Why does God let bad things happen? “God allowed it to happen so that good might come of it.” I have heard this rationalization many times and as one who has experienced the deep injustice of a malicious act – my mother was murdered nearly forty years ago – I feel I have a claim … Read more
The theory of anthropogenic (man-made) global warming has been accused of being a much exploited neo-pagan myth. The problem is that the myth issue eclipses our Christian duty as stewards of the Earth. In my humble opinion, just because there is evidence to justify flushing global warming down the drain doesn’t mean we should let stewardship drown with it. The fact that the Vatican recently appears to be truly concerned about global warming should not detract from the fact that it has always preached stewardship.[…]
Rubrics ((What is a rubric? Rubrics are instructions and rules (laws really) that are inserted into the Breviary and Missal to guide bishops, priests or deacons in the Eucharistic liturgy, the administration of sacraments and sacramentals, and the preaching of the Word of God. Literally rubrica means red earth, specifically it is that red earth … Read more
What a fantastic and often underestimated gift the Lectionary is! Each day the Lectionary juxtaposes readings from Moses and the Prophets with the Gospels in order that we may hear Christ’s messianic mission pronounced clearly. Each time I read the daily readings I consider what purpose the Church had in mind and often I find … Read more
“…Hence it is important to avoid the secularisation of clergy and the ‘clericalisation’ of the laity”[…]
So I think that this idea has merit… that the Apostles bore and raised the Church as Mary bore and raised Jesus. That brings up the question, when was the Church conceived rather than born or instituted (Jesus instituted the Church at His Ascension Mat 28:18-20)? It may be that the Church was announced at the Transfiguration, conceived at the Last Supper, labored for at the Crucifixion and born at the Resurrection. Indeed, as scripture says, this child was born quickly[…]
Yet I can’t help but consider that it is because goodness itself (God) entered history by becoming man, suffering, dying and rising, that evil has any limit at all. It seems to me that the greatest evil that can be done has indeed been done to God. It is precisely because of the perfect goodness of God that evil has its limit.[…]
As I looked I saw some small crumbs of the Blessed Sacrament on the altar cloth. Startled, I reached out too pick up the crumbs and place them in the ciborium but my friend invited me to look closer. Instantly I was able to see the altar more clearly and became aware of many smaller crumbs like course sand or like a constellation of stars but all of one size spread unevenly over the entire altar cloth…. “how do I possibly pick up all of them?”[…]
…since the subconscious mind is impartial the dreams we sometimes have can inform us of our conscience especially when we are suppressing it…. If you are interested in a Catholic book on dreams here is one with an imprimatur[…]
Moving deeper toward the dark center of this place I saw many, many hundreds of thousands of people with snakes burrowing through their bodies, moving in and out of their flesh like worms in viscous mud. The people there stood nearly catatonic, not dancing at all but still as if completely given over to the movements of the serpents. The people’s heads were turned upward and their mouths open as if dry from thirst. But no water was given them.[…]
At once I am aware that the workshop is Joseph’s but also metaphorically the workshop of the Father in heaven. We get there instantly, and the Child Jesus explains, “We build many things here, my father and I.” I am aware that this means also that He and His Devine Father made all things. I notice a stain on a length of wood and Jesus responds, “Yes, it is my blood.[…]
But this wound is different than the ordinary kind. It is a sign of contradiction in every sense of the phrase. First, it is a contradiction in the way that the cross of the crucifix is visually a contradiction, having a horizontal line that intersects a vertical line. The moment that the phrase “delightful wound” crosses the mind it intersects the heart with the enigmatic question, “what (or who) is this?” Second[…]