A recent movie, A Perfect Storm, demonstrated the power of nature. The human characters, even with all of the modern technology of powerful boats and advanced communication and weather technology, were no match for the storm. Biblical people would certainly understand that. They knew themselves to be puny (Zoar in the story of Lot) compared… Read More »

I met some members of the “emerging new forms of religious life” once. They were monastic but unlike monks in the past they put their foundations in the midst of the city. Their intention was to create ripples of Godliness that would impact the neighborhood and create a counter-narrative to the bad news of violence… Read More »

You heard about the pig and the chicken walking down the road past a diner? There was a sign in the window “Bacon and Eggs $5.” Isn’t that nice, said the chicken, we’re featured. Nice for you, answered the pig. You only have to make a contribution. I have to make a commitment. In St.… Read More »

When you visit Rome the figures of Saints Peter and Paul are everywhere. Although they did not bring Christianity to the City they are the foundational figures for the faith for Rome and, hence, for the entire Catholic world. They never ministered together; however, since the earliest days their Feast day has been celebrated together.… Read More »

The Feast of the Sacred Heart is a recent addition to the Church’s calendar. Although there is a long tradition of honoring the loving heart of Jesus it was not until the visions of St. Margret Mary Alacoque in 1673 that there was wide-spread devotion. This was the time of Jansenism in France — a… Read More »

For the past few weeks the readings were from the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7. The Sermon consists in descriptions of the proper behavior of the followers of Jesus: the Beatitudes, “turn the other cheek,” prayer, fasting, almsgiving, forgiving one’s enemies, trust in God, stop judging. Jesus ends the sermon with this warning: “Not… Read More »

For the next three weeks the assigned reading for the day is from the stories of the Patriarchs — Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — in the Book of Genesis. The saga begins with Abram (not yet re-named Abraham) and Sarai (soon to be Sarah) as immigrants. They leave their homeland in search of a better… Read More »

“Enter through the narrow gate.” These words of Jesus warn us against “cheap grace,” in Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s lapidary phrase. Pastor Bonhoeffer wrote: “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession…Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”… Read More »

The celebration of the birth of John the Baptist is an ancient one in the Church. Jesus and Mary’s births are the only others included in the liturgical calendar which testifies to the importance of John the Baptist. The lesson we can take from this day is found in the neighbors of Zachariah and Elizabeth… Read More »

During some previous crisis in the Church – and crises do seem to come with some regularity — I asked my mother why she remained a Catholic. “Holy Communion,” was her immediate response. That resonated with me. The Holy Eucharist is the center of my spiritual life. Is it yours as well? Receiving Holy Communion… Read More »