At the end of each liturgical year, the readings of the mass of Christ the King invite us to contemplate the end things, which refer to ancient prophecies and the redemptive mystery of the life of Christ. This year, Daniel’s prophecies prepare us to receive Christ as King. Dreams of the Messiah We remember Daniel primarily for his role in the lion’s den. It might be too easy to forget that Daniel was also a prophet who could see the... Read more
We can do things in a new and innovative way. In the language of the Second Vatican Council, we could call this “reading the signs of the times.” Too often, we might stay in the past and do things as in past days. However, we have an opportunity to play chess instead of checkers. When George Weigel looked for a title for his biography of Pope John Paul II, he settled on Witness to Hope. This man who had come... Read more
Today’s liturgy reminds us of the value of some everyday believers who gave everything they could: the two widows who chose to practice trust and obedience. These are helpful themes as the year begins to draw to a close this November. November has many themes. We might be thinking of Thanksgiving and family get-togethers as we roll into the holiday season. The liturgical year will also draw to its close with the great Solemnity of Christ the King at the... Read more
To understand Galileo’s struggle with the Church, we must understand the conflict about religious truth after the Protestant Reformation. In the sixteenth century, the Church was still reeling from the Protestant Reformation. When Luther attached his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, he lit fires of discontentment and challenges to traditional Christianity that rocked Europe. The Church responded with the Council of Trent. Truth and the Canon of Scripture In response to the actions of Martin Luther, the... Read more
Christianity is about more than morality. Mahatma Gandhi was once asked about his thoughts on Christianity. In response, he drew a stone from the river next to him and broke it open. Inside, the rock was dry. He said, “I think Christians are kind of like this. You live in the midst of a wonderful set of teachings, but you do not let it penetrate your hearts. So, you live as if you were not Christians.” First Commandments In today’s Gospel... Read more
Scientists do science and theologians do theology, right? Galileo was one who broke the mold. His controversy of promoting the Copernican theory that the earth orbited the sun rocked the Church world. At the same time, he helped revolutionize the way Churchmen would look at the Bible. The Inquisition accused him of dismissing Aristotelian astronomy; yet he actually ended up teaching them a few things about theology. Avoiding Literalism In 1615, Galileo was working on a treatise explaining tidal movement... Read more
Imagine you were sitting at a coffee shop and Jesus sat down in front of you. You can ask him anything in the world. Would you know what to say? If you had one shot or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment, would you capture the moment or let it slip? (Eminem, “Lose Yourself”). This is what I love about Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus is a blind man who encounters Jesus and asks him to see. He... Read more
Galileo’s fascination with the stars prompted his interest in mathematics and Scripture. Beyond the science of astronomy; astrology, engineering, and mathematics also piqued his interest. Although he lived a life that did not follow Church doctrine at every moment, he was proud of the fact that he was Catholic. Astrology caught his fancy as a young man. As the Church condemned it and he discovered its weak points, he distanced himself from astrology. His investigations into the scientific method set... Read more
What does it mean for us to be a disciple? Hopefully, we all want to follow Jesus. We probably ascribe to this on a theoretical level. But what happens when following Jesus means leaving behind our own comfort zone. Maybe we need to reflect whether we are we disciples or admirers of Jesus. Jesus challenged James and John to reflect on their own attitudes in following him in the Gospel passage Mk. 10:35-45. The great American theologian Stanley Hauerwas tells... Read more
The Gospel story of the rich young man is the story of someone who wanted to do good and avoid evil. When he went to Christ, he was not impressed hearing the commandments, with which he was already familiar. Christ does not condemn him for his decision to walk away, but the Gospel author makes sure to note that he “went away sad” (Mk. 10:22). If we do not rise to the occasion to live out the Gospel, we will... Read more
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