As a sucker for a good story, I always look forward to the Olympics because they’re full of them. I love watching the joy in athletes’ faces as their tireless efforts pay off in a medal of some sort. Of course, gold is the objective, but there’s no shame in silver or bronze either. The 2016 Summer Games are off to a great start for Team USA, including some favorites who are also people of faith. For instance, Katie “The... Read more
(The following is the text of the Christopher News Note “Enjoy the Wonders of God’s Good Earth,” which was written by a freelancer. If you’d like a pdf or hard copy, see the end of this post.) “The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, His boundless affection for us. Soil, water, mountains: everything is, as it were, a caress of God.” — Pope Francis The natural world is a profound reflection of the beauty, truth, and goodness of God.... Read more
The murder rate in Chicago has risen 72 percent in 2016. According to USA Today, “Police said the disturbing rise in violence is driven by gangs and mostly contained to a handful of pockets on the city’s South and West sides.” Still, there are glimmers of hope, of young people who resist the dark forces surrounding them. TV viewers were introduced to a group of these teens thanks to this season of “America’s Got Talent.” These students at Curie Metropolitan... Read more
In light of all the bad news lately, I’m posting something lighter. It’s a 12-year-old clip of Will Ferrell, playing his dunderhead “Anchorman” character Ron Burgundy, interviewing actor Jim Caviezel, who he believes is really Jesus. It’s an amusing three-and-a-half minutes that was done for the MTV Movie Awards. And Caviezel plays along, displaying he’s got a good sense of humor. The best part is the last 25 seconds, though, so be sure to watch until the end. Stay in... Read more
(Photo property IMP Features/Ferry de Kok) While shooting a movie called “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” in Amsterdam, Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds appear to have been mobbed by a group of fangirl nuns. The Daily Mail reports: Whether scripted or by chance, a van bearing the [Sacred] Heart on the side pulled up at the passenger terminal at the docks where the pair were filming, and out spilled over a dozen nuns. The convent flocked around the two stars, jumping... Read more
(Photo property of Ting Shen/The Dallas Morning News) “Last week most of us were strangers. But we’re all here now. And God knows how long we’re going to be here. But if we can’t live together, we’re going to die alone.” That’s a famous speech from an episode of “Lost,” in which Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox) tries to rally his fellow plane crash survivors to start cooperating and getting along with each other instead of starting a civil war. The... Read more
While the Soviets helped defeat the Nazis to secure a World War II victory for the Allies, they wound up bringing their own brand of vengeance and tyranny to the lands they took over in the ensuing years. That is the starting point for a new inspired-by-a-true-story Polish/French film called “The Innocents,” which is set in motion by Soviet soldiers breaking into a convent and repeatedly raping the Sisters there over a period of three days, leaving several of them... Read more
It’s not always easy to wrap our heads or hearts around the concept of God’s unconditional love, His willingness to help us carry our burdens, and His call for us to live lives grounded in faith and joy. But sometimes music can help us better absorb those truths. That’s the kind of music Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Sarah Hart creates on a regular basis, writing songs for artists like Amy Grant, Matt Maher and Audrey Assad. But she also does the... Read more
“We got into this to stop bad things from happening to good people.” That’s how John Reese (Jim Caviezel) summed up his work with Harold Finch (Michael Emerson) during the first season of “Person of Interest,” the CBS TV series which aired its series finale last night (and which I’ll comment on a little further down). Reese and Finch certainly accomplished their goal, but along the way, they did something more. By involving some seemingly “bad people” in their quest,... Read more
(The following is the text of the Christopher News Note “Reinvent Yourself to Find Success,” which was written by a freelancer. If you’d like a pdf or hard copy, see the end of this post.) We humans are big on planning and control. We want to map out our next move, our next day, our next year! We don’t like surprises – at least not the kind that put us at the mercy of someone or something else and force... Read more
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