The theme in today’s holy Liturgy is that of power. We hear it in the first reading, the book of Isaiah, reminding us that there is a power greater than human power (Isaiah 19:22-23). We can think of Pontius Pilate lording his human power over Jesus: “Do you not know that I have the power […]
On calling people dogs, and the silence of god
Did God create the world in seven literal days? The Church warns us against taking an exclusive, too literal interpretation of Scripture. Could God have created the world in seven literal days if there was no sun around which to rotate? Those seven days could very well signify times, seasons, perhaps even seasons of evolution. […]
jesus never said he was god
Where in the Bible does it say that Jesus is God? What is the chapter and verse where Jesus calls Himself God? We know He’s the Son of God. We know He calls Himself the Son of Man (Mt 24:30), the Messiah (Mk 14:60-62), the Anointed One; the Truth, the Life, the Resurrection (Jn 14:6)…but […]
Why are YOU a Christian?
A couple of years ago, when I was still in seminary, we were assigned to parishes over the summer. Â I got assigned to a medium sized parish with a couple of resident priests. I befriended a Jesuit priest. Every night after having dinner, we would enjoy a glass of wine and talk about theology, the […]
so… he rose, what now?
I was meeting with one of the Confirmation students and talking about the Sacrament. She asks me, “So, what now?” “What do you mean?” I respond. “Well, until now I’ve been in CCD classes for First Communion prep and then Confirmation prep classes. What now? What happens after I receive the Sacrament?” And I thought […]
darkness, stench, and bondage
the amulet of faith
A couple of weeks ago the youth of the Parish and I were reflecting on our human condition, and how divided our fallen human nature is. We talked about how sometimes we know exactly what the right thing to do is, but somehow end up doing quite the opposite. It is in these moments that […]
the ultimate user’s manual
For the last few Sundays we’ve been hearing the Sermon on the Mount.  It starts in a very encouraging way, especially for the oppressed and the suffering: Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are the hungry, blessed are the thirsty… Then last week we heard an even more encouraging message when Jesus says to […]
i don’t believe in priests
Some weeks ago I paid a visit to the Car Wash. They received my car, gave me a ticket, and invited me to sit down in a small waiting room area. I found a seat in the waiting room, which was empty apart from a man and a woman sitting together; I pulled out my […]
desire for god
Crack open the history books and you will find that virtually every culture in world history has been fascinated by the stars. Every culture has looked up into the night sky, gazing into the darkness, and studying the movements of the heavenly bodies. There’s something about stars, isn’t there? Perhaps it has happened to you, […]
her
Today we celebrate a great feast of the Church, the solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. It is the biggest of the Marian feasts, and its mystery is derived from the mystery of the Incarnation, that God willed to become man, and more specifically, as the second reading said, that He willed to be […]
the art of hiding in plain sight
Twice throughout the Liturgical year, we pause in a moment of silence, while reciting the Creed. These are the commemorations of the two occasions when God personally intervened in human history in an exceptional way: the birth of Christ and the death—and resurrection—of Christ. In today’s Gospel we explore the mystery of the Word becoming […]