One of the tragedies of the Protestant Reformation is that it resulted in a lot of Protestants squeamish about talking about the Virgin Mary, and a lot of Catholics squeamish about talking about grace and predestination (in both cases, out of a fear of the other side’s perceived excesses). In reality, if you want to know what God’s predestination looks like, look to the Virgin Mary. And you can’t understand Mary without understanding predestination.
Tag: liturgical year
The World is Ending: The Hidden Message of Advent
The world is ending this weekend. Is that good news or bad news?
Five Reasons to Believe in the Assumption of Mary
Today is the Feast of the Assumption, in which we Catholics celebrate that the Virgin Mary, at the conclusion of her earthly life, was taken up into Heaven, body and soul. For Protestants and even many Catholics, it’s a hard doctrine to swallow. Here are five reasons that I believe in it (besides the fact that the Church infallibly teaches it).
The Catholic Mass in Scripture, the Early Church, and Today
In Luke 24:13-35, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus have a surprise encounter with the risen Lord, Jesus Christ. There are basically four “stages” of communion in this encounter, and it’s the same four stages, in the same order, that we find in the earliest Christian worship, and that we see in the Mass today. So let’s look at each of the four stages, and then consider why it matters that they should all follow the same structure and pattern….
4 Things We Can Learn from the Apostle Judas
This Holy Week (and especially today, “Spy Wednesday”), it’s worth taking a closer look at the Apostle Judas Iscariot. Here are four things that we can learn from him.
St. Joseph and the Numinous
Why does the angel Gabriel tell Joseph not to “be afraid” to take Mary as his wife?
Water, Death, and Life
Water: it’s a sign of life, and a sign of death. And in Baptism, we celebrate both of these things. A guest post by Louis Masi of the Archdiocese of New York.
The Special Role of the Virgin Mary in the History of the Americas
A toast to the Immaculate Virgin Mary and her special role in the history of the Americas.
Advent Penances?
It’s Advent, should we be fasting? Is this a season of penance or rejoicing?
Thanks for the Blessings We Don’t Deserve
This Thanksgiving, let’s be mindful of the fact that we don’t deserve all of the good things that God has given us (individually, and as a nation)…. but that He gives us His gifts nevertheless.