Faith, family, work, and life - all intertwined.
Permanent deacon of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Husband, father of four sons, builder of Catholic technology, and writer of essays, fiction, and homilies.
I turned 48 today. For most of my career, I didn't think much about birthdays. But this one feels different. I've been asking different questions - not "What's next?" but "Who am I becoming?"
I used to measure success by what I built. Now I measure it by how I showed up. Here's the question that changed my definition of success in the second half.
"What would I do if money wasn't a factor?" This question changed everything for me, because it revealed what I actually care about.
Last night I sat down with Suzanne, Joseph, and Andrew to walk them through what I've been working on - family meeting style. Thomas and Matthew are next.
In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus goes deeper than the Law—teaching that it's not enough to avoid murder or adultery or false oaths. God cares about what's happening in your heart. And he ends with this: "Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.'"
Your day job is what pays you. What you build on nights and weekends is what calls you. Pay attention to the difference - it's trying to tell you something.