The Week

By the time you read this, I'll be somewhere over the southeastern conference, flying to Orlando with our youngest, Andrew.

We're meeting my buddy Jacob and his daughter Gianna at Walt Disney World for the runDisney Springtime Surprise weekend. The plan: hang out in the parks for a few days and run the Challenge together - 5K Friday, 10K Saturday, 10-Miler Sunday.

And on Sunday, when I cross that finish line, I'll earn my Coast-to-Coast medal - combining January's Half Marathon at Disneyland with this weekend's 10-Miler.

As always, I'll be carrying friends' and family members' prayers with me on each mile. If you have an intention you'd like me to carry, just reply to this email. I'll add it to the list.

What Clarity Feels Like

This past weekend was one of the busiest I've had in ministry in a long time.

Saturday morning: Leading Morning Prayer at the Father McGivney Catholic High School Men's Prayer Breakfast - with my boys, my dad, my brother, and several other men from our parish. Three generations of Halbrook men, praying together before dawn.

Sunday: Divine Mercy Sunday. Three Masses. A Holy Hour with Benediction for the conclusion of the Divine Mercy Novena. Then our GC Teens youth group for another Holy Hour - this time with Vespers and Benediction.

It was a lot. And yet I felt more comfortable in my own skin than I have in years. A complete sense of peace.

Suzanne said it to me Monday morning. She's been reading the reflections I'm writing for the Domus offerings. She said, "I can see it. You're doing what you're made for."

She's right. I feel it too.

Read the full reflection: What Clarity Feels Like

Domus Update

The flywheel is turning.

Domus Daily is now live - daily news for families through a Catholic lens. Check it out at DomusDaily.com.

The & Altar App is live on Android (still fighting Apple's approval process for iOS). One app, one household subscription, personalized paths for every member of your family.

Hearth & Altar and Eventide & Altar and more offerings are sharing daily Scripture reflections - five minutes a day, one reading, forming households across generations.

If you haven't checked out what we're building, now's a good time: WeAreDomus.com

What I'm Reading

Running and the Spiritual Life - America Magazine - An older piece, but one I enjoyed finding. Running as prayer. Miles as meditation.

The Hidden Power of Daily Scripture - The Catholic Gentleman - Why five minutes a day with Scripture changes everything. This is the conviction behind everything we're building at Domus. Well - that and the idea that the home is the domestic church, the first school of faith.

Catholic Cartoon

A boy walks up to a priest, baseball bat in hand...

Divine Mercy Sunday was last weekend. Apparently someone was paying attention. 😅

runDis Dad

This weekend's races will be my first since the Disneyland Half in January. 

The Challenge (5K + 10K + 10-Miler = 22.4 miles across three days) is no joke. But there's something about running through Disney property - past Spaceship Earth at dawn, through the backstage areas, finishing in Epcot - that makes every mile feel like a gift.

Andrew's running the Challenge with me this weekend too, as are our friends Jacob & Gianna. Can't wait to cross that finish line together.

More to come next week - race recaps, photos, and (God willing) that Coast-to-Coast medal.

Final Word

"Run in such a way as to win the prize."

- St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 9:24

And remember: Jesus is the finish line.

See you on the course.