“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…
St. Augustine and the Attraction to Sin
Man Was Made For The Sabbath
In the Gospels, the Pharisees complain about Jesus performing miracles on the Sabbath. Our Lord famously turns to them and says “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.” (Mark 2:27). Jesus says this to refute the…
“I Have Only On Thing To Do Today.”
We are busy. I do not know when you are reading this, but I imagine that you are in between your many important activities of this day. From the moment we wake until we fall asleep, our lives are filled…
Three Types of Atheist Arguments
There are few American Catholic writers that I have read more than Dr. Peter Kreeft. I even wrote him a fan letter calling him “an American CS Lewis.” In my years as a teacher, I have found his wisdom, holiness,…
A Gold Medal in Blasphemy
A few days ago, the 2024 Summer Olympics began in Paris, France. To the shock and disgust of Christians around the world, it began with a recreation of The Last Supper. But this time Christ was replaced by a woman…
The Eucharist: Adventures in Space and Time
Allow me to offer a small reflection on the Eucharist. Often when I receive Communion, I reflect on the connection that this creates between all Catholics in the world. When I was a child, my pastor explained the Eucharist in…
New Evangelizers Post: Jesus and the Rich Man Part 3
Peter then states that, “We have given up everything and followed you.” (Mk 10: 28) In Matthew’s Gospel, this statement is followed up with, “What shall we have, therefore?”(Mt 19:21) This question appears to be implied from this statement of…
Jesus and the Rich Man Part 2
“At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.” (Mk 10:22) This story is a foil to the discipleship calls found earlier in the Gospel. In Mark 1, Peter, Andrew, James, and John…
Jesus and the Rich Man Part 1
Mark 10:17-31 tells the story of the Rich Man and Christ’s teaching on wealth. The story begins with the transitional phrase, “As He was setting out on a journey…” (Mk 10:17). This acts as a separating phrase that distinguishes this…
Theology and the Magisterium
A little while ago, the CDF released a document, Donum Veritatis, which addresses primarily theologians and the magisterium and how the two interact. The magisterum is the teaching authority of the Church, which is given to the pope and the…