FAITH AS IT IS

by  John Paul Philips As Catholics, we often hear terms like " traditional " and " liberal " used to describe different approaches to faith within our Church. While these labels might seem helpful in categorizing beliefs and practices, they can actually create more division than unity. This tendency to label and categorize goes against the very essence of what it means to be Catholic. The word " Catholic " itself means " universal ," implying a faith that transcends boundaries and embraces all peoples. When we start dividing ourselves into subcategories like " traditional ," " liberal ," " charismatic ," or " radical ," we risk losing sight of the fundamental unity that Christ calls us to embody. Christ's prayer for us was clear ( John 17:20-23) : "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are...

  Photo by  Marianna Smiley  on  Unsplash Psalm 143 , is a psalm of David crying for help in distress. The Church uses this whole psalm in its compline (the official night prayer of the Church) every Tuesday. The entire psalm is beautiful in itself, and every person who is struggling with something in his/her life can relate to it and pray with it. Today, in this very short blog post, let us particularly analyze what it means to pray to the Lord to rescue us from our enemies and to cut them off?  11  For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life. In your righteousness bring me out of trouble. 12  In your steadfast love cut off my enemies, and destroy all my adversaries,  for I am your servant. Apparently, we no longer go kill others nor make enemies per se like in David's time (please note: I'm not speaking of the gruesome wars that are taking place today but rather on a personal basis).     Now, if that's the case, when ...

by John Paul Philips This title itself sounds strange! I know! Not many of us use the term ' siblinghood'  as often as we use brotherhood, sisterhood, fatherhood, and motherhood. In fact, I had to double check the dictionary if this was even an actual term before using it here. (Who would want to be made fun of on the internet, right?!.) For those of us who grew up as an only child, the whole idea of having siblings was kind of a mystery. No fighting over the TV remote, no sharing bedrooms, no built-in best friends. While it had its advantages, there was definitely something missing - that special bond between brothers and sisters. But here's the beautiful thing about our spiritual journey - suddenly, we gain this incredible extended family we never even knew we had! Through our shared faith and love for the Church, Mother Mary, and the Holy Trinity, we become spiritual siblings with the faithful all over the world. It's the most amazing feeling, being part of this vast...

by John Paul Philips Christopher Marlowe's controversial play The Jew of Malta  is a powerful cautionary story about the dangers of allowing religious intolerance to take root. Through the tragic story of the Jewish merchant Barabas, we witness the cycle of violence that can erupt when one group persecutes and dehumanizes another over differences in faith. As Catholics, we need to look at this 16th century drama and use it as a mirror to reflect on our own potential for hatred and cruelty towards those outside our religion. The Christian rulers of Malta justify stripping away the Jewish population's rights and wealth solely due to their religious identity. As Barabas accuses, "What, bring you Scripture to confirm your wrongs?"  History has shown time and again how religious differences have been twisted to justify unspeakable acts - the Crusades, the Inquisition, modern extremism. We must reject the misguided notion that anyone who believes differently is less deservi...

by John Paul Philips You might wonder - if God has a big plan for everything, does that mean he decides all our choices for us ahead of time? Or can we truly make our own decisions freely? Credit: Overearth | iStock The philosopher Thomas Aquinas said that not only does God allow us free will, but his entire plan for the world depends on it! Here's why in plain terms: Aquinas thought God wants to guide creation to be its best, most perfect self. For non-living things like rocks, acting unpredictably just shows imperfection. But for humans, our ability to freely choose is actually a strength that makes us special. It's how God made us similar to Him - as beings who can intelligently weigh options and make real choices, not just following a pre-programmed path like a robot. Aquinas believed God works with the true nature of things, not against it. And the human mind is made to understand many possibilities, not just one set thing. Our wills are designed to freely pick between dif...

by John Paul Philips Ever stopped to think about why a post like this is even needed? It's kind of wild when you think about it. The basics of what Jesus taught us — things like being kind and loving each other — are pretty straightforward. Yet, here we are, needing a reminder. Why? Because, let's face it, the world can get pretty rough, and sometimes, we forget the simplest rules of being a decent human being. Credit: Denis-Art | iStock Things that Jesus did not say: Hate thy neighbor Mock thy neighbor Humiliate thy neighbor Laugh at thy Neighbor What Jesus actually said: Love thy neighbor Seeing the contrast between those lists makes you pause, doesn’t it? Jesus’ message was about love — no ifs, ands, or buts. He didn’t say, “Love your neighbor, but only if they agree with you,” or “Love your neighbor, but only if they’re the same as you.”  Nope. He kept it simple: Love. Your. Neighbor. So why am I writing this? It's a little nudge, a reminder that maybe we've gone a ...