You might be familiar with the parable of the three servants entrusted with different numbers of talents. The classic interpretation of this parable says that the talents represent our different gifts and abilities. Some people have more, some less, but we’re all called to use our gifts for God. Recently I heard an alternative interpretation…
God could have redeemed us in any number of ways, but He didn’t. He chose the Incarnation as the best way to save us. Why?
Catholics are known for many things. One is the set of ‘calisthenics’ we perform at Mass, which often bewilders newcomers—we stand, then sit, then stand again, sit again, stand again, kneel, etc. Another is the belief in the Real Presence…
Have you ever thought about why Catholics make the Sign of the Cross so often? Too many times, we do it sloppily. We rush through the movement, perhaps not touching the correct points (forehead, chest, left and right shoulders), as we mumble the Trinitarian formula.
Unlike the rich young man, St. Matthew does not go looking for Jesus. As Father said, Matthew probably got up that morning thinking it’d be a normal day and pondering how much money he would make. Then Jesus passes by.
The most concrete example of friendship in the Scriptures is the interaction between Jesus and the paralytic (Mark 2:1-12). Everyone rightfully pays attention to what Jesus does when the paralytic comes down through the roof. Less frequently discussed are the friends. Their conduct is a clear example of what authentic friendship…
Catholics are a blessed lot. United in our faith, we can go to Confession with any priest. Nevertheless, it’s helpful to have a regular confessor. But we shouldn’t pick just anyone. After all, we’re fighting a spiritual battle. A discerning confessor will…
As Catholics, we know that each person is called to do God “some definite service”. What’s the role of the elderly and homebound, then? If they cannot actively partake in parish life, what can they do? As it turns out, quite a lot.
If you’re like a lot of Catholics, you know that the Bible is important for our faith. But where do you start? What passages should you be looking at? How should you read through certain books as opposed to others?
Too often, we put up a half-hearted struggle. Oh, we might look quite good on the outside, but are we really making progress? Or are we just going through it all out of a sense of routine?
Anyone who makes a serious effort to engage in prayer will almost certainly find themselves struggling with distractions. Sometimes distractions come from outside ourselves (e.g., a ringing cell phone or some chatty fellow parishioners). Other times, our minds are restless, or we’re assaulted by interior temptations.
What struck me about this passage is the Israelites’ lack of courage. It’s not that God wasn’t willing to work with them. The problem was He couldn’t.
The man finds the treasure by accident, as some people find God. The merchant, however, undertakes a long, deliberate quest, as most of us likely do with our Faith.
Rather than talking about the treasure, Father focused on the field. Imagine you want to buy it. What a hassle! Who owns the field? Will they sell it to you? At what price?
Veronica was extremely devout from a young age. But, as Dawn pointed out, it can be aggravating living with a saint. Such was the case with Veronica.