Skip to main content
A cord of three strands is not easily torn apart. This quote from Ecclesiastes 4:12 appeared on my wedding invitation many years ago. It is something that my wife and I have clung to over the many years of our marriage. It comforts us because we know we are not alone and God will not forsake us. It reassures us because we have chosen to build our house on the rock of God. The entire passage from Chapter 4 of Ecclesiastes is pertinent to marriage in general. It makes the argument for two instead of one. If you have another you will be warmer, and labor less. If you should fall, there is someone there to pick you up. But woven throughout the passage is the call to always maintain your relationship with God our Father. It also predicts the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The last line tells us, "Guard your step when you go to the house of God. Let your approach be obedience, rather than the fools' offering of sacrifice; for they know not how to keep from doing evil." Obedience is a really tough pill to swallow. I think it may be harder for Americans. We are so used to coming to the rescue of others. Is there anything as a nation that we think we cannot accomplish? It is in our spirit to discover a solution to life's toughest puzzles. But God calls us to obedience. In that obedience, He promises to carry us through life. It sounds so simple yet we are constantly torn by this idea. I am trying to approach God in obedience this Lent in the hopes that it will become my habit even after we celebrate the resurrection of the sacrificial Lamb on Easter Sunday.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Doctrinal Clarity, Not Change: Unpacking the Note on Marian Titles

The release of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s note, Mater Populi Fidelis , on November 4, 2025, seems to have sparked some immediate and widespread confusion, driven largely by sensationalist headlines from secular sources. In response to requests, particularly surrounding a potential Fifth Marian Dogma of Spiritual Maternity , the DDF addressed the usage of titles like Co-redemptrix and Mediatrix. Unfortunately, this has led to a large contingent online and in the media claiming that the Church has "tossed out" centuries of doctrine, with some outside the Church even proclaiming a "victory" over Catholic teaching (This may be the saddest part of it all, that we as Christians, are "competing" with each other). It is essential to understand that this doctrinal note is fundamentally about titles and clarity, not doctrine and change according to the Vatican News. The true teachings regarding Mary's unique role in salvation remain inviolabl...
Post a Comment
Read more

Jesus Came to End Death and to Build a Church

The twelve apostles chosen by Jesus formed the bedrock of the early Church , and their Catholic identity is deeply rooted in their direct relationship with Christ and the mission He entrusted to them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights this foundational role, stating that Jesus "instituted the Twelve as 'the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy'" ( CCC 860 ). These men were not simply followers; they were handpicked by Jesus, lived intimately with Him, witnessed His miracles and teachings firsthand, and were specifically commissioned to preach the Gospel to all nations ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Their unique position as eyewitnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and their reception of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, established them as the authoritative leaders of the nascent Church, a reality echoed in the writings of early Church Fathers like Ignatius of Antioch, who emphasized the apostles' authority as repre...
Post a Comment
Read more
Kurt Hilgefort, is a Catholic father of six who publishes his thoughts on his blog Shadows of Augustine . He responded to my seven question survey with the following answers. Kurt is the first layperson to respond to the seven question survey and I think that his experience is extremely relevant to me personally and I hope that you are inspired by his thoughts as well. If you would like to respond, please send an email to fellmananthony@gmail.com with your thoughts and I will be happy to publish them as well. 1. What is the biggest challenge to your faith that you have faced so far? The biggest challenge for me has been the whole dying to self thing. On an intellectual level, there are no barriers. It comes down to a matter of accepting the authority of the Church that Christ founded upon Peter. My challenge is not in the intellect, but rather in the will. The challenge for me has always been to continually seek conversion. I want to be transformed, but I want it to be over all ...
Post a Comment
Read more