The Bible: God’s Personal Words to You

“My words will never pass away,” Jesus said. His Word is contained in Scripture. This sacred book is meant to be a personal letter. It’s not addressed “To Occupant.” It’s not a duplicated letter like you might send at Christmas. No. It is a love letter from God to you, assuring you that he is […]

The Bible: God Speaks

Don’t expect God to talk to you on your cell phone. He doesn’t zoom or text either. God communicates through the written word in a sacred book: the Bible. For thousands of years people have found strength, courage, and comfort in Scripture. It is a powerful book because it is God’s Word. One way to […]

God’s Amazing Love at Christmas: Divine Intimacy

Christmas is a celebration of God’s love: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” Just in time for Christmas I finished writing “A Love Affair with God: Twelve Traits.” Although one publisher considered the book “too romantic,” I was guided by St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, […]

Down with Bible Illiteracy!

Last week on “Jeopardy” the final “answer” was “He tells his Son not to worry about the lamb for the burnt offering. God will provide it.” The brainy contestants wrote Joseph, Job, and Jonah. None of them recognized one of the most famous stories in the Bible: Abraham and his willing sacrifice of his son […]

Expressions Rooted in the Bible

In talks to religion teachers, I offer reasons to teach Scripture. First and foremost, the Bible is God’s Word to us and he speaks to us personally through it. Second, we come to know Jesus through Scripture. And third, an educated person is expected to know Scripture. (How often “Jeopardy!” as well as crossword puzzle […]

What? Me Worry?

One day I was flying home after a devastating meeting with a publisher. My aisle seat was between two young men who were friends. I offered to switch places, but they told me to stay put, and they involved me in their conversation. At one point I shared with them that it had been a […]

Are There Miracles Today?

Each year a team of medical professionals from my parish, St. Dominic, spend a week in a poor village in El Salvador screening and treating more than 1,000 patients. On their visit last month, to their dismay there was only enough lidocaine for local anesthesia for five or six patients. However, each time the doctors […]

The Bible: You’ve Got Mail, Part 2

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of my latest book, Praying with Scripture. Come to the Bible, not to study the history of God’s action, but to be its object; not to learn what it achieves throughout the centuries and still does, but to be the subject of its operation. ~ Jean-Pierre de Caussade, […]

Praying with Scripture: The Bible—You’ve Got Mail!

It occurred to me that I am free to post excerpts from my books on this website. (This will give me additional time each week to write more books!) So here is the Introduction from my latest book: “Praying with Scripture: The Bible—You’ve Got Mail!” . . . I would like so much for all […]

Dig into the Bible (and Maybe Strike It Rich)

This week I came across a book that was a collection of little known facts in the Bible. It reminded me of the time I heard that God shut the door of Noah’s ark after all were boarded. Really? I had to look it up and, sure enough, there it was. (See Genesis 7:16.) At […]