Labor pains are often used to illustrate the messages of the Scriptures. Today's Gospel passage relates this "interim" time to the labor of a woman as she gives birth. This is a familiar simile used by Greek philosophers who commented that giving birth to a new age was always preceded by periods of turmoil and unrest. Both the St. John and St. Paul pick up this notion in their discussions...
A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me." So some of his disciples said to one another, "What does this mean that he is saying to us, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?" (John 16:16-17)
How many times have you heard someone say, "Life is too...
There is no question that Pope Francis' style as the Holy Father is different than his two predecessors. One comment that I have heard of late goes something like this: "Pope John Paul II reached out to the world with the notion of "New Evangelization." Pope Benedict XVI, ever the scholar, defined what that "New Evangelization" would look like through his writings and his sermons. Pope...
The readings for today's liturgy embrace the two different sides of faith, both strong and weak. It should not surprise us that sometimes we are plagued with doubts and at other times we are as sure as we can be. Such moments are just another part of our human limitations.
In the Acts of the Apostles today we hear the marvelous story of Paul and Silas in prison. So strong was their faith...
Catholics believe that through the reservation of the consecrated host in the tabernacles of each of our parish churches and various chapels and oratories, Jesus is truly present in every Church. Because Jesus, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, exists in unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit, we also believe that the entire Trinity is present. The Church also teaches that God is...