We have no king Often, the readings from the Old Testament seem directed at us. Like last week’s daily Mass readings from The Book of Amos that overflow with Israel’s –read our own–infidelities against God. And this week’s from Hosea. Listen to the reading from the Christian liturgy for Wednesday:. Israel is a luxuriant vinewhose […]
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The shame and blame game: the anatomy of sin Some books are worth reading over and over again. Karol Wojtyla’s–Pope John Paul ll’s– A Sign of Contradiction is one of those unique texts. Recently, I read A Sign of Contradiction for the third or maybe the fifth time. The book compiles Wojtyla’s meditations for the
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Stir into flame Saint Paul’s Letter to Timothy from last week’s Christian liturgy feels directed to each of the 8.1 billion living souls in this June of 2024. Although there’s controversy about authorship and dates of these letters, orthodox concensus declares it as Paul’s last letter. He writes to his successor in Ephesus, from prison.
Memorial Day and covenants Memorial Day officially kicks off summer: It’s the season of beach parties, barbeques and hot dogs. Too often, only as afterthought, those who gave their lives for this “great experiment,” are remembered. More on that excellent phrase in a moment but first some background. Memorial Day began during the Civil War.
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How do they do it? “You have two children, don’t you?” The casual question prompted an unnerving reply. “Yes, I had a son who died at thirty-seven and a daughter who died at forty-one.” Homilist, Pastor Eric Ritter at Tuesday’s six AM Saint Matthew’s Church question, “How do they do it?” was implicit. “How do
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Therapy: bad, good or none? Abigail Schrier’s new book, Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up, peels back the multlayered onion of America’s obsession with health. In this case, that of our kids. The author notes at the beginning of the book that there are kids, a small percentage, with real psychiatric problems. But
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Trust The Science: Bread Becomes Flesh “Give me bread, a Catholic priest and his prayer and I’ll show you the flesh of a human heart.” The audience of forensic scientists erupted into laughter, guffaws and mockery at the speaker’s bold claim. The commotion quieted when Dr. Ricardo Castanon Gomez mentioned the names of two attendees.
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Momento mori: sure there’s time? Time…it’s like light, air and water. We have plenty, until…we don’t. The April 8 solar eclipse that brought thousands to Texas, for just a nanosecond, revealed a darkness unlike any other. That total absence of light, reminded me of evil, also a negative: absence of goodness, of God. All of
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Cabrini, the movie and radical goodness. Saint Francesca Cabrini was a force of nature. The actress portraying the first American saint, Francesca Dell ‘Anna makes Cabrini, the movie, a tour de force. Rarely does a film make use of all of its potential. In this one, however, the acting, screenplay and cinematography in Cabrini achieve
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Why do we need church? For much of my early life, church and all that reeked of religion were anathema. As loudly as many shout “Why do we need church?” today, I did too, back during what I’ve called my lost years. And so I can appreciate the fervor with whch devoutly religious people like
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