There has been a lot of talk lately about identity. How do we define who we are, by our physical characteristics, or our inner feelings? We can identify as many things, but what is our true identity? Often we define ourselves by the relationships in our lives. We might be a brother, sister, friend, coach or neighbor. Each one of these roles means different things to different people, so these...
As Christians we have come to know that God is “three persons; one God”, better known as the Holy Trinity. This has been revealed to us by Jesus Himself, in his teachings. This is impossible to understand fully, although we do know some things about the nature of God and the Trinity, as well as each of the three persons of the Holy Trinity. Because the nature of God is...
Although it is impossible to comprehend God entirely, we do know certain things about Him and His nature, based on Scripture, Tradition and our own relationship with Him, if we have put forth the effort to develop such a relationship. Here are a few of the basics: God is Eternal: He has always been here and will always exist, before and after recorded time. God created time itself, so God...
In today’s culture of moral relativism, where all viewpoints are considered equal and truth is subjective, the concept of sin means many things to many people. Most people associate sin with doing something wrong, whatever it may be. Others push back against the idea of sin, claiming that it is a fictional tool used by hypocritical religious zealots to control others, or at least to make them feel guilty for...
The Book of Genesis is awesome because it appeals to all ages and to people of all levels of spiritual maturity. There is something truly for everyone; it is woven together so perfectly that the divine inspiration is bursting at the seams. Some may consider the book to be merely stories, or something geared toward small children, but nothing could be further from the truth! The wisdom embedded within is...
Once during a discussion with an atheist acquaintance, I was told that it is impossible to truly know Jesus. No one, he said, can know for sure if Jesus is real. Basically, he said that we as Christians can only hope that our beliefs are correct. After all, how to know Jesus seems like too much of a vague concept. Soon after, I listened to a homily by Fr. Larry...
What is prevenient grace? What the heck does prevenient even mean? As they say, let’s begin at the beginning! Christianity is the only religion in the world where God makes the first move. God loves us so much, that he reaches out to us before we even begin to think about reaching out to him. Think about it in scripture….God reached out to Adam when he was hiding in the...
If God is the creator of everything, then who created God? This seems like a fair enough question, if we assume that nothing can come to be on its own, that nothing can just become out of nothing. Christian teaching is clear that no one created God – God was, is and always will be, with no beginning or end. But this is impossible to fully comprehend – believing that...
One of the most difficult things that all Christian faiths require is to forgive. Human nature would have us seek revenge, or at least hold grudges, against those who have hurt us. This is very easy for us and comes naturally. The world will often tell us that we should not forgive, and that the offending party is only getting what is due to them. However, Jesus has a very...
What are some of the images that you think of when picturing what Heaven is like? Maybe angels floating around on clouds, playing harps and just hanging around? It is tough to say what Heaven is like exactly, but scripture does provide several clues and insights. Let’s start with the words of Jesus, since his apostles wondered and asked about the same questions (and well, He has been there, He...