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…
Jesus and the Rich Man Part 1
Belief and Mercy
The Gospels speak often of how belief in Jesus is needed for a person to be saved. For example, consider John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should…
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…
Mercy
We are not really OK, and we know it. Even the great apostle Paul writes, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”[Romans 7:15] Is…
Can You Compromise The Right To Life?
We are now in a presidential election year after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The question of abortion will be on the ballot in a way that we have not seen in a long time. As I’ve written about…
The Resurrection Community
Christ is Risen! Alleluia! We are an Easter people who live in the light of Christ’s Resurrection. While it is essential that we enter into His Passion, we must never forget that the story continues past the cross and through…
Currency in the Gospels
In the gospels, amounts in monetary currency show up fairly often. Jesus uses currency in some of his examples, and it comes up in some of the events of his ministry. But currency in first century Palestine is very different…
Where Did the Bible Come From? Part 3
Some people oversimplify the truth by becoming fundamentalists. This means that they read every part of the Bible as literally true in all parts. This is straightforward and simple to understand. But this ignores all of the important contexts. Have…
Where did the Bible Come From? Part 2
It is important to understand that we do not mean that the Bible was dictated by God, as if the human author had no control or influence. Inspiration does not mean some kind of divine version of demonic possession where…
God Who Offers Eternal Life
The eternal life God offers to human beings is God himself. Yet God, although infinite and eternal, does not overwhelm or absorb us, but instead he gives himself to us, to be with us forever, to be in us, and…