On the Byzantine Catholic calendar, Meatfare Sunday, the Sunday which commemorates the Second Coming of Christ and the Great and Dreaded Tribunal of the Last Judgment,comes to remind us that the Great Fast is more than about fasting, it is also a time for alms, a time to increase our charity towards our neighbor. Fasting without charity does little to no good. Whether we eat or not, by that act alone, we do not find ourselves any closer or further… Read more
February 13, 2020
Querida Amazonia And The Mission of the Catholic Church
February 13, 2020 By Henry Karlson
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Lumen Gentium presented one of the most important statements of the Church offered at an ecumenical council: This is the one Church of Christ which in the Creed is professed as one, holy, catholic and apostolic, which our Saviour, after His Resurrection, commissioned Peter to shepherd, and him and the other apostles to extend and direct with authority, which He erected for all ages as “the pillar and mainstay of the truth”. This Church constituted and organized in the world… Read more
February 12, 2020
Religious Liberty Is Fundamental
February 12, 2020 By Henry Karlson
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One of the most important developments of Vatican Council II is its promotion of religious liberty. In Nostra Aetate, the council declared that religious discrimination, among other forms of discrimination, is far from the mind of Christ: The Church reproves, as foreign to the mind of Christ, any discrimination against men or harassment of them because of their race, color, condition of life, or religion. On the contrary, following in the footsteps of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, this… Read more
February 10, 2020
Making A Mockery of Religious Liberty
February 10, 2020 By Henry Karlson
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Catholic Social Teaching should be used by Catholic schools and universities. Instead, many of them have a history of ignoring, or outright rejecting, the rights Catholic teaching demands to be given to workers. When Catholic schools ignore Catholic teachings, and are sued by workers because their rights have been ignored, it takes a great amount of hubris to tell the government to stay out of such disputes because of “religious liberty.” This is mockery of religious liberty. How can religious… Read more
February 9, 2020
The Prodigal Son and Us
February 9, 2020 By Henry Karlson
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The Second Sunday of the Byzantine Pre-Lent Triodion reminds us of the great and bountiful love of God for humanity by way of the well-known parable of the Prodigal Son. In it, we are told of a man who had two sons. The first stayed with his father. The other went off on his own to pursue his passionate desires in life over and above all other things (including his father): And he said, “There was a man who had… Read more
February 7, 2020
Tolkien, Myth, And The Flexibility of Catholic Thought
February 7, 2020 By Henry Karlson
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J.R.R. Tolkien, believing England did not possess a great myth of its own, wanted to write one for it. As with all such myths, he wanted it to be seen as semi-historical, that is, he wanted it to be seen as a possible pre-history for the world. In his writings and reflections, he treated it as if it were history, trying to reconcile what we know of recorded history with his myth, while recognizing that its mythic elements allowed it… Read more
February 6, 2020
The Eucharist and Eschatology
February 6, 2020 By Henry Karlson
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Week after week, month after month, year after year, Catholics partake of the eucharist, knowing that they are receiving Jesus. Sadly, few reflect upon what this means. Many are able to recite catechetical formulations and say that it is the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. Most realize that communion grants them graces which they need. Fewer, however, understand how communion is meant to bring the faithful together as one. Even those who realize this receive it in… Read more
February 4, 2020
SOTUS 2020
February 4, 2020 By Henry Karlson
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When talking abut the State of the Union (that is, of the United States) in 2020, nothing better represents that state than the fact that Trump has been impeached. Nothing he can do will ever remove that from his record. He has been impeached. Those complaining about the process of impeachment should study how a Grand Jury is organized and conducted, because once they learn that, they will see the process in the House was much fairer than that which… Read more
February 2, 2020
Simeon and Anna, The Publican and Pharisee
February 2, 2020 By Henry Karlson
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The Temple in Jerusalem holds an important role in salvation history. Those who came to it could experience the presence of God. If they went with the right attitude and spiritual condition, their encounter with God could leave them changed for the better. However, if they there haughty and full of pride, they risked being turned away from God until they had a change of heart. There was, therefore, the possibility of an authentic encounter with God in the Temple…. Read more
January 31, 2020
Worthily Receiving the Eucharist
January 31, 2020 By Henry Karlson
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Talking about the last judgment, Jesus indicated that we shall learn that what we did to others, especially the least among us, we did to him: “And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me’” (Matt. 25:40 RSV). If we look, we shall find Jesus among the poor and needy, among the abused and outcast, among those who have been… Read more
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