"Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you suppose that it is for nothing that the scripture says, ‘God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us’? But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he … [Read more...]
God’s man for Christmas
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. (Hosea 1:1) When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be … [Read more...]
The Blessed Virgin Mary did NOT have an “unplanned” pregnancy
There is a popular meme making the rounds on social media that attempts to make a clever point about the importance of being open to life. Showing an image of the Nativity, the meme states, “One unplanned pregnancy saved us all.” The problem is that not only is the meme untrue, but it reduces a sublime and divine event to a common and mundane situation. The fact of the matter is that the Incarnation was the most "planned" pregnancy in all of human history, and NOT just from God’s … [Read more...]
Our Lady and the Paradox of Omnipotence
There is an old medieval puzzle which asks, in its essence, “Can God create a stone so heavy that He cannot lift it?” On the face of it, the question seems rather absurd, considering the fact that if God is omnipotent, He can do anything … but then as one considers the possibilities, it seems impossible to answer the question in the affirmative on all counts. God can make whatever he wants, so of course He can create an infinitely heavy object. However, God is all powerful, so He can therefore … [Read more...]
March 25: The Alpha and the Omega
This week is the holiest week of the year. Through the Passion, suffering, death and resurrection of Our Blessed Lord, the curse of Adam is undone. Our Lord provides the path to salvation through the cross so that we are no longer permanent exiles from Paradise. This year, however, a rare convergence of holy days affords an added perspective. This year, Good Friday falls on March 25, which is the feast of the Annunciation. From the year 1900 until this year, the Annunciation and Good … [Read more...]
