Christmas 2015

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Francis

I thought that I might share with you a small excerpt from my forthcoming book, Word Without End, which is due to come out sometime out this spring. The book treats the Splendor of the Incarnation (as I call it) in depth and, since Christmas is the celebration of the God’s Incarnation as man, I thought a sneak preview might constitute a nice Christmas meditation. The following section is taken from Chapter 2 of Word Without End:

Every person must answer the question, “who is Jesus Christ,” for himself or herself. Unless we affirm in our hearts that Jesus is the Incarnate word of God then his work of redemption has little effect on us. The world today would like to reduce Jesus Christ to a Continue reading →

In Thanksgiving ~ Lest We Forget

Posted on November 23, 2015 by Francis

The best kept secret in the media over the past few years has been the 150th anniversary of the most significant event in American history. The Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865, yet there has been a strange, deafening silence and the absence of any fanfare commemorating that bitter conflict fought to end racial slavery. One would assume, with the first ever black president in office, that the costly struggle which initiated the long journey toward full civil rights for every American would merit a little official attention. Alas, nobody in today’s smug political establishment seems overly concerned that a few million white guys and several hundred thousand black ones fought and made heroic sacrifices to remove the canker of slavery from our land, while also preserving a tottering Union mortally threatened by sectional strife. In short, this was a war that cemented what the American Revolution had only begun, thus insuring the continuation of the greatest human experiment in self-government that history has ever seen. Continue reading →

A Sign of Contradiction

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Francis

It is interesting that Jesus Christ referred to himself as a “sign of contradiction” unto the very world he not only first caused to exist but then came to deliver from its ancient nemesis, namely sin. Yet no figure in history has generated quite as much controversy as this so-called Prince of Peace. Even among his own Christian followers some have denied his divinity outright, others have insisted that his humanity was merely a cloak concealing his divine origins, while others go so far as to speculate that he was unaware of his true identity. For 20 centuries now this charismatic historical figure has stirred unceasing controversy, bloody feuds, and countless persecutions. Continue reading →

Radicalizing Johnny / The Choice to Surrender

Posted on October 17, 2015 by Francis

I have two (blessedly) short meditations today. Each is addressed to a skeptical age which has little time or inclination for the beauty of Christian Faith. But perhaps that explains why so much of today’s world is such a seething cauldron of hatred, alienation, and dissent

Radicalizing Johnny

The world today is being dangerously radicalized on many fronts by every cause from feminism and environmentalism to religious fundamentalism all of which distort the truth about who we are. Ultimate truth cannot be found in ideological “isms” or new technologies but only in the search for God. Continue reading →

How Real is Your Reality?

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Francis

What do we mean by the term “reality?” Looking around the room things seem real enough: chairs, a table and sofa, windows opening to the outside world which is filled with countless other “real” things. But the question really being posed is this. “How does my human experience of reality differ from that vase of flowers sitting on the mantle?” Quite simply, I know that I exist whereas all those other things exist without any specific knowledge or awareness of their own existence. This basic exercise illustrates the dual nature of reality itself, a point which is central to understanding our human nature. As human beings we are constantly juggling these two modes of reality, the reality associated with being and a deeper reality which is a function of knowing. So which is the more essential reality?

For a vase of flowers, an atom, or even a planet hurtling through space reality is limited to the fact of being. Furthermore all those objects are subject to certain physical laws and behave accordingly. But the very existence of universal laws of physics leads one to ponder Continue reading →

God and Evil

Posted on July 26, 2015 by Francis

All sin is evil ─ But not all evil is sin.

The most vexing question for believers and nonbelievers alike to reconcile with a presumably good God is how he can allow so much evil to infect our world. The question of evil cuts to the very heart of all human existence because, at some point in time, it impacts every human being in a profoundly personal way. Even someone who appears to live a charmed life; positive, happy, successful, and possessing good looks and personality must eventually confront evil in the form of death. But for most of us, life entails a substantial amount of suffering, anguish, and disappointment even before death calls our name. So, are the cynics right in assuming that we are little more than puppets being manipulated by some sadistic deity Continue reading →

John, Herald of the Word

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Francis

Every June 24 the Church commemorates the birth of St. John the Baptist, who is one of only three persons whose birth is officially celebrated by the Church. The other two are Jesus and his mother Mary. Every other saint is remembered on or near the anniversary of death, the reason being that is the day they entered into eternal life. And while the Church also celebrates the martyrdom of John the Baptist, in addition she recalls his birthday, which is quite an extraordinary exception to the normal practice. This distinction led me to ponder, “Just how is John different from all the other saints that he deserves this extra recognition?” Continue reading →

Abiding Truth – Dwelling Among Us

Category Archives: Spiritual Reflection