Church
“Some who are opposed to the established Church use this verse to claim that “all you need is Jesus—not the Church, her clergy, and her sacraments.” But the Son became the one Mediator by becoming Man through the Holy Spirit and a virgin—that is, through God and men. He “built” His humanity not from Himself alone but from another, the Virgin Mary. Likewise, as the Mediator He says, “I will build My church” (Mt 16:18); He establishes her leaders and her worship. As Mary gives
Ritual
“….a child at play is a child engaging in ritual activities. Rituals have rules, meaning, purpose, even repetition. It is not childish – it is merely human…Those who utter phrases such as “empty ritual” (something I’ve heard all my life) forget that it is God who first gave ritual to the people of Israel. This primary story about the faith runs counter to modern intuitions. For we presume that real things and true things are in the mind. It is thought and sentiment that we co
Cross
“To be made in the image of God is a sign of highest dignity; so high, in fact, that outside of Christ no human being can even be said to...
Education
Quotes of the Day for August 21, 2024 – Thoughts on education and faith “… over the past 100-150 years, humanity has made huge...
Stewardship and Creation
“…mankind’s God-given mission is set forth: “Let them have dominion over . . . all the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Respect and care for God’s...
Wisdom (2)
“… the acquisition of wisdom is always conditional, for God makes wisdom available only when two major “ifs” apply to us: “if [we] call...
Crowd
“The crowd (pick a crowd, any crowd) is a terrible substitute for God. We desire God (and the desire for God is innate because we are...
People's Stories
“Every person goes on a unique journey related to his or her faith and spirituality, and every story matters.” (David Kinnaman) “If there...
Character and Choices
“All of life’s choices have consequences, consequences for ourselves and consequences for the world around us. And when we fall into the...
Information
“In our information age, many resources are readily available for us to seek the Lord—too many. A story from the desert fathers gives...