We have forgotten Christ’s Victory, and so are left with only Death and Corruption, apparently unchallenged. A society that celebrates death and corruption for its own sake is, I submit, a society in deep, deep trouble.
Put Not Your Trust in Princes, or, The Autumn of Our Discontent
"My kingdom is not of this world," Jesus says to Pontius Pilate (John 18:36). Our journey to that kingdom lies along a via dolorosa in this one: we can depend upon the powers of this world to save us no more than Jesus could rely on Pilate to save him from Calvary.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Spiritual Warrior
St. Ignatius urges us to “Find God in All Things”, which is one of the major themes of his Spiritual Exercises and Ignatian Spirituality in general. St. Thérèse, it seems to me, takes that a step further and asks us to then serve God in all things.
Archangels, St. Jerome, Morality, And God’s Law
Parker finds fault with both the Statists on the left and the Libertarians on the right who see the government per se as the issue, as if adding more government or radically cutting it will alone solve our social problems. No, “you can’t have a free society that is not also a virtuous society”
Vittoria Aleotti: Io v’amo vita mia
The claim that Christianity has historically been used as weapon against women, a tool to keep them down, is a falsehood, a smear against the Church. The charge misses the point, first of all, because Christ didn't come to offer anyone advancement in this world, but to draw all of us, women and men alike, deeper into … Continue reading Vittoria Aleotti: Io v’amo vita mia
Why Would You Want Satan As A Mascot?
In their case the god of this world [the Devil] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4) I don't watch professional sports these days, as their main appeal was always as a … Continue reading Why Would You Want Satan As A Mascot?
We Came, We Saw . . . God Conquered – Jan Sobieski and The Holy Name of Mary
Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God." (Mark 10:27) Many of us are upset, quite rightly, that twenty years after our intervention in Afghanistan, we seem to have accomplished little aside from the deaths of several thousands of our young men … Continue reading We Came, We Saw . . . God Conquered – Jan Sobieski and The Holy Name of Mary
Be Sober and Vigilant: You-Know-Who is Prowling
Jesus is not at all hesitant about reminding his followers that discipleship is not a warm and fuzzy business. On the contrary, he says: “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” (Matthew 5:11) It’s going to happen.
Kyrie from Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis
When we think of Beethoven, Sacred Music might not be the first thing that comes to mind . . . but what he did compose was, as we might expect, moving, powerful, and simply beautiful.
A Dynamic Trio: St. Augustine, St. Monica & St. Ambrose
St. Monica softened Augustine’s heart, and prepared the ground to receive the seeds of his conversion, but she herself was not able to plant those seeds: she could not convince her son to change his life.