What Made John the Baptist so Holy?

Today is the memorial of the Passion of John the Baptist, who was killed by the corrupt King Herod for condemning the monarch’s illicit marriage (Mk 6:17-29). For John, this was the culmination of a life of sanctity announced by … Continue reading

A Helper to Till the Garden

In the Genesis passage at Mass today, God seeks to create a suitable “helper” for the man he placed in the garden. We know the rest of the story. God presents the newly formed woman to the man, who exclaims: … Continue reading

Unique From Day One

Until a few weeks ago, I did not know the March for Life has a theme each year. I have attended the March several times, both before and after becoming a Dominican friar, but somehow this simple fact eluded me. … Continue reading

The Wisdom of Friends

There abides in the human heart a desire for deep and expansive vision. This is proven by the yearning we have for building skyscrapers that provide stunning views of a city’s downtown or skywalks like the one overlooking the Grand … Continue reading

Open Wide Those Doors

Forty years ago today, a clarion call rang from the celebrant’s chair in Saint Peter’s Square: “Do not be afraid. Open, I say open wide the doors for Christ!” With those resounding words—so familiar now to myriad Catholics across the … Continue reading

Preacher, Theologian, Contemplative

In Blessed Humbert of Romans’ important work, “On the Beginnings of the Order of Preachers,” he calls St. Augustine “the distinguished Preacher.” This way of identifying Augustine stands in splendid relief to St. Thomas Aquinas’ way of identifying him over … Continue reading

Indeed You Love Truth in the Heart

The Acts of the Apostles recounts a startling run-in between the apostles and Ananias and Sapphira. Having sold property and presented the proceeds to the early Church community, the couple then failed to present all the proceeds and then lied … Continue reading

“Barb, I Love You?”

Theodore is in a dilemma. Over the past few months, he has fallen head-over-heels in love with Barb. She is the woman of his dreams: beautiful, affectionate, gentle, and compassionate. Whenever he treads in Barb’s presence, Theodore’s heart is close … Continue reading

A Remedy for the Absurd

In 1947, Albert Camus published La Peste, a novel recounting a plague that settles into Oran in French Algeria. After a few citizens contract it, the weekly death toll climbs, prompting plague regulations that seal off the town and quarantine … Continue reading

Do What Comes Naturally

Have you ever looked at a great work of art and considered what you share in common with the artist? Or maybe, what you share in common with the engineer of the Egyptian pyramids? Well, you too have an intellect, … 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

Religion is Not Race

There is a troubling tendency in our public discourse to reduce religion to race or ethnicity (the complex case of Judaism aside). On this view, religion is a more or less superficial feature of one’s identity—something akin to skin color … Continue reading

A Prayer of Christian Philosophy

Why, O Eternal Wisdom, do the heavens move as they do, the rains fall, and the windows fog? Why does my breath make clouds? Why does the oil hover on the water and the light burn up the darkness? Why, … Continue reading

The Standing Now

In a few days we will celebrate Christ the King, which anticipates the moment when Jesus returns, time ends, and eternal life begins. But what do we mean by “eternal”? Is it the same sort of eternity as a traffic … Continue reading