Mike Nelson We can learn much from Scripture and the teachings of the Church about the value of encountering those different from ourselves. Certainly, Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well (Jn 4:4-42), his dining in the tax collector’s home (Mt 9:10-17) and his parable about the good Samaritan (Lk 10:30-37) speak clearly about recognising…
For too many years, for me, Christ was simply Jesus’ last name: Jack Smith, Susan Parker, Jesus Christ. Intellectually, I knew better; but practically, both in my private faith and as a theologian, I functioned as if Christ were simply Jesus’ surname. Whether in prayer, writing or preaching, I almost always used the two names…
The Sunday Gospel Jem Sullivan July 16, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Is 55:10-11 Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14 Rom 8:18-23 Mt 13:1-23 A real estate agent friend often reminds customers that location is the most important element in buying or selling land. The location of a home or business makes a difference as it determines the…
Gretchen Crowe It’s easy for Catholics to take the rosary for granted. We tend to purchase them as souvenirs, or carry them around with us, or even wear them – but we forget the immense power that they have when we actually pray them. And that’s really too bad, because a devotion to the rosary…
It is a remarkable thing that arguably the most overtly spiritual director of the 1970s and ‘80s was a product of the decidedly atheist USSR. Andrei Tarkovsky imbued each film with a yearning for spiritual truths, even while cultural authorities policed films for such ‘subversive themes’. Two of Tarkovsky’s films make the Vatican’s 1995 list…
The myth that only religious can be saints is one that’s well and truly on its way to being busted, with the Church making a renewed effort to highlight the many, many people who’ve walked the path of holiness in many different forms of life. July 8, a missionary, married couple from the early Church…
Susan Hines-Brigger Ten years ago, I travelled to Assisi, Italy, on pilgrimage, to follow in the footsteps of St Francis. For days, we immersed ourselves in the words and actions of St Francis throughout his life. Of all the moments that resonated with me, though, there was one story that seemed especially challenging – both…
A common line of thought these days among critics of religion, and Christianity in particular, is that God must be a major narcissist, creating a world full of people, animals and more, to sing his praises from now through to eternity. Commandments from throughout the Bible to love and worship God, a ‘jealous’ God, have…
Scripture tells us that in this life we have no lasting city. True enough. But, it seems, we also don’t have a lasting house, school, neighbourhood, town, zip code address or most anything else. Eventually nothing lasts. Perhaps my case isn’t typical, but a lot of things in my life haven’t lasted. My grandparents were…
The Sunday Gospel Deacon Greg Kandra 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Zec 9:9-10 Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14 Rom 8:9, 11-13 Mt 11:25-301 Jesus makes us an invitation that is irresistible: “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from…
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Ruadhán Jones