A Father’s love, a Father’s presence
We were new parents, and our son was just learning to talk. At the same time, we were working on helping him sleep through the night, so we weren’t jumping to pick him up every time he cried in the middle of the night. We would lie in bed, listening to him stir in his crib. He would cry for a little while and then fall back asleep. It was working! We were on our way to getting a full night’s rest.
One particular night, our son woke up, and again, we patiently waited to see if he would fall back asleep. Then, suddenly, we heard a word that pierced through the dead of night: “Daddy!” I immediately leapt out of bed, ran to him and picked him up. (Yes, I admit I’m a softy.)
Reflecting on this moment, I realize that I often do the same thing with God, our Father. When I cry out “Daddy!” during times of hurt or need for comfort, He is right there. He has always been there, and He is still here.
He Is Always Here
Fast forward to 2025: three of our four children are now in their 20s. While they may not call out “Daddy!” or “Mommy!” as they did when they were little, they still come to us. Every day, our goal is to remind them that we love them, and more importantly, God loves them. They know we are still here for them. In fact, I make it a point to weave this sentiment throughout my life
Reminding people that we are still here for them lets people know they are important and deserve to be loved. For example, I still keep in touch with the people from the youth group I served during my time in Nashville. I let them know that I still pray for them and am still here for them. These “youth” are now grown, many with families of their own, but I want them to know I have not forgotten them, and they are just as important now as they were then.
Many people, myself included, experience moments when we believe we have driven God away. This feeling may come from something we have done or said, or maybe from disconnecting ourselves from Him, leading us to think that He has grown tired of waiting for us to return to Him. I often wonder why we think we have the power to make the all-knowing, all-loving God of the universe walk away from us.
We forget He has power over everything in this world and beyond, including Satan and all the evil spirits that prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. The Creator of the universe, the One who breathed life into Adam, the great “I Am” who guided Moses out of Egypt—came to Earth, lived, died and rose again, defeating sin and death. He desires one thing most from us: relationship. Read this paragraph again, replacing the last word, “us” with “me.” Read it multiple times to drive home that this message is personal and for you.
Beauty in the Fight
Several years ago, I was talking with a young man about the sacrament of reconciliation. He shared with me a time in his life when he struggled with sin. He explained how he prayed for God to take this sin away, and he made a commitment to go to confession. A few days after his confession, he would commit this same sin again. He prayed some more, went back to confession, and repeated the sin again. After about five times of going to confession and a lot of heartfelt prayer, he mentioned that he was finally able to close the door on that sin for good.
Despite this progress, he felt guilty for the number of times he needed to go to confession to finally close the door on that sin. I reassured him that he did not need to feel guilty because his journey was beautiful. This puzzled him at first, so I told him most people wouldn’t have persisted through such a struggle. He fought through it and showed great perseverance. Beauty in his story lies in the fight itself.
God knows we are human. He doesn’t ask us to be perfect; He asks us to keep trying because He is still here. For the divine healing of all our wounds, He is the answer. For all our questions and uncertainties, He is the answer. When we wonder where the joy and peace we feel in life comes from, He is the answer. When we struggle with worth and ask ourselves who could possibly love us, He is the answer. In those terrifying moments when we feel completely alone and ask, either meekly or angrily, “Are you still there, Lord?” He is still the answer.
Be Still and Encounter Christ
The next question we need to consider is, “How and when will I encounter Him?”
Praying any time and in any place is perhaps the easiest way to encounter Him. Attend Mass, go to reconciliation and spend time in adoration.
Another powerful way to encounter Him, pause, find stillness, reflect and be renewed in His presence occurs on Aug. 9, 2025, at the Diocese of La Crosse’s “Still the Answer!” eucharistic rally.
This event will take place at the Pablo Center in Eau Claire and will bring together Catholics from across the diocese for a day of faith, fellowship and encounter like no other.
This year’s rally is designed to enkindle your love for the Eucharist and deepen your faith, reminding us that Jesus walks with us through every joy, sorrow and challenge of life. Whether you seek inspiration, healing or simply a day to reconnect with Christ, this event is for you!
On June 7, 2024, the Diocese of La Crosse hosted “The ANSWER” eucharistic rally, which united 3,200 people from across the 19 counties of the diocese, and far beyond, to an encounter with Him. Throughout the eucharistic rally—during the Mass, the concert and the time of adoration—attendees expressed a deep sense of joy and longing for more. “Please don’t wait long to do another one,” one participant urged. Another added simply, “We want more of this.” Even those who were unable to attend on June 7 shared their hope that there will be future opportunities to take part.
And that hope? It didn’t just drift off into the ether. People kept talking about it and praying about it. The Holy Spirit stirred something, not just in one or two hearts, but across the diocese. Bit by bit, that spark of desire turned into a plan—and before long, another rally began to take shape. Not because it was on someone’s to-do list, but because so many people genuinely hungered for it. And so, there is one—and it’s called “Still the ANSWER.”
This earthly journey isn’t easy, and we all wrestle uncertainty, noise and distractions. But the answer for us, our families, our parishes and our world has always been, and will always be, the same. His name is Jesus.
Our “Still the ANSWER” rally is an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and rediscover the peace, strength and love found in the Eucharist. Come and be part of this powerful movement of faith. Bring your family, your friends, your parish community. Open your heart to Christ and allow Him to renew your spirit!
Rally Details & Info
What to Expect:
- A river walk eucharistic procession through the streets of Eau Claire, bringing Christ into the heart of the city
- Mass with Bishop Battersby, uniting us in worship and thanksgiving
- Dynamic speakers who will inspire and challenge you to grow deeper in your faith
- Live music from Luke Spehar to uplift and energize your spirit
- Eucharistic adoration—a sacred time to rest in the real presence of Jesus
How does the scripture passage, “Be still and know that I am God” relate to this event?
The word “still” in the phrase “Still the Answer” carries a double meaning.
1. “Still” signifies that our Lord is the Answer, has always been the Answer and will always be the Answer.
2. The word “still” in the Scripture passage invites us to quiet our hearts and allow Jesus to calm the storms in our lives. One of the most important practices during eucharistic adoration is to be still and let our Lord gaze upon us, speaking to us in the silence of our hearts. The title “Still the ANSWER” encourages us to be still and recognize that our Lord is the answer to everything.
What can I do to prepare for this event?
Please pray. For our diocese, that this rally may invite the Holy Spirit’s powerful presence and fire. For the stirrings within us to participate, join and bring others that are already underway, perhaps not even yet known. For those faithful who are planning the gathering in matters large and small, that their minds always be focused not on any earthly goal or recognition but only on Him.
Bring people to encounter. First, bring yourself! Then, invite others to join. The Pablo Center, where the event will be held, seats about 1,200 people. Now imagine if each person reached out to three others—to invite them to Mass, to pray with them or simply to check in and remind them they are loved. And then those three did the same.
Most of our Faith’s most holy events were marked by gathering, and so we will gather together on Aug. 9. We will see you on Aug. 9 at the Pablo Center in Eau Claire, where we unite together and worship our Lord.
Registration Information:
Cost is $20 per person. Free for ordained clergy (priests, deacons, religious, consecrated individuals
and seminarians) from the Diocese of La Crosse
By Chris Rogers, Director of the Office for Family Life
Published in the Summer 2025 issue of Catholic Life Magazine