In the ancient Levant, the queen of the nation was not usually the wife of the king, but the king's mother. Most of the kings had multiple wives, so the position of honor went to the king's mother. The people that Saint John was writing to understood this when reading his Revelation written in A.D. 99 and would have accepted the queenship of Mary implicitly. Read more
Facing sex-abuse charges voluntarily adds more weight to Cdl. Pell’s claim of innocence Facing sex-abuse charges voluntarily adds more weight to Cdl. Pell’s claim of innocence — Read on catholicismpure.wordpress.com/2019/08/23/facing-sex-abuse-charges-voluntarily-adds-more-weight-to-cdl-pells-claim-of-innocence/ Read more
In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” – Matthew 3:1-2 The time is accomplished, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel. – Mark 1:15Rudolf Yelin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons For three millennia, Abraham’s descendants had wandered the desert, been enslaved by three different nations, pleased and offended God; all the while waiting for this moment. “The kingdom... Read more
On Friday, I contracted a plague of Egypt. Fever. Cough. Bad mood. Today (writing this Tuesday afternoon while I cook a Fat Tuesday feast), the fever is gone, but my breath is short. My poor She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed has been sick right alongside me, and my older midgetfemmebots helped a lot. I’ve been blessed by God by being open to life (for most of our marriage, if I’m being honest) with six children born alive and two already praying for us. He... Read more
In writing these Rosary Reflections, I often seek Jesus. But I do so in a cold, "gotta get this done" kind of way. That is precisely when it doesn't get done. Read more
Even in agony, Christ forgave his oppressors. And they gambled for his clothes. Read more
Jesus Christ, fully man and fully God, told his mother it wasn't time for him to begin working miracles, yet. What does this tell us about Jesus? What does this tell us about Mary? Read more
“Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of... Read more
Physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted, Our Lord was forced to carry his own instrument of execution through the dusty Jerusalem streets. Beaten down repeatedly, crying in front of his Holy Mother, abandoned by his friends, turned over by the very people that shouted him into the the city. Forced to get help from a stranger. Read more
Ellen Kolb reports on her website Leaven for the Loaf that the NH House Criminal Justice and Public Safety committee has recommended a repeal of the death penalty as "ought to pass" thanks to the change of heart by long-time death penalty supporter Representative David Welch, the ranking Republican on the committee. Read more
Blessed to Be Ben
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