Why Didn’t Jesus Heal More People During His Ministry?

Today’s Gospel is interesting.  It’s Luke 5:12-16, and there’s a fascinating contrast: It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him,… Continue reading Why Didn’t Jesus Heal More People During His Ministry?

The Glory of the Lord, and the Strange Gifts of the Magi

It’s two days after Latin-Rite Catholics celebrated Epiphany Sunday, and two days before Eastern-Rite Catholics celebrate Epiphany (they celebrate it on the Twelfth Day of Christmas, while we move the feast to Sunday), so it seems fitting to have a post celebrating it right here in the middle. The Epiphany celebrates the Magi’s arrival, coming… Continue reading The Glory of the Lord, and the Strange Gifts of the Magi

Happy New Year!

I don’t normally do Saturday posts, but the readings for today are fantastic (as I mentioned in my last post, it’s a Holy Day, but attending Mass is optional – despite my own advice in yesterday’s post, I missed this morning).  Anyways, the first reading is from Number 6:22-27, and it contains the traditional Judeo-Christian… Continue reading Happy New Year!

Taking Jesus at His Word in the Eucharist

Honeycom raises four points s/he thinks disproves the Eucharist.  None do.  They are, in turn: (1) Why would the Lord of the Universe turn Himself into a piece of bread so His followers believe they are consuming His body, blood, soul and divinity?  Why would He become a Baby, and a poor Galilean at that, and… Continue reading Taking Jesus at His Word in the Eucharist

Did Mary Have Other Children?

I have probably addressed this somewhere before on this blog, but I was asked about this question recently: didn’t Mary have other children?  That seems to throw a kink into the whole perpetual Virginity thing, doesn’t it? After all, the people Jesus grew up with doubted His claim to be the Messiah on the grounds… Continue reading Did Mary Have Other Children?

Leprosy and Legalism: Luke 17

Paul’s radical Gospel, that justification is through faith, and is not limited to the Jews alone, isn’t Paul’s.  It’s Christ’s.  And while I generally think of the Gospel of John as focusing  more on the idea of justification than the Synoptics, one of my favorite passages on the issue is from Luke.  Namely, Luke 17:11-19: Now… Continue reading Leprosy and Legalism: Luke 17

Are We to Worship Jesus Christ?

We’ve covered a lot of ground on the subject of Mormonism on the blog of late (and it really has been “we”: the contributions of Mormons like Seth, Murdock, and now James have proven invaluable).  The latest topic has been whether or not it’s appropriate to worship Jesus Christ.  In a 1982 talk given by… Continue reading Are We to Worship Jesus Christ?