Many of us know of people who are addicted to drugs. Many other people are addicted to pornography. Addictive drugs and pornography are harmful things that we would do well to go without. Some people are addicted to alcohol, and…
Addiction and Christianity
Living in the Real World
I recently saw a nice little movie called Ron’s Gone Wrong, which was a parable about how technology and social media have created a deeper sense of depression and alienation in children. For those of us who were raised before…
The Christmas Family
In a few days, we will be celebrating Christmas. For many of us this holy day is centered around our families. While God is always at the center of all things, the focus on family is absolutely appropriate. Our Lord…
Difficulties in Prayer
Being a Christian is not easy. We know a certain amount of difficulty comes with the Christian life: difficulties in doing good; opposition from the world; efforts to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus. But there are…
Reflections on the Immaculate Conception
This week we will be celebrating the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. We Catholics believe in the Dogma that the Virgin Mary was conceived without Original Sin. Some of our Protestant brothers and sisters sometimes misunderstand this dogma. They infer…
Killing Them With Kindness
One thing I have learned about bullies: they want a reaction from you. Many of us were bullied in school at some point. Perhaps we were singled out because of our size, our looks, or our personalities. I’m sure I…
Dealing with Negative Comments
One of the biggest challenges of saying things on social media is dealing with the comments. The problem is not the comments that are supportive, or the comments that genuinely seek after the truth. It’s the other ones. You know…
Guard Against Casual Cruelty
I was reflecting on the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. It began like this: “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid…
Analogies and the Trinity
The Trinity is at the heart of the Christian Faith. We Christians believe that God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We do not believe in three gods. Like our Jewish ancestors in faith, we are monotheists,…
Story-Telling
Story-telling is a basic part of being human, and we humans are also story-makers. Our lives have a beginning, a middle, an end, a cast of characters, a plot. While every human culture includes storytelling, not all cultures tell the…