Every god demands sacrifice. The real God demands that you die to yourself so that you and others may live. The gods demand that you feed what is worst in you so that you and others will die. Sacrifices are strange and paradoxical things. Remember the last time that you were waiting for a friend who was late? There is a tension between waiting for them for a couple more minutes and going to take some action to find them... Read more
Those of us living in the United States have surely seen the ads this week and earlier, calling us to rise from our food-induced comas and bring the retailers “into the black” on that holiest of American shopping days, now popularly known as “Black Friday.” These calls and what they represent (often in a quasi-religious way) should give Christians pause for a number of reasons. Here are a few of the reasons I’ve been pondering for staying home from the stores... Read more
As I write this on November 19, 2012, Israel’s ‘Operation Pillar of Cloud’ is proceeding apace in Gaza. Over 1,000 airstrikes, some more precise than others, have been launched against Hamas, most in and around the Gaza City, which is one of the densest urban areas in the world. Israeli drones patrol the skies above Gaza City, hunting for targets of opportunity, and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have activated 75,000 reservists for possible future deployment. At the same time... Read more
a guest post by Aaron Matthew Weldon Election season seems to provide impetus for Christians to come to terms with the declining influence of the Church on the broader culture. The conscientious Christian is aware of her political homelessness, but she can use that awareness to reflect on how the disestablished Church can serve the world. For decades, theologians have been grappling with this issue and what it may mean for the future Church in the West. A collection of... Read more
A minor story out of Canada, reported by the Religious News Service, may provide a new perspective for reflecting on Church/State clashes, and in particular the HHS contraception mandate. Here are the basic details: In June, Faith McGregor requested a man’s haircut at the Terminal Barber Shop in downtown Toronto. Co-owner Omar Mahrouk told her that his Muslim faith prohibits him from touching a woman who is not a member of his family. All the other barbers in the shop... Read more
At his opening address to meeting of the USCCB, Cardinal Dolan reminded his brother bishops, and indeed all of us, that evangelization must always start with our own conversion. But I stand before you this morning to say simply: first things first. We gather as disciples of, as friends of, as believers in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” who exhorted us to “seek first the Kingdom of God.” We cannot engage culture... Read more
From Daily Gospel Online, an apostolate that sends out the daily readings via email, along with a spiritual reflection. The one for today’s gospel (Luke 17:1-6) particularly moved me, and I wanted to share it with all of you: Blessed Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916), hermit and missionary in the Sahara Letter of 15/07/1916 «Forgive him» Love does not consist in feeling that one loves but in wanting to love. When we want to love then we love; when we want... Read more
After being repeatedly warned by partisans on both sides that the fate of the universe hung on this election (a slight exaggeration perhaps, but only a slight one), I was surprised and relieved at how quickly the mood seemed to change on Tuesday evening – even before many of the returns were in – from the apocalypticism that had been building all year to something approaching a more business-as-usual perspective. Obama supporters have had their moment to cheer, but without... Read more
It’s finally over. And the results are pretty much as expected. Obama won by a relatively narrow margin. What’s more interesting is the breakdown. He won 93 percent of blacks, 73 percent of Asians, and 71 percent of Hispanics. He won 60 percent of those aged 18-29. In short, his coalition is a coalition of the future. Romney won an impressive 59 percent of whites, and still lost the election. He got every possible white vote he could realistically get, and... Read more
12:05 am. Mitt Romney has three “home” states: Michigan, Massachusets, and Utah. He lost Michigan and Massachusetts. Paul Ryan only has one home state, Wisconsin, and he couldn’t carry it for Romney. The GOP is caught in a real bind. Election after election their geographic base retreats further and further into the deep South and the barren Plains. At the same time, their demographic base grows whiter, older and wealthier, even as the nation is growing browner, that brown population... Read more
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