Everyone knows America is a deeply divided nation: Trump supporters versus Trump critics, Republicans versus Democrats, traditionalists versus progressives, Yankees fans versus everyone else. But another deep divide is emerging in the midst of all this: The proper use of…
To bring national healing, make yourself uncomfortable
Just last week I participated in a panel of guests discussing religion and advocacy in the current political climate. This sort of experience is not that unusual for me, especially in these difficult days. What was unusual for me were…
On immigration the church cannot be silent
According to an Associated Press report, Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, a mother of two in Phoenix, was arrested nearly a decade ago for using a false ID to get a job as a janitor at an amusement park. What would…
Is your church making you healthy or sick?
When our grandson was 10 months old, he underwent a medical emergency. His immune system was compromised and his body was under assault from an infection. He needed immediate treatment and the diagnosis called for him to receive intravenous immunoglobulin….
Jesus’ to-do list (or how to read the newspaper without heart palpitations)
These days, it takes me about seven seconds — no, maybe six — of reading the headlines for my heart to start racing. I’m sure I’m not alone. While cardiologists may be rejoicing at the opportunities, for survival I need…
Can Tom Wright save Christianity?
There are two kinds of Christians: those who are comfortable with some version of traditional orthodoxy, and those who worry that their religion has gone off the rails. Bishop N.T. Wright (“Tom” to his friends) belongs in the second category….
When politics is a reality show: Lord, teach me how to pray
If we’ve ever needed the Lord’s Prayer, we sure do need it now. I don’t know about you but there have been days when I don’t know what to pray. Or, perhaps, it is better said that I don’t know…
President Trump, you could make things a little easier for preachers
Dear President Trump: I am sure you are getting letters from groups that feel like they are being mistreated. Muslims, Hispanics, African Americans, women, Jews, the poor, and the LGBTQ community have legitimate concerns, but have you thought about how you…
The Beatitudes retold
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he started to teach them. He began: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of…
Inside these lines: The NFL and the Apostle Paul
If your household is like mine, the commercials during the Super Bowl garner as much attention as the game itself, and this year one in particular caught my eye. In the break between the third and fourth quarters, the NFL…
A reminder to ministers: It’s not all about you
I recently heard a priest at Conception Abbey offering the homily at Eucharist, attended by all the young men preparing to enter the priestly vocation. He was making the point “it’s not about you” to these who might presume overweening…
Voices in the Church: Suppressed or amplified?
Seldom do I read the hunting and fishing enthusiast’s “Fish and Game” column in the Madison County paper, but a recent offering on the “State of the Firearms Industry,” drew my attention. The article spoke of the firearm industry returning…