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July 6, 2009                                     Monday of the Fourteenth Week                                 in Ordinary Time     Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Gn 28:10-22a Jacob departed from Beer-sheba and proceeded toward Haran.When he came upon a certain shrine, as the sun had already set,he stopped there for the night.Taking one of the stones at the shrine, he put it under his headand lay down to sleep at that spot.Then he had a dream: a stairway rested on the ground,with its top reaching to the heavens;and God's messengers were...

Parenthood abortion center pulled out a gun on a pro-life advocate after she handed him a brochure with information on alternatives. Police say the incident occurred on Wednesday morning. Phoenix police Lt. Larry T. Jacobs told 3TV that the man had just dropped off his girlfriend for an abortion at the Planned Parenthood near Seventh and Campbell avenues. When the pro-life advocate handed the man the brochure, that's when he pulled out a gun and pointed it at the woman for a few seconds before getting in his vehicle and driving off. The pro-life person had the wherewithal to write...

Special: the Higher Purpose of Freedom, 7/4/95; Jer 80; PPG 3,8 6/19/84; Eph 287, 325 7/8/86 A. Principle of Human Freedom. 1. Freedom is the status of human volition as the uncaused cause of human function. Live and let live is the principle of freedom. Freedom is legitimate self-determination. It is exemption from necessity apart from human consent. Freedom is self-fulfillment. Freedom is exemption from arbitrary control and exploitation. Freedom is related to privacy, property, and authority. Therefore, it emphasizes the need for the laws of divine establishment which define legitimate authority, designed for the protection of freedom. 2. The...

After years of discussion, the Baptist and Roman Catholic bodies in Italy signed an agreement on “interchurch” marriage this week. The agreement, called “A Common Document for a Pastoral Approach to Marriages between Catholics and Baptists in Italy,” addresses issues encountered by such mixed church couples. In Italy, there are only about 6,400 Baptists who are members of one of the 116 churches of the Christian Evangelical Baptist Union of Italy (UCEBI). By comparison, more than 87 percent of Italy’s 60 million population identify themselves as Roman Catholic. “As the number of Baptists in Italy is very small, only in...

I grew up in the era of headlong evangelism by the LDS church. We were out to convert the world. Back then, it was "every young man on a mission" and "every member a missionary." The church didn't just leave it to our imagination how to accomplish this. Full-time missionaries were expected to memorize verbatim an entire series of official gospel "discussions." Regular members were exhorted to ask acquaintances, complete strangers, or anyone who held still for five seconds, "What do you know about the Mormon Church, and would you like to know more?" I did the first one on...

THE QUESTION that CHANGED MY LIFE -by David Ryser A number of years ago, I had the privilege of teaching at a school of ministry. My students were hungry for God, and I was constantly searching for ways to challenge them to fall more in love with Jesus and to become voices for revival in the Church. I came across a quote attributed most often to Rev. Sam Pascoe. It is a short version of the history of Christianity, and it goes like this:

Don’t Plan Without God "Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass" —Psalm 37:5 Don’t plan without God. God seems to have a delightful way of upsetting the plans we have made, when we have not taken Him into account. We get ourselves into circumstances that were not chosen by God, and suddenly we realize that we have been making our plans without Him— that we have not even considered Him to be a vital, living factor in the planning of our lives. And yet the only thing that will...

Darlene Love is a genuine American musical icon. With her powerful singing leads, she began her career in 1959 during the glory days of rock & roll girl groups. She caught the attention of Phil Specter and almost immediately began recording the most popular records of that 1962-1963, era including enormous hits like “He’s A Rebel”, written by Gene Pitney,” Wait Til My Bobby Gets Home”, “ Today I Met The Boy I’m Going To Marry”,” The Da Doo Ron Ron”, “ He’s Sure The Boy I Love”, “Why do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts?”, “Not To Young To Get...

Monday morning 7/6Kohen--Numbers 25:10-12Levi--25:13-15Yisra'el--25:16-26:4 Thursday 7/9--Shiv`ah `Asar beTammuzMORNING Kohen--Exodus 32:11-14Levi--Exodus 34:1-3Yisra'el--Exodus 34:4-10 EVENING Kohen--Exodus 32:11-14Levi--Exodus 34:1-3Yisra'el/Maftir--Exodus 34:4-10Haftarah--Isaiah 55:6-56:8 Strday 7/11--Shabbat Parashat PinechasMORNING Kohen--Numbers 25:10-26:4Levi--26:5-51Shelishi--26:52-27:5Revi`i--27:6-23Chamishi--28:1-15Shishi--28:16-29:11Shevi`i--29:12-30:1Maftir--29:35-30:1Haftarah--Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 EVENING Kohen--Numbers 30:2-9Levi--vs. 10-13Yisra'el--vs. 14-17

July 5, 2009                                 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Ez 2:2-5 As the LORD spoke to me, the spirit entered into meand set me on my feet,and I heard the one who was speaking say to me:Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites,rebels who have rebelled against me;they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day.Hard of face and obstinate of heartare they to whom I am sending you. But you shall say to them: Thus says the LORD...

Is There No Help For The Widow's Son? By Dr. Reed C. Durham, Jr.There are two concepts I need at this point to reiterate. Firstly, I said that Joseph Smith had no qualms about using Masonry. This letter, I think, is evidence of that. One historian has described this use of Masonry as the "grabbing on" principle employed by Joseph Smith. This was explained to me that whatever was in his surroundings, being preached, professed, or practiced, he sometimes borrowed it and incorporated it into his ideological theology and system.The second concept I wish to reiterate is that the...

Is There No Help For The Widow's Son? By Dr. Reed C. Durham, Jr.Someone has said that a historical convention like this - all of these papers that we have heard - are like a pair of steer horns, with a point here and a point there and a lot of bull in between; and in my case, a lot of "Bull Durham."One thing we won't have to put up with though is the wind blowing - just hot air. And I know the disadvantage that we are placed in, with the dimness of the room, the delightful meal...

There is a paradox at the heart of liberty, a tension between our desiring what is good and our willingness to sacrifice true happiness for fleeting satisfaction. “Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom,� abolitionist Wendell Phillips said. Lord Acton echoed the idea, calling liberty, “the delicate fruit of a mature civilization.�The delicacy of freedom cannot be explained without recourse to the realities of good and evil. Freedom is both universally sought and everywhere in jeopardy because of the imperfection of human nature. We are beings who seek what is good, but are tempted by what is evil. Freedom–the capacity...

One of God’s Great "Don’ts" "Do not fret— it only causes harm" —Psalm 37:8 Fretting means getting ourselves "out of joint" mentally or spiritually. It is one thing to say, "Do not fret," but something very different to have such a nature that you find yourself unable to fret. It’s easy to say, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him" ( Psalm 37:7  ) until our own little world is turned upside down and we are forced to live in confusion and agony like so many other people. Is it possible to "rest in the Lord" then? If...

July 4, 2009                                Saturday of the Thirteenth Week                                 in Ordinary Time       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Gn 27:1-5, 15-29 When Isaac was so old that his eyesight had failed him,he called his older son Esau and said to him, "Son!""Yes father!" he replied.Isaac then said, "As you can see, I am so oldthat I may now die at any time.Take your gear, therefore–your quiver and bow–and go out into the country to hunt some game for me.With your catch prepare an appetizing dish...

In response to a question from The Washington Post regarding finding a home church, President Obama had this to say: “Michelle and I decided that we would wait a few months after arriving before we made a decision on this, partly — let’s be blunt: I mean, we were pretty affected by what happened at Trinity and the controversy surrounding Reverend Wright,� said the president. “That was deeply disturbing to us, and it was disappointing for us personally. It made us very sensitive to the fact that as president the church we attend can end up being interpreted as speaking...

“Marriage is a cultural thing.” So began a very good sermon that I recently heard. My mind was set in rapid motion as I considered the raging arguments that are now taking place all over the country. What is marriage? How should we codify marriage in the laws of our land? The discussions become very sticky when our gay friends enter the debate and ask for equal treatment under the law. The exchanges become very heated when a participant demands that we turn to the Bible for answers that will once and for all settle the issues. Many well-meaning people...

Live Excellently Today's Scripture "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might" (Ecclesiastes 9:10a, NAS) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria David was a man of excellence. The Bible tells us that David played his harp “skillfully.” He didn’t just play it, he played it with excellence. When he slung the stone that defeated Goliath, it wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t just a lucky break. David had practiced the slingshot year after year out in the shepherd’s fields. He was extremely talented with that slingshot. Some experts say he could hit a small bull’s eye...

The Concentration of Personal Sin "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips . . ." —Isaiah 6:5 When I come into the very presence of God, I do not realize that I am a sinner in an indefinite sense, but I suddenly realize and the focus of my attention is directed toward the concentration of sin in a particular area of my life. A person will easily say, "Oh yes, I know I am a sinner," but when he comes into the presence of God he cannot get away with such...

July 3, 2009                                Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle     Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Eph 2:19-22 Brothers and sisters:You are no longer strangers and sojourners,but you are fellow citizens with the holy onesand members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.Through him the whole structure is held togetherand grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;in him you also are being built togetherinto a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Responsorial PsalmPs 117:1bc, 2 R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the...

"LET US MAKE MAN..." Gen 1:26 "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." To Whom was God speaking? Was the Father speaking to the Son? Or was the Son speaking to the Father? Was it the Holy Ghost speaking to the "other two"? Is there a proper interpretation of this verse which does not divide God into...

Although I have lived in the Washington, D.C., area since 1984, I am an orthodox Baltimorean by birth, nurture, education, baseball loyalties, and a settled disdain for offering tartar sauce with crab cakes. So I should be the last person to think the unthinkable about my native city’s principal contribution to American public culture (after, of course, the Colts’ sudden-death victory over the New York Giants in the 1958 NFL championship game). Nonetheless, I shall risk the charges of heresy and treason by proposing the following thought experiment: as America celebrates Independence Day, let’s ponder a switch in national anthems,...

D&C 84:33-44; 107; 121:34-36 By Breck England The Doctrine and Covenants is an invitation to all people everywhere to come unto Christ. In the revelations of this book “one hears the tender but firm voice of the Lord Jesus Christ,” inviting all to come unto Him “preparatory to his second coming.” [1] In the Sacred Grove, Jesus Christ informed the young Joseph Smith that the power of godliness had been taken from the earth. Joseph was told that the religious organizations of the day had “a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof” (JS-H 1:19). The “power of...

Get into Agreement with God Today's Scripture "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:19-20, NKJ) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria There´s a spiritual principle in the Bible that tells us when two or more agree on something, that thing shall be established. There is great power in agreement. In another verse it says, "How can...

The Conditions of Discipleship "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also . . . . And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me . . . . So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple" —Luke 14:26-27, 33 If the closest relationships of a disciple’s life conflict with the claims of Jesus Christ, then our Lord requires instant obedience to Himself. Discipleship means personal, passionate devotion to a Person— our...

A Reasonable Question by Frank Turk Someone shrewdly asked this question in the meta yesterday:Do you think that the "insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers" were Christians or false teachers?And my response was, "That's a great question." Because a question like that deserves at least more than a one-line answer, I'm back today to give you some things to think about here. So here's my first thought: the apostle Peter was a Christian man. Now, I bring him up because, sadly for him, he went to Galatia, and while he was there (this being the alleged holder of the keys...

July 2, 2009                                 Thursday of the Thirteenth Week                                in Ordinary Time       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Gn 22:1b-19 God put Abraham to the test.He called to him, "Abraham!""Here I am," he replied.Then God said: "Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,and go to the land of Moriah.There you shall offer him up as a burnt offeringon a height that I will point out to you."Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey,took with him his son Isaac, and two of his servants as well,and with the...

(Bold emphasis added by poster) The Archdiocese of Baltimore plans to investigate whether an Annapolis woman's cure from cancer was a miracle, a possible step toward sainthood for a 19th-Century priest. Mary Ellen Heibel was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2004 and early 2005 for malignant tumors in her lungs, liver, stomach and chest. After she was diagnosed, Heibel began praying to Blessed Francis X. Seelos, and urging others to pray as well. Heibel, whose cancer was terminal, experienced a recovery her doctors did not expect and can't explain.

The Place Shazer in the Arabian Peninsula   Many Latter-day Saints have become fascinated about recent discoveries in the Arabian Peninsula that provide strong evidence for the authenticity and plausibility of the Book of Mormon. Much attention has been called to the finding of an ancient burial place with a name very close to Nahom in the only region where it could be, according to the description in First Nephi (and don't forget the recent discovery of altars with inscriptions that further strengthen the case for Nahom as evidence for the Book of Mormon). Much attention has also been directed...

Let Your Light Shine Today's Scripture "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16, AMP) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Do the people around you see your light shining? Do they know you are a believer by your actions? Are you setting the bar in your office? Can people see your good works? I know people who can quote half the Bible and pray two hours a day, but...

The Inevitable Penalty "You will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny" —Matthew 5:26 There is no heaven that has a little corner of hell in it. God is determined to make you pure, holy, and right, and He will not allow you to escape from the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit for even one moment. He urged you to come to judgment immediately when He convicted you, but you did not obey. Then the inevitable process began to work, bringing its inevitable penalty. Now you have been "thrown into prison, [and]...

(John 3:16-18) What you believe does matter . . . FOR ETERNITY!!! In all of the intense media coverage after the death of pop superstar Michael Jackson, the one thing that has driven me crazy has been hearing over and over, often by high-profile Christians, that Michael is now at peace in Heaven. Really? I hear this same thing whenever a famous person dies, regardless of what they believed during their life, as well as from people when a family member or close friend dies, again, regardless of what they believed during their life. If this is true, then what...

July 1, 2009                                 Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week                             in Ordinary Time       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Gn 21:5, 8-20a Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.Isaac grew, and on the day of the child's weaningAbraham held a great feast. Sarah noticed the son whom Hagar the Egyptianhad borne to Abrahamplaying with her son Isaac;so she demanded of Abraham:"Drive out that slave and her son! No son of that slave is going to share the inheritancewith my...

In a groundbreaking case, a Paris court will decide for the first time whether to dissolve the Church of Scientology in France, which is facing charges of organized fraud. The demand was made by French prosecutors on Monday (June 15) as they wrapped up their case against the church's Paris headquarters and bookshop. If found guilty, the institutions may also face a nearly $6 million fine. Six members of the church are also on trial, and may also face heavy fines along with prison sentences if convicted. The plaintiffs, two former Scientologists, claim the church conned them into spending tens...

Be Faithful with Little Today's Scripture "He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest and unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest and unjust also in much" (Luke 16:10, AMP) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Many people today are not experiencing God’s favor like they should simply because they’re not passing what I call, the small test. We have to be faithful with the little things in our lives before God will entrust us with bigger things. For example, being excellent in the workplace for you...

Do It Now! "Agree with your adversary quickly . . ." —Matthew 5:25 In this verse, Jesus Christ laid down a very important principle by saying, "Do what you know you must do— now. Do it quickly. If you don’t, an inevitable process will begin to work ’till you have paid the last penny’ ( Matthew 5:26  ) in pain, agony, and distress." God’s laws are unchangeable and there is no escape from them. The teachings of Jesus always penetrate right to the heart of our being.Wanting to make sure that my adversary gives me all my rights is a...

When Hamilton Okeke stepped into his room at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Roland Park for the first time, the enormity of what he was doing seemed to hit him in the gut. He was alone, literally and figuratively, as he was about to hand his life over to God. No one in his inner circle supported his desire to become a priest. Just two rooms down the hall on the fourth floor of the massive seminary building that looms over Northern Parkway, Deacon Gregory Rapisarda’s room bustled with a family that embraced religious vocations. At 61, Deacon Rapisarda...

June 30, 2009                             Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week                                     in Ordinary Time       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Gn 19:15-29 As dawn was breaking, the angels urged Lot on, saying, "On your way!Take with you your wife and your two daughters who are here,or you will be swept away in the punishment of Sodom."When he hesitated, the men, by the LORD's mercy,seized his hand and the hands of his wife and his two daughtersand led them to safety outside the city.As soon as they...

Seven members of the board of Catholic Charities announced their resignations. They were protesting the effort by Massachusetts bishops to prohibit gays from adopting children from their Catholic social service agencies. The seven who quit said prohibition ''threatens the very essence of our Christian mission." Church doctrine states that allowing children to be adopted by same-sex couples ''would actually mean doing violence to these children...gravely immoral." If you agree with those principles, according to the Vatican, a Catholic in good standing. If you don't, you're not. Liberals raised as Catholics refuse to accept this reality. We think we can be...

Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett: Liturgy, Icons, Prayer, and Catechesis June 29th, 2009 by Dr. Carol Younger Two persons styled by the media as “cultural icons” passed into eternity last week: first Farrah Fawcett, followed some few hours later by Michael Jackson. Farrah succumbed to cancer after what her friends called a valiant fight. Michael’s cause of death is not yet known, the coroner not yet willing to say it was a heart attack. Farrah’s funeral will be celebrated tomorrow at the Los Angeles Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (pretty fitting for a “Charlie’s Angel”). As of this...

Regular readers of this weblog and my books know that Bible prophecy says the ancient city of Babylon, Iraq will be rebuilt and become the greatest center of wealth, commerce and power in the “last days” of history. The books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Revelation are explicit on this subject. Skeptics and cynics abound, to be sure, but the fact is Babylon is being rebuilt right now, in part with U.S. taxpayer funds. Iraqi leaders hope that eventually millions of tourists will come to visit, and real progress is being made. Consider today’s edition of Stars & Stripes, a...

Honor Him in All That You Do Today's Scripture "Remind people to be submissive to [their] magistrates and authorities, to be obedient, to be prepared and willing to do any upright and honorable work" (Titus 3:1, AMP) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria In what ways do you honor God? A lot of times, people think “I go to church to honor God. I read my Bible to honor God. I sing and clap to honor God.” And yes, those are ways to honor God, but did you know that you honor God just as much when you get...

The Strictest Discipline "If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell" —Matthew 5:30 Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off his right hand, but that "if your right hand causes you to sin" in your walk with Him, then it is better to "cut it off." There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do...

June 29, 2009                         Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles                             Mass During the Day       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Acts 12:1-11 In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jewshe proceeded to arrest Peter also.-It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.- He had him taken into custody and put in prisonunder the guard of four squads of...

June 29, 2009                                 Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul,                             Apostles - Vigil       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Acts 3:1-10 Peter and John were going up to the temple areafor the three o'clock hour of prayer. And a man crippled from birth was carriedand placed at the gate of the temple called "the Beautiful Gate"every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple.When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,he asked for alms.But Peter looked...

A new statue of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, the oldest Catholic college for women in the United States, was dedicated to today (June 28) The life-size statue has been placed near the entrance of the Church of the Immaculate Conception at the end of the main drive just east of the fountain. A new walkway with lighting and landscaping leads to the statue site, and benches and a plaque will be added soon. The bronze likeness of Saint Mother Theodore is a replica of the statue designed by artist Teresa Clark of Terre Haute and...

Schedule June 28 Fr. Joseph T. Lienhard, SJ, Prof. of Theology, Fordham University

Held by the Grip of God "I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me" —Philippians 3:12 Never choose to be a worker for God, but once God has placed His call on you, woe be to you if you "turn aside to the right hand or to the left" ( Deuteronomy 5:32  ). We are not here to work for God because we have chosen to do so, but because God has "laid hold of" us. And once He has done so, we never have this thought, "Well,...

June 28, 2009       Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2GospelReading 1Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24 God did not make death,nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.For he fashioned all things that they might have being;and the creatures of the world are wholesome,and there is not a destructive drug among themnor any domain of the netherworld on earth,for justice is undying.For God formed man to be imperishable;the image of his own nature he made him.But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world,and they who belong to his company experience it. Responsorial PsalmPs 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11,...

Monday and Thrsday mornings, 6/29 and 7/2Kohen--Numbers 19:1-6Levi--vs. 7-9Yisra'el--vs. 10-17 Strday 7/4--Shabbat Parashat Chuqqat-BalaqMORNING Kohen--Numbers 19:1-20:6Levi--20:7-21Shelishi--20:22-21:20Revi`i--21:21-22:12Chamishi--22:13-38Shishi--22:39-23:26Shevi`i--23:27-25:9Maftir--25:7-9Haftarah--Micah 5:6-6:8 EVENING Kohen--Numbers 25:10-12Levi--25:13-15Yisra'el--25:16-26:4