Blog of the Archdiocese of Washington
Those of you who read my posts regularly know that I have often expressed great fascination with and affection for the pets I have had over the years. I am in awe of the whole of the created order, which proclaims God’s glory. However, there are important distinctions between the human person and the created …
Continue reading “Of Dolphins and Man: The Vast Difference between Animals and Humans”
The video below is a trailer for an upcoming movie. I can’t comment on the full context of the movie (since it hasn’t yet been released), but there are several important messages in the trailer. Allow it to bring forth in you a salutary fear; don’t be fascinated by the cheap parlor tricks of Satan …
In today’s Gospel Jesus defines four Demands of discipleship. We can look at them one by one. I. The CONTEXT of the discipleship. The text says that large crowds were following Jesus and so he turned to address them. Just about any time you find a mention of a large crowd fasten your seat belts …
Continue reading “Four Depictions of Discipleship – A Homily for the 23rd Sunday of the Year”
In the first reading from today’s Mass (Wednesday of the 22nd Week) St. Paul warns that the faithful should not esteem the preacher too highly. Esteem the Lord, who was able to speak through Balaam’s donkey. If God can use a donkey to preach, then one should not be too enamored of the particular human …
We human beings are inclined to thinking categorically and absolutely. But not all (or even most) categories are absolute. Is there such a thing as absolute goodness, with no error admixed? Yes, most assuredly. God is so, as are the saints He has perfected in Heaven. But is there such a thing as absolute evil, …
Continue reading “Is There Such a Thing as Pure Evil? Here’s What St. Thomas Says.”
We are currently reading from St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians in daily Mass, and given the focus of on the “end times,” it might be good to review certain basic Catholic teachings on this matter, the theology of which is called eschatology. The Catholic approach to the end times is different from that …
Continue reading “Essential Catholic Teachings on the End Times”
In daily Mass this week (21st Week of the Year) we are reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians. I thought it might be helpful to present some notes I have assembled over the years from various sources. My goal is to bring the text a bit more alive and to provide …
In the readings today the Lord describes a danger: our tendency to make light of judgment and not be sober that one day we must account for our actions. In the first reading the Lord sets forth His desire to save us, but we must understand that our will, our yes, is essential to our …
Continue reading “Sober and Serious about Salvation – A Homily for the 21st Sunday of the Year”