Blog of the Archdiocese of Washington
What are we to make of cruelty in our culture? At one level, there is demonstrably less cruelty on a daily basis. Many hundreds of years ago, before the emergence of a common civil law, settled governments, and national boundaries, villages were often overrun by roving bands of plunderers or the armies of nearby towns. …
Continue reading “Where Does Such Cruelty Come from in a Culture That Prizes Kindness?”
All of the readings in today’s Mass speak of human desire. The Israelites in the desert are hungry, so are the people by the lakeside with Jesus. And in the Epistle, St. Paul warns of corrupted desires. In all of the readings, God teaches us that our desires are ultimately directed to Him, who alone …
We have in today’s gospel the very familiar miracle of the loaves and the fishes. One is tempted to say, “Oh, that one …” and then tune out. But the gospel today contains a personal appeal from the Lord’s lips to your (my) ears: “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” Immediately, …
Last week in the Office of Readings we read of the struggles of Elijah the Prophet, who spent his life fighting the influence of the Canaanite god Baal in Israel. Every now and again in times like these, times of cultural confusion, times when so many Catholics have fallen away from the practice of the …
The gospel today speaks to us of the priority of personal prayer. You may recall that in last week’s gospel, Jesus sent them out two by two to proclaim the Kingdom. Now they return, eager to report the progress and the graces they encountered. But as Jesus listens, he urges them (perhaps because they are …
Continue reading “Four Teachings on Personal Prayer – A Homily for the 16th Sunday of the Year”
Sometimes we like to complicate things. Every now and again it is good to simplify, to make it plain and simple. The other day it occurred to me that three words describe the well-being I have discovered in my physical, emotional, and spiritual life. They are, respectively, move, breathe, and trust. Let’s look at each …
I have written at length before on the issues of modesty and how we dress for Mass: http://blog.adw.org/2010/05/adore-the-lord-in-holy-attire-on-proper-dress-for-mass/ http://blog.adw.org/2012/04/i-miss-women-wearing-hats-and-veils-in-church-a-brief-reminiscence-of-days-gone-by/ http://blog.adw.org/2013/07/have-we-lost-reverence-in-church-these-days-how-can-we-recover-it/ http://blog.adw.org/2010/02/modesty-is-reverence-for-mystery/ http://blog.adw.org/2010/04/modesty-and-men/ Rather than repost all that commentary here, I would like to focus on a new video (thanks to Brandon Vogt and the other producers) that invites us to be more considerate about how …
Continue reading “How Do You Dress for Church? Some Helpful Encouragement from a New Video”
One of the great obstacles to effectively evangelizing is that most Christians lack the requisite freedom and simplicity of life to carry forth the task consistently and coherently. In today’s gospel, the Lord offers some counsel on what is required to evangelize effectively. As we read a gospel like this, it is tempting to think …
Continue reading “Five Fundamental Freedoms for the Christian Evangelizer”