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How Do You Dress for Church? Some Helpful Encouragement from a New Video

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 …

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Five Fundamental Freedoms for the Christian Evangelizer

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 …

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A Battle You Can’t Afford to Win – The Story of Jacob’s Conversion

One of God’s stranger affections in the Old Testament is the special love He had for Jacob. We are currently reading this story in daily Mass. The name Jacob, according to some, means “grabber” or “usurper.” Even in the womb, he strove and wrestled with his twin brother Esau. And although Esau was born first, …

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The Most Essential Question of Every Liturgy – A Meditation on a Teaching From Joseph Ratzinger

There is a legend of how the liturgy and the Faith took hold in Rus (Russia). Prince Vladimir of Kiev was seeking a right worship for his people and sent representatives to look into various faiths and also liturgies. When emissaries went south to observe the Greek Christian Liturgy, they returned saying that they were not sure …

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A Bad Day in the Pulpit for Jesus? A Homily for the 14th Sunday of the Year

The gospel today portrays the Lord Jesus as preacher and prophet. But as we shall see, even the greatest preacher in the world, Jesus, can find His powerful and precious words falling lifeless on the rock hard surface of many a soul. Yes, even His words can meet with resistance and hostility, indifference and ridicule. …

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Awesome or Awful? A Reflection on the Mosaic of Christ in Majesty at the Basilica in Washington

I’ve been spending quite a bit of time at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception here in Washington recently, due to ordinations and other special occasions. As I walk up the main aisle I never fail to be moved by the scene above the apse of Christ in majesty. (See one of my photos to the right.) …

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In Times Like These – A Scriptural Guide for Troubled and Confused Times

There’s an old hymn that says, “In times like these, you need a Savior, in times like these, you need an anchor. Be very sure, be very sure, Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock.” And indeed, there are very few faithful Catholics who are not astonished and dismayed at the rapidity of decline into …

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On Reverence and Reserve in the Holy Liturgy – A Meditation on an Instruction by St. Cyprian

In the Office of Readings we are currently sampling from a treatise on the Lord’s Prayer by St. Cyprian. One of those readings earlier this week offered some cautionary notes on what might be termed “reverential reserve” when celebrating the Sacred Liturgy. Before quoting St. Cyprian, I’d like to make some observations regarding the role of culture and history. Of course, dear …

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