“Be merciful, just as your father is merciful.” – Luke 3:36 Mercy. We plead for it at every mass with the “Lord, have mercy” of the Kyrie. We often ask for God’s compassion and forgiveness in the form of His…
Mercy Sakes!
Not Quite Perfect
We all go through our trials and tribulations. At different ages the trials and tribulations change. It sometimes seems that the more grown up we get, the more complicated our trials get. The more stuff we have, the more things…
Does the Bible Inspire Your Pastoral Work?
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has dubbed this week “National Bible Week” in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum. I’m generally skeptical as to what positive outcomes…
Hasten the End
Sunday Readings for Nov 15, the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Whenever I lead a trip to the Holy Land, the question inevitably comes, “Will we visit Armageddon?’ This refers, of course, to the battlefield surrounding the ancient city of…
Purgatory ~ Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell
Between Heaven and Hell Purgatory. Of all the many misunderstood doctrines of the Catholic Church, Purgatory may be one of the most lampooned by non-Catholics and most misunderstood by Catholics themselves. When my wife and I published our first podcast, we spent some…
Remain here, and watch with me
Last month, I reflected on the first Sorrowful Mystery in light of my first morning praying outside of the local abortion clinic, as part of 40 Days for Life. I was reading and praying Rosary Army’s Scriptural Rosary and found…
Going Sideways
The kids were just right tonight in 6th grade Catechism class. Every year the children in my catechism class need a month or so to acclimate to how class works. The first meeting is always leaden- they don’t know me…
Money
This year, on Black Friday, that secular feast-day of money when people physically fight with each other in stores to buy things cheaply, you can buy a book called The Cold Hard Truth on Men, Women, and Money. This is…
Secure in Insecurity
For those who are advanced in the spiritual life and have learned to place God above all things leaving behind the cares of this world: this article is not for you. But if you are like me and you find…
The Window’s Mite
Readings for Nov 8, 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time The time lag between the two widows in this Sunday’s readings was considerable. Lots of things change in 800 years. But one thing their two societies had in common–they offered neither…