For as long as I can remember, I have been an “11th-hour” guy. Some might call it procrastination. I prefer to say “I thrive under deadline.” That was a marketable skill for much of my life. Now, it has become an occasionally debilitating burden. It began, commonly enough, with working on high school term papers […]
Not too long ago, I came across two seemingly different perspectives on the relationship between God’s action in our lives and our faithfulness. This question had been on my mind lately. After four years of infertility and now some roadblocks in the process of adoption, I’m starting to wonder “What gives?” I’m sure it’s a reflection […]
“May you have a happy and prosperous new year!” This warm and well- intentioned greeting in the week before and after New Year’s Day, is one we offer each other each year. It is a good thing to wish someone prosperity. God wishes His people prosperity. In the Book of Deuteronomy, we find the Jewish people […]
“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:10). “O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness, and Your mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can […]
The matter of grace is a real puzzle. There is obviously tension between the freedom of man and the providence of God, both of which are affirmed by the church. Right from the start, let me state that I do not think this enigma is fully solvable. Our minds are unfit to comprehend the interaction […]
God is love, therefore we exist. The Divine Goodness is the pulsing root of all things. We are created for communion with Him, conjured from nothingness to behold the Beautiful One. Creation is a great romance: “For You love all the things that exist” (Wisdom 11:24). The God of Jacob is not merely the Craftsman, […]
When I finished purchasing a product, the server handed me the bag and said, “Here you are; have a good day.” Remember in the Gospel story that the official came to Jesus, trying to justify himself, “An official asked him this question, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, […]
As we continue to hear of the “gloom and doom” forecasts of economic issues in theUnited States, it is good to put our focus on where it belongs — God. InMinnesota, we have a radio station that has a catchy slogan: “Keep and eye on the sky and an ear to WCCO.” We can paraphrase […]
The first readings for the daily liturgies this week tell the story of Abram and his family. On Monday, God promises that Abram’s descendents will inherit the land he has brought him to. He was seventy-five years old at this point. Tuesday, God makes the promise again.” I will make your descendants like the dust […]
Ralph McInerny was an interesting guy. (I use the past tense merely to conform to convention since he died January 29, 2010, even though it is incorrect, as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the God of the living. Mt 22, 32.) Perhaps McInerny’s widest popular notoriety came as creator of the Father […]
You know the song: Lean on me, when you’re not strong And I’ll be your friend I’ll help you carry on For it won’t be long ‘Til I’m gonna need Somebody to lean on Now: who wrote it? Don’t worry if you can’t remember. The songwriter himself said: “Nobody knows who I am. Sometimes if […]
“Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil” (Matthew 6:34). We have all heard the adage, “One day at a time”. As we noted in the last article, Jesus himself gives us this rule of life. In the middle of the Sermon on the Mount (the […]
Having a large family brings many blessings. One that might surprise some people is the blessing of not having enough money. Most people would not understand how less could be more. After all, part of the reason large families became an endangered species is because so many couples stress about money when contemplating more children, […]
The Grace and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you! We have often heard this admonition, “Take it one day at a time.” This is frequently assumed to be from the 12 Step Spirituality; however, it was straight from the mouth of Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount: […]
In the ancient world, most peoples believed in a universe that had many gods. But even without the help of biblical revelation, Greek philosophers figured something out. There could only be one Supreme Being, only one almighty and omnipotent Ruler of all, only one God. In the twelfth chapter of Luke, Jesus asks a question. […]
