Maybe this has happened to you. You’re at home and having a conversation when Alexa lights up and appears to join the conversation. You said something which triggered her and then you remember that a device is listening to you, albeit imperfectly. It’s a little bit creepy. Psalm 18, v7 from today’s Mass says, “...he heard my voice; my ...

Psalm 40, v. 10 states, “I announced your deed to a great assembly.” For someone interested in Quiet Living, this may come as a challenge. After all, turning down the noise is a skill worth practicing. How do you announce God’s deeds to a world that is fervent on announcing...everything? To me, it’s about finding the sweet spot. Be ope...

When was the last time you had a day that threw you off your game? You felt exhausted, frustrated and disjointed right? We can all relate. I had one of those on Tuesday. Cary looked at me before dinner and said, “you look awful.” The wisdom of a good wife. The question is this, what do you do when this happens? You could white-knuckle ...

Most of us don’t think of ourselves as protestors. The word conjures up an image of an angry mob with signs and scary chants. As an introvert, going to a public march is about the last thing I can imagine doing. And yet, it seems that American Catholics (and I would say all traditionally-minded Christians) may need to see themselves in...

It’s the year of Saint Joseph and the Church just celebrated his day on Friday. A big deal for sure. Add a dispensation allowing us to eat meat and it’s obviously a popular event. Some part of me struggles with Saint Joseph. I think it’s the mystery of the guy- no words, little known about him, lots of conjecture. Some thinkers today a...

If you’re familiar with how Facebook handles birthdays, you get alerted to someone’s birthday. From there, you have choices. Most people post something to the person’s timeline, wishing them a happy birthday. Something I’ve done for a few years, which I consider to be consistent with Quiet Living is to personally reach out to the perso...

For a woman who was diminutive in stature, Mother Theresa was not short on words. She is perhaps the most quotable modern saint we have, often using plain language. She also practiced The Quiet Life as evidenced by this gem: “There are a few ways to practice humility: to speak as little as possible of one’s self. To mind one’s own busi...

In this latest episode of my podcast, Pausing for Prayer, I chatted with Ryan O’Hara. I’ve admired Ryan for many years but this was the first time we had the chance to talk about life behind the curtain of prayer. He is an exceedingly honest man and I believe, a true expert in the school of prayer. Have a listen: https://www.mikestpier...

Psalm 81 from today’s Mass concludes with this: “But Israel I would feed with the finest wheat; satisfy them with honey from the rock.” There are likely two ways to understand the word satisfy. One might see it as a check-the-box-I’m-full sort of experience. As in “I’ve had dinner” and it was ok. Another might embrace the word more, ap...

One of the pillars of The Quiet Life is solitude. Are you comfortable being alone, spending time with your own thoughts? When things crowd in on this pillar (excessive meetings, too many interruptions, etc.), we can get grumpy, resenting others for just being... there. It doesn’t have to be this way. A well-formed believer appreciates ...

Psalm 147: 12 says “...the Lord takes pleasure in the devout, those who await his faithful care.” Who comes to mind when you think of someone who is devout? What do they do that speaks of devotion to the Lord? How do they carry themselves? Today, even in unnoticed and small ways, strive to be devout. In each expression of devout-ness, ...

This week, I’ll be hosting Ryan O’Hara on the Pausing for Prayer podcast. Ryan is the creative mind behind Saint Paul’s Outreach, a wonderful apostolate on college campuses around the U.S. If you’ve got a question that you’d like me to ask him about prayer, spirituality or faith, just let me know. +M

Today, try a little experiment. When you have to wait for someone or something, close your eyes. Remember the words of St. Teresa of Avila who prayed: Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices. What doe...

Today’s Responsorial Psalm from the Mass states, “Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.” (John 6:68) This sounds beautiful but what does it mean? Hearing Jesus’ words in the Bible- is that what it means? Or, is it even possible to hear God’s voice today, in 2021? To the latter, I say yes. If you dispose yourself to hearing God’...

One of the least appreciated books on the spiritual life is Thomas Merton’s “Life and Holiness” (1964). He attempts to answer the question, “what does it mean to be a perfect Christian?” In the end, perfection is not about us. Rather it is about achieving the steady, quiet trust in God’s perfect will in our lives. In this way, one obta...

If there’s one thing that is essential to hearing God’s voice, it’s the idea of slowing down. When you slow down, you see things clearly and you have a shot at truly hearing God’s voice. Take your time.