Archive for December, 2007
« Previous EntriesThe First Day of the Rest of the Year
Monday, December 31st, 2007Around this time of year, we see on TV and the Internet all sorts of lists of the most memorable events of the past year, as we try to put the past year in perspective. I have to admit, I enjoy those lists as well. Here, however, I thought I would list seven reasons why […]
End of the Innocents?
Friday, December 28th, 2007Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Innocents, the little boys who were massacred by Herod in an attempt to put the Christ Child to death. These “innocents” are now venerated as martyrs.
There is an obvious connection between the Holy Innocents and the victims of abortion, whose deaths are also made possible by political regimes that […]
The Beloved Disciple
Thursday, December 27th, 2007The Church has always identified the Apostle John as the author of the fourth Gospel and the beloved disciple described in that Gospel. This common belief is richly reflected in the Church’s liturgy.
The universal Church today celebrates the Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. The readings, prayers, and antiphons unmistakably reflect the belief of the […]
The “Counselor” and Contraception
Wednesday, December 26th, 2007In this month’s column, John Kippley examines the Church’s perennial rejection of contraception from the standpoint of Christ’s guarantee to send the Holy Spirit not only to teach us but also remind us about the truth already made known to us through the natural law (see Romans 1:20)–including the truth about the human person and human sexuality.
Humanae Vitae and John […]
Joy to the World
Tuesday, December 25th, 2007“Dearly beloved, today our Savior is born; let us rejoice. Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life. The fear of death has been swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternal happiness.
“No one is shut out from this joy; all share the same reason for rejoicing. Our Lord, victor […]
Christmas Eve
Monday, December 24th, 2007When you think about it, doesn’t “Christmas Eve” sound like an apt title for the Blessed Virgin Mary?
As Christmas day rapidly approaches, I thought our readers would appreciate a snippet of a sermon by St. Augustine, which is the reading for today’s Office of Readings (matins) in the Church’s liturgy:
“Awake, mankind! For your sake God has […]
Bethlehem Happened
Friday, December 21st, 2007In case you haven’t heard, Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, recently made the news for his comment that the account of the Magi is but “legend” and for calling into question other aspects of the Christmas story. Some observations:
(a) Dr. Williams’ apparent desire to “debunk” aspects of the Gospel narratives is not unique to the […]
Candidates and Characters
Thursday, December 20th, 2007I’ve always been a sucker for surveys, tests, and questionnaires. I even enjoyed taking the Myers-Briggs personality profile way back when in seminary (I used to be an INFP, though years of hitting deadlines may have turned me into an INFJ).
Anyway, I recently stumbled upon two “tests” that are at the very least interesting, and I think the second […]
Vick, Compass, and the Homeschooling Addams Family
Wednesday, December 19th, 2007I’ve commented in a previous post regarding Michael Vick’s reprehensible connection to the dog-fighting industry. However, once again, PETA has outdone itself in tastelessly capitalizing on his crime.
In a PETA e-card, a cartoon version of Vick paces across a prison yard inside a snow globe as gun-toting guards and their barking dogs keep watch. He’s wearing […]
The Gift of Faith
Tuesday, December 18th, 2007I recently received this question via email: “Does everyone receive the gift of faith? Why or why not?”
I think this is a most timely topic to consider as Christmas approaches. What follows is my response to the questioner. I welcome our readers’ further comments and insights on this topic.
“If we mean by ‘faith’ an explicit […]