Dear Reader,Before we begin, I am very happy to share that our fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project earlier this week resulted in a total donation of $372.13.I could not be prouder of this community and your response to the needs of our veterans during Memorial Day week. This isRead more

I have been informed repeatedly by the internet that I should probably monetize my hobbies, increase emotional urgency, and keep everyone mildly stressed at all times for “engagement.”Unfortunately, this publication was built by a priest who writes essays about being terrible at card games.Message From the Margins survives because ordinaryRead more

Dear Sibling in Christ,A note before we begin: today’s reflection is long. Longer than usual.I know that asks something of you, especially in a world that trains us to skim, scroll, react, and move on before anything has time to reach the soul.But that is part of what this pieceRead more

My Sibling in Christ,Tonight’s reflection was originally supposed to remain behind the paywall.But once again, I kept thinking about how many people quietly carry shame, fear, self-condemnation, and the exhausting feeling that their failures define who they are.And I simply could not bring myself to lock these words away ifRead more

Yesterday, I mentioned that we were donating 50% of new subscription revenue to the Wounded Warrior Project as a small way of trying to live Matthew 25 together as a community.Well… after tallying everything up, that came to $218.15.Which is honestly amazing.Also, apparently one blessed soul subscribed in Euros, whichRead more

A Note Before Today’s ReflectionThose of you who have been here for a while know that this ministry is fundamentally built around the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 25.“I was hungry and you gave me something to eat… I was a stranger and you invited me in… I was sickRead more

Pentecost Sunday and the Lie That You Have Nothing to OfferPentecost is one of the few moments in Scripture that feels almost impossible to domesticate.A violent rushing wind. Fire resting over human heads. Ordinary people suddenly speaking in languages they never learned. Crowds gathering in confusion while frightened disciples stepRead more

Dear Reader,Not long ago, I paid a “newsletter growth expert” a fairly alarming amount of money to help me figure out how to grow this ministry.Their advice was very confident and probably very effective.They told me the secret is to find people’s pain, keep it emotionally activated, and repeatedly remindRead more

Dear Reader,I had a lot of fun... ahem... “researching” today’s piece, and honestly couldn’t wait to get home and start writing.What happens to a society when conscience becomes less important than expedience?That question sits at the heart of The Mandalorian and Grogu. It also sits at the heart of theRead more

The Gospel Was Never Meant to Feel Like ThisMany Christians still love Christ deeply, but no longer recognize the emotional atmosphere surrounding modern American faith.Not all that long ago after Mass, somebody left their phone in one of the back pews.I picked it up and brought it to my office,Read more

There are not many places left online where people can wrestle honestly with faith, politics, fear, conscience, and public life without being pushed toward outrage, cynicism, or ideological performance.Message From the Margins exists because many readers were looking for a slower, steadier kind of Christianity. One serious enough to faceRead more

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to join LiveNOW from FOX for a conversation about faith, public life, pluralism, and the recent “Rededicate 250” prayer gathering in Washington.To be honest, I did not expect my first national television appearance to happen at 4:00 in the morning.But I was grateful for theRead more

Dear Reader,Tonight’s reflection was originally supposed to remain behind the paywall.And yet here I am again with that same persistent feeling that someone out there may genuinely need these words right now, and I just cannot quite bring myself to lock them away.The Gospel is meant to be shared.Healing isRead more

Dear Reader,Somewhere along the way, many people realized they were exhausted by constantly being emotionally managed.Every platform wants outrage.Every movement wants allegiance.Every algorithm wants reaction.Message From the Margins exists for people trying to remain spiritually awake without becoming emotionally consumed.Paid subscribers help sustain slower, deeper Christian reflection rooted in compassion,Read more

The Ascension Is Not About Jesus Leaving UsWhy this ancient feast still speaks to exhausted modern peopleMost people imagine the Ascension as a departure scene.Jesus says goodbye. The disciples stare upward. Clouds swallow Him from sight. End of story.A surprising number of Christians quietly carry that interpretation around without realizingRead more