We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, and we grow weary from the work of … Continue reading A Fool to the World
Mission
God’s Laws
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord … Continue reading God’s Laws
Good Children
When I was a child, I thought I was about as good as I could be. Now that I'm older, I've had experience of children much better than myself. The virtue of a child I have been observing children all my life, from my own childhood to those of my niblings (nephews and nieces). What … Continue reading Good Children
Christmas Mercy
The shepherd I always loved the shepherd in the creche scene who carries a lamb on his shoulders. He does this to keep it close to him, to prevent it from getting lost, to bring it to a better place. He is a symbol of Christ the Good Shepherd. According to the Prophet Isaiah, He … Continue reading Christmas Mercy
Give Out of Poverty
Sometimes, acting out of love is easy. This is when God showers us with an abundance of grace. The grace fills us so much that it overflows into every interaction. Everyone who breathes the air we breathe experiences that grace on some level. Other times, nothing is smooth. We have trouble getting out of bed. … Continue reading Give Out of Poverty
Time
Inspired by a homily by Fr. Thaddeus Hanes. Money Once a man inherited a very large sum of money from his rich, eccentric relative. A strange stipulation was on the inheritance. Every morning at 5:00 a.m., the man was to receive from the bank $86,400 in cash. He was to use the money as he … Continue reading Time
Restless Hearts
You have made us for Yourself, [O Lord,] and our heart is restless, until it rests in You. Confessions, St. Augustine of Hippo St. Augustine lived in the 4th century in North Africa. This quote from the beginning of his spiritual autobiography makes two bold statements: "You have made us for Yourself" and "our heart is … Continue reading Restless Hearts
Dialectical Learning
Some truth lives more in the doing, some in the knowing. I went to a college that used discussion as the main mode of learning for the students. To prepare for class, we would all read the same text of a great thinker, one who wrestled with the deepest questions of human existence. We would … Continue reading Dialectical Learning
Grace Overflowed
The law entered in so that transgression might increase but, where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21 Grace Overflowed The speed of evil Evil rushes towards us so quickly. For a while, everything … Continue reading Grace Overflowed
Questioning the Question
Finding the question is such an important part of the thought-process. The answer is worthless without it. When I read a book, I may not understand how the author attempted to answer the question. But if I come away with an understanding of the question, I judge that I have succeeded in reading the book. … Continue reading Questioning the Question