Blog of the Archdiocese of Washington
For my money, the best Advent hymn ever is Veni Redemptor Gentium (Come Redeemer of the Nations), written by St. Ambrose in the 4th century. It is known more widely by the title “Come Thou Redeemer of the Earth.” Sadly, it is not widely sung in Catholic parishes. Most Catholics I’ve asked have never even …
Continue reading “Best Advent Hymn! I Wonder If You’ve Ever Heard of It”
Jesus asked a lot of questions. And rightly so, for he was a supreme teacher. And as any good teacher knows, simply supplying information is not enough. A good teacher wants to teach students to think and go probe more deeply not just the answers, but why they are true. A good teacher also wants …
Continue reading “100 Questions that Jesus asked and YOU should answer”
Part of the genius of the African-American spirituals is their ability to treat serious themes such as the final judgment in a creatively compelling manner that steers a middle course between unproductive fear and prideful presumption. Some of them are even playful: “I would not be a sinner. I’ll tell you the reason why. I’m …
Pride is a sin that is so pervasive, and that runs so deep within us, we often don’t even sense it is there. Not only is it is a sinful drive in itself, it also plays a role in every other sin we commit. It is the sin we most share with Satan and all …
Continue reading “Pondering Pride, the Most Perilous of All Sins”
To most of us, parables are stories told by Jesus to illustrate and clarify what He teaches. We have read the parables in the context of two thousand years of a tradition that interprets them in a certain way. But in their original context, parables are really more like riddles. The apostles noted that while …
Continue reading “Parables Aren’t Just Stories, Many Are Riddles – Here Are Two”
I have blogged before on Purgatory. Here is a link to one of those blogs: Purgatory – Biblical and Reasonable. I have also written more extensively on its biblical roots here: PDF Document on Purgatory. On this Feast of All Souls, I want to reflect on Purgatory as the necessary result of a promise. Many …
Continue reading “Purgatory is Based on a Promise of Jesus’”
This week on October 13 and 14th I am in Fatima. Such a profound apparition occurred there, and so accurately prophetic of our times! Our Lady’s warnings of the consequences if we did not pray and convert have proven to be sadly accurate. She warned of another, more terrible war (World War II). She spoke …
Continue reading “Our Lady of Fatima – Her Prophecies and Warnings Remain as Essential as Ever!”
What we call the Sanctus, or the Holy, Holy, Holy of the Mass is not one prayer or one acclamation, but two. And this fact presents a teachable moment for us as well as providing a defense of a practice that is often scorned by modern liturgists. The two parts of the Sanctus are as …