And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with … Continue reading
Category: Holy Scripture
Some Doubted
Holy scripture is replete with challenges. Many times in the Gospels Our Lord lays down commandments that are calling each of us to rise above nature and do the seemingly impossible: “Pray always,” “Be ye perfect,” “Love your enemies,” or … Continue reading
The Good Thief
Saint Dismas. We know his name by tradition. There appears to be a discrepancy in the Gospel accounts of the two thieves crucified to the right and the left of Our Savior. Saint Matthew has it that the “thieves” joined … Continue reading
The Last Supper and the Eucharistic ‘Sacrifice’
This is a good summary of the Biblical proof that Christ offered an unbloody sacrifice on Holy Thursday. Catholic Answers, Carlo Broussard: It is an infallible teaching of the Catholic Church that the Eucharist is a sacrifice—in particular, the one sacrifice of … Continue reading
Biblical Wonders of Jordan
National Catholic Register, Thomas L. McDonald; In October the Jordan Tourism Board took a group of Christian journalists and bloggers on a pilgrimage to the holy and historical sites of their country. It was a life changing experience for everyone … Continue reading
Holy Scripture: the War Between the Flesh and the Spirit
Msgr. Charles Pope, Community in Mission: In the first reading at Mass today (Wednesday of the 28th Week), St. Paul enumerates the sins that proceed from the flesh. There are many references to “the flesh” in the New Testament, especially in … Continue reading
Why Read the Old Testament?
The question is not a silly one. We Christians live in the New Dispensation now. We have what Saint Paul calls “a better testament which is established on better promises” (Heb. 8:6). The old Scriptures pointed to a reality that … Continue reading
The Temptations of Christ in the Desert
The Three Temptations of Christ in the Desert After forty days of fasting and prayers Our Lord is tired and hungry. He has not yet begun His public life. Saint John the Baptist has given testimony that Jesus is the … Continue reading
Was God Mean in the Old Testament? YouTube Video.
The YouTube video below is the entirety of Reconquest 19: “KILL THEM ALL! (on the ‘Dark Passages’ of the Bible). Guest: Dr. Nathan Schmiedickie”. I also wrote an Ad Rem on the same subject. Not every episode will make its … Continue reading
‘Immediately’: Characteristically St. Mark
The four evangelists used the adverb “immediatley” (euthus, in Greek) an amazing number of times. Saint Matthew used it twelve times, Luke fourteen times, and John only six times. Mark however, whose feast day was yesterday, used the word twenty-eight … Continue reading
What is a ‘Type’?
Every once in a while, I refer to a “type” or “typology” is something I write or speak on. What follows is a brief explanation of what that is, excerpted from a longer piece I wrote. A very important device in … Continue reading
Kill Them All!
Much attention has been given to the so-called “dark passages” of the Bible in recent years. This is largely due to the use put to these passages by the enemies of the Christian name, by which I mean the aggressive, … Continue reading
More Old-Testament Violence, and Bluegrass
My Ad Rem on the subject of the “dark passages” of the Bible went a bit long. This piece represents a small coda with further thoughts on the issue, being a collection of “odds and ends” presented in no special order. … Continue reading
Weeping Women
The pew I occupy on a daily basis is very close to the eighth station of the Cross: “the women of Jerusalem weep over Jesus.” This proximity occasions my reflecting on it more than on the other stations. It has … Continue reading
Apostle to the Gerasenes
A most unlikely apostle indeed. It was the possessed lunatic, who dwelt among the graves, out from whom were cast many devils. The devil’s voice claimed that their name was Legion” and legion means a thousand. Demons like to flaunt … Continue reading
