When my wife Rosemary and I were new parents, we regularly prayed and attended Mass. God was no doubt at the center of our lives. But as we strived to pay the mortgage, to raise the children in a loving, enriching environment and to advance our start-up law firm we certainly were not the lilies in the field without a care about tomorrow.

Twenty years have passed. We are blessed with material success and its accoutrements, but that success often makes it equally challenging to remain carefree like the birds in the air. The shiniest new object, whether it’s a new expenditure or new investment, can divert our attention away from the focus on the ultimate reward, the Kingdom of God.

Since our daughter, Emilia, entered Notre Dame, we have discovered a deeper appreciation for the spirit of Matthew’s Gospel. We now openly discuss our faith with other Notre Dame parents, pray at liturgies in the Basilica, regularly visit the Grotto, and share uplifting meals with clergy. While Notre Dame is an idyllic spiritual place, our commitments require that we return home.

But each time we return from campus, we bring back with us a deeper faith, a growing humility, and a more carefree, Christ-centered approach to life. Indeed, we weave through our earthly distractions by praying with the children on the way to school, saying a daily rosary even if it’s by audio at the gym, and, irrespective of our location, holding hands before each meal in a communal devotion.

Avoiding the worries of tomorrow, practicing empathy in our daily lives, and having confidence that our heavenly Father will always feed us takes real effort. But the power of this amplified prayer life gives us an irrefutable return on our efforts when we begin to live in Christ-centered peace.