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Matrimony or Bust – Another Glimpse at the Why and How of Traditional Marriage’s Demise By: Msgr. Charles PopeAll the way back in 1973, George Guilder published a book called Men and Marriage. He expanded and republished it in 1986. In his book, Guilder argued that our culture was marginalizing men, to its great peril. He articulated the critical role that marriage has in helping men focus their sexual energies in a creative and beneficial way. Women have their nurturing role rather clearly defined in the very design of their bodies. But men’s role in the raising of children and in society...

Advent and the Drama of Light and Darkness By: Msgr. Charles PopeHere are the summary notes from a talk I gave tonight at the Parish of St. Columba, here in D.C.Many people think of Advent merely in terms of pre-Christmas time: office parties, shopping, decorating etc. But in the Church, Advent is a penitential time, a time of preparation for both the Christmas Feast and the Second Coming of the Lord. The purple vestments signal penance. The faithful are encouraged to go to Confession, and the liturgical texts and readings emphasize readying for the coming of the Lord.The theme of preparation...

Celebrating the Spirituals: Sober but Serene on Themes of Judgment By: Msgr. Charles PopeI’ve often been impressed at the ability of the old African-American spirituals to treat serious subjects in a clear, memorable, and almost joyful way. This is true even of very weighty matters like sin and judgment.  And while we are here in the opening weeks of Advent, quite focused on the Second Coming of Jesus to judge the world by fire, we do well to look at some of the creative lines from different spirituals that articulate this theme.It can be very helpful to the preacher, teacher,...

You Will Serve Somebody, The Only Question is “Whom?” As Seen and Heard in a Video By: Msgr. Charles PopeThe video below features Mavis Staples and Johnny Lang. But they are singing the classic Bob Dylan song, “Serve Somebody.” The song is a sober reminder that no matter how big you or I may think we are, we have to remember that none of us is so powerful that, in the end, we won’t have to serve somebody. It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but we WILL serve somebody. The choice is ultimately ours...

Hearts Aloft! A Reflection on our Mystical Transport to Heaven in Every Mass By: Msgr. Charles PopeBefore November ends and our consideration of the four last things (death, judgment, Heaven, and Hell) gives way to Advent preparations for the great Second Coming that ushers in those things definitively,  let us turn our attention to a short, often-overlooked summons to Heaven that takes place in every Mass. It takes place in a short dialogue just after the prayer over the gifts and before the singing of the Sanctus. It is called the “preface dialogue” and it is really quite remarkable...

How to Thank God as He Has Instructed – A Meditation on Thanksgiving Day By: Msgr. Charles PopeYour grace and mercy,brought me through.I’m living this moment,Because of you.I want to thank you,And praise you too.Your grace and mercy,Brought me through!On this feast of Thanksgiving (here in America) we do well to ponder how we ought to give thanks to God. Indeed, how can one adequately thank God, who is the giver of every good and perfect gift? Is it really enough to simply kneel and say a prayer of thanks? Perhaps we should run to Church and light a...

Love of the World Fuels the Fear of Death – A Meditation on a Teaching of St. Cyprian By: Msgr. Charles PopeAs November winds down and Advent still looms, the traditional meditation we make on the four last things (death, judgment, Heaven, and Hell) is still operative. A classic writing by St. Cyprian comes to mind. It is a meditation on the fundamental human struggle to be free of undue attachment to this world and to have God (and the things waiting for us in Heaven) as our highest priority.In this meditation, St. Cyprian has in mind the Book of James and...

Satan at His Most Subtle: A Reflection on the Temptations and Traps of the Pious By: Msgr. Charles PopeWhat is temptation? Temptation is the work of Satan to drag you to Hell. And Satan can read you like a book and play you like piano. Do not exaggerate his power, but do not underestimate it either.Some of his subtlest work is done in the area of religious observance. There, he can cloak himself quite easily in the lamb’s clothing of piety, but, wolf that he really is, distort it, either through excess or defect, thereby destroying you with what...

The Strangest of Kings! A Homily for the Feast of Christ the King By: Msgr. Charles PopeThe reading today on this Feast of Christ the King evokes three images of Christ as King. All of them are to some extent paradoxical, for they emphasize things about a king that we don’t usually think of in relation to a king. They also tell us that we have already met King Jesus, even if we didn’t know it. Let’s look at these three images of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of all Creation.I. Caring King - The first reading, from Ezekiel...

America Loves Catholicism: As Seen in Place Names Everywhere By: Msgr. Charles PopeThe video below boasts, “America loves Italy” and features a Fiat car driving through American towns with Italian names.If that is the case then America loves Catholicism even more, since thousands of towns and places are named for Catholic saints, themes, and objects. Consider the following:In California: San Diego, San Miguel, San Francisco, San Bernadino, San Clemente, San Luis Obispo, San Jose, San Rafael, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Los Angeles (aka Nuestra Senora de los Angeles de la Porciuncula), Santa Cruz, Santa Clarita, Sacramento, San...

A Portrait of Powerful Preaching – A Homily for the 4th Sunday of the Year By: Msgr. Charles Pope There are four aspects of powerful preaching displayed by Jesus in this passage. Jesus is not just a powerful preacher Himself, but also models what it means to be a powerful and effective preacher.In using the word “preacher” here we ought to be careful not to reduce preaching merely to what takes place in a church. For surely the clergy have churches in which to preach. But all Catholic parents ought also to learn from Jesus here, for they have...

Compare and Contrast: The Super Bowl and the Mass, Football and Faith By: Msgr. Charles Pope I write to you in the midst of a semi-“religious” event: the Super Bowl. People have donned their sacred attire and are shouting praises. I enjoy football, but see it a lot less than most since I’m a priest and tend to be busy on Sundays! Yet I remain quite fascinated at how passionate and dedicated many Americans are to their team and to the game.Would that more Catholics had the same dedication to the Mass and the Church that true football fans have...

How to Save the World, God’s Way – A Reflection on a Liturgical Teaching of Pope Benedict By: Msgr. Charles Pope Whenever I write on liturgy, I usually get a lot of comments. Many people obviously care deeply about it.Yet I also get comments that decry my “preoccupation” with liturgy, saying that it is of minor importance compared to the issues of poverty, abortion, etc. Some on the left will say, “Who cares if the Pope washes certain feet or doesn’t wear a fanon! Get out there and take care of the poor and show compassion. Frankly, your elaborate and expensive liturgies are...

Mysteries and Paradoxes of Evangelization – A Meditation on a Passage from the Gospel of Mark By: Msgr. Charles PopeIn the Church throughout the world today, we are rightly more focused on evangelization. It is “job one,” and Jesus could not have been clearer: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matt 28:18-20).However, even as we become more serious and practical about effective ways of evangelization, we must also remember the...

Pondering Punishment as an Act of Love By: Msgr. Charles PopeIn the first reading from today’s Mass (Wednesday of the fourth week of the year) came this admonition:My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.In our times, we have tended to set love and punishment in opposition; we also set mercy and punishment in opposition. But this is wrong. It is possible, at least with human beings, that a certain punishment can be excessive. But of itself, punishment...

A Picture of Holy Boldness in Prayer By: Msgr. Charles Pope There are some who wince at the notion of praying boldly to God, especially if anger or exasperation are part of that boldness. And yet the Bible itself models and counsels that we should include in our prayers the times when we are angry, exasperated, or disappointed in God. The psalms are filled with such prayers and great figures like Moses, David, and Job cry out to God quite plainly, expressing their anger and disappointment. I have written more on that here: A Meditation on the Role of Anger in Prayer.At any...

Directions for Disciples When Dealing With Difficulties – A Homily for the 5th Sunday of the Year By: Msgr. Charles PopeIn life we face many difficulties, and these difficulties challenge not only us, but our faith. Deep struggle can lead us to question God, His love, or even His existence. The readings today speak to us of these sorts of difficulties and prophetically interpret them for us. Let’s take a look at these readings in three stages.(This homily is recorded here: Recorded Sermon mp3.)I. The Disillusionment of Deep Despair – The reading from the book of Job articulates clearly...

February 8, 2015Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time    Reading 1 Jb 7:1-4, 6-7 Job spoke, saying:Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?Are not his days those of hirelings?He is a slave who longs for the shade,a hireling who waits for his wages.So I have been assigned months of misery,and troubled nights have been allotted to me.If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?”then the night drags on;I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;they come to an end without hope.Remember that my life is like the wind;I shall not see...

Archdiocese of Washington I Keep So Busy Workin’ for the Kingdom, I Ain’t Got Time to Die – A Homily for the 3rd Sunday of the Year By: Msgr. Charles PopeThe readings of “Ordinary Time” (Tempus per annum, in Latin) focus a lot on the call to discipleship and the living of the Christian Faith. The readings for today’s Mass are no exception, as they present us with a number of disciplines for disciples. These disciplines free us to serve Christ and His Kingdom joyfully, energetically, and wholeheartedly. We can group these disciplines into three broad areas, such that discipleship is...

Who Gets Hurt? At Least 50 Million, and Then Some! By: Msgr. Charles PopeThere’s a common “moral” standard that many like to employ today, especially regarding sexual matters, that goes something like this: “Two consenting adults can do what they please, as long as no one gets hurt.” But of course the sinners who talk like this seem to think that they get to determine if anyone gets hurt. Generally their notions of “no one” are very egocentric. But even there they are often quite wrong.Today, I marched with many who tried to give a voice to the at...