You will often hear that the Creation stories in the Bible are “myths.” For some people, this is very challenging to hear. To the modern ear “myth” means “a story that is not true.” You can see this play out…
The Truth of Myth
Advent and the Apocalypse
Happy Advent! We are now in that blessed season where we prepare for Christmas. Some you have already trimmed the tree and started your Christmas shopping. Everywhere you go, you are bombarded by the constant sound of Christmas music (probably…
Set Yourself Up for Faithfulness
As Christians, we want to follow Jesus and be faithful to him: it is what is right. But as human beings, we all know that good intentions aren’t always enough to do the right thing. Doing what is right is…
Martin Luther Misunderstands Grace
Several hundred years ago, Martin Luther led a revolt that today we call the Protestant Reformation. There are several areas of contention to be found between Luther and the Catholic Church. Sadly, Luther made some very astute points about corruption…
The “Messed Up” Stories of the Bible
I was teaching the story of Sodom and Gammorah in class last week. For those unfamiliar, two angels who look like men go to the house of Lot in the city of Sodom to see if there are at least…
The Heart of Jesus
In October 2024, Pope Francis released an encyclical letter, Dilexit Nos, on the heart of Jesus. It is a good letter, full of wisdom and well worth reading. One of the things from that letter that particularly struck me is…
We Are Saved By Grace Alone
“I can earn my way to heaven.” This statement may not be something that any of us would say out loud. And yet, I bet that if I did a little questioning, I would find this assumption laying underneath my…
Augustine’s War of the Heart
“I was groaning in spirit and shaken by violent anger because I could form no resolve to enter into a covenant with you, though in my bones I knew that this was what I ought to do.” St. Augustine is…
Repent and Believe
Previously I wrote about belief and mercy, how Jesus wants to save us, and how we need to repent and believe in him. In fact, Jesus himself in the Gospels invites us to “repent and believe” [Mark 1:15]. But how?…
St. Augustine and the Attraction to Sin
“To do what was wrong simply because it was wrong – could I have found pleasure in that?” (St. Augustine, The Confessions II.4) When St. Augustine was a youth, he and his friends got the brilliant idea to steal pears…