading, we are reminded that God will provide the richest of foods, destroy death, wipe our tears, and save us, thus we should rejoice. The responsorial Psalm says that we “shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of [our lives],” listing the ways God has saved us. Finally, the Gospel is the fish and loaves story. Again, God provides.

If you were in the crowd near the Sea of Galilee, would you have given up your food? You wouldn’t know that Jesus would do a miracle and multiply it. If anything, you are super hungry with one loaf left. Would you even tell anyone that you have bread? I imagine it’s like when you have a piece of gum and everyone around you immediately wants a piece. Do you choose to give your piece of gum away, cut it in half, or keep it to yourself?

Similarly, when we are almost completely drained of money and time, do we still give what we have to God or do we keep it to ourselves? If you’re keeping it to yourself, then don’t expect a miracle. Even the poor widow gave her two coins (Mark 12:41).

Time and time again, God provides for us. We do not need to offer sacrifices of lambs and first-born sons. All we need is to have faith and God tells us something along the lines of, “You are mine and I will raise you up. You will be safe and saved. 100 percent, I am here for you.”

So this holiday season, give of your time and your faith. Stop rushing around and take the time to be truly thankful for the little miracles that God has done in your life. Work on growing in your faith by going to daily Mass and praying for others. Show God that you live out your faith and he will work miracles through you.

No matter your struggles, your pain, your heartache, God is by your side and he has a plan for you.

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Simplicity like St. Francis

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I wonder how many of you are spending today much as I have before. Ah, yes, the simultaneously boring and thrilling adventures of Black Friday shopping. I would be lying if I said that I have only bought gifts for others. There I would be, rushing around the store, trying to find the best deal on the new (insert techie gadget here). It wasn’t until this past year that what I have been working on is being conscious of what I have and being humble about the things I bring into my home and life. Luckily, I have two great role models to look up to St. Francis of Assisi and my mother.

Just about everyone knows St. Francis of Assisi and his story. He talked to animals and chose to be poor, right? The son of a wealthy merchant, worldly pleasures, realization, conversion, preaching, and something about living in the woods. Call me a sorry Catholic, but that’s about all I knew about him until a year or two ago. It took me 22 years before deciding to actually want to learn about my faith. The deeper I dive, the more I am enthralled by St. Francis of Assisi’s simplistic, Catholic outlook on life and want to follow in his footsteps.  

On “holidays” like today, I focus on St. Francis and how he rejected worldly pleasures, something I am trying so hard to do in a materialistic society. We are being bombarded with as many as 5,000 advertisements a day so that it can be increasingly difficult. We not only have to fight the urge to buy everything, but we also have to come to terms with the fact that not having, or even wanting, the newest thing can brand us as a loser or poor, regardless of facts.

My mother is a successful businesswoman, yet it is rare that she ever buys something for herself. Other than food and necessary clothes, I can’t even remember the last time she bought something for herself. Most of her jewelry came from either my father or her children, her purses are Christmas gifts, and how does she do it?

She is happy with and proud of what she has. Her joy is placed in her faith, her family and her work. Her joy is not in the things she has bought and owned, but the things she has created out of love and time. (Yes, it’s okay to find love and joy in your work.) She does not care what others think of her because she knows that our belongings should not dictate if we are popular or rich, but should instead answer the question of where our priority lies.

So yes, society tells us that today should be about buying things, but are they things you truly need? In fact, ask God. God, how could my time be better spent with friends or family? God, how could my money be better spent? God, how could my money be better donated? God (and dare I say it) how could my money be better saved? Finally, God, help me be humble in my choices, charitable in my actions, and strong in my will.  

These are all mini-prayers we should be asking ourselves each time we go to buy something, not just today, but every day.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Remember Your Death

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“But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on Earth?”

This is the question that today’s Gospel leaves us to reflect on. Jesus being Jesus, He knows if there will be faith on Earth when He returns. He knows everything. As mere mortals, we don’t. So, this question hits us with two realizations; 1. The fact that the way our world is headed, our faith may be in question. 2. The way each of our own lives are headed, our faith may be in question.

At work the other day, there were a lot of people out sick or away on work and we were joking around, saying, “What if the rapture happened and this is who is left?” Some were quick to defend themselves with a list of reasons as if they had already written an article on the subject. (Don’t we all have a laminated copy of our own, handwritten Top Twenty Reasons Why I Would Be Raptured And You Wouldn’t in our desk drawer?) Others half laughed and got a bit paranoid, pulling out their phone and checking out a news website to double check, “Just in case.”

The event clearly had some weight to it because later in the day, I needed to microwave my food and my coworker told me that I could go first. He then followed up with, “This counts as a good deed, right? I thought about it and I gotta be more ready for the rapture, haha.”

Man, don’t we all? I mean, I believe that we should live our lives with the love and dignity that Jesus died to give us, but a little bit of fear of God and the rapture wouldn’t hurt anyone. If anything, it should remind us of our reason to live, our mission as a people.

So now that we have been given our warning question, will we change our acts accordingly? We must be faithful people every day in order to be faithful when Jesus returns. This is how our faith becomes a part of who we are and not just a show we put on for others.

So let’s say the Rosary on your way into work. Pray for each person that upsets you throughout the day. Thank God for every hardship as an opportunity and every easy task as a gift. Be fully aware and active in Mass. Sing openly and honestly to our God. Share welcome words with your fellow parishioners after Mass. Take those feelings of joy and redemption with you out of Mass and into the world.

This is how He will find faith on earth.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Sharing Is Caring

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We’ve all heard the term “sharing is caring,” but what happens when it’s someone we don’t necessarily care for?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us a parable of a man having a dinner party. The man invites many of his friends and when everything is ready, all of his guests let him know that they cannot attend. Instead of cancelling the dinner, he asks his servants to go out and bring people in from the city streets. Servants let him know that there is still plenty of room, so he asks them to go to the highways and countryside to invite still more people.

Even though I know this parable describes how we should behave, my reaction was pretty much, “Wow I wish that I could be like this guy, but man, I don’t think I could. Goals, though, am I right?”

This knee-jerk reaction was something that I think people can connect to because it comes easily, almost naturally, to want to help those who we love or who have helped us. Our loved ones have been there for us through so much, so there isn’t much hesitation in wanting to help them. This kind of charity is wonderful, but can we honestly say that we would do the same for strangers?

Do we personally extend our charitable acts to those on the street? The poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame are all Jesus Christ in the form of a stranger. Do we personally extend our charitable acts to the those in the highways? Those we pass on the road, meet in gas stations, stand or sit next to on public transportation are all Jesus Christ in the form of a stranger. Yes, even the person who crossed five lanes of traffic only to cut you off as you’re taking the exit ramp.

Anyone can help a friend or a family member, but it takes someone with true faith in God, true knowledge of charity, and true belief in giving hope to help a stranger. So I challenge you to live out true charity.

As winter approaches, consider making care kits for the homeless. Besides water and snacks, be sure to include a new pair of thick socks and gloves. Most importantly, write handwritten words of Christian encouragement and love to let them know that God has not forgotten them.

For more information on what to include in care packages for the homeless, click here.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.