While the great eschatological feast is yet to come, it is also something which we can participate in, now, in our present, temporal existence, thanks to the incarnation and the way it immanentized the eschaton. The liturgical celebration of the eucharist has us partake of the immanent eschaton. We will fully awaken to and realize all that we have experienced and participated in only when we find ourselves drawn beyond our own temporal existence, beyond time itself, that is, drawn... Read more
We have been warned, many times, not to let pride get the best of us, for it often makes us think we are capable of doing things which we really can’t do. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18 RSV). Thus, for example, just because someone only drives in a sparsely populated area, in the middle of the night, and does not get into an accident, this does not mean they are a good... Read more
Because God’s activity can be said to be not other than the divine essence, even if we apprehend the activity in a way which is less than the essence itself. saying God is love means God loves just as much as saying God loves means God is love. God’s love is a perfect love. God’s love is eternal. For God’s love to be perfect in eternity, it needs an eternal, as well as a temporal, subject who can experience and... Read more
We are made for greatness. We are made for righteousness. However, it is important for us to realize that to be all we can be, we must embrace true righteousness, true holiness, and not the similitude of it which we often make by the rules and obligations we demand for ourselves and others. We are to be holy even as God is holy (cf. 1 Ptr. 1:16). Such holiness is not established through laws and religious obligations, but rather, by... Read more
We should act with wisdom, doing what we can to make things better for all. We don’t have all the time in the world to do so. Our lives are short. Therefore, we should take the time we have to do those things which we believe are the most important to do. “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16 RSV). This... Read more
Charity, love, is to be given to all. Those in in need, especially if they are in extreme need, should be given as much help as possible. We should not first question who they are, where they come from, what they believe. All those questions might come up later, but they should not come up when we see them in desperate need for aid. “But if any one has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes... Read more
“Authentic democracy is possible only in a State ruled by law, and on the basis of a correct conception of the human person.” [1] Pope St. John Paul II explained that for the effective engagement of democracy, basic principles need to be understood such as the point of government is to serve the common good For this reason, it is important that laws, regulations, and those who govern, make sure the common good remains enforced, and that ideologues, seeking their... Read more
Charity, love, is at the heart of authentic Christian morality. What we do must be borne out of love. When we try to engage morality through any other means, such as legalism, we ignore love, and as such, our moral claims have no proper foundation on which to stand. There are many ways we can and should engage love, yes, and so different people, different saints, will express its meaning within their own context. This shows us that our particular... Read more
Paul, writing to the Ephesians, also writes to us, telling us that we are called to be one with each other, and also, of course, with God. He makes it clear such unity is established in and through Jesus, through the grace of baptism (a grace, which, of course, can be had through baptism, or through other means). It is in him and through him we rise up and find ourselves becoming children of God: I therefore, a prisoner for... Read more
Jesus was clear, those who put on shows, trying to look pious in front of others, do not understand what piety is really about. This is why, when they make rules, obligating others to follow them with their performative piety, they often hinder the spiritual progression, not only of themselves, but others. They frequently base their performative piety on subjective aesthetic appeals, indicating that something they believe is beautiful or aesthetically pleasing must be seen as more righteous, more holy,... Read more
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