In the instruction with Nicodemus Jesus said, “people preferred darkness to light … and do not come toward the light, so that their works might not be exposed.” When you think about all of the deeds of darkness we have seen recently — churches, synagogues and mosques attacked; shootings in schools, indiscriminate killing at malls… Read More »

According to the Acts of the Apostles the early Christians practiced a form of communism — from each according to their ability; to each according to their need. “There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property would bring the proceeds … and they were distributed to each according to need.” To… Read More »

I know next to nothing about physics but am fascinated by the discoveries in modern cosmology. As I understand it, in order to make sense of how the universe functions the scientists have postulated that there are aspects of reality they call “dark matter” and “dark energy.” They’ve never seen these entities, they don’t know… Read More »

On the first Easter night we are told that the disciples locked the doors of the place where they were out of fear. Remember the story that led up to this point (or as they would put it on TV “in a previous episode”): they had heard Jesus predict several times during his public ministry… Read More »

The founder of my religious congregation, Fr. Thomas Judge, gathered people together because of his spiritual insight that “every Catholic is called to be an apostle.” Pope Francis expresses a similar theme when he says that there is a universal call to be “missionary disciples.” The bottom line: sharing the faith is not something for… Read More »

You can sympathize with Peter and the rest of the apostles. After the dramatic events of the past days — the Last Supper, the betrayal in the Garden, the denial, the crucifixion, the empty tomb, then the astonishing experience of the Risen Jesus — they just wanted to get back to normal. “I am going… Read More »

In the Acts of the Apostles there are several long speeches by St. Peter and by St. Paul. We don’t know if they are actual transcripts but they do reflect faithfully the early preaching of the Church. The second of the sermons given by Peter begins with him fussing with the people about the need… Read More »

The well-loved story of Jesus meeting the disciples on the road to Emmaus captures in one vignette the heart of Christian worship. One comes to encounter Jesus in hearing the stories of God and in the breaking of the bread. What is missing from contemporary worship are the “burning hearts” of Cleopas and companion (Mrs.… Read More »

Mary Magdalene is known as the “apostle to the apostles.” She is the one who announced to the apostles the good news of the Resurrection. She was, in all likelihood, a woman of independent means who supported the ministry of Jesus. Her reputation as a “fallen woman” is not Biblical at all. There is a… Read More »

The Church treats the week after Easter (the Octave) as one continuous celebration of the Feast. The Gospel for each day tells a Resurrection story. The daily First Reading is taken from the Acts of the Apostles. (Actually the entire 50 days of Easter features the Acts.) The initial sermon given by St. Peter on… Read More »