Category Archives: Bible / Scripture

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Understanding Paul: An Introduction to the Writings of St. Paul

By Mark Hart | May 1, 2013

Use the summaries as an introduction for private study. Use them in a group study as you begin to discuss the various overarching themes of each work. The point is this: use them. There is no reason to avoid St. Paul’s writings. They are a beautiful gift from God and are meant to be explored. Prayerfully read through these sections in conjunction with the letters of St. Paul themselves, and watch how the second reading at Sunday Mass — and, most importantly, your soul — comes to life.

One of Us

By Mary Bielski | April 29, 2013

Sometimes even in the Christian realm, we’re segregated in a similar fashion. I recently went to a conference with 25,000 Christians who were on fire for God. It was amazing and one of the most powerful worship experiences I’ve ever had. However, I think my four friends and I were the only Catholics there.

God’s not exclusive. He wants all groups, ethnic circles, social classes, to be brought together as one people, unified in love and faith.

Last week, a non-denominational church launched a campaign called: “Jesus loves you and your tattoo.” They handed out koozies on the gang-filled streets of Detroit with this message. I love that because it is proclaiming the truth that our God didn’t come for the cookie-cutter Christians. He came for everyone . . .

“We Must Go Out”: A Podcast About Confirmation

By Fr. Mike Schmitz | April 25, 2013

“When you get confirmed, what happened to the Apostles is the exact same thing that will happen to you . . . maybe minus the visible tongues of fire . . . I don’t know, I’m not making any guarantees. But the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit will actually be upon you. This is what happens in the Sacrament of Confirmation, that we receive these gifts. And these gifts are what? St. Paul writes about them in the book of Galatians – the fruits of the Spirit are: love, and joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You receive the power to live a new life, not just for yourself but for other people.”

Carry On

By Rachel Allen | April 15, 2013

I’d probably be on my way home, too. Because, in a way, I have felt like they felt. Maybe you have, too.

We’ve been on the great retreats, attended the amazing youth conferences, heard the killer homilies, felt the graces of Confession, gotten into the power of the Triduum. We’ve heard His voice and felt His presence. Everything is working according to plan.

And then, a little time goes by . . . a couple hours, a couple days, a couple weeks. And the feelings are gone. And it feels like Jesus is gone, too.

Biblical Superpowers: Miracles in Acts of the Apostles

By Mark Hart | April 10, 2013

One of the reasons I love the book of Acts so much is because of the amazing miracle stories. They aren’t just high drama; many of them are also high comedy. Let’s take a look at some of the miracles in the Acts of the Apostles:
Acts 5:15: Peter is so filled with the Holy Spirit that even his shadow has the power to heal, a fact that makes Groundhog Day even less impressive.
Acts 8:39: after teaching about Christ and baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch, the Holy Spirit snatched Philip immediately in a scene almost reminiscent of Star Trek.

Why I’m Catholic

By Joshua Madden | April 9, 2013

I had grown up a Presbyterian Christian who believed that as long as you were a Christian who believed in Jesus, you belonged to the “church.” It didn’t matter which church you belonged to or where you went to worship on Sundays, it just mattered if you believed in Jesus. If you believed in Jesus, you were doing just fine.

Is it "Illogical" to Believe in the Resurrection?

By Mark Hart | March 30, 2013

St. Paul had to deal with a lot of “high minded”, philosophical types in his day. Most were very prideful, long on academics but short on humility. Some people back then claimed that Jesus didn’t really rise from the dead (as we celebrate this weekend). Rather than mince words, Paul gave it to them straight (in the verse up above). Many people will tell you that “based on human logic” the Resurrection makes no sense. The first thing we need to remember is that “human logic” is not omnipotence. God makes it very clear that “(His) ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts our thoughts.” (Is. 55:8-9)

Into Your Hands I Commend My Spirit

By Paola Flores | March 29, 2013

Beaten, bruised, bloody, gasping for air, hands and feet nailed to a cross, hearing passersby scoff at the sight of his mangled body – in the midst of all this, Jesus chose to entrust His life to God the Father.

One of my favorite books is Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. There is a chapter entitled The Perfect Penitent, in which the author writes about the mystery of the Lord’s passion. He explains how “God can only share [with us] what He has.” For example “we love and reason because God loves and reasons and holds our hand while we do it.”

He applies this to the passion of Christ. Up until the time of Jesus, God had not gone through the suffering, humiliation, and death of the crucifixion. This dying to self, which is what going back to God is like, is what repentance entails.

It is Finished

By Felix | March 29, 2013

“It is finished.”

These words can be a little confusing. When I read them I can’t help but think, “Really, Jesus?”

Because we all know that when He said these words there was still the resurrection to come . . . all the ways the Holy Spirit comes to us . . . and even how Jesus comes to us in the Mass every day through the Holy Eucharist.

So what exactly was Jesus talking about when He said, “It is finished”?

Why Have You Forsaken Me?

By Carrie Miller | March 27, 2013

Sometimes God seems far from us. Sometimes it seems as if He’s forsaken us completely.

When I was sixteen, my dad died from lung cancer. Both during his illness and after his death, I felt very alone, both in a worldly sense – none of my friends had lost a parent—and in a spiritual sense. Part of me believed that God let my dad die, and that he’d left me alone to suffer and grieve.

This Day You Will Be With Me in Paradise

By Emily Pellarin | March 24, 2013

Mercy. That oh so confusing attribute of God. In the bible (specifically Psalm 116:5) we are told God is both just and merciful and I believe that. But sometimes that idea still confuses me. How can a God that is perfectly just, who can and does punish people rightly for their sin, also be perfectly merciful and “relenting in punishment?” (Joel 2:13) Well, these words of Jesus gives us all an opportunity to see how. In the gospel passage surrounding this verse, we are introduced to Read more [...]

Father, Forgive Them

By Annie Asmussen | March 24, 2013

It’s true! For a long time, even though I knew that Christ offered me forgiveness, I got tired of asking to be forgiven because I knew that no matter how hard I tried, I kept falling into the same sins. Even for sins that I committed once, I had a hard time receiving His forgiveness because I didn’t feel worthy of being forgiven. Even after going to confession, I still felt guilty and ashamed for what I had done because I didn’t believe enough in His mercy.

Why Do We Have a Pope? Is it Biblical?

By Mark Hart | February 11, 2013

Each of the three was given a special role in the Church. Peter was the “rock” on which Jesus would build His Church (Matthew 16:18-19). As every group needs a leader, someone to cast the deciding vote, so did the apostles and the bishops. Simon Peter, the fisherman, rose to the occasion. In his line are popes who become saints and popes who were less than saintly; yet every pope was given special authority by God to guide the Church for a time.

Jesus and the 3 Wise Guys

By Mark Hart | January 4, 2013

Have you ever noticed that the Bible doesn’t specifically say how many wise men showed up in Bethlehem? We’re told that wise men from the East followed a star, interacted with Herod, and made their way to the manger (bearing gifts) but nowhere does it say how many men there actually were. So, how exactly did this idea of the “three magi” begin if Matthew 2 doesn’t give an explicit number? Is this just the byproduct of an overzealous songwriter thinking that “We Three Kings” sounded better than “A couple of Kings” or “About Four Kings”?

On Bended Knee: Why Jesus’ Name is Important

By Christina Mead | December 25, 2012

I love it when people use my name. “Nice to meet you Christina.” “Thanks Christina.” “Christina, where are my shoes? Give them back.”

There’s something so affirming and personal about it. My name represents me – who I am. When someone says my name, I know I’m not just another face passing by. I matter.

The Cross of Christmas

By Mark Hart | December 24, 2012

As it is with the Christian life, if we want to see clearly – as God sees – we have to look at the “big picture” of salvation. If we want to understand Jesus’ death, for instance, we need to begin with His birth and when we do, we will undoubtedly learn something very interesting . . . that He was born to die.

If you want to get technical, that “pieta” moment first occurred not on Calvary, but in Bethlehem. The manger’s wood was a foreshadowing; it is the “cross” of Christmas. There is far more going on at Jesus’ birth than many of us realize upon first glance.

“Who Do You Say That I Am?”

By Mary Bielski | December 17, 2012

Do you ever have those days where you feel like you don’t even know yourself anymore? You look in the mirror and think: Who am I? What is my life all about? In my freshman year of college, I faced an identity crisis. Okay, I know what you’re thinking – identity crises = 50 year old dude who buys a red ferrari and moves to the coast. My crisis was on a lesser scale. But it was a time I didn’t know who I was as a college student. In an effort to “reinvent” myself, I cut my hair off (don’t Read more [...]

The Bible: Is It Reliable Reading?

By Mark Hart | October 23, 2012

Still, there are countless people who try to say that the Bible is “unreliable” or “outdated.” Many people – some of whom are well-read and quite intellectual – do everything they can to debunk the validity of Scripture, thinking that if they can exploit seeming “inconsistencies” or supposed “errors” they can somehow do away with Christianity and even God. That’s the first mistake . . .

Male and Female: What’s the Point?

By Mary Bielski | September 10, 2012

Have you ever wondered why God made you male or female? Think about it . . . God could have made us “unisex” like that billboard I saw in the airport, but he made us two genders. Why?

Well if we want to understand why we were created, we have to look back to the one who created us – God. In the Book of Genesis we learn that . . .

Blessed the Beggar: Who Are the “Poor in Spirit”?

By Mark Hart | August 14, 2012

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

This is one of those Scripture passages that many people “know” (meaning, they’ve heard it before) but countless people fail to understand. My own parochial school teacher taught us that it simply meant God loves poor people “more.”

Ummm, to put it as charitably and bluntly as possible . . . no, that’s not what it means . . .

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