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Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) once said, "Anyone who seeks truth seeks God, whether or not He realizes it." When we seek the Truth, beautiful things happen. Saint Teresa Benedicta knew this well, and even experienced it herself. She came from a Jewish background, but was a self-proclaimed atheist. Her studies of philosophy led her to the Church where she devoted her life to Christ, eventually dying a martyr's death in 1942. Stop for a moment and think about this. If someone is truly seeking to know the Truth about humanity, the world, how we ought to live, etc. what will they ultimately come to? God. The Truth. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) Without God, there is no truth, because God is truth itself. This is why science points to the existence of God. Philosophy points to the existence of God. The human body points to the existence of God. Nature points to the existence of God. Everything that is good,true, and beautiful points back to God. And once we realze this, is it enough to simply recognize it in the world around us? No. Truth is all consuming. Once one truly realizes the Truth they cannot help but devote themselves entirely to the pursuit of it! And where will this lead? Jesus. And where does Jesus lead? His Church. Truth Leads to the Catholic Church, which holds the fullness of Truth in Jesus Christ, fully and truly present in the Most Holy Eucharist. There is no other religion in the world that claims to have God as its founder. Truth as its founder. No other religion or Christian denomination can claim this, because only one Church was literally created by God. This probably sounds insane, I know. Like I've taken this too far. But if God is Truth, and God started a Church, then that Church is the one, TRUE Church because it was founded by the God of the universe, who is literally Truth itself!! 1 Timothy 3:15 even confirms this... "if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth." God's household is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. When one seeks the Truth, they will ultimatley always be led back to the foundation of Truth, whether or not they even realize it! And there are so many beautiful examples of this happening in our world today. Think of Scott Hahn. Trent Horn. Jimmy Akin. Tim Staples... and so many more! In history, Saint Augustine of Hippo has one of the most widely cited conversions. He sought the Truth, turned his life around by the grace of God, and went on to be one of the world's most notable theologians! If you’re on a journey to discover the Truth, I encourage you to look to Christ. Invite Him to guide you and reveal the way. Find peace in His presence, knowing that He embodies Truth itself. By following Him, you will remain close to the Truth you seek.

One of the most frequent questions that Catholics are asked is "Why do you worship Saints?" (Spoiler alert: We don't!) This post will cover some of the most commonly asked questions about Saints and help you to know and answer questions about what the Church ACTUALLY teaches! Q: “How can you say that you don’t worship Saints if you’re praying to them?” A: The book of James 5:16 says, “The prayer of the righteous person is very powerful.” Those in Heaven (the Saints) are obviously righteous. Asking the Saints to pray for us is no different from asking a devout friend to pray for us, too. Q: “Aren’t you praying to dead people? Isn’t that a sin?” A: Death has been defeated by Christ’s Ressurection! Therfore, those in Heaven (The Saints) are eternally alive! Q: “Who are your favorite Saints?” A: Saint Ann is my namesake (my middle name is Annette). Saint Gianna Molla is my Confirmation Saint. I have a special devotion to Saint Therese, Pope Sant John Paul II, and Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi. Q: “How do people become Saints?” A: Simply speaking, anyone who is in Heaven is a Saint. However, we do not refer to all people who are in Hevaen with the title of “saint.” Those who are called “saint” are those whom the Church has investigated and who have found to have lived a heroically virtuous life or died as a martyr, and miracles have occured through their intercession (ie: Someone asked the saint to pray for their intention and it miraculously was granted. This is considered reasonable evidence that the person is in Heaven interceding for us on earth). Q: “What is a patron Saint?” A: A patron Saint is one who you have a particularly strong devotion to and who intercedes on your behalf. This could be your Confirmation Saint; a Saint you were named after; or just a Saint who you have a strong connection to because of their life or what they traditioanlly intercede for. Countries, causes, schools, churches, and even many hobbies, sports, and careers all have patron saints as well. Check the Instagram Page, @the_little_apologist, to ask more questions and view even more fun content about the Saints and the Church. As always, please feel free to drop any questions you have in the comments or in the email form on the home page.

One of the world’s most recognized sets of laws are the Ten Commandments. Christians, Muslims, and the Jewish people all follow, at their core, the commandments that God gave to Moses for His people. In our increasingly secular world where relativism runs rampant and people think they can do whatever they want without any consequences to their actions, it’s so important for us, as Christians, to know how we are called to live and why! My campus minister and friend, Father Stephen, often refers to the Ten Commandments as the “guide rails” that God has set in place for humanity. Think of guide rails on the side of the highway. When one stays inside the guide rails, they are safe. If, however, you try to go outside of the guide rails, you’re sure to crash. The guide rails aren’t meant to keep you from something good, but rather to keep you from a path of destruction and, ultimately, death. Let’s examine each commandment, its meaning, and how it helps us stay “inside the guide rails.” By the way, the Ten Commandments come from Exodus chapter 20. The commandments in Exodus 20 vary slightly from the list of Commandments in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (below) due to translations as well as the combining and pairing of Commandments throughout history. Please reach out if you'd like more information about this! THE TEN COMMANDMENTS I am the Lord your God: You shall not have strange Gods before me. It's pretty straightforward: Keep God at the center of your life. Everything else—money, power, career, people, and material things—comes after. When God is at the center of our lives, everything else falls into its proper place. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Our words should be lifegiving- promoting beauty, goodness, and truth in all circumstances. Building up instead of tearing down. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. Attend Mass every Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation. Before the Resurection, the Sabbath day was Saturday for the Jewish people. Since the Resurrection occurred on a Sunday, it is the holiest day of the week and the day that God’s people are called to come together in worship. In addition to this, God created us in such a way that we were not created to work non- stop! That being said, we are called to rest on Sundays, to care for God, our families, and the bodies and minds that He gave us. Honor your father and mother. Our parents and those in authority over us are gifts from God and are to be respected and honored. This does not mean that they are perfect, or that we must always do as they say if it goes against God’s Law, but that we ought to have respect for and pray for them. You shall not kill. We are to honor and love one another, recognizing the beauty and dignity of human life. This means treating one another physically, verbally, and emotionally in a way that uplifts and encourages them instead of tearing them down. This also applies to our own body, mind, and soul. You shall not commit adultery. Human sexuality is a gift from God. We are to respect the dignity of the male and female bodies and their distinct differences and beauty, and reserve the sexual act for marriage, as it was designed. You shall not steal. Our time, talent, money, and material goods are gifts from God and ought not be wasted or taken if belonging to another. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor Our words ought to reflect the truth and not be embellished or made up if they will harm someone else. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. God has called us to our present circumstances and Vocations. We should be content in our circumstances and aim to love as best we can without being envious of others. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods. Everything we have is a gift from God- our material wealth, our circumstances, etc. Comparing what we have to others only harms our own emotional state and fosters a spirit of jealousy. By looking at each commandment, we see that they are not restrictive but rather life-giving and preserving. They uphold the dignity of every human person, promote gratitude for the gifts God has given us, and help us to keep the Lord at the center of our lives. When discussing the Ten Commandments with someone, it’s important to emphasize the love of God and the true gift of the commandments. After all, what good and loving Father would not want to provide guard rails for His children on their way home? 😉

Do you like mysteries? I used to love to read Nancy Drew books when I was younger and my dad would read my brother and I the Hardy Boys books before bed. I was at a bookstore last week and found a bunch of the older copies of the Nancy Drew books! Now that I'm a little bit older, the mysteries get more predictable as I read more of them. Lately, I've been watching Monk on Netflix, and that keeps me entertained! 😂 The Catholic faith is one of mysteries. It's no secret that our God and His ways are mysterious and beautiful- beyond our comprehension. The Holy Trinity is one of these mysteries of our faith that people have wrestled with since the beginning of Christianity. The basic premise is this... God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit are all one, united in love and being. They are distinct, but are one at the same time. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains it best... "The Incarnation of God's Son reveals that God is the eternal Father and that the Son is consubstantial with the Father, which means that, in the Father and with the Father the Son is one and the same God. The mission of the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father in the name of the Son (Jn 14:26) and by the Son "from the Father" (Jn 15:26), reveals that, with them, the Spirit is one and the same God. "With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified" (Nicene Creed). "The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father as the first principle and, by the eternal gift of this to the Son, from the communion of both the Father and the Son" (St. Augustine, De Trin. 15, 26, 47: PL 42, 1095)." (CCC 262-264) To break it down even further... God the Father and God the Son are the same God. The Spirit, sent by the Father and the Son, is also one and the same God. The Holy Spirit is the gift of love and unity between the Father and the Son- their spirit. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are in relation with one another, but at the same time, are all one being. Think of it this way... You and I are people. Everything that is living exists, but it is not necessarily a distinct person. A rock, flower, tree, and snail are not "people." However, you and I are each one individual person, simply by our human nature. God, in His nature, is three persons who are all united as one. This is a really complicated concept to grasp- not predictable like Nancy Drew! 😂 So to help with that, I've compiled a list of articles that might help to explain further the mystery of the Trinity: How Can I Explain the Trinity to Someone Unfamiliar with Christianity? How to Teach Elementary School Students About the Trinity? (Jimmy Akin uses the "people" analogy I used in this article!) Resources for Learning about the Nature of the Trinity These articles are from Catholic Answers and can help explain more! It's also important to note that we don't NEED to understand everything in order to believe. We won't ever fully understand the beauty, unity, and mystery of the Trinity, but with faith in God, we can trust that His revelation of Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is good, true, and beautiful. If you have more questions about this concept, feel free to comment or send me questions on the blog's home page.

Many people ask themselves, “I believe there’s a God. Isn’t that enough?” Well, sure. That’s great. God exists. Most of us know that. But why go further? Why be a Christian? Why believe that Heaven and Hell exist? Why sacrifice pleasure and comfort in this life simply to have the possibility of Heaven? You may be familiar with the well-known philosophical argument known as Pascal’s Wager. Pascal, a seventeenth-century French mathematician and philosopher, wrote: “Let us weigh the gain and the loss in wagering that God is. Let us estimate these two chances. If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation that He is.” To bring this into the Christian perspective: If you live your life as a Christian, and Heaven is real, then all of your life and sacrifices were worth it! If you did not, and Heaven is real, then you will have chosen to reject or accept God, choosing Heaven or hell. If however, you lived as a Christian, and Heaven is not real, at least you lived a healthy, happy, morally upright life. If you did not live as a Christian and Heaven is not real, then you lose nothing. So, it is better to assume that Heaven is real and live as a Christian because it provides you with the best possible outcome. There is literally nothing to lose!! If you live for God, you lose nothing and gain everything. Beauty, goodness, and truth are the fruits of living one’s life for God. What do you have to lose? If you are not yet a Christian, not yet living your life for God, why is that? I’d love to hear your story. God bless you! Colleen

Who are your sheep? Who are the people in your sphere of influence who look to you as an example of the Christian life? As parents, your children are your sheep. As an employee, your coworkers and the people you may serve are your sheep. As a student, your friends, classmates, and even your teachers are your sheep- anyone who has the opportunity to learn and grow closer to the Christian life. As we conform to the Lord and His will for our lives, our hearts will become more compassionate and sympathetic towards those around us. A shepherd is a leader- someone willing to sacrifice and lay down his life for his or her sheep. Your sheep are those who you are willing to pray and sacrifice for as you walk with them on the journey to Heaven. Today, my priest had the awe-inspiring and thought-provoking line: “Are our leaders Servants of the Truth?” If you are in a leadership position- religious or otherwise- are you seeking the Truth? Are you seeking to lead those entrusted to you- your sheep, to the Truth? Do you know and believe that despite what the other shepherds of the world may say, Jesus Christ is the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life for the world? A true leader leads their sheep to what is best for them, even when it is difficult. After all, if you, the shepherd of your sheep, lose one of them, they are bound to be found and swept into the herd of some other shepherd who may not be living the Truth. Take these words to heart as you pray with and for your sheep: “… His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:34) God bless you, Colleen

If you've read my previous post, you'll know that the point of The Little Apologist is to defend Beauty, Goodness, and Truth. Why would I do this, you might ask? Beauty, goodness, and truth are widely known in philosophy and theology as Transcendentals. These are concepts that transcend time and space and have and will always exist, independent of anything else existing. What does this have to do with God? The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: All creatures bear a certain resemblance to God, most especially man, created in the image and likeness of God. The manifold perfections of creatures - their truth, their goodness, their beauty all reflect the infinite perfection of God. Consequently we can name God by taking his creatures' perfections as our starting point, "for from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator". (CCC 40,41) Everything that is good, true, and beautiful leads us more fully to understand the nature of God. When one pursues beauty, goodness, and Truth, one cannot help but find God, who is beauty, goodness, and truth itself. How is this possible? Let's break it down: Beauty- Think of something beautiful. Witnessing a marriage. A brand new baby. An awe-inspiring sunset on the beach. These beautiful things certainly are not God, but they draw us to Him- the creator of all things. He is reflected in His creation and in all that is beautiful. Goodness- Saint Thomas Aquinas explained that there are different levels of goodness. For example, a human is more good than, say, a cow and deserves protection, simply by human nature. A cow is more good than the blade of grass it steps on or the muddy floor it sleeps on in its barn. If there are certain levels of goodness, then there must be one, ultimate Good. Something that is literally goodness itself. God. Truth- Truth is defined as "that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality." God, the creator of all things, knows everything and knows it perfectly in His omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence (That is to say, He knows all, has control of all, and is present everywhere, at every time, simultaneously). God is Truth itself. So why must we defend these transcendentals? Aren't goodness, beauty, and truth generally things we all gravitate towards? Sadly, in recent years there has been a rise in relativism- the ideology that what is true for one person may not be true for someone else, and vice versa. This has led to many things and ideas that, frankly, are evil and destructive, to be seen as good, true, and beautiful, rather than as they are. It gets so confusing. There is hope. Beauty, Goodness, and Truth will always exist because God will always exist. If we can show others that God Himself is who they are seeking when they seek what is good, true, and beautiful, they will not be able to help but find themselves drawn to Him. As I said before, When one pursues beauty, goodness, and Truth, one cannot help but find God, who is beauty, goodness, and truth itself.

In a world of confusion, messiness, and evil, nearly all of us at one time or another find ourselves questioning, "Where is God?" "How do I know what's right?" and "How should I live my life?" I'm so happy to tell you- there are answers to all of these questions. And, what's more, they're not even complicated! To know what's right and how to live our lives, we first must ask the question, "Where is God?" Where is He in this mess? Why would He allow this? Our world is such a wreck, how can one possibly believe in God? The Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraphs 40 and 41 read: ​ Since our knowledge of God is limited, our language about him is equally so. We can name God only by taking creatures as our starting point, and in accordance with our limited human ways of knowing and thinking. All creatures bear a certain resemblance to God, most especially man, created in the image and likeness of God. The manifold perfections of creatures - their truth, their goodness, their beauty all reflect the infinite perfection of God. Consequently, we can name God by taking his creatures" perfections as our starting point, "for from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator" ​ To know God is to know beauty, goodness, and Truth itself. In our world today, these transcendental realities are under attack. Thankfully, though, there is so much beauty, goodness, and truth still found in the world, especially in the Church. When something is being attacked, people must stand up, and fight for what they believe in. In this case, for Beauty, Goodness, and Truth. Enter the Apologist... I, and many others, as apologists, aim to defend the Beauty, Goodness, and Truth found in the world and to lead others to find them in the Church that Christ established. Through this blog, I want to provide bite-sized answers to the biggest questions about life, the Church, and humanity itself, as well as continue to post reflections and guides as I have been in the past. I'm so excited and honored to learn and grow with you! A few notes about the new website: The link is now www.littleapologist.com Feel free to share on social media and with friends and family! On the home page, a button says "Ask a Question." When you click on it, you'll be taken to a screen where you can ask a question about Catholicism, the pro-life movement, morality, etc... I'll get back to you with an answer that is in line with Church teaching, as well as some resources, and maybe even use your question as inspiration for a post (anonymously, and with your permission, of course!). Think of it as asking a friend all your questions about Catholicism... learning about faith shouldn't be scary! The "About" page. This page features some info about me, the blog, and my mission. THe Lord has been leading and forming me for years, and I see a real need for open, honest answers to questions about Catholicism. I'm inspired by Catholic Answers, as well as Catholic Questions. I became an apologist for Catholic Questions late last year, further inspiring me and helping me see the need for this ministry. The mobile site looks a bit different from the desktop version... check it out on both! The updated app will come out in the next few weeks or months. MercyLight Designs is still the same! The Catholic Teen Life Blog has been such a blessing and beautiful journey. I started the blog when I was fourteen, and it served its purpose as an outlet for me (a Catholic Teen) to reach other Catholic teens. Now, however, I've graduated from college. While I'll still be a teen for another year, my focus and audience have widened, and I see The Little Apologist as a way to fulfill the needs and interests of those who read the blog and follow the social media page, as well as follow the calling that the Lord has placed on my heart. As you might have noticed, we have a new logo! The "T" in "Apologist" contains three things: a pen, a sword, and The Cross, combined to symbolize the defense of the Cross and all it stands for through the written word—what I aim to do through this blog! It is truly an honor and a blessing to be called to serve in this capacity. Please know of my prayers for you! If you feel so called, please comment and share this post with others so that we can reach as many people as possible, help answer their questions, and share the Beauty, Goodness, and Truth of Christ and His Church. God bless you always! Colleen

"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in men." This is a difficult post to write. I thought I had everything figured out. I thought I knew what the next three and maybe even five years would look like. Not the specifics, obviously, but the big things. I thought I knew God's plan. Now, here I am. I could not have been more wrong. Several weeks ago, my relationship of almost three years ended abruptly. It was a decision that I never saw it coming. I spent the first week afterward questioning why God would ever allow this- why would He lead me somewhere to have it end? Part of me still does not understand. But I'm seeing now that I don't HAVE to understand completely. I had been putting my trust in my own interpretation of my future. I thought I knew what God wanted- Now I'm seeing that God's plans are rarely ever precisely as we believe they will be. He has a beautiful, wonderful plan for our lives. And as I've learned, sometimes seemingly bad things need to happen in order for us to see that we are being called higher and forward. So much beauty and peace comes from abandonment to the will of God. He truly is our refuge. As scary as it seems, anything can change at any point. People leave. Loved ones pass away. Sickness comes and goes. Plans change. Life can change in an instant and often does. But God does not. His love does not. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in anything other than Him. So, for now, I'm waiting. I'm praying about what comes next, for my future husband, and for God's will to be done—that He would be my refuge and my strength. I'm filling my mind with goodness, beauty, and truth and continuing to learn how to serve and love. God is good; we can entrust every moment to His Divine Providence and protection. "Father, into Your hands, I commend my spirit."-Luke 23:46

"The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. The LORD is good to all, compassionate toward all your works. All your works give you thanks, LORD and your faithful bless you. They speak of the glory of your reign and tell of your mighty works..." ~Psalm 145 Today I had the privilege of going on pilgrimage to the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy. Breathtakingly beautiful doesn't even begin to describe this experience. The mercy of the Lord is so incredible, in all seasons of life, but especially when we are suffering. His mercy abounds in times when we are weak. His love is our strength. He is our peace and our home. I'm praying for you and for all of your intentions ❤️ Know that you are infinitely loved by the God of Heaven and Earth. There is nothing- big or small- that you could ever do that would change His love for or willingness to forgive you. Jesus wants you to let Him love you. And He's such a gentleman- He'll never force His love. But please know that no matter what, He will be waiting for you to come home to Him. ❤️ Here are some pictures I took during the day! There are more on Instagram and Facebook if you'd like to check them out. Caption: The front of the chapel at the shrine. Caption: Inside of the chapel Caption: Pope Saint John Paul II's Rosary, an imitation of his ring, and the zucchetto he wore to Fatima! Caption: Pope Saint John Paul II signature and portrait Caption: A beautiful shot of Saint Joseph that my mom took : ) Caption: A side altar with this JP2 statue. The kneeler contained a first class relic! Caption: "Jesus dies on the cross"

One of my favorite t-shirts has a quote from Saint Athanasius: "If the world goes against the truth, then I go against the world." These men and women who we remember today, on Memorial Day, lived out Athanasius' words to the very end. Where human rights are being violated, there are people who fight for truth, some to the point of death. These people are our ancestors. Family. Friends. Community Members. They had lives, jobs, families, and dreams, and they gave them all in pursuit of righteousness, truth, and freedom. Sadly, today, in America, millions are not free. The horrors of abortion, human trafficking , contraception, abuse, pornography, and addiction keep millions enslaved to sin and death. The most important and fundamental freedom is the freedom to live. Sadly, after all the wars we've fought and all the causes we've advocated for, people are still debating who has the freedom to live. The answer is simple and does not need debate. Every human being, regardless of age, location, race, culture, history, size, or any other defining factor, deserves to be protected and cherished from the first moment of life at conception until natural death. I think, sometimes, "What would those who gave their lives for our freedoms say if they knew what was happening?" How horribly devastating it would be for these men and women who died so their descendants could be free to know that the most innocent among them are being killed by the thousands. We may not all have the opportunity to give our lives in defense of our nation and freedom, but we are all called to fight for freedom. I hope and pray that it will be our generation that will bring about freedom in our nation and in the world and bring an end to all of the horrific violations of human rights occurring in our nation. To stand for the truth often means going against the world. So be it.

Miracles. I'm not talking about, "oh, the sun came up again, it's a miracle!" type of miracles. I'm talking about real, genuine science-defying miracles. I've experienced three in my short lifetime and heard of many, many more. This semester and last, I've been attending a book study with one of the priests on campus. Last semester's book was Healing: Bringing God's Gift of Mercy to the World by Dr. Mary Healy. This book is absolutely incredible and has opened my eyes to the power of the Holy Spirit. (I could talk about this for hours...) You see, by virtue of our being Children of God, we, too, have the same power in the Holy Spirit as Jesus was given at His Baptism. When the sky opened, and the spirit came upon Jesus in the form of a dove, the sky never closed again- the "dove" never left. The same power of the Spirit of God that Jesus used to perform miracles, heal the sick, bring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the mute, and even bring the dead to life, is still available to us. I've seen it firsthand. When I was twelve years old, I had already endured almost two years of chronic illness. I had a headache that lasted 1 year and 11 months straight with very, very few pain-free days. With this came migraines on top of my baseline headache, as well as horrible stomach issues, anxiety, and medication side effects galore. It got to be a year and eleven months in. I was in the ER for some extreme pain I was having after having a nerve block done by my PA in Philly. It was Dec. 12- the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe- and my mom and I were praying the Rosary while I tried to rest. The on-call doctor came in and checked on me. They were going to start a more aggressive treatment soon since I wasn't improving. A few minutes later, as we finished up our Rosary, the pain was gone. No pain. Nothing. The doctors had no medical explanation for it. It has never come back since. I give all the credit to Jesus and to Our Lady of Guadalupe. The second instance came just a few months ago. I found a lump on the side of my leg below my knee, and after a few days, it wasn't going away or getting any smaller, and I was ready to make an appointment to get it checked out. I have multiple chronic illnesses (though not the headaches!!), and anything additional that I find needs to be taken care of quickly. I went to the book study on healing that night, and as we wrapped up, I asked the group to please pray for me, that this thing on my leg would go away. Instead of simply interceding for me, they stopped, and prayed over me. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, my priest led us in prayer as we commanded the pain to go away and asked Jesus to take it away. Father asked me, "How do you feel?" I couldn't stop smiling, which was the first thing I noticed. My leg was also warm and sort of tingly. And I reached down and felt the spot on my leg where the lump had been. Gone. No swelling. No pain. Nothing. Our God can make even bodily tissue disappear!! He can heal anything! Everything! It hasn't come back since. The third happened just last Friday. A couple of weeks ago, I woke up to a dislocated knee cap (I have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and my body doesn't like to stick together the way that it's supposed to.) After I popped it back in, I was still in pain, so I wore a brace and stopped going to the gym for a week. After that week, I tried going to the gym again, and my knees were sliding around and very clearly not stable. Fast forward to Friday. I was meeting with my priest, and as we were finishing up our discussion, He offered to pray for the healing of my knee. I, of course, said yes, and he prayed over my knee. The muscles and joints in my leg were spontaneously moving, and my leg was warm and tingly as Father prayed over me, and we prayed that the pain would be gone and all of the bones, joints, etc, would go back to where they were supposed to be. I didn't notice any immediate change, but later that day, and since then, I have been able to run, jump, and dance... today I took a 1.5-mile hike. No knee pain!! I'll try the gym tomorrow, but I know God healed my knee. He healed my leg. He healed my head. And He wants to heal you, too. Just today, after Mass, there was a woman who was healed and was pain-free for the first time in a very long time. He wanted to heal her. He wants to heal you. Friends, God may allow pain and suffering but never WANTS it for us. He wants to heal us and use our sufferings to benefit us and those around us. Even if He does not physically heal us when we want it, how we want it, when we ask for healing, we can be certain and have faith that He is healing us, He is working in, and through us, and even if we are called to suffer in a certain way, He will still heal us in other ways, even if we can't quite see them. If you take nothing else from this, please make it this: God is real. He loves you. He wants to heal you, and He wants to work through you to heal others. The Holy Spirit is alive and well in the Body of Christ- will you let Him be alive and well in you? If you have questions about healing, what I have experienced, or would like prayers for healing, please let me know! I will pray for you (and with you when I can, if you'd like) and find answers to any questions you might have.