Blog of the Archdiocese of Washington
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”
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, …
Continue reading “A Battle You Can’t Afford to Win – The Story of Jacob’s Conversion”
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 …
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. …
Continue reading “A Bad Day in the Pulpit for Jesus? A Homily for the 14th Sunday of the Year”