Demons. Satan. Beelzebub. Lucifer. The Devil. Known by various names, evil spirits are to be found in the Bible, both New and Old Testaments. Jesus casts them out and has authority over them. What do we now make...
There is a cost of discipleship -- Jesus sometimes calls us to leave behind professions, friends, even family. Does that mean that work and human relationships are at odds with growing in our relationship with God?...
This excerpt from an Epiphany homily by St. Proclus is a great resource for a better understanding of the sacrament of baptism. It also helps us meditate on the rosary since the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Jordan is the first 1st...
It is good to pray for vocations. But who precisely has a calling? Priests, deacons, nuns, and religious certainly have a call or vocation. But how about the rest of us? Are we called and chosen? And if so, for...
John the Baptist is often thought of as a stern, grim figure. But as a matter of fact, he could be the patron saint of joy! Maybe that's why is is the focal point of the gospel for Gaudete or Rejoice Sunday, the...
Prayer & table blessing for Thanksgiving Day. In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is a holiday with special religious significance. Originally it was celebrated by the Pilgrims and the Native Americans to give thanks to God after the harvest of 1621. In 1863 President...
Before thanksgiving was an American holiday, it was a way of life for Jews and Christians alike, indeed a hallmark of the Judeo-Christian tradition. All ancient peoples gave thanks for creation; only Jews and Christians believe that God acted decisively in history to secure...
The Feast of Christ the King reminds us that Jesus will judge the living and the dead. Matthew 25 hints that the pious, decent folk may be in for a surprise . . . sins of omission, failing to love, may figure more prominently...
The Feast of the Dedication of the St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome on November 9th raises an important question: "why do Roman Catholics and other Christians spend so much money on Church buildings when it is the people who are the true Church and...
A reflection on the Solemnity of All Souls, touching on the mystery of death and the afterlife including heaven, hell, and purgatory, and the validity of prayers for the dead....