Jesus, the author of life, revealed from the cross a truth of the human condition when he showed us the fruit of our actions, what we made of life, was suffering. This suffering is not God’s intention for us. We abused the freedom he gave us. We had the option to open up to God and all his bounty, to make for ourselves a blessed life which leads into eternal bliss. Likewise, we had the option to look for our... Read more
Behold, Jesus on the cross. Behold him, the author of life, indeed, he who is life itself, on the cross.  “In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4 RSV). The light shines in the darkness, the light of life, Jesus, shines brightly on the cross, drawing us unto him, to look upon him and see:  life is suffering. He who is life itself dies unlike all others, because he suffers in a way which... Read more
This is the last part of a series reflecting on Mary as Panagia, the All Holy One. Click here for Part I , click here for Part II, click here for Part III, click here for Part IV, and click here for Part V. Having discussed how Mary can recognize God as her savior and yet remain sinless, it is time for us to address the second question raised above, which was, how are we to interpret Paul when he... Read more
This is the fifth part of a series reflecting on Mary as Panagia, the All Holy One. Click here for Part I , click here for Part II, click here for Part III, and click here for Part IV. The importance of Israel, why its destiny could be embraced as having universal significance, lies in the fact that God chose Israel to be the place in which he worked with humanity, to purify it and prepare it for the incarnation.... Read more
Jesus warned us that merely declaring him to be Lord with our lips will not save us: we must acknowledge him in and through our whole being, following him wherever he shall lead. “Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21 RSV). Yes, it is true, that those who proclaim him Lord should be saved, but that is... Read more
God is the God of the living and not the dead. Despite how we often we seem to forget and ignore the long line of ancestors who proceeded us on this earth, they continue on with God. Death is not the end. It is only a new beginning. It is a point of transformation. God is the God of our fathers and mothers, the God of our ancestors. Though they appear to be dead, God is the God of life,... Read more
This is the fourth part of a series reflecting on Mary as Panagia, the All Holy One. Click here for Part I , click here for Part II, and click here for Part III. Since the fall of Adam, God was at work with humanity, producing, as it were, a new tree of life, which we find established in and with the family tree of David. We could, and will to some degree, look beyond David and find other roots... Read more
This is the third part of a series reflecting on Mary as Panagia, the All Holy One. Click here for Part I and click here for Part II. Key to understanding Mary’s holiness, and the grace which was hers from the time of her conception onward, is to see how it came about through God’s long interaction with her family line. God was at work with Israel to prepare for the coming of the God-man, the messiah. That preparation included... Read more
“Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 6:1 RSV). It is so easy for us to feign holiness, to give ourselves over to the expectations of others, if all we seek is their praise. We can shape our words and actions for popular acclaim, and if we do it well enough, we will attain the kind of reputation... Read more
“Those who love this world have eyes only for what pleases the flesh,” St. Stephen of Muret cautioned us. “Lust shuts up their spiritual senses, and so they pick what is worst for themselves.”[1] St. Stephen warned us that our attachment to the world, our seeking after the pleasures of the material world, forms within us one of the deadly sins, lust. The flesh, the material body with its passions when left unchecked can lead us into all kinds of... Read more
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