by Father William A. McLaughlin Reflecting on the incidents of human brutality during the American Civil War, our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, once spoke with hope that his countrymen would eventually choose to follow their “better angels” instead. This points to how the human heart may follow either the impulses of those bad spirits […]
Sunday Scriptures
How Well Do We Keep Our Word to God?
by Father William A. McLaughlin THERE WAS A TIME when a person’s word was his bond. When someone promised something, his reputation depended on his keeping his word. This understanding worked when people lived together in smaller communities. Neighbors and business associates remembered promises, and it was in their interest to honor them. This seems […]
Forgiveness Heals and Frees Us To Imitate Christ
by William A. McLaughlin, Murphy’s Law holds that anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst time possible. How awful for someone to wake up on the morning of a job interview, a graduation photo session, or a wedding to look in the mirror and find a large, unsightly pimple on […]
His Healing Leads Us from Slavery to Freedom
by Father William A. McLaughlin, THE UNITED STATES is currently commemorating the 150th anniversary of its Civil War. Americans have reflected on the causes of this national struggle. Some historians place the blame squarely on the issue of slavery which was tearing at the national fabric. So many years since the abolition of slavery in […]
All Our Hope Resides in Jesus
by Father Caleb Buchanan DURING THE SEASON of Advent, the priest utters a startling phrase that explains and introduces the reason for the Incarnation: “When our need for a Savior was great……” It is hard to imagine an age when this phrase doesn’t ring true in our lives. In every age until the end of […]
Christ Must Be First and Foremost
by Father Caleb Buchanan, SOME OF THE MOST beautiful sermons, homilies and reflections on the Scriptures were written by the Fathers of the Church. Their sermons would make mincemeat out of a lot of the mega-church, “feel-good,” “prosperity Gospel preaching” that floods T.V. on Sundays and brings billions of dollars into expanding Christian multimedia empires. […]
We Are A New People, A New Creation
by Father Caleb Buchanan “JESUS CHRIST IS the radiant dawn of a new creation, new people, a new freedom.” We have just concluded the Christmas season regaling the Lord Jesus Christ and celebrating His birth with unspeakable joy. We completed this season of festive hope with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The […]
Magi Discover God’s Answer To The World’s Darkness
by Father Caleb Buchanan “THE SAVING GRACE of God for us may be delayed but never denied.” I have heard a beautiful gospel song titled “His Grace Sometimes Be Delayed But Not Denied!” We gathered in the midnight darkness over two weeks ago and stood with the blessed in heaven who rejoiced in the words […]
Proclaim His Glory In Our Lives
by Father Anthony F. Raso JUST WHEN WE are ready to set sail and take out boats northeast, or maybe northwest, along comes the Word of God telling us to set sail due north, period. We think that we know where God wants us to go but it turns out that He wants us to […]
Mary’s Obedience Changed History
by Father Anthony F. Raso THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, and for that matter, throughout the past 2000 years, there has been a great love and fascination for that girl in the Gospel today. Mary was at that point about 12 or 13 years old and no doubt had the appearance of a girl in the eighth […]