Readings for October 26, 2014: 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time They are at it again. In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus’ opponents enlist a lawyer to do what lawyers do best- ask a question that puts a person on the hot…
The Radical Rabbi and the Great Commandment
What’s Your Golden Calf?
“And when he had received them, he fashioned them by founders’ work, and made of them a molten calf. And they said: These are thy gods, O Israel, that have brought thee out of the land of Egypt.” Exodus 32:4…
How to Evangelize Like Pope St. John Paul II
Pope St. John Paul II, whose feast we celebrated this week, is the Pope of the New Evangelization. He encouraged people in the Church to break out of their mold by going out into the world to spread the Good…
Small Groups: The Best Most Dangerous Thing That Can Happen to Your Parish
I was recently invited to sit in on a small-group faith formation session at a parish in my diocese. It was everything you could hope for, truly a picture of what is best in the revival of the Catholic faith…
Our Newest Beatified Pope: Paul VI
I’ll be honest. I’m pretty sure I had no idea who Pope Paul VI was until I was in my mid-20s. I mean, I’d heard of some Catholic high schools named after him, but I went to public school so…
Render to Caesar
Readings for October 19, 2014: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Despite their flattering words, they were trying to trap him, to force him into a no win situation. Consider the circumstances. They are living under the iron boot of a…
Go to Joseph
As I knelt before the altar, the painting’s inscription grabbed my heart, “Go to Joseph.” Simple, yet profound. How many times over the years had I “gone to Joseph,” pleading with him that a request be worthy of yet another…
Pockets of Prayer
If you are too busy to pray then you are too busy. But really, how can you fit it all in? That was once my question until I learned to find pockets of time in my day with which…
Don’t Worry, Trust God: A Shining Light of Hope for the Anxious
“Never worry about anything; but tell God all your desires of every kind in prayer and petition shot through with gratitude, and the peace of God which is beyond our understanding will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ…
On the Necessity of Petition Prayer
In a previous article, I wrote about how there is no prayer too small to be brought before the throne of God. I wanted to follow up a bit more about the concept of petitionary prayer and why we need…