Historically, many considered talk about heaven, or the heavens above, to be a purely physical place, that is, outer space, and it is the place Christ is to be found after his ascension. They believed that Christ reigns in glory in the heavens above us all, looking down upon us, and if we could make our way there, we would be with him. It is also where Enoch, Elijah, and Mary are also to be found. While a popular, and... Read more
I became a Byzantine Catholic in my junior year of college. At that time, and for years afterward, two of the most important influences I had for my theological and philosophical development were the works of patristic writers and those philosophers who were, in some way or another, associated with the Platonic tradition (from the ancient Platonists like Plato, Plutarch, Iamblichus and Proclus, to medieval philosophers from the school of Chartres, to modern writers including C.S. Lewis and many of... Read more
It’s hard not to believe that much of Trump’s support comes from those who embrace some sort of nihilistic death cult. They want the world to end. They come from Christian traditions which talk about the end of the world, and they think they can and will make the conditions right so that prophecies concerning the end can be fulfilled. They want to force Christ’s hands, to make him come back, and to do so in their lifetime, thinking if... Read more
God has been and continues to be at work with all the nations of the earth, each in their own particular way. Some nations have a more central role in salvation history, but all of them have something special God has given to them, something which God intends them to share with everyone else. Each nation has something to contribute for the good of all. Because the incarnation comes to us through the Jews, they have a special, indeed, unique... Read more
Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, but we are not. We, at least currently, find ourselves to be temporal beings, always changing, with who and what we have become constantly changing with the flow of time. As we change, our relationships with others, including Christ, will change. This does not mean Christ changes, for he does not, but how we approach Christ, how we relate to Christ, what we apprehend of him, what, indeed, we are capable of... Read more
Jesus frequently told us to make sure our intentions are good and pure, that we don’t do things out of vainglory or pride, nor to gain some power or authority over others. We should do what we do out of love, promoting the good of others and not just ourselves. It is imperative we have our priorities straight, and if we don’t, we will find ourselves straying far away from God and all that God wants for us. If we... Read more
One of the things I came to appreciate after I became Catholic was the importance of peace-making, and with it, the way of non-violence and pacifism. Not only did it follow Catholic insistence of the dignity of every person, but it did so in a way that complemented what Christ taught throughout his temporal ministry: Love your neighbor, including your enemy; blessed are the peacemakers; those who live by the sword, shall die by the sword. What Catholic teaching denies... Read more
Celebrating The Saints Throughout the Easter season, the Byzantine (Catholic and Orthodox) calendar gave us several Sundays which suggested the various ways Jesus engaged his ministry before his death and resurrection anticipated the greater work he would do after his resurrection from the death. We were also presented the way the risen Christ was first encountered, and how those who encountered him in his resurrected form saw he had the same body as before his resurrection, though now revealed to... Read more
We have found it difficult to embrace silence, and yet times of silence are necessary for our own personal, psychological and spiritual well-being. We need to journey within our own very being, cutting ourselves off from everything outside of ourselves, to attain silence and the peace which silence can bring. Once we do so, we must be patient, and accept the silence, not trying to fill the void with anything, including and especially our own thoughts. Of course, as we... Read more
Back when I was living in Silver Spring, Maryland, doing doctoral studies at the Catholic University of America, I went to a drug store to pick up a few items. It was busy, so when I got to the checkout lane, I had to wait in line for one of the cashiers to be open. After several minutes, it was finally my turn, but then a man rushed forward with a newspaper in his hands, and went to the cashier... Read more
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