All Christians have been given a charism thanks to the grace imparted to them in their baptism (and chrismation or confirmation). It is this charism which gives them their own particular mission in life. Not everyone has the same mission, not everyone has the same work to do. Nonetheless, all have something invaluable to contribute to the world. All missions complement each other. Thus, no matter what one’s mission is, what one’s charism is, if they live it out properly,... Read more
The 19th century Russian philosopher Vladimir Solovoyov began his Lectures on Godmanhood by stating that he would discuss the truths of positive religion. That was the purpose of his lectures. But, he also noted, he did not want to dismiss what religious critics were saying about religion. Rather, he said that they were right; religion was no longer as it should be: I will not dispute those who at the present time maintain a negative attitude toward the religious principle.... Read more
Some Christians are so focused on theological speculations and otherworldly contemplations that they do not properly live out their lives. They think Christianity, Christian existence, is all about forming the best ideas, ignoring that they are to live out those ideas and not just sit around thinking about them. Christ, after all, was very active in his ministry. He did not just sit around in contemplation, nor did he go around seeking theological debates. He was interested in being with... Read more
Paul, speaking eschatologically, tells us that Christ will give all things over to God so that God can be and will be all in all: Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. “For God has put all things in subjection under his feet.”... Read more
The faith is to be lived out. To do so, we are expected to act with prudence. We should not expect God to do everything for us. That would love us nothing to do. If we believed God should do everything for us and so we do nothing, there would be no purpose for us, no reason for us to live. God can and will often help us in various ways, but more often than not, it will be through... Read more
Christ is Born! Glorify Him! The birth of Christ is celebrated around the world with people giving gifts to each other. Those gifts do not have to be material goods, for many, such as children, give of themselves to their loved ones, promising some deed or another which they think will make their loved one happy. Indeed, the best gifts always come out of love as the giver tries to give the best gift they can; when they do so,... Read more
The last chapter of Sergius Bulgakov’s book, The Eucharistic Sacrifice, is the most intriguing part of the book, both, because of what he said, but also because of what he did not say in it. He left it to the reader to explore and ponder the implications of his ideas for themselves. In the chapter, he presents the way in which he sees Mary, Jesus’ mother, is connected to the celebration of the eucharist. While the theme itself is provocative,... Read more
Tradition is important, but we must understand tradition is meant to be a living tradition, one which leaves us open to the prompting of the Spirit. Tradition is not meant to be treated as a dead letter where the expression of the faith is said to be unchangeable. We are not expected to live exactly like those who lived before us; our situation, our social context is different from theirs. The faith is more than following a list of propositions... Read more
Our family heritage is important. Who we are, at least in part, comes from those who came before us, from our ancestors. We are their heirs. We inherit their legacy, both the good and the bad, and with it, the responsibility which comes from that legacy. Our ancestors are important to us. We cannot cut our ties from them. Even if we are not proud of all the things which they did, we should honor them for the good which... Read more
What before was abnormal is becoming normal. What was once unusual, such as having warm temperatures, thunderstorms, and even tornadoes, in the midst of winter, is becoming a common occurrence. But, in the future, it not only will become more common, but much more dramatic in effect, as should be expected with the raising of the overall temperature of the Earth. Not only do we have scientists warning us of what is to come, they show us the changes which... Read more
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