Blog of the Archdiocese of Washington
In the first reading for Tuesday’s daily Mass, there is a remarkable description of an event in the lives of Paul and Silas. And even more remarkable than the event itself is their reaction to it. Let’s pick up the story as told in Acts: The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul …
Continue reading “Happiness is an Inside Job – As Seen in the Story of Paul and Silas”
One of the struggles that many Christians experience is that the needs around us are so great, yet we are limited, both in personal strength and resources. Lurking in the back of our minds is the notion that whatever the problem, Jesus would always help and therefore we should too. But is it always wrong …
The video below presents a scenario to which we can all relate. There is a biker who touches a car at each stoplight; as the clip progresses we see the driver become increasingly annoyed. I’ll leave the humorous end to your viewing pleasure. But as you view it, don’t tell me you don’t get annoyed …
There was an informative and helpful article in the Washington Post this Easter Sunday that demonstrates certain keys to success in evangelization. The focus of the article is the happy fact that the Archdiocese of Washington welcomed a record number of converts this year at the Easter Vigil. But the article also documents important factors …
Continuing to look at some of the text from the Passion according to St. Matthew, we come to the trial of Jesus before Caiaphas the high priest. Having heard false and conflicting testimony from various witnesses, Caiaphas turns to Jesus, and here is where we pick up the text: The high priest rose and addressed …
Continue reading “What Does Jesus Mean When He Says He is Coming on the Clouds?”
Over the years, as I have taught on the matter of sexual morality to both young people and couples preparing for marriage, I have noticed a pattern in the Biblical texts: sexual immorality is quite often linked to or closely associated with greed and theft. This link has become clearer and more understandable to me …
Some of the long soliloquies of Jesus in the Gospel of John are admittedly complex. For example, the farewell discourse and priestly prayer of Jesus spanning over four chapters (John 14 to 17) has many layers and moving parts. The Gospel from today’s Mass (Thursday of the fourth week of Lent), in which Jesus rebukes …
I recently read an article by Damon Linker in The Week entitled Why Churches Should Brace for a Mass Exodus of the Faithful. And while the article presents a kind of doomsday scenario, the actual experience of the Catholic Church would be better described as a steady erosion in terms of weekly attendance. The prospect, in the light …