Irrevocable . . . and inscrutable, two words from today's first reading that struck me and led me to consider or contemplate the beauty of God once again. This reading comes from a section of the Letter to the Romans that was introduced a few days ago, but which we have missed because of the intervening holy days we have been celebrating at the beginning of November. St. Paul is discussing...
All Saints Day is upon us once again. The origins of this feast are complex and involved. It was originally a day on which to honor the Blessed Mother and all those who had died as martyrs. The Roman Pantheon, a church which still stands today was dedicated on November 1 by Pope Boniface IV in 609 or 610 A.D. The Feast of dedicatio Sanctae Mariae ad Martyres (the Dedication of the Church...
I don’t think there is any doubt that all of us run into problems with prayer at one time or another in our life times. The spiritual writers refer to it sometimes as “the dark night of the soul.” Others refer to it as the “winter of our spiritual lives.” Many people have confessed that they are distracted during prayer, that their minds wander from their purpose and find...