I come to You, O Christ, blind from birth in my spiritual eyes. And I call to You in repentance: You are the most radiant light of those in darkness! (Kontakion of the Sunday of the Man Born Blind). For the Sixth Sunday of the Paschal Season, the Byzantine tradition commemorates the man born blind (Jn. 9:1-34). As demonstrated by the Kontakion for the Sunday, we are to led to see the relationship between Christ’s work with the man born... Read more
Catholic Social Teaching cannot be dismissed as an optional part of the Catholic faith. It is not only a part of the deposit of faith, it represents a major part of it. Scripture presents social justice as an inherent part of the Gospel, even as it was a major part of the preparation of the Gospel with the people of Israel. Social justice is not some secondary extra to the faith: it is a part of the faith itself. There... Read more
Cardinal Burke, once again promoting an alt-right ideology which counters the Christian faith, called for limiting Muslim immigrants into the United States, saying such would be patriotic. Without a sense of irony, he gave this statement at a so-called “Pro-Life” March in Rome on May 17, 2019, demonstrating that his position is hostile to the dignity of all humanity, thinking that preference can and should be given to some over others according to one’s religion (or lack thereof). Such a... Read more
“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light” (Lk. 8:16 RSV). The stand might be dirty, the stand might have blemishes, the stand might have all kinds of problems: but the light it shines is true light, and those who come into that light share the benefits of that light. This is how we might want to... Read more
When Jesus went to Sychar, a Samaritan city, he encountered the Samaritan woman, traditionally named St. Photina, near Jacob’s well: There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered... Read more
The war of words between Iran and the United States threatens the safety and security, not only of the people of Iran and the United States, but of the world as a whole. The threat of war is real, and it appears that the Trump administration is following the bellicose disposition of John Bolton (as Bolton seems interested in justifying a new war in the Middle East). While we are not there yet, and Mike Pompeo has said that the... Read more
Many fans of J.R.R. Tolkien like to use his works to promote war. Others, likewise, like to use his works as a defense of racism. The first group suggests that the works of Tolkien are filled with war, showing the good which can come out of it, forgetting, however, the ultimate solution for Tolkien was not war, and the embrace of power which is required in war to be a “victor,” but the destruction of the Ring, and the rejection... Read more
The incomprehensible God has revealed himself to us. There are many ways in which this can be said to be true. We could talk about the divine energies, and the way we come to know God in and through his works; by following this route, it can be said that we know God, not face to face, but rather, by receiving a glimpse of his glory from his back (cf. Ex. 33:18-23). Likewise, God reveals himself through the incarnation, and... Read more
In the Byzantine tradition, the Fourth Sunday of Pascha commemorates the Sunday of the Paralytic. On it we remember when Jesus healed a paralytic man at the Sheep Gate pool. When we reflect upon the story, not only are there moral lessons to be learned, it also can be seen as a representation of how Jesus comes and heals us from our own spiritual infirmity. In the Gospel story, we are told of the pool of Bethzatha in which an... Read more
In a speech, Donald Trump, the so-called “pro-life” President, made it clear how far he is from being a promoter of life. As indicated and filmed by many sources, Trump had no problem laughing and making jokes about people shooting would-be immigrants at the border. Morgan Gstalter, writing for the Hill, shows how Trump and his supporters have no concern for human life: “And don’t forget, we don’t let them and we can’t let them use weapons,” Trump said of... Read more
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