“Everything they do, they do to be noticed by others.” –Jesus of Nazareth This seems awfully judgmental, and people should always be careful in making such sweeping claims. …

The story of the raising of Jairus’ daughter is the subject of Mark 5:21–43, the gospel reading for the fourth Tuesday of Ordinary Time. It sheds light on how the Catholic Church might respond to harsh the harsh attacks on the Synod. In the text, a synagogue official named Jairus…

“They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest.” This statement describes nearly every domain of human interaction. Politicians vie over control of party and government. Greedy tycoons contend for the reins of the corporation. Catholic prelates jockey for position in the hierarchy. The quote comes…

The highly acclaimed 2019 movie The Two Popes, starring Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict and Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, contrasted the personalities, styles, and priorities of the two most recent Catholic pontiffs. These differences are more than Hollywood screenplays. They have appeared in the unfolding drama of…

Some people though he was crazy, but he was more like one of the wandering “fools for Christ.” Originally from Florence, Philip Neri moved to Rome in 1533 when he was about 18 years old. …

Nothing about education in the age of coronavirus is easy. — Even so, people are more likely to succeed in an environment that nurtures and supports them. No adult wants to go into a workplace each day where their bosses assign impossible tasks, don’t train them adequately, and demean them for their inability to succeed. In a good-faith attempt to encourage…

Holy Week, the time between Palm Sunday and Easter, is the most sacred period of the Christian liturgical year. Starting with a Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem and leading to Christ’s resurrection from the dead, Holy Week encapsulates the entire Christian message. Day 1 On Palm Sunday, Christ is heralded as king…

I want to find hope in this morass. — I found my son’s dead body on the evening of April 26, 2020. Quentin had turned 18 earlier in the month; it would be his last birthday. Beyond saying he did not succumb to COVID-19, I am still not emotionally ready to discuss the details outside of therapy. I am…

In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Biblical book of Nehemiah offers an important lesson for how President-elect Joe Biden should handle the transition and beyond. Nehemiah was a Jew who lived as an exile the Persian empire and served as a high-ranking official in the royal court. In…