Perspective
The King of Thieves
Jesus Christ is King of Thieves, though He never stole. He is savior of sinners, though He never sinned. In Luke’s Passion narrative, Christ reins from the cross. Nothing could […]
Columns Archive
Perspective
We Must Prepare for the Second Coming
First Sunday of Advent Matthew 24:37-44 This weekend, that of the First Sunday of Advent, begins the new Church liturgical year. Therefore, the readings for this weekend and until Advent 2023, […]
Perspective
John the Baptist, Advent Prophet of Hope
Five major pro-life ballot measures saw defeat on Election Day. Months have passed since Russia invaded Ukraine, leaving cities destroyed and tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians dead. Americans […]
Perspective
In Business for the Common Good
Catholic entrepreneurs have an imposing defender in Andreas Widmer. Think business guru Peter Drucker wielding a halberd. The 6-foot-9-inch ex-Swiss Guard is an entrepreneur, teacher, and enthusiastic cheerleader of the […]
Perspective
The Not-So-Nice Origins of ‘Nice’
Words can change meaning over time — sometimes dramatically. For example, “manufactured” originally meant “handmade” (manu (hand) + facere (make)). The word “decimate” used to mean “to reduce by a tenth” (decem = ten); […]
Perspective
Christ the King; Christ the Sacrifice
Feast of Christ the King Luke 23:35-43 The Second Book of Samuel furnishes the first reading for this feast, marking the close of the Church’s year. The two books of Samuel […]
Perspective
Mother Alfred and Women Religious
My new hero is Mother Alfred Moes. I realize that she is not a household name, even among Catholics, but she should be. She came on my radar screen only […]
Perspective
When Reentry is Rocky
I recently returned from a beautiful pilgrimage to France, but unexpectedly brought home a stomach bug to my beloved family. Talk about a bumpy reentry to ordinary life: from Lourdes […]
Perspective
Taylor Swift, Miscarriage, and the Discussions We Too Rarely Have
In every life, there comes a moment where we find ourselves brought to our knees, a moment when we are immersed in something tragic and personally gutting, and our questions […]
Perspective
Triumph in Loving God
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Luke 21:5-19 The Book of Malachi is the source of this weekend’s first reading. Malachi was not a proper name for a person in ancient Israel. Rather, […]
Perspective
Seeking the Spiritual Side of Dementia
The possibility of suffering from dementia later in life is a worrisome and unpleasant prospect for many of us. Most people I know would like to remain in possession of […]
Perspective
No Cell Phones, No Problems: Saluting the Digital Minimalists
It started with news from Camp Wapo, the Bible camp I’d attended as a kid. The camp counselors in Amery, Wisconsin, enforce a strict no cell-phone policy: Ditch your iPhone […]