Any Miracles At All . . . Well, have you seen any miracles? How many of us would know it if we had? The Jesuit Gerard Manley Hopkins, whose formation taught him to See God in All Things, wrote: Glory be to God for dappled things – For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow; … Continue reading Seen Any Miracles Lately?
St. Thomas Aquinas on Miracles
Most of us have little expertise on miracles. And yet it's a topic that comes up often in Catholic discussions. Needless to say, a lot of confusion can ensue. It seems helpful to have something handy that is short, to the point, and clarifying. St. Thomas Aquinas has provided us with just that in his Summa Contra Gentiles.
The Power of Prayer is Real Power
That is not to say that we discount the possibility of miraculous intervention (see below). But our prayers in response to human tragedies, for the most part, address things that are beyond the reach of any laws or “systematic approaches” we can enact in this world.
The Stench of Death: 5th Sunday of Lent
The Stench of Death The Stench of Death pervades the liturgy on this 5th Sunday of Lent. And not just figuratively. Consider today's Gospel. Jesus approaches the tomb of his friend Lazarus, who had been buried four days earlier. When Jesus instructs those present to move away the stone sealing the tomb, Lazarus' sister Martha … Continue reading The Stench of Death: 5th Sunday of Lent
Laetare, Jerusalem: 4th Sunday of Lent
Laetare Sunday represents more than a break midway through Lent. It's a demarcation, showing us that something is changing. It's a last breath of fresh air and a final glimpse of sunlight before plunging into the depths of Passiontide. We have a reminder of God's promise as we walk with Jesus on the Way of the Cross.
Well and Rock: 3rd Sunday of Lent
Allegorically, as St. Paul tells us, the Rock represents Jesus. Jesus himself tells us in the passage from John that the "water" he provides is, in fact, eternal life. The moral meaning of the Moses story is that, even when things look hopeless, God will provide. Anagogically, that only Jesus can provide true life, eternal life.
Stay the Course: 2nd Sunday of Lent and Purgatory
We can see today's readings as encouragement to stay the course, to persevere. This applies not only to the disciplines of the next few weeks. It also applies more broadly to the course of entire life.
Hail, Queen! Ave Regina Caelorum
The trials of Lent, and by extension of our earthly life, are the necessary road between the two. What better to contemplate in our last waking moments of the day in this penitential season than the Glory at the end of the journey?
Be Vigilant At All Times
These visible flaws don’t simply remind us that God is perfect, of course. Their purpose is also to remind us that we ourselves are radically imperfect. Not simply morally flawed, but incomplete without God.
Christ’s Food vs. Adam’s: Ash Wednesday
But there it is: Adam’s selfish choice brought death to mankind, while Christ’s self-sacrifice brings life. When we eat the Body of Christ, we counteract what Adam ate.