2019 Summer Reading Recommendations:Vipers’ Tangle by François Mauriac The human heart is a mysterious thing. As Scripture says, “More tortuous than anything is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it?” (Jer 17:9). A tangled mess of loves, the … Continue reading
Sin
Scourged
“But Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released to them Barabbas, and handed over Jesus scourged so that He might be crucified” (Mark 15:15). How much can a single word hold? St. Mark used only one to record the scourging … Continue reading
Holy Hate
“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good” (Rom 12:9). God’s grace conforms our hearts to his. We usually think about this divine work within ourselves as transforming us to love what God loves, … 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
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
Living in Grace
Life really is like a Sigrid Undset novel. It’s all about grace—receiving it and rejecting it. Undset masterfully crafts her characters to reveal the quiet—and sometimes not so quiet—movements of grace in their lives. God lovingly touches each soul, bestowing upon … 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
The Savior Still Tenderly Pleads
Editor’s note: This is the fourth 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
Just Keep Your Eyes on Me
By your counsel you will guide me,and then you will lead me to glory.What else have I in heaven but you?Apart from you, I want nothing on earth. (Psalm 73:24-25) The rails clacked and the din of passengers subsided to … 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
Vapid Vice and Vivacious Virtue
A windswept forest on a cloud-covered night creaks, cracks, and moans, sending chills up and down the spine. Trees waving and wagging on their upward path have elbowed for the brightest spot in the sun. They’re intertwined. When the wind … Continue reading
The Light of the Just One
We tend to shy away from our sins and weaknesses coming to light. When we hear of someone caught and punished for committing injustice, we might be tempted to think them worse off than those ‘lucky’ evildoers who get off … Continue reading
Mary’s Peace Plan
Editor’s note: This piece was originally published in Dominicana in September 1947 by Br. Vincent Ferrer McHenry. He was ordained a priest on June 9, 1949. In his almost sixty-five years as a priest, Fr. McHenry served as a college … Continue reading
Toward a Spirituality of Sloths
It is difficult to be Catholic and also a fan of sloths. “Why do you like something named after a deadly sin?” I have been asked on no few occasions. When I try to justify myself by pointing out that … Continue reading
Betrayal’s Foundation
There are two great betrayals in the Passion of Christ by two of Christ’s very apostles: Judas and St. Peter. Only one now has the title “saint” before his name. Why did Judas betray Christ? It was not a spontaneous … Continue reading
Jesus Wants Your Baggage
I love flying on airplanes. As if traveling to a new destination were not exciting enough, my extroverted personality delights in being in the company of complete strangers, packed front to back in a Boeing 787. A cocktail of ginger … Continue reading
Lenten Peace
Lent is a time to attain peace of heart, not to lose it. Yet it is a common experience for people to make big Lenten resolutions, fail to keep them, and give in to discouragement. We are sinners, and most … Continue reading
Lent, Subterranean
Yesterday, Ash Wednesday, we planted the seeds of our Lenten observance. We committed to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We resolved to give something up. Today is our first chance to check in on our progress. How’s it looking? We evaluate … Continue reading
Burdened under the Law
The Church’s moral law has received attention in the public square for many years now, on topics ranging from contraception to torture. These sorts of discussions take place within the Church as well, as seen in the current discussion on … Continue reading
Spiritual Deafness
We all have our sufferings and problems, but sometimes other people can see better than we what’s wrong with us. For example, the movie Mr. Holland’s Opus stars a music teacher and composer who finds out that his baby boy … Continue reading
Resolutions
Is it better to make resolutions or to keep them? To keep them, obviously, you might huffily reply. Then why do we continue to make resolutions, seeing as we so often and easily break them? New Year’s resolutions in particular … Continue reading
Embrace of the Cross
The idea of a hug from Jesus can bring to mind the figure of a blue-eyed man with tousled brown hair, probably a big beard, and a cheesy grin with his arms stretched wide waiting for you. Or this time … Continue reading
Loving Disappointment
“I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed.” If you’ve ever stolen a cookie from the cookie jar and subsequently gotten caught, you’ve likely heard these words from your parents. And boy does it hurt to hear that. More than if your … Continue reading
Light in the Darkness
Light veils monsters to weak eyes. This fact is familiar if you’ve ever been spotted in the dark. A blinding flash fills your doe eyes, abruptly ending your midnight escapades. Frozen, you hold your breath, waiting to see who is … Continue reading