Blog of the Archdiocese of Washington
The Easter Vigil so recently celebrated provides a rich fare for reflection. Alas, its memories pass so quickly. The shadowy yet wonderful Easter Vigil is the greatest and most elaborate liturgy of the Church year. Due to its length and late hour, many Catholics have never rejoiced in the somber glow of its initial moments …
Continue reading “Pondering Some of the Teachings of the Easter Vigil in its Afterglow”
Let’s continue our consideration of the Passion with a text describing the aftermath of Jesus’ crucifixion. The Gospel of Matthew recounts four immediate results of Jesus’ death, and while they describe historical events, they also signal deeper spiritual truths. And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. …
N.B.: I am in the Holy Land at this time. As my travel schedule is heavy, I am republishing some articles about life in Jesus’ day. I hope you will enjoy reading (or re-reading) them as much as I did. The word family had a wider meaning both in Aramaic and in Hebrew than it …
I remember once being amused to hear that a 19th century Franciscan theologian (whose name I cannot recall) wrote a six-volume set called “The Life of St. Joseph.” How could one possibly get enough material to fill six volumes? We know so little about Joseph from Scripture. He seems to have been the strong, silent …
The well-known story of Lazarus and the rich man was read at Mass this morning (Thursday of the Second Week of Lent). On one level the message of the story seems plain enough: neglecting the poor is a damnable sin. However, there are other important teachings: about death, judgment, Heaven, and Hell. Those teachings are …
Continue reading “Learning the Lessons of Lazarus and the Rich Man”
Sunday’s Gospel about the temptation of Jesus in the desert by Satan evokes several questions. The answers I propose are not intended to be a theological treatise, but rather a pastoral reflection. I. Why does God permit temptation? God does not permit any evil or problem unless it can serve some greater good. In the …
The themes of early Lent are pretty basic. The ashes of Ash Wednesday announce the simple truth that we are going to die and subsequently face judgment. Hence we need to repent and come to believe the good news that only Jesus can save us. The reading for Thursday after Ash Wednesday features Moses laying …
At Saturday’s daily Mass (Saturday of the 7th Week of the Year) we read a beautiful reflection on the dignity and glory of the human person. It is deserving of deep meditation. This is especially true today, when some want to reduce humans to nothing more than “smart apes.” Ponder with me this passage from …