There are no fewer than 100 verses in the Bible that refer to “testing by fire.” One of the most familiar is taken from the Book of the Prophet Malachi: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.” The stigmata of St. Francis...
Faith is not an end but a beginning. That’s the only way to think about it.
Avoid the theological controversies of justification, the age-old arguments over faith and works, arguments which are prompted by our reading from the Letter of St. James today. These arguments do have their place but leave them to the theologians. Don’t worry about all that; don’t let anyone...
The triumph of the cross is something we celebrate every day at Mass and more intensely during Lent and Easter. This feast was instituted to recall three historical events: the finding of the True Cross by Saint Helena, the dedication of churches built by Constantine on the site of the Holy Sepulchre and Mount Calvary, and the restoration of the True Cross to Jerusalem by the emperor Heraclius...
The Church celebrates St. John Chrysostom today, a brave preacher who was known to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable” with his controversial honesty and the way he challenged hypocrisy. He dealt with harsh judgments, and was even exiled because he spoke out against wealth and greed, making his rich enemies angry. He held no double standards and defended the faith...
In today’s Gospel text Jesus gives us high and never-to-be-fulfilled ideal. However, if we are going to be honest with ourselves, there will never be a moment when we can sit back and say, “Well, I’ve satisfied that obligation completely. Next, please.” At the very least, this tough teaching of Jesus is meant to prod us continually. We will never reach an intellectually...