The Bible: God’s Living Word
As a result of working on the only complete Bible for children (St. Mary’s Press), I’ll be speaking on Scripture in Chicago this year. Some thoughts . . . What is the Bible? The Word of God in the words of human beings. In Genesis, God said, “Let it be,” and the entire universe came into being. In the Gospels, Jesus spoke and people are healed, storms cease, and a dead man walks out of a tomb. That same God speaks to us in Sacred Scripture. The Bible is powerful. As it says of itself, “The Word of God is living and effective, sharper than a two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). God said to Jeremiah, “My word is like fire, like a hammer shattering rocks (Jeremiah 23:29).” Sadly, for many Catholics, the Bible remains an unopened treasure. (more…)
The Assumption: Mary’s Crossing Over
In honor of the Assumption, here are excerpts about this mystery from my book The Catholic Companion of Mary.
“Regardless of how long Mary lived after Jesus’ death, surely she missed her son and husband and yearned to be reunited with them. Did Mary die? Most theologians think that Mary underwent death—just as her son did and as we all will do. The Church has no formal teaching about Mary’s death. What it does believe is that when Mary’s life on earth was ended, she was immediately taken body and soul into heaven. In this way, God preserved her body from corruption—that body which had served his Son so well. (more…)
The Holy Land: Israel and Your Yard
Last night I was reviewing my photos from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1995. Visiting the land where Jesus chose to visit Earth some 2,000 years ago was a learning experience. For one thing, I met both Jewish people and Arabs who were friendly and good. My hopes and prayers for a resolution to their conflict in Israel increased. My visit also brought the Gospels to life. Here are ten new realizations… (more…)
God Appearing in Our Lives
An epiphany is a manifestation of the divine. I believe we each experience little epiphanies. The God who spoke to Moses in a burning bush, to Joseph in a dream, and to Paul on the road, speaks to us too. There are several moments in our lives when we just know that we are in the presence of the holy. Our hearts are moved. In our era after the resurrection, these epiphanies aren’t as spectacular as the one witnessed by the three apostles on Mount Tabor. They are simple, yet memorable. Skimming over my store of memories, I find several such events stand out. (more…)
Asking for Help
In a homily on the Good Samaritan the other week, our pastor, Fr. Tom Fanta, had a new perspective. He had us consider “the view from the ditch.” The man who was beaten by robbers and left at the side of the road needed help. Did he call out for it? We don’t know. Often when we need help, we are reluctant to ask people. Why? Maybe because we value our independence too much, or we don’t want to impose on others, or we don’t want people to think less of us. Twice my mother fell and spent the night on the floor without pressing her alert button because she didn’t want to bother anyone. Now that is an extreme example. But how often do we suffer because we do not ask for help? (more…)
