Tag: hope

  • Prayer is Like a Combustion Engine

    Prayer is Like a Combustion Engine

    Good Prayer? Bad Prayer? Sometimes it seems like its outside of my control. The Average Catholic must have a prayer life. A life of prayer keeps us connected to God; the God of the living not of the dead. Prayer, in the long term, fills us with the fruits of the Holy Spirit such as…

  • Seeing Profit as Gratitude

    Seeing Profit as Gratitude

    The life blood of capitalism is to make a profit. The familiar equation of revenue minus cost equals profit is burned into every entrepreneur. How can we minimize costs and maximize revenue? Profit is the driving force between most if not all capitalistic activity. The big question is how much money can we make off…

  • The Count Down (or Up) Till Judgement Day

    The Count Down (or Up) Till Judgement Day

    When will Judgement day happen? A question that everyone has entertained at least once. A few eccentric spiritual leaders believe that they truly know the date. But orthodox believers recognize that the true day of judgement is known only to God. It would be fascinating if there was a countdown clock somewhere in heaven. Perhaps,…

  • Holiness is like … Nuclear Radiation

    Holiness is like … Nuclear Radiation

    I know I know I know. Nuclear radiation does not have any good connotations and should not be used as a metaphor to holiness. I know. But nuclear radiation is what I think of when I am thinking of proximity to holiness. The etymology of holiness deals with separation. To be holy means to be…

  • Idle apps and why they are Comforting

    Idle apps and why they are Comforting

    Anyone else spend long nights staring at a phone? Have you sat down for a five minute break; only to stand up three ours later with legs that have fallen asleep? I’m guilty of this. I am all too susceptible to “idle games.” This is a genre of game apps on the phone which are…

  • Is Love a Choice or an Emotion?

    Is Love a Choice or an Emotion?

    To will the Good of another. For some, this is the definition of love. The English language does a terrible job capturing what love means. We use love to express sentiments such as food preference and binding commitments. I prefer to think of it as “to WILL the good of the other,” Because it places…

  • Should Insults be Insulting to an Average Catholic?

    Should Insults be Insulting to an Average Catholic?

    It is an important self-reflection; what is insulting about insults? Of course, all humans are made in the image and likeness of God. Of course, insults should not be an everyday occurrence and is not acceptable in polite society. Of course, there are better ways to convey your point or express your anger without insults.…

  • The Beauty of Sociopaths

    The Beauty of Sociopaths

    Jesus told many stories in the bible about a Samaritan. The cultural context is often loss on us Americans in the 21st century. However, painting Samaritans in a positive light was scandalous for Jesus’s Jewish disciples. The story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) was supposed to shock the disciples into realizing our actions towards…

  • Are you ready for the Thief in the night?

    Are you ready for the Thief in the night?

    The bible is filled with metaphors and parables, but the one that resonates me is being prepared for the thief in the night. First, I’ve been a victim of theft and the parable’s warning is all too easy to imagine. Second, being prepared requires a healthy long term view. We need to recognize that our…

  • The First step to becoming king is to play the harp.

    The First step to becoming king is to play the harp.

    King David is one of the most fleshed out characters in the bible. We see his youth and old age. His growth and his downfall as well as his redemption. This ruddy youth with beautiful eyes was chosen by God to become king of Israel. One problem, Saul was king and had no intention to…