When Molly Harp set off from Cameron, Missouri, for the Christ Our Life Conference in Des Moines, Iowa, she initially envisioned a simple mother-daughter weekend. Encouraged by a fellow parishioner at St. Munchin’s, Molly and her mother, both regular Mass-goers and catechists, registered for what they assumed would be a pleasant regional gathering.

Instead, “a mother-daughter weekend turned into: Hey, will you help me run this Confirmation class, and by the way, these high schoolers are coming with us …” Molly laughs.

Alongside parish Director of Religious Education Mary Morgan and six teenagers catching up on their Confirmation preparations, Molly and her mom made the three-hour drive north. What they encountered at Wells Fargo Arena transformed a modest parish road trip into a profound, life-affirming revival.

What: Christ Our Life: A Catholic conference for our searching souls

When: September 26 – 27

Where: Casey’s Center, Des Moines, Iowa

Why: A weekend of faith sharing, faith building and praise as we listen and learn from world-class speakers, renowned Catholic exhibitors and most importantly, share the sacraments. 

Learn more: christourlifeiowa.com

The Power of the Crowd

In an era where personal faith can easily feel isolating or relegated to quiet routine, gathering in an arena with more than 20,000 fellow Catholics offers a striking, visible reminder: you are not alone.

“Numbers give power to things,” says Molly, who serves as a physician in rural Missouri. “We prayed the Rosary in the morning, then the Divine Mercy Chaplet, all together in this massive arena. It’s hard to put into words. It reinvigorates your spiritual life to spend time with people you don’t know, but who share that core, common faith with you. I left feeling completely joyous.”

For adult Catholics, it is easy to relegate massive conferences to youth groups or national pilgrimages. Yet regional gatherings like Christ Our Life – held every two years in Des Moines – offer adults a low-barrier, high-impact opportunity to step away from the noise of daily life and return home spiritually refreshed.

“Feed Your Body, Feed Your Soul”

Beyond the world-class line-up of international speakers, the conference creates an immersive environment centered entirely on the Sacraments. Hundreds of priests line the concourses for continuous Reconciliation, while dynamic praise and worship music transforms a sports arena into a space of sacred reverence.

“If you put good things in your body when you eat, you’ll be healthy,” Molly notes. “If you spiritually feed yourself, you’re going to be happier. It really is that simple.”

“Celebrating Mass with thousands of believers in a huge arena – led by bishops and dozens of priests – was remarkably powerful.”  Molly Harp

The impact extended well beyond the arena walls. Returning home to Cameron, the high school students carried their newfound enthusiasm back to their local community. Inspired by the vibrant music and youthful energy of the conference, several students discovered and began regularly attending a local Sunday evening youth-centric Mass at St. Gabriel Parish in Gladstone.

Taking the Leap

For those hesitant about committing the time or navigating a busy schedule, Molly’s advice is straightforward: just go.

“Everybody is busy, and it’s hard to make time for things like this,” she says. “But you’re not going to regret going. You can take it at your own pace – listen to the speakers that speak to your heart, walk the floor, visit the vendors, go to Confession, and participate in Mass. This one is worth it.”

Whether you bring your family, mentor a group of teenagers, or travel on your own, the Christ Our Life Conference offers an incredible opportunity to encounter Christ in the midwest – and bring a renewed flame of faith back to your home parish.

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Father Richard E. Hadel, SJ, died August 16, 2026, in Florissant, Missouri. Educator and retreat director, he was 90 years old, a Jesuit for nearly 74 years and a priest for 61 years.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated in the chapel of St. Ignatius Hall, the Jesuit Community at Garden Villas North, in Florissant, Missouri, at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 12, 2026. It will be livestreamed at jesuits.family/hadel-memorial. Father Hadel donated his body to the Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

Dick Hadel was born Aug. 24, 1935, in Kansas City, Kansas. His parents, William C. and Julia S. (Seve) Hadel, had him baptized at St. Francis Xavier Church, a Jesuit parish. He later attended the same parish’s grade school, and Rockhurst High School, a Jesuit school. When he was a senior, he told one of the priests he wanted to be a Jesuit. He entered the Society of Jesus on Aug. 17, 1952, one week shy of his 17th birthday. He was known to comment, “I grew up in the Society. It wasn’t a bad place to grow up.”

He professed first vows on Aug. 22, 1954, and was ordained a priest June 9, 1965. His death on August 16, 2026, fell the day before his 74th anniversary as a Jesuit and eight days before his 91st birthday.

In addition to his parents, Fr. Hadel was predeceased by his brother, William J. Hadel. He is survived by his sister, Judy Reichmeier.

Father Hadel’s first assignment as a Jesuit in formation was at St. John’s College (SJC) in Belize City, Belize, where he taught English and Latin. Following his ordination and graduate studies in anthropology, he returned to St. John’s College in 1972 and taught anthropology until 1975, when he took a brief sabbatical. He returned to SJC again in 1976 and remained for five years, teaching religion and serving in administrative positions for the Jesuit community.

While in Belize, Fr Hadel grew to love and respect the people and the culture. He learned Garifuna while living in a Carib village. With the blessing of the bishop, he celebrated Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve in Garifuna. It was the first time the people of the village had ever heard the Mass in their own language. “A woman stopped after Mass and told me in Carib, ‘It went to my heart,’” Fr. Hadel recalled some 40 years later. “I will never forget that.”

Some years earlier, Fr. John Stochl, SJ, had begun work on a Garifuna dictionary; Fr. Hadel took up that work and expanded the dictionary to be more comprehensive. It was the first known Garifuna dictionary.

Father Hadel returned to the United States in 1981. After a yearlong sabbatical at Creighton University, he was assigned to serve at White House Jesuit Retreat and Fusz Memorial (for Jesuits in formation), before being assigned in 1986 to teach English at De Smet Jesuit High School, where he also served as the Jesuit rector (community superior). In 1993, he was assigned to St. Louis University High School as superior and teacher. He served at SLUH for 12 years, until 2005.

He served as sacramental minister at St. Cecilia Parish in St. Louis, from 2005 to 2008, when he returned to SLUH for a brief time.

In 2008, Fr. Hadel returned to White House Jesuit Retreat as a retreat and spiritual director, and remained until 2015, when he began pastoral ministry. He was assigned to a ministry of prayer in 2023.

“As I near the end of my life, I’m looking back,” Fr. Hadel said in 2022. “I see a thread running through the whole thing: people have loved me, and it’s a reflection of God’s love. I see the work of God in my life like a symphony, and I am very grateful. Gratitude. That’s the theme that runs through my life.”

Father Hadel’s friends remember him with fondness as a good companion, unfailingly kind, the glue that held people together. He would often greet his brother Jesuits with, “Are you happy in your vocation?” He found God in all things, and in his later years he loved to sit on his balcony watching the hummingbirds at the feeder. He took his vow of poverty seriously; he lived simply and was generous in sharing what little he had.

Father Hadel attended seminary at St. Stanislaus in Florissant, Missouri, before completing a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, a master’s in Latin and Greek, and a licentiate in philosophy at Saint Louis University. He earned a licentiate in sacred theology at St. Mary’s College in St. Marys, Kansas, and a doctorate in anthropology at the University of Texas in Austin.

As we thank God for a life of service, humility and kindness, let us remember Fr. Hadel in our prayers. Memorial gifts may be made to the Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province. They can be mailed to 4511 West Pine Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108. Donate online at www.JesuitsCentralSouthern.org.

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“The abbot must always remember what he is and remember what he is called, aware that more will be expected of a man to whom more has been entrusted. He must know what a difficult and demanding burden he has undertaken: directing souls and serving a variety of temperaments, coaxing, reproving and encouraging them as appropriate.” 

— From the Rule of Saint Benedict, Chapter 2: Qualities of the Abbot

On July 11, the Feast of Saint Benedict, the monks of Conception Abbey announced the election of their next abbot, Fr. Paul Sheller, OSB. I gratefully welcome Abbot Paul and look forward to many fruitful years ahead.

In late May, Abbot Benedict Neenan announced that he would be stepping down as the abbot after ten years. 

I want to take this space in the Catholic Key to express my personal gratitude, as well as that of our entire diocese, for Abbot Benedict’s leadership and service to the monastery and the seminary which Conception supports and operates as an apostolate. I want to thank him for the many ways the abbey contributes to and impacts our diocese. 

In my time as bishop here, I have grown to realize just how blessed we are to have a monastic community like Conception in our own local Church. The proximity of Conception to so many of our clergy, religious and lay faithful allows for many fruitful interactions and encounters with God and others. A majority of our college seminarians, past and present, were formed at Conception Seminary. Our youth summer camp, Camp Savio, has flourished in partnership with the abbey, and it has introduced not only our youngest generation, but many of their parents, to a deeper spiritual life. Many find at Conception an oasis for retreats, including our diocesan priests. Our deacon formation is overseen by Conception Seminary. We should all be grateful for Abbot Benedict’s and the monks’ desire and willingness to allow us to draw from the “living water” we find there. 

The monks originally arrived at Conception over 150 years ago at the invitation of the first bishop of St. Joseph (and then Kansas City), John J. Hogan. Bishop Hogan began without much of anything in what was then a wilderness being settled. Without clergy, money or buildings and just a few people, he needed help. The Benedictine monks in Switzerland answered the call. They came to rural Missouri with both a monastic and a missionary spirit. From the outset, they helped to prepare men for the priesthood, something that continues today for not only our diocese but many others. 

Along with this important service, the monks helped the bishop with parish ministry. As the number of monks grew, Conception served parishes in neighboring dioceses as well. Today, that service continues in several parishes in proximity to the abbey and is a vital part of our Church history. Again, thank you Abbot Benedict. You embody the same missionary spirit of your predecessors. We are so grateful!

Let us pray for Abbot Benedict as he returns to the life of a monk without the burdens of the office of abbot. And if you have the opportunity, thank him for his wise and generous service which benefited not only the monastic community, but all of us. Let us also pray for Abbot Paul, that God will bless him with an abundance of grace as Conception Abbey continues in prayer and work to give glory to God and bless his Church. 

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“Nunca se debe olvidar el Abad de lo que es, y del nombre que tiene, debiendo saber, que a quien más se confía, más se le pide. Tenga presente cuan arduo y difícil es el empleo que ha tomado de gobernar las almas, y acomodarse a genios diferentes; porque ha de tratar a unos con halagos, a otros con reprensiones, y a otros con consejos, acomodándose de tal modo al genio y capacidad de cada uno, que no solo no padezca ningún detrimento en las ovejas, que se le han confiado, sino que pueda gozarse de los aumentos de virtud de su rebaño.”  — De la Regla de San Benito, Capítulo 2: Cual debe ser el Abad 

El 11 de julio, fiesta de san Benito, los monjes de la Abadía de Conception anunciaron la elección de su próximo abad, el padre Paul Sheller, OSB. Doy la bienvenida con gratitud al abad Paul y espero con alegría los muchos días fecundos que nos esperan.

A finales de mayo, el abad Benedict Neenan anunció que dejaría el cargo después de diez años de servicio como abad. Quiero aprovechar este espacio en The Catholic Key para expresar mi gratitud personal, así como la de toda nuestra diócesis, por el liderazgo y el servicio que el abad Benedict ha brindado al monasterio, al seminario que Conception sostiene y dirige como apostolado, y a tantas personas que encuentran fortaleza espiritual en el monasterio. Quiero agradecerle las muchas maneras en que la abadía contribuye a la vida de nuestra diócesis y la enriquece.

Durante mi tiempo como obispo aquí, he llegado a comprender cuán bendecidos somos de contar con una comunidad monástica como la de Conception en nuestra propia Iglesia local. La cercanía de Conception a tantos de nuestros sacerdotes, religiosos y fieles laicos favorece muchas relaciones fecundas y encuentros con Dios y con los demás. La mayoría de nuestros seminaristas universitarios, tanto de generaciones pasadas como actuales, se han formado en el Seminario de Conception. Nuestro campamento juvenil de verano, Camp Savio, ha florecido gracias a la colaboración con la abadía y ha acercado no solo a nuestros jóvenes, sino también a muchos de sus padres, a una vida espiritual más profunda. Muchos encuentran en Conception un oasis donde hacer retiros, incluidos nuestros sacerdotes diocesanos. El Seminario de Conception supervisa la formación de nuestros diáconos. Todos debemos estar agradecidos por el deseo y la generosa disposición del abad Benedict y de los monjes de permitirnos beber del «agua viva» que allí encontramos.

Los monjes llegaron originalmente a Conception hace más de 150 años por invitación de John J. Hogan, primer obispo de St. Joseph y, posteriormente, de Kansas City. El obispo Hogan comenzó su labor prácticamente sin nada, en lo que entonces era una región agreste que apenas empezaba a poblarse. Sin clero, dinero ni edificios, y con apenas un puñado de personas, necesitaba ayuda. Los monjes benedictinos de Suiza respondieron al llamado. Llegaron a la zona rural de Missouri con un espíritu tanto monástico como misionero. Desde el comienzo, ayudaron a preparar hombres para el sacerdocio, una labor que continúa hasta el día de hoy, no solo para nuestra diócesis, sino para muchas otras.

Además de este importante servicio, los monjes ayudaron al obispo en el ministerio parroquial. A medida que crecía el número de monjes, Conception también comenzó a atender parroquias de diócesis vecinas. Hoy, ese servicio continúa en varias parroquias cercanas a la abadía y constituye una parte vital de la historia de nuestra Iglesia. Una vez más, gracias, abad Benedict. Usted encarna el mismo espíritu misionero que sus predecesores. ¡Le estamos profundamente agradecidos!

Oremos por el abad Benedict mientras vuelve a la vida de monje, libre ya de las cargas propias del oficio de abad. Y, si tienen la oportunidad, denle las gracias por su servicio sabio y generoso, que ha beneficiado no solo a la comunidad monástica, sino a todos nosotros.

Oremos también por el abad Paul, para que Dios lo colme de su gracia y para que la Abadía de Conception, mediante la oración y el trabajo, siga dando gloria a Dios y bendiciendo a su Iglesia.

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By Allison Vrooman | Photos by Michael Hogan

When Cornerstones of Care opens its doors to its new home in the former Archbishop O’Hara High School building, the move will represent far more than a change of address. It marks an expanded capacity to serve, a deepening partnership with the south Kansas City community and a renewed commitment to supporting the mental, emotional, and educational needs of children across the region.

Cornerstones of Care is a behavioral and mental health nonprofit that serves children and families throughout Kansas and Missouri. The organization has three key services: youth and family support; foster care and adoption; and education and training. Their trained professionals utilize a certified model to identify, address, treat and monitor a variety of behavioral healthcare needs.

“Everything that we do is delivered through the lens of being trauma-informed,” said Sarah Scharinger, chief administrative officer. The organization is certified through the Sanctuary Model of Trauma-Informed Care, ensuring that therapeutic principles are woven into all its programs and services.

The move into the former high school facility creates new opportunities for growth. Previously, Cornerstones of Care operated two separate day-treatment schools serving students in grades K-8 and 9-12. Uniting under one roof will allow the organization to expand its reach and better serve its students.

“Being able to combine them into a single facility not only expands our capacity,” Scharinger said, “but it also gives us an opportunity to serve more school districts. What we are really excited about is that this is a 90,000-square-foot facility that gives us the opportunity to integrate academics, therapeutic, workforce, and professional development functions all under one roof. It is a 260 percent increase in space over what we have had previously.”

The two previous school buildings were a combined 25,000 square feet and were able to accommodate 115 students total. The new space will be able to welcome 150 students with adequate room for all its programs.

The need for services Cornerstones of Care provides continues to grow. According to the organization, one in four children today carries a mental health diagnosis, and schools are increasingly being called upon to address behavioral and mental health challenges within educational settings.

That reality has made the organization’s partnership with diocesan Catholic schools especially valuable. Through its Behavior Intervention Support Team (BIST) program, Cornerstones of Care provides professional development and consultation designed to equip educators with effective behavior management strategies.

“Schools across the diocese have accessed the professional development and consultation services offered through Cornerstones of Care,” said Karen Kroh, superintendent of diocesan Catholic schools. “Some schools have expanded beyond the professional development and consultation services and contracted directly with Cornerstones of Care to provide services in their building.”

Kroh said access to organizations like Cornerstones of Care is essential for helping schools meet the diverse needs of students.

“Their partnership strengthens a school’s ability to create safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments where every child can thrive.” She later said, “Caring for students’ social and emotional well-being is an important part of Catholic education because we are committed to developing the whole child, mind, body and spirit.”

In the past year, Cornerstones of Care served 137 students from more than 40 school districts in its therapeutic education programs. Among those students, 97 percent maintained or improved their academic performance, 61 percent improved their functioning and 55 percent reduced their severity of behavioral concerns.

“Our mission is to partner for safe and healthy communities,” Scharinger said. “We are very excited and grateful for the opportunity to be in this facility and to have partnered with the diocese.”

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By Marty Denzer | Photos by Michael Hogan

Many of us grew up hearing stories our grandparents or great-grandparents told about “the good ol’ days.” Today, demographers count seven generations going back to the Silent Generation (1928-1945). Unfortunately, often there’s a disconnect between older and younger people.   

Roots and Rounds, Inc., a lay apostolate founded in 2019, recognizes and promotes multigenerational communication, acceptance and, according to Debbie Sheppard of our diocese’s Life and Justice Office, the realization that Catholic social teaching is based on the teaching, vision and example of older people.

Since 1978, National Grandparents Day has been celebrated in America on the first Sunday after Labor Day, this year on Sept. 13. In 2021, Pope Francis declared World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly to be celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of July, alongside the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Jesus’ grandparents. The USCCB approved the transfer and a plenary indulgence may be earned for its celebration.

Roots and Rounds founder Christel Gollnick is Gen X and her husband Bruce is a Baby Boomer. The program’s genesis lies in youth engaging the wisdom, learning and experience of older people, while they, in turn, value the younger folks. It’s the “Circle of Life.” 

Gollnick authored Stone Soup: A Familiar Folktale Brings All Ages to the Table, a 21st century retelling of the ancient tale of hungry travelers tricking stingy villagers into sharing their food by making “stone soup” with hot water and stones. Intrigued, villagers began contributing meat and vegetables, creating a communal feast. 

Seen through the eyes of stranded campers in an area cut off from food delivery services, a stone symbolizes hope, inspiring them to pool their remaining supplies into a communal meal. 

Gollnick’s version — complete with recipes and activities — shifts from an outlook of scarcity to abundance. Everyone brings something valuable to the table.

In 2022, Roots and Rounds applied for a diocesan Life and Justice Campaign grant, outlining its purpose, mission and vision. Its purpose focuses on the root principles of inclusivity, respect and innovation to empower leaders and teams of all ages. The mission is to bridge the wisdom and energy of all ages in communities and workplaces through improved intergenerational communications and leadership, which can engender thriving communities led by people who value each other. Their project description says, “Age is the one diversity that all people share. Yet, young and older people … feel ‘less than’ for being born in a particular generation.”

Some may say, ‘So what?” The mission and vision answers that question. Roots and Rounds may be a stone of hope for the future. 

Learn more at rootsandrounds.org. 

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By Marty Denzer | Photos by Michael Hogan

Many people worldwide are in need, whether for food, clothing, shelter or medical care. About 10 years ago, a group of women at Holy Trinity Parish in Weston organized a charity sewing group ministry, crafting handmade essential items needed both locally and globally. 

Coordinator Lori Mathews loves to sew, loves to give and loves to serve others. She enumerated projects the sewing group has completed, meeting once a month: quilts encased in pillowcases for Quilts of Valor; travel rollups and sleeping bags for the homeless made from donated blue jeans; lap blankets, walker bags and clothing protectors for local retirement communities; baby quilts for Children’s Mercy Hospital and Parkville Women’s Clinic; quilts and sheet sets for the Sleep in Heavenly Peace program which donates bunk beds and bedding to kids ages 3-17 to ensure no child has to sleep on the floor; baby doll quilts and learning softies for Operation Breakthrough; and washable, reusable sanitary pads for young women in Africa. The group also makes items to sell at Weston events to fund material and sewing supplies.

The sewing group is currently working on a request from an Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister at Maranatha Caring Mission Hospital in Umueje, Nigeria, for 500 dresses, sizes 2-12, and 400 pairs of boys’ shorts. The group began sewing the dresses in March; more than 300 are completed and vacuum sealed for shipping. Mathews said shipping has been slow, but as soon as the shipping container is ready to leave, the dresses will be in it. She added that it takes four months for shipping pods to reach Umueje in rural Nigeria.

“Those kids have nothing,” she said, adding that Father Joseph Totton, pastor, blesses items before shipment. The shorts request will likely be filled next year, she added.

Mathews said the monthly meetings are fun, filled with their labors of love — sewing, pressing, conversing and sharing a meal. There has been a bit of competition in the speed a child’s dress could be made — from first cut to last stitch. The record so far is 35 minutes! 

She said sewing skill or experience isn’t needed. Help is welcome for cutting and ironing as well as sewing. Each attendee brings a dish to share for lunch. The group also shares conversation and laughter, sewing tips and encouragement.   

Those interested in supporting or volunteering may email lori.mathews4@gmail.com. 

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By Marty Denzer

Ten years ago, following profound experiences with Christ in the Eucharist, Father Mathias Thelen and Patrick Reis co-founded Encounter Ministries. 

Ordained in 2010, Father Thelen currently serves as pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Brighton, Michigan. He earned his licentiate in sacred theology in 2016 from the Angelicum in Rome. Father Thelen is an author and speaker and has appeared in several documentaries.

Reis, executive director of Encounter Ministries, received his bachelor’s degree from Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio, and his master’s from  Holy Apostles College and Seminary in 2014. An international speaker, minister and author, he has appeared in  documentaries with Father Thelen. Reis is married and has six children.

Encounter Ministries seeks to teach, equip and activate disciples to demonstrate God’s love through the power of the Holy Spirit in their spheres of influence. The Encounter School of Ministry, a two-year, part-time training program, is designed to take both clergy and lay people deeper into supernatural discipleship. The main campus is in Brighton, with numerous satellite schools around the world. The local satellite campus is at Holy Spirit Catholic Church  in Overland Park, Kansas. 

Holy Spirit’s campus and academic curriculum underwent a rigorous review by a team of Catholic theologians and was approved by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, now retired, and Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr., of the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph. The first graduations were in 2023.

Katrina Schmitz, attended an Encounter Ministries Summer Intensive program last year, a four-night experience of learning about identity as sons and daughters of God, power and healing, growing in faith, hearing God’s voice more clearly and getting equipped to participate in Jesus’ ministry of “healing the broken hearted and and binding up their wounds.”

Schmitz, who calls herself a “real Catholic mom,” said, “Those four short nights, 12 hours, launched me into wanting more! The classes continue to point me back to my own relationship with Christ.” She now attends the school.

“It’s mostly for me,” Schmitz added. “Sharing testimony and experiences builds faith. My hope is to live more boldly, holistically in the Holy Spirit! Come to be encouraged and sent out to encourage others in faith. We all have difficult moments in life; inviting God and the Holy Spirit into every part of life is healing. Every time I give more, I get more. I want to pass my faith on to my three boys, a ripple effect. And, I want everybody to know about it!”

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By Karen Ridder

Years ago, a friend of mine took a trip alone with her husband. Family members watched their four young daughters. They went to some sunny place. After their return, I asked how the trip had gone.

“We’re not doing THAT again,” she said.

I was confused. Her marriage is strong. Didn’t she enjoy the time away with her husband? “Of course,” she said. “But I just missed the kids like crazy. I don’t want to leave them like that again.”

It was a bit of a countercultural statement. As a mom, I’ve ALWAYS taken time for myself, believing it to be important. It is, but there was a truth in the way she said she missed her kids that shifted something in me. This parenting thing is a gift we often treat too blithely. We are encouraged to do so, and in that we miss something.

Once in the confessional I complained to the priest about not being able to offer my gift of hospitality to friends and neighbors much in this season of life. He responded, “Perhaps the hospitality you’re meant to offer in your home right now is to your children.” I realized he was right.

Jesus told his apostles, “Whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple — Amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.” (Mt 10:42)

To be a disciple means to be a learner or a follower. Our children ARE little disciples of us. We give them our homes, our tables, our resources, our energy, our today and our tomorrow. In it all, they learn and follow us. The reward for parents is becoming more like the Lord.

A second time, Jesus told us to be active in meeting the needs of others, saying, “To the extent that you did it for one of these least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.” (Mt 25:40)

When we catch Jesus repeating himself — it’s best to pay attention.

I wonder if, during that week away, part of what my friend actually missed was the presence of Jesus mysteriously mirrored through the hospitality she was regularly offering her children at home.

Jesus is with us when we parent. It is good to remember this truth and be intentional about how we respond. Without hospitality in our hearts, it may be tempting to fall into resentment over what we’ve been asked to sacrifice.

The season of parenting children in your home is a gift that will come and go quickly. This month, I send my second of four children off to college. I no longer get to be Jesus to him and his brother with daily drinks of cold water. Others must come alongside now to offer that hospitality to them both. That’s OK, though, because it never really was me anyway. It was always Jesus. He just allowed me to be a part of the gift.

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