A debate has been cooking amongst various bloggers who are atheists about whether there is such a thing as objective morality. I was interested in the observations that animals behave in a 'moral' way--elephants grieve their dead herd members, dogs stand loyally beside the grave of their dead master, monkeys share and gorillas are tender toward [...]
Click to enlarge Did you know that Ignatius of Antioch was not only appointed to the see of Antioch by Peter himself, but tradition has it that he was one of the children that the Lord took up in his arms and blessed? Ignatius of Antioch was martyred in the Roman Coliseum by being [...]
There. That headline got your attention didn't it? As usual, I'm trying to stand things on their head. This is what I mean: Be self centered. Look after the good of your own soul first and foremost. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. There are several advantages to this. First, it will stop [...]
Here's an excerpt from today's gospel, and there is something there I had never noticed before: The Lord said to him, "Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? [...]
I've got this exciting new theory I want to try out on you. I've just thought of it myself, and maybe it's old hat and been around forever, but I'm only a convert, so if it is the classical spiritual teaching of some great monastic teacher or spiritual director and I've never heard of it, then [...]
After the school Mass this morning I was showing the second graders all the stuff we use for a baptism, and I opened the aumbry and showed them the holy oils. Just the slightest touch of the holy oil canister with sacred chrism leaves a fragrance on your hands. I'm walking back across the church campus [...]
When I was a child I was taught the Sunday School song, "Trust and Obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to Trust and Obey." So this morning at Mass this song comes back to me in the reading of the gospel. It is the story of the healing of the [...]
An interesting story has popped up about miracles taking place in India. I've heard church workers report that the growth of the church in Africa is also attributed to a rush of miracles happening there. So why no miracles here? First of all, to see a miracle you have to believe in miracles. C.S.Lewis said he [...]
I know what your problem is. In fact, I know what everyone's problem is. Furthermore, I not only know the problem, I have the solution. Maybe your problem is that your are greedy or selfish or lustful. Maybe you are insecure or you are arrogant (which is another way to be insecure). Maybe you are confused [...]
My brother lives at the beach, and he was out walking the dog late one afternoon when he spotted an unusual fellow walking along the beach. He was wearing a kind of Franciscan habit, sandals and was carrying a walking stick and a big Bible. My brother engaged him in conversation. It seems the man was [...]