Tragic Rejection of the Intuitive Intellect

The intuitive intellect, common to all people from the age of reason, is the true canvas on which the details of reality can be analyzed. Aquinas called the blueprint of reality that the intuitive intellect grasps the natural law, C.S. Lewis called it the Tao. All people have access to it from the age of […]... Read More
Cell phone

‘Phone-Choice’ Mentality

This may sound like a lame comparison, but I sense we can see a glimpse of the ‘pro-choice’ mentality in the way people respond to dialing a wrong number. I’ve never understood why a person immediately disconnects after being informed he’s dialed a wrong number. There is no “Oh, I’m sorry, it looks like I […]... Read More
Blood and water 2

Salvation for the 3 Levels of Life

Water, blood, and spirit are the 3 sustaining elements for earth’s 3 levels of life – vegetative, animal, and rational – all of which are constituent of the human person. It is no mistake that the God-man gave His water, blood (Jn 19:34) and Spirit (Mt 27:50; Acts 2:3) on the cross in order to heal, […]... Read More
Outside looking in

The Grave Danger of Being a Cultural Catholic

No matter how many good deeds I do as a next-door neighbor to my friend’s billionaire father, I will not receive a penny of his inheritance. Even if my friend is lazier than me, has vices I don’t have, and doesn’t give alms like I do, he will get the inheritance and I won’t. So […]... Read More
Eucharist, rays

The Eucharist is at the Heart of Divine Revelation

A proper interpretation of the word of God sees the Eucharist at the very center of man’s creation and redemption: ⦁ It is the new fruit of the tree of life (Gn 2:9) that was rejected by Adam and reoffered by the new Adam (Christ) on the cross. ⦁ It is the new Passover meal […]... Read More

‘Real’ Difference between Catholicism and Protestantism

Since biblical times the Church has been known as the bride of Christ (cf., Eph 5:21-35). This is an important metaphor for understanding what it means to be Christian. The two elements that create an unbreakable marriage covenant are consent and consummation – when the couple says “I do” with their words, and then with […]... Read More
Pentecost

The Amazing Wonder of Pentecost

Today’s readings for Pentecost Sunday cover the Holy Spirit being released to the world and St. Paul’s preaching that Christ’s baptized followers are members of His body (the Church), because all are in the one Spirit. We can extrapolate that as the soul is the form and life of the body, the Holy Spirit is […]... Read More
Ape and human

Thinking Like Animals

Philosophers agree that a basic difference between humans and other animals is that we experience time and space much differently. Animals live in the here and now, with no conceptual understanding that there is a future and past; nor any concept that places exist other than their present environment. Being human, on the other hand, […]... Read More
Contraception to abortion 2

Pro-life Necessarily Means Anti-Contraception

Being pro-life necessarily means being anti-contraception. History and psychology demonstrate moral acceptance of killing the baby-making act precedes moral acceptance of killing babies. It’s often the case with individuals and invariably with nations. It’s no coincidence Griswold v. Connecticut was decided just 7 ½ years before Roe v. Wade. In many nations the birth control […]... Read More
confusion

Building a Spiritual Second Floor without a Foundation

Every good parent (and good authority figure in general) in the beginning spells out with clarity what the boundaries are.  Analogously, when children know the acceptable area on which they can play, they then may be free to play to their heart’s content. The fence around the yard keeps them safe  from danger. This is […]... Read More
Jesus knocking Jesus knocking

The Bottom Line Commandment

In today’s gospel, Jesus separates the sheep from the goats – in principle – with one simple line: “If you love me you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15). We can infer that those who don’t, won’t. Since this fundamental precept is the difference in one’s eternal destiny between Heaven from Hell, it’s imperative that […]... Read More
Marriage ring

The Sacrilege of Consummation without Covenant

With regard to covenants, it’s an essential and moral imperative that full and irrevocable consent precedes real union of the parties involved. For example: Jesus consented to the Father in the garden of Gethsemane (Lk 22:42) before He gave Himself completely on the cross; Christians give their total consent (sometimes through parents & godparents) to […]... Read More
Crowd

The Sad 5-Step Process of Our Day

Too many people today are fed with physical food but not spiritual food; formed in the mundane sciences but not the sacred sciences. The result is a post-Christian era in which, sadly, most people are forced to endure a trying five-step process: 1) Being raised by agnostic parents and/or receiving abysmal catechesis from the church […]... Read More