Have you ever confessed a sin and then, no matter how earnestly you intended to amend your life, had the desire to commit that sin again? Why aren’t we simply fixed after Confession? Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Confession that … Continue reading
Penance
Peter’s Promise
At the Last Supper, as is written in today’s Gospel, St. Peter confidently proclaimed to Jesus, “I will lay down my life for you” (Jn 13:37). He surely meant it, but martyrdom is easier intended than done. The possibility of … Continue reading
Chains of Love
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
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
The Murderer’s Wife
There lived in fourteenth-century Rhineland a young woman of a respectable family. Raised by such a family in a land under the Christian Gospel for centuries, she became a pious young woman. She must have been full of hope for … Continue reading
Here He Comes
It’s been a long, cold, lonely winter. It feels like years since it’s been here. The Beatles have Good News for us: Here Comes the Sun! In this iconic song, George Harrison captures (even if unwittingly) the Advent sentiments that … Continue reading
Have Yourself a Hangover-Free Christmas
Advent is a hangover. Hear me out now. “There are only two philosophies of life: one is first the feast, then the headache; the other is first the fast and then the feast.” Alright, so that was not me, technically. … Continue reading
Ted Works at the Pentagon
Ted works at the Pentagon. I can’t tell you what he does—that’s strictly confidential—but I can tell you that he barely ever leaves the compound. Although his work is not extremely stressful in itself, it demands that he nearly always … Continue reading
Blood Washing Blood
In a famous scene of a famous play, a semi-conscious Lady Macbeth wanders around the stage and feverishly rubs her hands together in an attempt to clean blood from them, blood which only she can see. Out of pride and … Continue reading
Repent: A Cry of Hope
In the opening scene, and recurring many times throughout the 2006 Russian film, The Island, a monk named Anatoly cries out in anguish over and over again, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.” He is tortured … Continue reading
Lord, Have Mercy
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.Rise up, O Lord, and save your people whom you have redeemed at the price of your own blood.Good Shepherd, save your sheep who are ravaged by wolves. Raise up shepherds after … Continue reading
Clinging to the Cross
These past few weeks have been filled with suffering. The revelation of scandal has caused an immense amount of pain among the members of the Body of Christ, both the victims and all who love the Church. It raises a … Continue reading
To the Parents of a Black Sheep
Every family seems to have someone who sticks out above the rest, for better or for worse. It is not uncommon today to have parents who consider one (or more) of their children to be the “black sheep” of the … Continue reading
In the Breach
One of the homeless men in the basement was snoring. Loudly. Some years before I entered the Dominican Order, in the middle of a Confirmation class I was teaching, one student announced that he didn’t really believe in the Real … Continue reading
Building Shields
In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. –Eph. 6:16 Faith, like a strong shield, is our protection for spiritual combat. Shields are needed in the heat of battle, and … Continue reading
What I Did for Love
The sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us (Rm 8:18). Why would someone give up something that they love? Giving up something you are addicted to makes sense. Giving up something … Continue reading
Is Resistance Futile?
One of the most influential and now forgotten historians of the 19th century was the Austrian Dominican Heinrich Denifle. Despite having many administrative responsibilities, Fr. Denifle found time to pore over thousands of medieval manuscripts, making significant contributions to the … Continue reading
Poor Wayfaring Stranger
Editor’s note: This is the fifth post in our newest series, reflecting on the Hillbilly Thomists’ recent, self-titled album. The series will run each Tuesday and Thursday throughout the Easter season. Read the whole series here. This post concerns the … Continue reading
Burning Coals for Breakfast
“Come, have breakfast.” (John 21:12) How did Peter react when he heard this delightful invitation from Jesus? The invitation is so human; starting the day with a warm bowl of oatmeal is a delight, but fish and loaves with Jesus … 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
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
The Heart of Penance
“Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1:15). These words rang out in Galilee when our Lord started his public preaching, and they were heard worldwide last week on Ash Wednesday. Repentance is a definitive turning away from sin, but … Continue reading
Lent is for Lovers
If you don’t give it up for love, you won’t give it up for long. Growing up in New England—the birthplace of Dunkin Donuts—Dunkin coffee was like mother’s milk to me. Instead of milk, though, I took mine with cream … Continue reading
Chocolate and Ashes
Can you read my mind and know what I am thinking? You probably cannot without my help. Nevertheless, what others think, especially those with whom we live, work, or love, matters to us. Often we pick up a person’s general … Continue reading