Some chains are taken off and some are put on. We hear in Scripture, “The Lord listens to the needy and does not spurn his servants in their chains” (Ps 69:33), and again, “He led them forth from darkness and … Continue reading
Lent
God and Wicked Judges
Today at Mass we hear the story of Susanna. This passage from the book of Daniel presents us with a beautiful, God-fearing, law-observant, chaste, and innocent heroine. She falls victim to the lusts and lies of two thwarted and creepy … Continue reading
The Abyss of Grandeur
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
Help My Unbelief
“If only Jesus would give me a sign right now, then I would believe.” We have all heard people make these exclamations and, if we are honest with ourselves, we sometimes find ourselves saying the same thing. We need signs. … Continue reading
Love or Suffering?
A while ago, I was walking past a local Catholic bookstore, and I overheard part of a conversation between some Catholic undergraduates. “Why do you pick on me so much?” one complained playfully, to which the other responded, “If I … Continue reading
Lenten Mercies
In the readings from today’s Mass, we hear an oracle from one of the most trying times in the history of Judah, the events surrounding the Babylonian exile. During this period, Jerusalem was conquered and many of its inhabitants were … Continue reading
Remember What God Has Done
However, take care and be earnestly on your guard not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live, but teach them to your children and to … Continue reading
Songs of Joy
On this day in 1827, the renowned classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven passed away. He spent his life writing music that has captivated listeners, from the stern opening sounds of his Symphony No. 5 to the stirring Für Elise and, … Continue reading
Only God Knows
Today we are just over two weeks into the season of Lent, a time to refocus and reorder our lives. Just over two weeks ago we were invited to remember that we are dust and that to dust we will … Continue reading
Fake News and Speaking the Truth
You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking the truth. (Ps 52:3) Evidently, lies spread more than truth on the internet. A group of scientists published a research report, “The spread of true … Continue reading
Practice makes permanent
The season of Lent is a time of hope and renewal. We examine our interior spiritual lives, consider our imperfections, and work to improve on them. We commit to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These practices no doubt have a positive … Continue reading
Returning to Dust
“In the midst of life we are in death.” Today as priests adorn millions of foreheads with ash, many will hear, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This reminder of death comes from God’s reprimand … Continue reading
A Tidy Life: Ignatian Discernment and Thomistic Anthropology
“Does it spark joy?” This is the central question of Marie Kondo’s KonMari method of tidying up. As I go through my possessions I need to hold them in my hands and ask this question: does it spark joy? If … Continue reading
Pharaohs Who Know Not Jesus
In the final chapters of the book of Genesis, we find Joseph, a person who foreshadows and anticipates the coming of Christ. There are many parallels between the lives of Joseph and Jesus. For example, the malice of Joseph’s brothers, … Continue reading
The A-Word
Here we are, deep into the season of Easter: 50 days of Sunday, a whole week of weeks to live and rejoice in the Resurrection. There are a great number of ways you might observe Easter (especially as you move … Continue reading
Into the Pit
In the end, evil destroys itself. This is certainly a comforting thought, but it can be hard to remember as we look upon the world. One of the functions of literature is to make these kinds of truths clearer for … Continue reading
Lenten Conference Audio: Led into All Truth: The Paraclete’s Mission of Spiritual Healing and Reconciliation
Lenten Conference Audio: Led into All Truth: The Paraclete’s Mission of Spiritual Healing and Reconciliation Dominicana is happy to offer this audio recording of “Led into All Truth: The Paraclete’s Mission of Spiritual Healing and Reconciliation.” It was given by Br. … Continue reading
The Cross of the Body
The onslaught of television shows, movies, advertisements, and pop culture can skew the perception of a normal human life. We unconsciously form an idea of what there is to expect in life: peak physical fitness and attractiveness, perfect love, and … Continue reading
The Liturgy as Formation
Oftentimes friends and family ask me, “Well, how long until you become a priest?” I usually respond with a condensed version of our lengthy and seemingly complicated formation program. More questions ensue, and I continue to explain to them the … Continue reading
Lenten Conference Audio: Temple of the Spirit: The Importance of Place in the Spiritual Life
Lenten Conference Audio: Temple of the Spirit: The Importance of Place in the Spiritual Life Dominicana is happy to offer this audio recording of “Temple of the Spirit: The Importance of Place in the Spiritual Life.” It was given by Br. … Continue reading
Empty-Handed
No one shall appear before me empty-handed. –Ex 34:20 That photo on your desk at work. Or on your nightstand. Or on your lockscreen. It obviously means a lot to you, but how often does it actually make an impression on … Continue reading
What Love Looks Like
To read about the life of a saint is to glimpse a world illuminated by a hidden light. The saint’s actions seem wild yet effective, spontaneous yet motivated by deep insight. As a dog responds to a whistle pitched far … Continue reading
Laetare, Jersualem
An old tradition still permits priests to wear rose-colored (not pink) vestments on two Sundays each year: Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) and Laetare Sunday (yesterday, the Fourth Sunday of Lent). Both are named for the first word of … Continue reading
Preferring the Light
Are you happy? Or, at least, happier? We’ve hit the halfway point of Lent—three weeks down, three weeks to go. That’s three weeks without whatever little pleasures we sacrificed for this penitential season. Three weeks deprived of coffee, or soda, … Continue reading
Priorities
Before I entered the Order, I had a chocolate labrador retriever, whose full name was “Abbot the Dog.” Though a generally well-behaved dog, Abbot once gnawed to pieces my iPhone 3G. (Don’t laugh at its obsolescence—at the time it was … Continue reading