Christians are not to flee from their responsibility to the world. Monasticism should not be seen as being or used to promote some sort of “option” people employ to disengage themselves from society. Though many ascetics might have been tempted to abandon the world and live for themselves, if they did so, they would have only fallen for a Satanic temptation and embraced the ascetic life in vain. To disregard one’s neighbor and their needs for one’s own personal spiritual... Read more
Nothing lies outside of God’s presence, for God is the transcendent reality in which all things exist. There is no escape from God. Nothing lies outside of God’s kingdom. Existence itself comes from God as existence can be said to be one of God’s uncreated energies. Wherever we go, we find ourselves bound to existence, and so connected to God. Thus, we read in the Psalms that we can never truly run away from God: Whither shall I go from... Read more
God is love. Where love is found, an image and likeness of God is also to be found. On our part, when we see and encounter an image of God, we should honor it for what it is, a representation of God. This, of course means, we realize what we honor is not God. Honoring the image of God for the sake of God already means we know there is a distinction between it and God. This is why it... Read more
There is a strange notion that many Catholics have been led to believe: if a teaching of the church is not officially proclaimed through an ex cathedra declaration by the Pope (or, perhaps, through an ecumenical council), that teaching can be easily shrugged off, ignored or rejected without question. Only infallible teachings matter. Anything else is optional, and as they are optional, one doesn’t even need to justify their denial. Similarly, many Catholics think that it is the words themselves,... Read more
Actions speak louder than words. Likewise, deeds are more important than intentions. A good intention is important, but without putting that intention into effect, and with a good means, we do not possess its virtue. Nonetheless, good intentions are important because through them, we can be inspired to act. Similarly, evil intentions can cause us problems because they influence us and our will, encouraging us to act contrary to the dictates of justice. Intentions are not nothing. But it is... Read more
We were made for eternity and yet we find ourselves living in time. This means, there is something important for us to experience in time. We must not ignore our temporal existence. What we do in it is important, for it is in and through our temporal existence we establish who we will be in eternity. This is possible because temporality and eternity are not separate from each other. They are interconnected. And once we realize they are interconnected we... Read more
Mary died. Mary, the Mother of God, died. She was human like the rest of us. Indeed, because she was sinless, she, more than the rest of us, lived a proper and fully human life. She didn’t have any sin which could have got in the way of her living out her perfectly good human nature. Sin corrupts people and turns them against their nature, which is why the more someone sins, the more unnatural they become. Mary was not... Read more
If the ends do not justify the means, then good intentions do not justify bad means. It is true, at its heart, the church, and with it, many of its members had the best of intentions for Native Americans (and other indigenous peoples around the world). The church wanted their salvation. Missionaries, seeking to spread the faith, wanted to save the people they encountered, and they ended up doing so by any means they thought was necessary, which of course... Read more
Prayer is central to the Christian life. It is not always easy, but we must pray, and pray daily. Our prayers do not have to be complicated. They do not have to be long. They can be as simple as saying the name of Jesus (so long as we intend to invoke Jesus in our lives and experience his presence in it). It can even be engaged by silence, so that we silence our thoughts and words and just open... Read more
Does God exist? When people ask this question, they ask it in a general sense, that is, they are asking whether or not there exists some foundation, some creator, for all that exists. They do not need many specific characteristics or attributes in mind in order to give an answer. The question is metaphysical. It is asking whether or not there is one foundation for all that is. Sometimes, the answer which is given is a simple yes, given without... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In