For you have died, and now your life is hidden with Christ in God. —Col 3:3 Life should be, first and foremost, a preparation for death and what lies beyond. We are created with certain natural needs and purposes, but … Continue reading
Eschatology
Holy Souls?
Today we pray for the holy souls in purgatory. This idea of the holy souls in purgatory seems an odd notion to contemporary ears. One tends to think of heaven as the place where the holy souls go. Purgatory, one … Continue reading
Portal to Heaven
Editor’s note: This is the ninth post in our newest series, Beholding True Beauty, which consists of prayerful reflections on works of sacred art. The series will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the month of October. Read the whole … Continue reading
Who Am I to Judge?
We are called to be judges, but all too often we are unfit to judge. In the same epistle containing his great hymn to love, St. Paul rebukes the Corinthians for not fulfilling their noble role as judges. Do you … Continue reading
Sweeter than Vengeance
Man was originally created in a state of innocence, destined for happiness. After the sin of our first parents, however, original sin was established. Dealing with evil in human affairs is now with us until the end of time. When … Continue reading
Our Heavenly Knoxville
“Son, no matter where you live or how far you may roam,Tennessee will always be your home.” This has been my dad’s mantra to me ever since I was in the crib. A South Carolinian for nearly 30 years, he … Continue reading
Locking Out Jesus
Jesus is the One who holds the keys to Heaven, but there is one door He won’t unlock without permission: the door of our hearts. Christmas is close, and today the Church’s liturgy calls upon Christ as the Key of … Continue reading
Bittersweet Mysteries
All Souls’ Day, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, is the day the Church recalls in a special way “those who have died and have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.” Today is naturally a very … Continue reading
Election Day
I don’t envy Trump or Clinton. They sit underneath the public microscope. Critics from either party want whatever dirt they can find. They clamor for financial statements and medical records. Such scrutiny would make any of us squirm. But just … Continue reading