You could have heard a pin drop as Fr. Josh Johnson shared a reflection at the USCCB Evangelization Summit we attended just one month ago this week.
During a recent confession, the priest engaged Fr. Josh in conversation about a particular sin he had confessed. Then, when it came time for penance, he gave Fr. Josh the following: “Ask Jesus what preceded that sin.”
What followed was a searing reflection, delivered in a passionate cadence, of how Fr. Josh, by God’s grace, was able to trace what preceded that sin further and further back. To help us all capture the power of his “master class,” we’ll track his seven sequential points:
- “Because of my sloth, I wasn’t present for prayer.”
- “Because I wasn’t present for prayer, I forgot the words of Scripture.”
- “Because I forgot the words of Scripture, I believed a lie,” namely, that if he didn’t say yes to “more time with friends and more time in ministry,” he would “miss out” and eventually be “rejected, abandoned, and alone.”
- “Because I believed a lie, I let it dictate my discernment.”
- “…and I said yes again and again and again.”
- “Because I said yes, I was exhausted.”
- “…and because I was exhausted, I gave in to this vice.”
In the second week of each month, we turn our focus with you to Level 2 – Person & Relationships of your Trinity House, where we seek to deepen our God-given communion through healthy people and relationships. Just imagine if each of us, when faced with how our failings, sin, and wounds harm the communion we so desire, took the time to patiently discover what’s underneath it all.
But Fr. Josh’s story goes even deeper. As he confronted the core lie, he decided to sit with it and to invite the Lord to speak to his heart. In that uncomfortable ensuing stillness, he heard Jesus asking, “Would you be all alone? “And Fr. Josh was able to confidently answer Jesus: “No.” Of course he knew that Jesus would remain with him.
Why could we almost hear a pin drop in that room during Fr. Josh’s story? Reflecting on it, we could see how:
- We so often say yes to more ministry, more kids’ activities, more “good things” with our family … but even as we do, deep down we recognize those moments when we’re saying yes for the wrong reasons.
- We experience, as a result, that vulnerable exhaustion that Fr. Josh described.
- We too often rush in and out of confession, rather than taking time to allow Christ’s mercy to penetrate and heal the underlying wounds and lies we may otherwise continue to carry as we rush off to the next exhausting series of tasks and spin cycle of fatigue and sin.
Already in the weeks since hearing Fr. Josh’s reflection, we have sensed moments of grace that seem connected with the priest’s invitation to “ask Jesus what preceded that sin.” And with these graces have come a renewed awareness of our need to pause, surrender, probe our motives, and allow the Lord to actually lead us to healing.
As we consider adding this type of deeper probing to our usual examinations of conscience, let’s remember that not only do our families depend on us to be healthy and present enough to support their needs, but also to show them what it looks like to grow in grace. Pope St. Leo the Great, pray for us!
➤ Here is our “Evangelization Insights from a Beautiful Summit” (Heaven in Your Home Letters) and our article in Aleteia, “The U.S. Bishops are on to something with their 1st Evangelization Summit.”
➤ The podcast episode When the Noonday Devil Strikes features Fr. Josh Johnson and Dr. Brian Pedraza, as they address how busyness, procrastination, and spiritual sloth interferes with prayer. (Ask Father Josh)
➤ This video called Make Time for Adoration with Fr. Josh Johnson provides practical advice for protecting time with Jesus, even when life and ministry are busy. Fr. Josh offers five questions: When, where, what, who, and why. (Ascension Press)
➤ Don’t Toss in the Towel! is a short spiritual reflection by Franciscan friar Albert Haase, OFM. It addresses acedia—spiritual apathy or discouragement—and encourages perseverance when prayer seems unproductive or spiritual growth feels stalled. (Franciscan Media)
➤ The article Laziness is a symptom of ‘acedia,’ a dangerous vice quotes Pope Francis and explains why acedia is more than ordinary laziness and discusses spiritual apathy and losing the desire to pray. (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
➤ Are you a parent, priest, director of religious education, or principal interested in building community among families at your parish or parish school? Discover all the details here, and easily schedule a 15-minute discovery call with our team here. Dioceses can benefit from a special offer: three subscriptions for just $999 (or $499/year for your parish). Take the first step toward strengthening community among families at your parish right here!
➤ Everyone in Northern Virginia is invited to join us for St. John the Apostle’s Heaven in Your Home Gathering this Saturday, November 14 at 5:30 PM in Leesburg, VA! Come enjoy this opportunity for fellowship and connection. No RSVP is needed—simply come, bring a dessert or drink, and join us!
➤ A big word of thanks to the Erin McGeever, M.A., M.Ed., Director of the Office of Christian Formation for the Diocese of St. Augustine, for the opportunity she gave to Soren today to share the “Trinity House Way” with catechists of the diocese! We applaud the Diocese of St. Augustine’s efforts to put parents and families at the center of faith formation.
➤ We’re hiring at Trinity House Community! The Director of Ministry Development will lead the effort to expand Trinity House Community Groups nationwide, bringing the family formation and fellowship model to dioceses, parishes, and parish schools across the country, and will also collaborate with the Co-Director in growing the ministry’s donor base. Learn more and apply here.
➤ We’re hiring at Trinity House Community! The Director of Operations serves as a strategic partner to the Co-Directors, translating high-level organizational vision into efficient, day-to-day execution. This role oversees the administrative, human resource, financial, compliance, and technological functions of the nonprofit, including oversight of the manager, hiring, and finances of Trinity House Café + Market. Learn more and apply here.
➤ For Heaven in Your Home readers in northern Virginia: Come and see the St. Jerome Institute (SJI) of Northern Virginia! As a new high school at the St. Philip Catholic Church campus in Falls Church, SJI aims to cultivate friendship, joy, and wonder through seminar-style classrooms, an integrated Catholic curriculum, and low-tech learning. Bring your questions to the Open House on November 14th, 3-5pm and enjoy refreshments, a seminar demonstration for parents, and a seminar sample for students! RSVP to the Open House here.
“The impact I’ve seen Trinity House Community have on participating families is that it’s just really beneficial for us as a couple.”
— Karen, Trinity House Community Participant
