Sunday Readings for June 12, 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Protestants say we’re justified by faith. Some Catholics say we’re saved by good works. But what does the Bible say? The Bible – it’s neither. And it’s both. At the…
Faith vs. Works? Paul, the Pharisee, and the Alabaster Jar
Be a Sheep!
Don’t be a sheep! I am not a sheep! I think for myself! You’re all just a bunch of sheep! We see it on signs and bumper stickers. We hear it and read it. We’re told by the world not…
The Good Father
One of Jesus’ most famous stories is of a father and two sons. The story is known as the story of the “Prodigal Son”, but it is more truly about the “Good Father”. In the story, the younger son asks…
Review: The Healing Power of a Father’s Blessing
I wish my father had read The Healing Power of a Father’s Blessing by Linda Schubert. He parented his three daughters from a distance, following the familiar pattern of how he was raised. Oh, Daddy was in town, working six…
The Lord’s Prayer Part 7 – We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are
“And lead us not into temptation…” This may seem like a strange request of Our Father in Heaven. After all, He is not the tempter. Satan is the one who tempts us to damnation. So why do we ask Him…
Stop the Social Wars
I admit that I was late joining the Facebook craze. I really didn’t see the point of hanging out online posting what I ate for breakfast or what I watched on TV last night. The people I knew who did…
Do Whatever He Tells You
“Do whatever He tells you.” That is the advice Mary gave to the servants at the wedding at Cana, but it speaks to everyone who wants to follow Jesus. Christians should rejoice that the path to holiness is that simple,…
Five Books for Summer Reading
In my home, my family is officially on summer vacation! For us, it means a shift in our routine and schedule. We don’t have to wake up as early in the mornings, and we certainly don’t have to worry about…
Eucharist in the Head and Heart
Editor’s Note: This is a re-post from last year; I thought it fit give that we celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi last Sunday. My son just received his First Holy Communion, so I’ve been thinking and talking a lot…
Imagined Evangelization vs. People-Driven Evangelization
There’s probably a universal tendency among human beings (especially organizations) to gravitate towards the known. Gravitate toward what we think we do best. To look at the world through a lens that enables us to then act and do what…