Blog of the Archdiocese of Washington
There is a line from scripture that says, Woe to the solitary man. If he falls he has no one to lift him up (Ecclesiastes 4:10). Scripture also says, And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, …
Continue reading “The Importance of the Communal Life As Seen in Two Cartoons”
One of the more imponderable aspects of the growing number of agnostics and atheists is their claim that there is no evidence for the intelligent creator of the universe that we call God. But clearly the created universe manifests intelligibility and order from the farthest reaches of the cosmos and outer space down to our …
Continue reading “Of Mice and Men: Pondering the strange loss of faith in an age of science.”
One of the subtleties of language is the use of euphemisms. A euphemism is a less offensive word or phrase used in place of another term that might be considered too direct, harsh, unpleasant, or offensive. It substitutes an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that might offend or suggest something unpleasant. The word comes from the Greek euphēmismos, which …
Continue reading “Euphemisms have a place in human discourse but not when they obscure moral truth”
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?”