Blog of the Archdiocese of Washington
In daily Mass this week (the 13th week of the year) we have been reading through Genesis. Tuesday’s reading highlights a significant spiritual problem: sloth, one of the seven deadly sins. Sloth is a sorrow, sadness, or aversion to the good things God offers. Rather than being joyful and zealous to obtain these gifts, the …
I have remarked before on this blog that what we call “balance” is really more a range than a fixed point. That is to say, balance is achieved not so much by staying still on a fixed point as by moving within a range around that point. The videos below feature unicyclists and tightrope walkers. The tightrope …
Continue reading “On the Balance of Virtue, As Seen in Two Videos”
As a follow-on to yesterday’s post on the spiritual work of counseling the doubtful, I would like to say a little more about prudence. Prudence is often misunderstood by those who reduce it to mere caution or reluctance to act. It is true that sometimes prudence indicates caution and that hasty action is seldom prudent. However, sometimes …
In this Easter Season, we continue to reflect on how the risen Lord Jesus minsters to us and supplies our needs. Last week we considered him as our shepherd. This week we learn how He is the vine and we the branches on the vine, wholly dependent on Him for everything. As we consider how …
Continue reading “If You Ever Leave Me, I’m Going With You! A Homily for the 5th Sunday of Easter”
Every now and then a word just catches your ear. Several times in a day it jumps out at you and you’re tempted to say, “There it is again!” A few days ago it was the word “consider,” a very ordinary word. Or is it? Why did it suddenly strike me so? With my knowledge of …
Continue reading “On the Mysticism of the Simple Word "Consider"”
Last week was Holy Week, so sure enough there were many critical issues in the news that needed attention but we in the Church were off doing more important things like worshipping God and pondering our need for salvation. Permit a brief summary and some predictions from me based on the latest unpleasantness in Indiana last …
This is part two of an article on temptation. See yesterday’s post for part one. How can we overcome temptation? Remote Battles are Essential! When people ask about overcoming temptation they most often have in mind what to do “in the moment” of temptation. But if we focus merely on the moment of temptation we …
Continue reading “Some Strategies for Overcoming Temptation”
In the modern world, the word “piety” has come to be associated with being religious. And while it does have religious application, its original meaning was far wider and richer. The English word “piety” comes from the Latin pietas, which spoke of family love and by extension love for one’s ancestors, one’s country, and surely God. …
Continue reading “What is Piety and How Does the Modern Diminishment of it Spell Doom for Us?”