Learning to be Quick to Listen

In his Summa Theologica , St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that God's love for us is not a passive emotion but an active, creative force . This divine love, or charity, is the very reason for our existence. God, in His infinite goodness, desired to share His life and love with us, His creation. This profound truth is echoed in Psalm 149 , which proclaims that "The Lord takes delight in his people." This delight is not a fleeting pleasure but a deep, abiding joy in the very being of His children. We are not an afterthought or a mistake; rather, we are "very good," created in His image and likeness. This inherent goodness , a reflection of our Creator, is the foundation of our relationship with Him. The Church Fathers, from St. Augustine to St. John of the Cross, consistently emphasize that God has a perfect plan for each of our lives. This plan is not a rigid script that removes our free will , but an invitation to co-create our destiny with Him. God's love for u...

A game of sorts unfolds in today’s Gospel as the Pharisees challenge Jesus with a familiar rabbinical exercise: "Which commandment in the law is the greatest?" They're looking for the central pillar, the one law that undergirds all the others. Jesus, the Word of God incarnate , responds with an answer that gets right to the heart of the matter. He tells them it’s all about love, echoing the words of the prophet Hosea who said, “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” The greatest commandment, Jesus says, is to love the Lord our God with our whole being—heart, soul, and mind. The second, he adds, is to love our neighbor as ourselves. These aren’t two separate rules but two sides of the same coin. If our actions follow the letter of the law but lack love, we’re missing the point. We can’t truly love God while hating our neighbor, and we can’t truly love our neighbor without seeing the face of God in them. But why are t...

One of the most significant hurdles people face when engaging with Scripture lies in the interpretation of prophecy. It's a common misconception that prophetic passages inherently refer to future events, leading many to overlook their immediate context. A crucial starting point for understanding prophecy is to first look for its fulfillment in the time period closest to the prophet. Only after considering this contemporary application should we then explore the possibility of more distant or future fulfillments. This foundational principle helps to ground our understanding and prevent misinterpretations that can arise from solely focusing on what's to come. Beyond the tendency to project all prophecy into the future, another pervasive error is adopting an "egocentric" interpretation, where individuals believe biblical prophecy is primarily about them. While extreme examples involve figures like Charles Manson or David Koresh claiming to be prophesied individuals, a ...

Today's Mass readings call us to a profound understanding of love, particularly as articulated by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount : the radical command to love our enemies. This teaching is illuminated by the ultimate test of love: laying down one's life for another, as Jesus himself demonstrated. While the deepest expression of love is often seen in selfless acts for friends, an even more challenging and revealing test lies in loving those who offer nothing in return, or even actively seek our harm. The Passion of Christ provides the perfect example, as Jesus willingly offers his life for those who betrayed, denied, and condemned him, including his own disciples and those who orchestrated his crucifixion. This divine example of love culminates in Jesus' post-resurrection greeting of " Shalom " – peace – to those very individuals who contributed to his suffering and death. This act of forgiveness and reconciliation reveals the true nature of God's love f...

In an age saturated with political discourse and ideological divides, it's easy for Catholic Christians, particularly in the U.S., to find ourselves entangled in debates that threaten to schism our communities. We witness a pervasive tendency to categorize even papal pronouncements along a left-right political spectrum, as if issues like climate change or immigration are new litmus tests for orthodoxy. This fixation on political punditry, however, is a shortsighted distraction from our core mission . Historically, the Church’s most profound and enduring political achievements have stemmed not from overt political commentary, but from unwavering adherence to foundational credal affirmations and the communal practices centered on Christ. The early Church offers a powerful example of this focus. While not explicitly apolitical by modern standards, the early Christians demonstrated a remarkable detachment from the prevailing political currents of their time. Their corporate life, cen...

In the quiet corners of Nazareth, amidst the sawdust and the scent of freshly cut wood, Joseph , the earthly father of Jesus, played a pivotal role in the unfolding of salvation history . More than just a carpenter, he was a guardian, a protector, and a teacher. As Matthew 2:24 tells us, "When he awoke, Joseph did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife." This obedience, this willingness to embrace the daunting task of raising the Messiah, highlights Joseph's unwavering faith. By providing a safe haven, a stable home, he allowed Jesus to flourish, to grow in wisdom and stature, preparing him for the monumental ministry that lay ahead. Joseph's faithful protection shielded the young Jesus from Herod's wrath, ensuring the divine plan could unfold. Joseph's influence extended beyond physical protection . His hands, calloused from years of labor, taught Jesus the dignity of work, the value of honest toil. In the simple act of ...

The Bible. It's the most popular book in the history of the world, a cornerstone of Western civilization, and a vital treasure for Jesus's Catholic Church. Yet, many Catholics find themselves surprisingly unfamiliar with its depths. This needs to change. Too often, our experience of the Bible is limited to the Sunday Mass readings. While these are essential, they offer only glimpses into the vast tapestry of God's plan. Homilies, while well-intentioned, often lack the in-depth biblical explanations we crave, leaving us without a clear understanding of the context, authorship, and application of the scriptures to our daily lives. We need to understand: ·          Who wrote the text? ·          What was their intention? ·          How does this passage connect to the bigger picture of salvation history? ·          What do...