tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50819848218674896572011-04-21T13:08:38.688-07:00Daily Catholic insights and church teachings.Johnnoreply@blogger.comBlogger421100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-292736450231421472007-04-10T09:53:00.000-07:002007-04-10T09:57:44.374-07:00

One of the foundational principles of the Protestant Reformation was that Sacred Scripture is the only valid source of Christian beliefs. Martin Luther made this one of his primary claims against the validity of Papal authority, purgatory, and many other Catholic teachings that had been held since the time of the apostles. Many Protestant denominations still cling to this belief.There are several

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-87959730511326556982007-04-08T06:43:00.000-07:002007-04-08T06:46:58.622-07:00

May the Lord Bless you and all of your loved ones on this joyous day! May you rejoice in Jesus' rising from the dead and His conquering of sin!Happy Easter!

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-11565516534882781102007-04-06T07:11:00.000-07:002007-04-06T07:16:02.264-07:00

Good Friday is the solemn commemoration of the passion and death of Jesus Christ. This day is the most sorrowful of any day in the history of the world for Christians. Jesus, innocent and without sin, freely offered His life for the redemption of the sins of the entire world.How is this possible? How can the sacrifice of one man be enough to redeem the gruesome sins of mankind? The sacrifice on

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-10620956539982799862007-04-03T08:34:00.000-07:002007-04-03T08:37:11.055-07:00

In today’s gospel, we hear Jesus prophesy two different episodes of betrayal by His disciples. He tells Judas “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Then He tells Peter, “Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”Imagine the tension as Jesus calls out these two followers. Though not all of the disciples knew what was happening with Judas, John must have

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-9033302434522159642007-04-02T09:39:00.000-07:002007-04-02T09:42:43.967-07:00

During this time of Lent, one of the areas of focus in our lives should be the sacrifice of a lesser good for a greater good. The reason we fast and give alms is that by our sacrifice, we recognize the proper hierarchy of goods. God is the first and greatest good. All other goods are secondary. Money, comfort, time, and fame are all subordinate goods to the love of God.Today, the readings at mass

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-89298643702612226772007-03-30T07:44:00.000-07:002007-03-30T07:46:15.295-07:00

Today’s readings are bound together by the common theme of hatred by sinful people toward the just. In the first reading we hear the phrase "All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine." In the gospel, the Jews are trying to stone Jesus because He announced His divinity.The witness given to us in the book of Jeremiah today rings true in our times. Those who profess the

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-26599939071802522372007-03-29T14:07:00.000-07:002007-03-29T14:11:34.248-07:00

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines the sacraments in the following way:“The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-58247820974643565492007-03-29T12:00:00.000-07:002007-03-29T12:02:22.075-07:00

Catholics in Poland are again the target of the European Union. The EU is stepping up pressure on Poland to prevent a law that forbids homosexual propaganda in schools. The Committee on Civil Liberties of the European Parliament is behind this most recent action against the mostly Catholic nation.According to the article listed below, “Several days ago, the Poland’s Minister of Education together

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-91501696990693629632007-03-29T06:37:00.000-07:002007-03-29T06:56:55.499-07:00

In our readings today, there are 2 accounts of the Lord’s covenant to us. In the first reading, God makes a covenant with Abraham, a just and obedient man, telling him that he will be the father of many nations and kings, as long as his people remain loyal to God. In the gospel, Jesus renews the covenant with the Jews, telling them that as long as they keep His commands.Abraham became the father

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-6981504499818639372007-03-28T08:42:00.000-07:002007-03-28T08:44:14.625-07:00

The details of one of the miracles being investigated by the Vatican are being made public. A French nun claims she was cured of Parkinson’s disease after praying for the intercession of the late Pope John Paul II. On April 2, the second anniversary of his death, ceremonies will be held in Rome to mark the end of the investigation into the details of his life. These investigations were taken up

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-17847023463548206522007-03-28T04:52:00.000-07:002007-03-28T04:54:48.408-07:00

Today’s readings deal with the literal trial by fire of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and the figurative trial by fire of Jesus. All of these men were willing to pay the ultimate price in order to testify to the Truth. Of course we know that God is the Truth, and so if we want to speak the truth, we must speak of God. Sometimes we will be put to the test for our witness.Shadrach, Meshach, and

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-78482371240420591992007-03-27T06:04:00.000-07:002007-03-27T06:08:26.416-07:00

In the readings for today, there are two dominant themes. The first is that evil will be punished. The second is that God is the source of everything that we need. In a more general way, the first reading deals with temporal matters and the gospel speaks to us of eternal matters.In the first reading, which is from the book of Numbers, we hear that the Israelites, having come out of the land of

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-19369483971112459242007-03-26T09:09:00.000-07:002007-03-26T09:12:22.728-07:00

Our readings for today all hinge upon the theme of submittal to God’s will. In the first reading from Isaiah, the Lord tells Ahaz to ask for a sign. Ahaz refuses, saying that he does not want to tempt the Lord. Isaiah then rebukes Israel for its stubbornness and gives the great prophesy, “the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us!’”

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-77542108932081575122007-03-23T14:21:00.000-07:002007-03-23T14:32:09.760-07:00

In the last few days there have been 2 large attacks on the faith of Polish and Baltic State Catholics:According to cwnews.com: “In a 6-1 decision this week, the European Court of Human Rights ordered the government of Poland to award 25,000 euros to a woman who claims her human rights were violated when she was denied an abortion”Many think the court order is an attempt to coerce Poland into

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-77439530213905001092007-03-23T13:27:00.000-07:002007-03-23T13:30:33.121-07:00

Today’s readings focus on the persecution that follows from being a faithful servant of the Lord. The first reading, which is from the Book of Wisdom, shows us the words of those who reject God and fight against His love. They hate the just man and persecute him for his good deeds. Then the gospel tells us of some people from Jerusalem who did not believe Jesus was the Son of God because they

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-69721595009788497812007-03-23T09:16:00.000-07:002007-03-23T09:21:46.465-07:00

If you have never heard of Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, you are unfortunate, indeed. He is the Pontifical Household preacher, which means he gets to preach to the Pope! Imagine the pressure. Well, Fr. Cantalamessa flourishes in that role, and his sermons are incredibly profound. He has been delivering a series of talks on the beatitudes. His most recent sermon focuses on the meek.Fr. Cantalamessa

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-31386915687165669442007-03-22T12:17:00.000-07:002007-03-22T12:24:00.190-07:00

Reflection on Today’s ReadingsToday’s readings deal with man’s stubbornness in turning away from sin and turning to God. In the first reading, from Exodus, we hear of the Israelites who fell into idolatry when Moses went to receive the 10 Commandments. In the gospel, Jesus speaks to some particularly stubborn people who do not believe in Him. He tells them that if they truly followed the words of

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-43305535650156074982007-03-22T07:37:00.000-07:002007-03-22T07:40:23.200-07:00

During this Lenten season, it is important for us to reflect on the sacrifice of the Cross. We meditate on the greatest gift that has ever been given to the human race: the life of our Lord. Jesus, innocent of all sin, embodied the infinite love of the Father. Having endured insults and torture, He humbly gave Himself up on the Cross for the redemption of our sins. No matter how long or hard we

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-87400040614281840392007-03-21T14:54:00.000-07:002007-03-21T14:57:30.283-07:00

According to this article from Catholic World News, the process of canonization is moving along quite well for John Paul II, our great beloved pope. There are 3 miracles under investigation currently, with many more being reported. The first step is a review of John Paul II’s life and works to confirm his life of “heroic virtue”. Next, in order to declare him “blessed”, at least one confirmed

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-66328539300447161342007-03-21T11:27:00.000-07:002007-03-21T11:37:43.404-07:00

In his weekly audience today, Pope Benedict XVI spoke about St. Justin Martyr and emphasized the need for recognition of the truth in our dialogue with philosophy and other religions. The Pope reminds us that our Catholic Faith is rooted in truth, and that is what will ultimately draw others into it. Once a person knows the truth, they cannot reject the Catholic faith. We must continue to

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-39730693318359530562007-03-21T04:41:00.000-07:002007-03-21T04:43:26.153-07:00

“Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion blot out my offense. Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me. For I know my offense; my sin is always before me. Against you alone have I sinned; I have done such evil in your sight That you are just in your sentence, blameless when you condemn. True, I was born guilty, a sinner, even as my mother conceived me. Still,

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-11270226464015396052007-03-20T07:09:00.000-07:002007-03-20T07:15:03.934-07:00

"And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" He said to them in reply, "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise." - Luke 3:10-11The 7 Corporal Works of Mercy are:-To feed the hungry;-To give drink to the thirsty;-To clothe the naked;-To harbor the harborless;-To visit the sick;-To ransom the captive;-To bury the dead.Faith

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-44323640705816187252007-03-19T20:31:00.000-07:002007-03-19T20:35:38.306-07:00

Mercy is a virtue. It compels us to alleviate the suffering of another. The Church presents us with 7 spiritual and 7 corporeal works of mercy. These are ways in which we can practice charity to others and thus bring about tremendous good in the world. The practice of these works is required of all of us. These works are binding. Though it may not always be possible to practice them, as the

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-11072023093649554582007-03-19T11:26:00.000-07:002007-03-19T11:35:44.557-07:00

Today is the feast of St. Joseph, the noble and righteous spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Joseph is the ideal role model for all Christian men. He displays the fortitude, prudence, love, and faith that we should all seek to imitate. Though we know very little about the details of his life, we do know that he accepted the will of God as readily and faithfully as his wife, Mary. Joseph was a

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-25924192802591394662007-03-18T14:46:00.000-07:002007-03-18T14:48:56.169-07:00

The answer to this question is clearly to the affirmative. There has been an effort by many in the liberalized media to attempt to reconcile homosexual actions with Christian beliefs. Such attempts are futile. There is clear evidence in the Bible forbidding homosexuality. While we study this topic, it is important to remember that our actions should always radiate with charity and compassion. We

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-36239952065637968982007-03-18T11:20:00.000-07:002007-03-18T11:25:33.169-07:00

Today’s second reading talks about the light of Christ. Ephesians 5:8-14 moves us to contemplate our sinfulness and the personal habits we sometimes develop that keep us in the darkness. This darkness is the confusion of the soul that results from our gradual, yet steady exposure to evil. When we surround ourselves with evil, we cannot expect to resist its lure forever. Like the steady erosion of

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-72123632176475292222007-03-17T23:09:00.000-07:002007-03-17T23:13:08.899-07:00

Life is a journey. The thought of the magnitude of our actions, thoughts, decisions and aspirations is staggering. From the first breath to the last, the human person radiates the splendor of God’s plan for our lives. As we make our way through life, we weave a story so profound it cannot even be fully grasped by the one who is living it. Truly, the Author of life is wonderful to give us such a

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-41249772829807064632007-03-16T08:46:00.000-07:002007-03-16T08:53:35.537-07:00

Tomorrow is one of the most celebrated holidays in the secular world. As with most of the secular holidays in America, it finds its source in the Christian faith. It is the official feast day of St. Patrick. Most of the celebrating will involve beer and corned beef. There is nothing wrong with those two things, but that is about the extent that most people know of the day. Being Irish, I would

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-82300196496221355762007-03-15T08:26:00.000-07:002007-03-15T08:55:03.282-07:00

In the Catholic Church we see a great community of faithful and discerning people who understand their beliefs and refer to them to resolve moral dilemmas. Our faith is the basis for our conscience, which must be properly formed in order to guide us through the many moral and ethical decisions we must make. Our faith must be strong and our reasoning must be equally solid.There is a movement both

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-1838356249160264052007-03-14T06:21:00.000-07:002007-03-14T07:03:41.610-07:00

Today is an exciting day for Catholics around the world as the Holy Father has released the text of his Apostolic Exhortation, Sacramentum Caritatis. This document contains his thoughts on the "Sacrament of Charity", which is the Eucharist. He came to these conclusions after reviewing the 50 suggestions of the synod of bishops that met in October 2005. What follows is the official outline of the

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-30402813273538737222007-03-10T21:26:00.000-08:002007-03-10T21:33:19.937-08:00

How is it that such a fundamental concept of our faith as the Trinity is so poorly understood? Most Catholics do not really know the basic concepts of the doctrine of the Trinity. It is of paramount importance to our faith, and must be confidently held by all Catholics. Now the Trinity is indeed a very complicated subject and it is not humanly possible to fully comprehend its dynamics. It is

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-58365358567996433832007-03-08T21:20:00.000-08:002007-03-08T21:26:32.429-08:00

Purgatory is the state in which we will make expiation for all of our sins which have not been satisfactorily atoned for. The punishment of purgatory is avoidable to varying extents based on how we atone for our sins in this life. Indeed, it is even possible to remove all temporal punishment for our sins before we die and immediately join our Lord in Heaven upon our death. Not only is this

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-17782221378616688732007-03-07T19:51:00.000-08:002007-03-07T19:56:44.522-08:00

Purgatory is a place of atonement for the sins we have committed throughout our lives, for which we have not yet been satisfactorily purified. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Purgatory as “A state of final purification after death and before entrance into Heaven for those who died in God’s friendship, but were only imperfectly purified; a final cleansing of human imperfection before

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-77566685072682715952007-03-06T20:59:00.000-08:002007-03-06T21:01:54.660-08:00

When our lives come to a close and our days are over, there will be 4 last things. These are death, judgment, Heaven and Hell. These are the things that all of us must face when we die. We will all pass through the darkness of death, and at last stand before the Almighty to render an account of our deeds, both good and evil. As Catholics, we believe that if we have died unrepentant for mortal

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-66810213213431123162007-03-06T13:04:00.000-08:002007-03-06T13:08:19.785-08:00

A big day is approaching for many of us. According to the Vatican, Sacramentum Caritatis, the apostolic exhortation on the Eucharist will be released on Tuesday, March 13th 2007. This document will be a summary of the recommendations of the synod of bishops that met in October of 2005 on the topic of the “Eucharist: Living Bread for Peace in the World”The list of recommendations from the synod

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-6960361194635197862007-03-05T19:39:00.000-08:002007-03-05T19:41:30.304-08:00

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth. This beatitude praises the meek, who possess the virtue of humility. In the world today, we see so much pride. Evil is repaid with evil. We have strayed far from "Turn the other cheek". Humility is a virtue that properly prepares us for an encounter with Jesus. We must humble ourselves and look with compassion on those who offend us. St.

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-5835629901443166682007-03-04T21:02:00.000-08:002007-03-04T21:08:40.337-08:00

The problem of pain is closely related to the problem of evil. Just as arguments are made against God due to evil in the world, similarly, arguments are made against Him because of the problem of pain. Namely, if God is all-good and all-powerful, how can He allow pain in the world?Pain is to be expected in our life, as we see in 1 Peter 4:12-13:“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-65803300211996948342007-03-03T21:57:00.000-08:002007-03-03T22:05:46.813-08:00

One of the biggest objections for non-Christians is that if there is a God, there should not be evil in the world. God is all-good and all-powerful. It seems contrary to human reason that a God who is all-good can allow evil.The problem stated makes sense, except that this understanding of evil is not accurate. We must understand this term before we can begin to make sense of the problem.Evil is

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-73250284657028797842007-03-03T12:39:00.000-08:002007-03-03T12:43:04.785-08:00

In an earlier post, I talked about the incredible amount of confusion that abounds in our world. The most blatant point of confusion is how we define human life. As Catholics, we believe that human life is sacred. It is a gift from God which we must cherish and nurture.How can we define human life? We define it by its meaning and ends. Human beings are created for love. Our purpose is to know,

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-63501382382793686992007-03-01T21:43:00.000-08:002007-03-01T21:48:12.299-08:00

From the simplest prayer of “God Help Me!” to the most involved recitation of praise during a Holy Hour, God hears us. This much we know. Prayer is the most important part of our lives. We must pray if we want to know Jesus. Prayer is a wonderful activity that fills us with peace and is one of the most powerful activities known to man. Wars have been averted, lives have been saved, and hearts

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-54047462822619990782007-02-28T12:04:00.000-08:002007-02-28T12:21:29.426-08:00

In our efforts to live a devout life, it is essential that we come to know and understand truth. There is only one truth, and that is God. In order to know the truth, we must know Jesus. He tells us, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me". - John 14:6The truth can be difficult to accept. It requires us to drop our pride. It requires us to come to

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081984821867489657.post-90599479020193351812007-02-27T14:05:00.000-08:002007-02-27T14:40:20.591-08:00

Well, here begins the first of hopefully many blog entries in this series. As I am preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony, I thought it would be appropriate to convey the Church's teaching on contraception and the true meaning of love within marriage.Marriage, according to the Church is described as follows: "The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0