A God of Both: Tough Love and Unconditional Love

Tough Love and Unconditional Love Then let us celebrate with a feast,because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;he was lost, and has been found.’ (Luke 15:23-24)  The Prodigal Son       Who hasn't heard, or at least heard of, Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son?  I've encountered people with no experience of … Continue reading A God of Both: Tough Love and Unconditional Love

Our Goal is the Resurrection: Ain’t No Grave

Our Goal is the Resurrection Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.  (Introit for the 4th Sunday of Lent)   Our Goal is Almost in Sight      Why rejoice in the middle of Lent?  Isn't Lent a solemn and penitential season? And haven't … Continue reading Our Goal is the Resurrection: Ain’t No Grave

More Than a Building: A Church is Much, Much More

More Than a Building:                     Red Mass at the Basilica of St.s Peter and Paul, Lewiston, Maine (https://www.sunjournal.com/)   Christ is Our Model in All Things   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . … Continue reading More Than a Building: A Church is Much, Much More

Fear and Hope: Confutatis and Lacrimosa from Mozart’s Requiem

Fear and Hope are the twin themes of the "Confutatis and Lacrimosa" from Mozart's Requiem. If thou, O LORD, shouldst mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope . . . (Psalm … Continue reading Fear and Hope: Confutatis and Lacrimosa from Mozart’s Requiem

Random Selection Favors Religion, or, What Would Darwin Do?

I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live. (Deuteronomy 30:19) An Angry God Random selection appears to have doomed its most enthusiastic promoters to extinction.      I want to be clear that I am not taking issue in this post with the theory … Continue reading Random Selection Favors Religion, or, What Would Darwin Do?

Evangelism, Free Will, and the Spiritual Works of Mercy

   We live in strange times.  Never in human history has it been possible for so many people to live lives so disconnected from reality. Former Nuncio to the United States Archbishop Carlo Vigano has just released a remarkable meditation for Lent which touches on that issue.  He starts with a prayer from the Ambrosian Missal, which says … Continue reading Evangelism, Free Will, and the Spiritual Works of Mercy

Feast Your Ears and Rest Your Eyes: Sacred Music and Catholic Culture Podcasts

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. (1 Corinthians: 4-6)      St. Paul, in the well-known passage above, reminds the Corinthians that the Lord … Continue reading Feast Your Ears and Rest Your Eyes: Sacred Music and Catholic Culture Podcasts

Christ is King of All . . . Even The Holidays

Christ is King of All We know that Christ is "King of All," but do we know what that means? So Paul, standing in the middle of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.  For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I … Continue reading Christ is King of All . . . Even The Holidays