As we get ready to ring in the new year, we thought it would be fun to do a little reflecting. This year FOCUS has had quite the range of topics come through our blog. Our authors have given insight on everything from marriage, to Momma Mary, to defeating porn addictions.
As we look back on all our posts from 2016, these in particular stand out as being the most impactful with our readers. If you missed them during the year, take a look now!
Hello, FOMO’s: Welcome to the Life-Changing Habit of Saying “No”
“But I’m realizing FOMO is merely a symptom. At its root, FOMO is a sign we’ve already missed out on something much more important than Friday night’s festivities. And it has a lot more to do with identity than we as Christians would like to admit.”
Why Beauty Will Save the World
“The opportunities to see moments of beauty, or things created just for the sake of being beautiful — you don’t really find much space for it in culture anymore. … But beauty is actually a big deal.”
A Summary of Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love)
“Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) is one of the most anticipated documents in the history of the Church. Amoris Laetitia is officially a Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation because it is the result of not one, but two Synods on marriage and family in 2014 and 2015.”
How I Finally Quit Porn – and How You Can, Too
“I want to share with you the realization that finally allowed me to kick the porn habit for good. That lesson I learned is this …”
How to Kick the Habit of Gossip for Good
“Pope Francis said, ‘I tell you the truth…I am convinced that if each one of us would purposely avoid gossip, at the end, we would become a saint! It’s a beautiful path!’ (Angelus Address, Feb. 16, 2014).”
I Didn’t Get Mother Mary — Until I Met Her
“Honestly, I thought Mary was a bit weird. I knew that God used her to be the mother of Jesus; because He honored her in such a way, He also wants us to honor her by asking for her intercession. … But most of the time she was just a vague figure to me, a woman whose perfection I could never match, and so I couldn’t relate to her. … Until I met her.”
4 Catholic Podcasts You Should Be Listening To
“Another way to think about this is: “Garbage in, garbage out.” When our media intake consists of nothing but digital junk food — inappropriate or violent TV shows, impure music, or mindless web surfing — our interior lives suffer the same effects our bodies would if we ate nothing but Cheetos.”
Do You Talk in Movie Quotes or Bible Verses?
“Yes, go ahead. Ask yourself the question. … And answer, ‘Movie quotes’ — because you know that’s the real answer.”
The Saint that Proves Praying for People Actually Works
“We’re asked to pray for others so often, so we sometimes treat it as just another thing we can do but probably doesn’t actually work. This problem, this evil, is just too big. We believe our prayers won’t actually change the outcome of the situation.”
How St. Teresa of Calcutta Taught Me to Love
“A smile. That’s all it took to completely transform my life.”