This experience serves as a harrowing reminder that the greatest act of service we can give someone is presence—being physically present with people. In a world that is run by commercialism and industry and schedules and social media, this idea is quite counter-cultural.
Read MoreSauron also tries many ways to dominate his enemies. He works not by marching powerful armies into the field, but by dividing and corrupting his enemies, the free people of Middle Earth. This is manifested in ways that are similar to the ways Satan works to divide and corrupt Christians.
Read MoreThe more I thought about the series, the more I thought about how the whimsy of it had captured my imagination as a child, but how I, like Susan, had “grown up” and moved to Lewis’ more mature works. But did that mean that the Chronicles were a lesser work of fiction because of this? Or was there something hidden in the pages that I was missing?
Read MoreOur redemption of fire imitates God’s redemptive work. Although all Creation is inherently good, some parts have been so twisted by the Enemy’s malice and our sin that they seem to lose much of this goodness. By using this element of Creation to bring about good things in spite of its fallen nature, we imitate our Father, who is always working to bring good out of evil. Something as simple as a campfire can and should remind us of our role in redeeming our fallen world.
Read MoreThe joyful mystery of the Incarnation is a lot to unpack. By it, man’s relationship with God was permanently changed. Formerly, in the Old Testament, God’s Chosen People had been marked by obedience to rituals and legal code. The appearance of the Messiah, however, marked the beginning of a New Testament—a fulfillment of God’s ancient promise and the institution of a new faith.
Read MoreIn the New Testament, we learn that, as a Church, we are the bride of Christ, and that like Gomer, we are continually unfaithful and adulterous. As we learn of the depths to which clerical sexual abuse has polluted the Church, the words of Hosea seem to apply to modern day Catholics just as they did to the Israelites of his day.
Read MoreAt all levels of the Church we need a return to reverence and tradition, to restore our commitment to protecting the innocent and raising up the sinful. We must seek out the fruits of the Spirit in the Sacraments, and we must pray fervently—for good and holy priests, for selfless love of God, and even for the souls of the guilty, for we are called to love even them.
Read MoreTo say that all teachings of the Church must be infallible is to misunderstand the nature of the Church, but to say that a perceived alteration of a non-infallible teaching given to the faithful constitutes a turn away from sacred tradition and the Magisterium does more harm than good.
Read MoreAs it states in Genesis, man does have dominion over the animals to care for them and to use them for sustenance. However, the mass production of animals and animal products is an entirely different concept that directly opposes the biblical duty of mankind—a case of domination versus dominion.
Read MoreWe’ve all been there – talking with friends, colleagues, family, and the subject turns to how good people had it before us. We wish we had this president again, or that time of goodwill. Yes, we undoubtedly have ties to the past – we are creatures of time and space, after all. But there’s something important and worthwhile about being grounded in the present.
Read MoreWhile President Trump’s initial comment that members of MS-13 are animals could be explained as rhetorical flare, both his doubling down on the remark and subsequent defenses of his word choice ought be more directly confronted. All mankind is created in the image of God, a fact which confers inherent dignity and value onto every human being.
Read MoreI’ve proclaimed this theme quite often over the past few articles. This is not an accident. I want to urge you, dear reader, that while this world may seem cold and hard (which it can be), that you are capable of more. The joy of life is to be found today, here, now! It’s to be found as we engage in the world around us, in perfecting and working amid the work of creation, no matter how dark and stormy it may become. If we are truly encountering the Gospel, the good news, we want to do something with it.
Read MoreThe residents of Ashland County have been deeply disturbed by the Grate case. The killings themselves are shocking enough to the people of a quiet Midwestern town. Now a jury of those townsfolk is being asked to consider whether or not the perpetrator of those heinous crimes is fit for death. With most county residents identifying as Christians, the humble community is asking itself: what to a Christian is the death of a murderer?
Read MoreThis virtue of Roosevelt has been lost in the America of today. Rarely do we see our generation simply putting their nose to the grindstone with a reckless abandon. It seems that today, to work is license to complain. Yet, Roosevelt reveled in the challenge of the daily. We must hearken back to his example. There is a stark need for balance in our lives—a balance of joy and work, beauty and courage. There is glory still to be found; we can find it.
Read MoreThe principle Narnian character, Puddleglum, is neither a lost prince nor a valiant, sword wielding mouse; instead he appears to be an average citizen of Narnia chosen for the quest simply due to his knowledge of the territory. As the story progresses, however, Puddleglum proves to be one of the best examples of faith in the whole series and a model for Christians to follow.
Read MoreIf we Christians are to be the counter culture, let’s start by showing the world how to be silent, how to be still. If we want to bring Christ to others, we can’t bring Him if we don’t know Him; and that takes conversation. Take example from Mary and learn to cultivate a daily period of silence before God, perhaps starting with the daily readings. And in doing so, we may hopefully become better contemplative souls in a world that has sadly forgotten how to be contemplative.
Read MoreChristian men need fraternity. All men do, but in a special way, Christian men desperately need it. We need a group of male peers who can support us, advise us, lift us up, and rejoice with us. With recent reflection, I’ve realized how many men have lifted me up or inspired me to greater heights simpler with their friendship. Men who ask each other about life, relationships, goals, and even as one asked me this summer “hey bro how has your faith life been?”
Read MoreThe divine mysteries as taught in Catholicism are what we ought to pursue. In a culture that consistently advocates self-interest and instant gratification, we need the Truth inherent in Catholicism to elevate us and draw us in to a two-thousand-year history that can be traced back to Jesus and the Twelve Apostles.
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