The Victor's Crown

Mark Quaranta
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Daily Catholic reflections to help you pursue the imperishable crown. Each reflection offers wisdom from scripture and the saints, and practical insights to start your morning and grow in holiness. Hosted by Mark Quaranta. www.thevictorscrown.com

  1. The Father

    May 26

    The Father

    Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com --- Pointing to the Father "Thérèse would move much more easily toward the Father because of having experienced a human father full of goodness and tenderness." We return to that idea of goodness again. And I've been sitting with this one in my own life — as a father of five. There is an opportunity before fathers in particular that I don't think we talk about enough. To be, in some real sense, the face of the Father for our children. Not just to model the faith — though that matters — but to let ourselves be, as best we can, a reflection of God's goodness and tenderness in the home. The downstream effects of that are hard to overstate. A child who grows up experiencing a father who is present, good, and loving will find it easier to believe that God is present, good, and loving. That's not a small thing. St. Louis Martin didn't just raise saints. He gave them a picture of fatherhood that pointed beyond itself — toward the Father. That's the calling. Just goodness and tenderness, pursued faithfully, day after day. Let us pray. Jesus, You revealed the face of the Father. Help us to do the same in whatever way You want. Amen.  Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe

    3 min
  2. Confidence in His Goodness

    May 25

    Confidence in His Goodness

    Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com --- Confidence in His Goodness Returning to The Extraordinary Parents of St. Thérèse — one of the hallmarks of Louis and Zélie Martin's lives was what the author calls "confidence in the goodness of God." There's an important word in there: goodness. Most of us believe — at least in some sense — that God is all-powerful. That He can do anything. That's not usually where our faith struggles. But do we believe that He is good? That He doesn't just provide for us, but that He is so loving, so attentive, that He is involved in every corner of our lives? That He wants the best for us? That He works tirelessly for our good? Louis and Zélie's lives were not without struggle. Not without trial or hardship. And yet they carried this confidence in the goodness of God through all of it. That's a different kind of faith. Not just believing God can — but trusting that He will, because He is good. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we believe that You are good. We believe that You love us and want the best for us. Increase our faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.  Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe

    2 min
  3. Any State of Life

    May 22

    Any State of Life

    Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com --- Any State in Life "They learned, little by little, from the Lord that holiness doesn't reside in one state in life but in a trusting and loving response to God's call in daily life." I've been reading The Extraordinary Parents of St. Thérèse, where I came across that line. The Martin family is a remarkable example of this. Louis and Zélie Martin — now saints themselves — raised five daughters, all of whom entered religious life. The most famous is St. Thérèse of Lisieux, one of the most beloved saints in the history of the Church. Thérèse became a saint as a Carmelite nun. Louis and Zélie became saints as husband and wife, as parents. Different states in life, but the same trusting response to God's call. It wasn't the state in life that made them saints. It was what they did within it. Whatever our state in life — married, single, religious, widowed — holiness isn't waiting for us somewhere else. It's available right here, in whatever God has placed in front of us today. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, help us to follow Your will this day, in the way that best pleases You. Help us to look for You in our daily lives. In Jesus' name. Amen. Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe

    2 min
  4. The Gift of God

    May 21

    The Gift of God

    Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com --- The Gift of God My parish is holding its 40 Hours this week. In the opening talk, a priest of our diocese said something that really stuck with me: “If you knew the gift of God.” And if my notes are right, that’s from John 4. To someone who has never known God — or who doesn’t understand the Eucharist — we might say those words as a kind of invitation. If you only knew. But speaking for ourselves, we do know. We’ve known for so long, maybe, that we’ve started to forget. The supernatural has become the natural to us. We believe that Jesus Christ — God Himself — comes to us under the appearance of bread and wine. That we receive Him. That this happens every single day, in every Catholic church, all over the world. Someone hearing that for the first time would probably say, “Wait — you believe what?” Yeah. We believe that. But do we receive it that way? “If you knew the gift of God.” We do know. The question is whether we’re living like it. Let us pray. Lord, we give thanks for the many gifts that You continue to give us. Help us to always remember that You are a generous and loving God. In Jesus’ name. Amen Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe

    2 min
  5. A New Land

    May 20

    A New Land

    Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com --- A New Land In this time between the Ascension and Pentecost, our Lord's words come back to us: "I go to prepare a place for you." I had a moment this past week where so much of the imagery we hear in Scripture just clicked for me. Here's what I mean. Imagine a father who goes ahead to a new land to prepare a home for his family. While he's gone, he hasn't forgotten them. He hasn't left them behind. Everything he's doing — all of it — is still for their good. For their future. So they can be together. That's the Ascension. But the analogy goes even further. Because the father doesn't just leave the family to find their own way. He sends someone back to help them make the journey. And this is where it goes beyond any analogy we could construct. It's not just that our Lord sends someone. He sends His Holy Spirit. He sends Himself — to be with us, to guide us, to help us make the journey home. That's what we're waiting for in these days. He has gone ahead. He hasn't forgotten us. And He is coming. Let us pray. Lord, help us trust that You are still working, even when we cannot see it. Come, Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe

    2 min
  6. Things I Want to Do More (Part 2)

    May 14

    Things I Want to Do More (Part 2)

    Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com --- Things I want to do more (part 2) Yesterday I talked about a daily Rosary. Today: daily Mass. And again, this comes from my own personal experience of having five kids. I do not get to daily Mass as much as I'd like to. Now, of course, I have reasons. Like I said: there are five of them, and the sixth is my wife. But, like praying a daily Rosary, it comes down to being intentional. Planning for the important things. Not letting them get pushed to the margins and fit in when you can. Now, of course, with going to daily Mass, there are some logistical aspects: the commute, the time it’s offered, etc. But I know for me I can plan that for once a week, twice a week, if not more. And depending on your work and home situation, I'd encourage you to think about it. If you don't go to daily Mass already, what would it look like for you to go once a week? Twice a week? Can you build toward that? Not because you have to. Not out of obligation or guilt. But because the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. And if we can be there more often—even just one more time per week—that's worth building toward. Let us pray. Lord, help us prioritize the Eucharist. Help us be intentional about getting to Mass. In Jesus' name. Amen. Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe

    2 min
  7. Things I Want to Do More (Part 1)

    May 13

    Things I Want to Do More (Part 1)

    Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com --- Things I want to do more (part 1) I've thought about a series of reflections titled something like "Things I Want to Do More." And in this month of May, it might not be any surprise that the thing that I would love to do more is pray a daily Rosary. As far as the prayers and devotions that the Church in general recommends, praying a daily Rosary is near the top. A number of years ago, I actually was in a good habit of praying a daily Rosary. And like anything, I found it to be a habit that you need to go through the early stages of building the muscles —which is very deliberate, very intentional. It can be very challenging in the sense of forcing something into your routine. But the beauty of that is that, just like eating healthy or working out or getting your steps in, once it becomes routine, you don't have to think about it as much. So I'm not going to publicly state that tomorrow I'm going to start my daily Rosary routine. But it's something that I've been thinking about a lot more in this month of May. And I guess I would encourage you to do so as well. Let us pray. Lord, give us the discipline to do the things we ought, the things that You are calling us to. In Jesus' name. Amen. Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe

    2 min
  8. A Place to Return To

    May 12

    A Place to Return To

    Get the written version in your email inbox every morning by subscribing for free at TheVictorsCrown.com --- A Place to Return To Not far from us there is a monastery that has Mass which is open to the public. Our family went to Sunday Mass there this past weekend. And for me, it's just one of the places that I know I can find peace and quiet. Of course, there's only so much peace and quiet when you bring five kids along to Mass. But what I mean is that there's something about the architecture, the space, the beauty of that church that makes it a special one for me. I think all of us need more places like that. Or at least one that we know we can go to. A place to find refreshment. A place to find solitude. A place to find that peace, that stillness where we can be with our Lord. It doesn't always have to be in a church. I think having a designated prayer space or a prayer chair in your house can have a similar effect. But when our lives are so full of craziness, I think having those places that we can return to—and knowing that they are there—can be very powerful for our spiritual lives. Let us pray. Lord, help us to find the peace and quiet that we need to be with You. In Jesus' name. Amen. Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us. Get full access to The Victor's Crown at www.thevictorscrown.com/subscribe

    2 min
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About

Daily Catholic reflections to help you pursue the imperishable crown. Each reflection offers wisdom from scripture and the saints, and practical insights to start your morning and grow in holiness. Hosted by Mark Quaranta. www.thevictorscrown.com

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Quaranta
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    105
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Quaranta LLC
  • Show Website
    The Victor's Crown