Antisemitism as spiritual evil “Prejudice means racism,” my friend insisted, reacting to my remark that we’re all prejudiced. About something, maybe many things. “No. It doesn’t. Think about the word itself: prejudge. It implies an opinion based not on fact or experience but “prejudgment,” closemindedness. Since her look was skeptical, I’m not sure I ever […]
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I know nothing about love I’d been Catholic for just a few months when the young priest approached me in the empty church. Everyone had left after the morning Mass but I stayed on my knees staring at the crucifix. The priest who would become my first spiritual director asked, “Are you okay?” With tears
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Do you not know that life is a soldier’s service? The stirrings of Greek Stoic’s Epictetus philosophy were formed by his early subjugation as slave to Nero’s secretary, Epaphroditus. Freed after Nero’s death, Epictetus went on to write his Discourses and the Stoic Manual: the Enchiridion. Although Epictetus had never been a soldier, his slavery immersed him in the battleground that
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The awful simplicity of sin Isn’t it strange when something we’ve repeatedly read and/or heard in the liturgy one day seems to shout out at us? As in STOP, PAY ATTENTION!! Monday’s reading was from the Book of Daniel and if we listen closely, brings sorrow, if not shame. Why? Because we see ourselves. The
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The world: The Great Yes and the Great No It’s a cryptic but arresting phrase, isn’t it: The great yes and the great no? I tripped on it while searching for something online a couple of weeks ago. After listening twice to a ten-year-old homily of Bishop Barron’s called—you guessed it—The Great Yes and the
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In praise of inequality Title grab your attention? Good. Because the notion of universal equality is irrational and foolish. Perhaps even sinful if done against God’s Law. In praise of inequality!! Take just a moment and look about God’s creatures and creation: the massive inequality of it. A hike in the woods or the mountains
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The use and misuse of power. When we see a phrase like this, we think of powerful persons, institutions or some kind of disaster, don’t we? The use and misuse of power connotes vastness. Someone Huge! Something colossal! We sure don’t think of ourselves—our reason, will or our intellect as method for the use and
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The loss of context: Pope Benedict and Islamophobia If you’re wondering why I’d add another opinion, analysis or virtual eulogy to the many thousands already published about the death of Pope Benedict, I understand. Especially since I’m woefully ignorant of this man, his thoughts and writings. Of over 200 published books, I’ve read one. Of Pope
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Let’s get away from the crowd Time goes so fast, doesn’t it? These blessed days of Advent are slipping away far too quickly. Christmas Day’s a week from today! And there are numerous holy practices still to be done. Let’s get away from the crowd and use these days to make straight the path of
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The Patron Saint of Politicians: Thomas More In the year 2000, then Pope John Paul ll declared that many leaders of nations, states, and governments had asked him to proclaim Saint Thomas More the Patron of Statesmen and politicians. The Pope’s Apostolic Letter which details the proclamation, begins: The life and martyrdom of Saint Thomas More have
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