casual theology

The Solemnity of Christ the King was last Sunday (Nov. 21, 2010). This was a reflection I wrote for our parish bulletin. Pope Pius XI created the feast of Christ the King in 1925 to combat the rising tide of secularism in the world. He wanted to draw our attention to the reality of being citizens of the Kingdom of God and the authority of Jesus as King over our lives as Catholics and his authority over all creation. Looking around at the world today it’s obvious that we need this feast day more than ever as atheism becomes chic, moral relativism becomes the norm, and threats from terrorism, economic collapse and “super bugs” disturb our peace. I think one of the saddest moments in the Old Testament is recorded in 1 Samuel 8 when the people of Israel demand a king from an aging Samuel saying, “Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else.” (1 Sm 8:5) The prophet goes to God disheartened by this news and God tells Samuel, “Go ahead and give them what they want. They’re not ...

In honor of Right to Life month, please check out this powerful video of Gianna Jessen, survivor of a late term saline abortion. (feel free to ignore the Romanian subtitles)

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood. You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons: 'My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.' Endure your trials as "discipline"; God treats you as sons. For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are...

Here are a couple prayers by St. Francis of Assisi on his feast day. Saint Francis’ Prayer in Praise of God, Given to Brother Leo You are holy, Lord, the only God, and Your deeds are wonderful. You are strong. You are great. You are the Most High. You are Almighty. You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth. You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good. You are Good, all Good, supreme Good, Lord God, living and true. You are love. You are wisdom. You are humility. You are endurance. You are rest. You are peace. You are joy and gladness. You are justice and moderation. You are all our riches, and You suffice for us. You are beauty. You are gentleness. You are our protector. You are our guardian and defender. You are our courage. You are our haven and our hope. You are our faith, our great consolation. You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord, God Almighty, Merciful Savior. Amen. Saint Francis’ Prayer Before the Crucifix Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness of ...

Two very interesting opinion pieces were posted on CNN.com on Sept 16th. The first was about how the progress of adult stem cell research is making embryonic stem cell research unnecessary. From the stem cell piece: As you turn on your HDTV and watch the endless controversy over embryonic stem cell research, ask yourself: Should the government spend taxpayer dollars to develop that bulky old cathode-ray television you once owned? As you install your $79 Blu-ray player, what if Uncle Sam was paying millions to develop Betamax videotapes? This kind of government waste is what embryonic stem cell researchers are demanding even when science itself, according to scientists such as former NIH Director Bernadine Healy, has made embryonic stem cell research obsolete. [and] Adult stem cells have grown new corneas and tracheas, restoring sight and speech. Adult stem cells placed into children have repaired damage from fatal genetic skin diseases. As CBS News reported on August 2, adult stem...

As Pope Benedict was heading to England he took a few questions from reporters on the plane including this exchange : " Can anything be done to make the Church a more credible and attractive institution?" “In my view”, the Pope replied, “a Church which seeks above all to be attractive is already on the wrong path, because the Church does not work for herself, she does not work to increase her numbers and her power. The Church is at the service of Another. She serves not herself, not to become strong; rather, she serves to make the announcement of Jesus Christ more accessible: the great truths, the great powers of love and reconciliation which appeared in Him and which always come from the presence of Jesus Christ." So many Christians and churches today are focused on their stat sheets. They judge success by how many people then can convert or get to join their congregations. Pope Benedict brushes those things aside and draws our attention back to our main focus, being Je...

I had the opportunity to write a few bulletin reflections for our parish. I decided to reprint them here. I've included the date and readings for the Sundays for which the originally appeared. AUGUST 29, 2010 (Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 – Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a – Luke 14:1, 7-14) I once heard someone describe the Incarnation as fireworks in reverse, or to quote the Genie from Aladdin, “Phenomenal cosmic powers! Itty bitty living space”. The infinite Creator of all things, the all powerful, all knowing Lord of the Universe, became a frail, helpless baby. The Eternal Word of God became an infant incapable of rational speech. The Incarnation was God’s ultimate teachable moment on the subject of humility, the subject of today’s Old Testament and Gospel readings. Why should we seek the path of humility? Because Jesus did, and if it was good enough for him it’s good enough for us. Yet this runs so counterintuitive to our own nature. We want to be recognized and honored. We want to be f...