Division is rampant in our world. When I read today’s Gospel, I feel that it speaks about a reality that we all face every day. The cultural and moral divisions that we experience in our daily lives give witness to the words of Jesus that a house divided cannot stand. We face division in our world, in our families, and within ourselves. A house divided against itself cannot stand, and if we are going to survive, we must learn how... Read more
There is a certain amount of “sunk cost” in any relationship that has turned sour. This leads us to stay in longer than we should, not wanting to “lose” what we perceive to have already invested. However, it is important to know when to cut and run. We have to at least take a step back and survey the situation more fully. Why should two people think twice about getting married? Society Infatuated With Love As a society, we love... Read more
My dad was a fastpitch softball pitcher and growing up, I spent many weekends accompanying him on trips throughout Southern California to various tournaments. I learned to keep score and to make my own lunch. One time, he made us peanut butter and butter sandwiches. From then on, I made sure to pack for myself. Often, the softball fields were far from civilization and the local snack bar was the only opportunity to buy something. For one larger tournament, however,... Read more
Concern about artificial intelligence and its potential ramifications for society shape much of the current cultural debate. Can a science fiction writer aid Pope Francis’ reflection on artificial intelligence? 70 years before the current debate about artificial intelligence, science fiction writer Isaac Asimov was reflecting on how to deal humanely with futuristic technology such as robots. His reflection on robots translates well to our world’s pressing reflections about how to deal with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. In... Read more
Where do you look for a theologian to write about prayer? Pope John Paul II had tasked Cardinal Ratzinger to create the new Catechism. The Cardinal wanted a representative of Eastern theology. Amid the ruins of war, he stumbled upon Fr. Jean Corbon, a French priest living and working in Beirut, Lebanon. This priest wrote the fourth part while sheltering from the bombs of war. This fourth part focuses on Christian prayer. He recognized the Trinitarian dimension of Christian prayer,... Read more
Secularism has made great inroads in American society, to the point that when a Catholic sports figure praises traditional values at a small Catholic college commencement, he somehow becomes the center of a media firestorm. The great risk is that dialogue will be the ultimate victim. Benedictine College is a small Catholic college known to have students who espouse traditional values, so it makes sense that the invited commencement speaker would share those same values. The secular media has focused... Read more
Augustine began to really change his mind about Christianity upon hearing the discourses of St. Ambrose in Milan. However, he was not ready for a moral conversion. He was living with a concubine and did not want to give up his sinful lifestyle. His prayer at the time is famous: “give me chastity, but not yet.” He went on to have a deep conversion and his writings have fed Western Christianity for over 1500 years. He gives us a good... Read more
Christian churches in America have a real estate problem. We have more space than people. True leadership drives Catholics and Christians of other denominations together. Still, so much energy goes into battling among the various denominations. While it is important to understand the differences between us, it is even more important to emphasize what unites us. We have “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5), which is reflected in the ecumenical efforts of recent years to defend basic human... Read more
That a monk wants to teach us to love clashes with our modern sensitivities. But when the monk was formerly a young nobleman famous for jokes, songs, and parties, our perspective shifts. The young man was so popular that when he decided to knock at the door of the monastery requesting admittance, 30 young noblemen went with him. St. Bernard of Clairvaux is one of the intriguing men to have lived in the 11th century. He grew up in a... Read more
Most Christians accept the Reformation as something necessary. However, it is a great tragedy in the history of Christianity in the West. I am convinced that many Protestants might be surprised if they took a sincere look at the Catholic faith. This has been the case for notable converts such as Scott and Kimberly Hahn; by studying everything from the Church Fathers to the Church’s doctrine on contraception, they became convinced of the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith.... Read more
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