Each Christmas, we retell the story of the shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night on the first Christmas eve. Angels appeared to them to tell them about the birth of Jesus in a stable at Bethlehem. They “went…
Christmas and the Good Shepherd
The Sadness of the Gospel
The word “Gospel” literally translates to “Good News.” This is because there is no better message we could hear: God has become one of us in order to give us eternal life. What could be better? And yet there seems…
St. Ignatius and Generosity
Tis the season to be giving! During this holiday season, we remind ourselves that this is a time for generosity. That is the essential purpose behind Christmas gifts. It isn’t the getting of cool new stuff, but an exercise in…
Parents, Children, Christianity and Conflict
The relationship between parents and their children can be complicated, and that is no less true in matters of Christian faith. Parents with a strong Christian faith want their children to have a strong Christian faith too, but children, as…
Advent: A Spirit of Longing
One of the things I have learned when it comes to spiritual writing is this: steal from the best. I am fortunate that I have a wonderfully profound pastor at my parish and his homily on the 1st Sunday of…
Why Was Moses’ Sin So Bad?
In my Theology class, we recently went over the sin of Moses. For those who do not recall, in Numbers 20, Moses was instructed to strike the rock with his staff so that water would miraculous flow out to the…
Does the Bible Support Abortion?
Does the Bible support abortion? I’ve started to notice a trend among my students: a hot take on an ancient Biblical text will go viral on social media (e.g. TikTok) and this will be used to defend an unorthodox position….
Faith
Much has been written and said about Christian faith, but its essence is too often only partially understood. Faith is typically described as an assent to truth, to a set of dogmas or beliefs, but the description often stops there….
Beware of the Deal
Some people seem to be Christians not because they want to know and follow Jesus, but because they’ve bought into a “deal” whereby they get something they want out of religion, and so they put in what they think they…
You Do Not Know Who Is Watching
Many decades ago there was a man who had trouble walking. He used braces on his arms to help him get from place to place. This man was a devout Catholic who would walk to mass every morning despite the…