Blog of the Archdiocese of Washington
In modern times, we tend to link our notions of happiness and inner well-being to external circumstances and happenstance. We think that happiness will be found when the things of this world are arranged in the way we like. If we can just accumulate enough money and creature comforts, we think we’ll be happy and …
Continue reading “Five Steps to Better Mental Health – A Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent”
The teachings of the Lord on Hell are difficult, especially in today’s climate. I recently gave some talks at a Renewal Ministries conference in Ann Arbor Michigan and promised the participants I would repost this for their reference. When the videos of the conference come available, I will link to them. The most difficult questions …
Continue reading “Seven Teachings on Hell From St. Thomas Aquinas”
In the Sunday Gospel, the Lord Jesus speaks of crosses and crowns. The apostles have only crowns in mind, but Jesus knows the price of the crown. So, He must teach them and us that crowns—the things we value most—come only through the cross. It may help to review the context of this Gospel. Jesus …
Continue reading “No Cross, No Crown – A Homily for the the 29th Sunday of the Year”
In this Sunday’s Gospel there is a certain tension between legitimate freedom and truths we must insist upon. We also have a lot to learn in sorting out friends and foes. I. Foe or Friend? – The text begins, John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we …
Continue reading “Of Friends and Foes: A Homily for the 26th Sunday of the Year”
Many often think of exorcism only in relation to driving out demons from possessed people using ancient prayers. But, truth be told, we all have afflictions, oppressions, temptations and other negative thoughts and drives that are influenced by demons. Such influences may be direct and personal, but there are also sources of error and negativity …
The Gospel this Sunday amounts to a summons to faith by Jesus. He is summoning us to faith in Himself and in the truth He proclaims about His presence in the Holy Eucharist. Last week’s Gospel ended with Jesus declaring that He was the bread come down from Heaven. This Sunday’s Gospel opens with His …
Continue reading “Believe What Jesus Says – A Homily for the 19th Sunday of the Year”
All of the readings in this Sunday’s Mass speak of human desire. In the first reading, the Israelites in the desert are hungry, so are the people by the lakeside with Jesus in the Gospel reading, and in the Epistle, St. Paul warns of deceitful desires. In all these passages, God teaches us that our …
The readings at daily Mass this week are from Exodus and say that Moses wore a veil to cover the afterglow of God radiating from his face. In most traditional Catholic settings, we think of the veil as something a woman wears as a sign of traditional modesty. In this sense most of us consider …
Continue reading “What Is the Significance of the Veil Moses Wore?”