The Week

We're home.

Five days at Walt Disney World with Andrew. Three races. 19.3 miles. 143,582 steps. Five medals - including the Coast to Coast, earned by combining January's Disneyland Half Marathon with this weekend's 10-Miler.

And one line I keep coming back to.

Somewhere between Magic Kingdom and the bus back to the resort, Andrew said: "Thank you for not being on your phone and just paying attention to me."

I almost didn't earn that. Most days I don't.

I wrote about it this week - weaving together the Disney trip, the final quiet weeks at Adobe, and what I'm learning about presence. It's called Paying Attention.

Read it here: Paying Attention

And if you want to see all the pictures - the races, the rides, the lightsaber he finally built, the honey mustard incident that gave me a new nickname - the full trip journal is here:

Yes, son, doing hard things can be fun too

This Sunday

Fourth Sunday of Easter - Good Shepherd Sunday.

"He calls his own sheep by name."

That line is easy to skip over. But stay with it. Jesus doesn't manage a flock. He knows YOU. Your name. Your story. Your struggles.

But do you recognize his voice?

This week's 2 Minute Homily: He Calls You By Name

Next Week: Fort Worth

I'm heading to Fort Worth next week for the National Association of Deacon Directors Convention - exhibiting for both Deacon Life and Domus.

Prayers appreciated for safe travel and good conversations.

Try Domus

Speaking of what we're building - here's the invitation:

WeAreDomus.com - Start a free trial of any of our formation offerings. Hearth & Altar for families. Eventide & Altar for the second half of life. Iron & Altar for men. Vessel & Altar for women. One reading. Five minutes. Every day.

WeAreDomus.com/Daily - Sign up for the free Domus Daily email. Daily news for families through a Catholic lens. No subscription required.

LuxPerpetua.net - If you're a reader, Ordo: A Chronicle of Lux Perpetua is unfolding week by week. A serial novel in two tracks - present-day mystery and seven centuries of history. The light that was never put out.

What I'm Reading

The Spirituality of the Good Shepherd - Word on Fire Bishop Barron on what it means that Jesus calls himself both shepherd AND gate. Good preparation for Sunday.

Why Presence Is the Most Important Leadership Skill - Harvard Business Review Not Catholic, but resonates with everything I'm learning about paying attention - in leadership, in fatherhood, in ministry.

Catholic Cartoon

Two young priests walking down the street, one sporting a very traditional tonsure...

"I asked for a haircut that screamed 'Catholic.'"

Mission accomplished, Father.

Final Word

"The shepherd walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice."

— John 10:4

Learning to recognize the voice. That's the work.