The incarnation reveals to us new ways to understand and deal with the world. God became human for many reasons, among which, was to teach us, not through divine commands and condemnations, but by example. It is easy to be judgmental and claim that we are loving sinners by trying to have them stop sinning. Even if that were the case, which it often is not, most who hear such condemnation shrug it off and ignore it. Others will actively... Read more
Christianity offers us a middle way between legalism and antinomianism. It does this by telling us we can’t be selfish, looking after ourselves, doing whatever it is we desire, regardless of the consequences of our actions, especially to others, but rather, we are to act in ways which engage and embrace the path of love. Love sets us free, even as it directs and guides us, making sure we act in ways which are for the good of all. When... Read more
When trying to understanding “eucharistic coherence,” we should keep in mind the way the eucharist was first given out: during a communal meal associated, in some fashion, with the Passover (there are debates as to when the Last Supper took place, with some saying it happened before Passover, and others, during Passover). There was no fasting before communion, nor was there some sort of specially developed liturgy which Jesus developed to present his followers with their first communion. It was,... Read more
God has no gender. God transcends all genders, and yet all genders participate in and demonstrate divine attributes. This is why Genesis says that God created both male and female in the divine image: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen. 1:27 RSV). Masculine, feminine, and even neuter pronouns, can be used for God. When they are used, they do not indicate any gender... Read more
St. Peter Chrysologus pointed out that those who stand for and promote the poor are, according to Jesus, those who will be seen as of the highest rank in the kingdom of God. For God is a God of the poor. God stands with the poor, the needy, those who suffer injustice, and those, therefore, who support them imitate God: That Abel suffered, that Noah preserved the world, that Abraham maintained faith, that Moses brought the Law, that Peter was... Read more
Great faith can lead to great deeds. Even those whom many people think are far from God, those whom are seen as ritually unclean, or sinners, can have such great faith that they reveal themselves as being far holier than those whom people otherwise see as holy and pure. We can find this being indicated to us when Jesus encountered a Canaanite woman: And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold,... Read more
We seem to be living in a time of mass migration. It is not the first time in history, nor, if humanity survives present day threats like climate change and war, will it likely be the last. While much can be and has been said about the sad treatment of migrants and refugees in the United States, often by those who claim to be Christian, the problem surrounding migrants and refugees is far more extensive than what is happening in... Read more
One of the great Christian hopes, a hope which is not uniquely Christian but something Christians inherited from the Jews, is that God’s justice will prevail in the eschaton. That is, we hope that God will somehow overcome and fix all the injustices people suffered in the world. We hope that those who suffered great oppression, those who suffered great pain and sorrow, will be able to discern how, in the midst of it, God was not only on their... Read more
We have grown so accustomed to ignore the symbolic aspect of the sacraments that many believe that there is nothing symbolic about them. Traditionally, not only was the symbolic aspect of the sacraments understood, it was embraced, leading to all kinds of explorations as to how the symbols could and should be interpreted. Indeed, it was accepted that the symbolic side was necessary for us because the sacraments contained within them transcendent mysteries which the symbols helped us apprehend. We... Read more
While common sense often provides basic insight which can be useful in making judgments, it is far from infallible. It represents what collective wisdom, handed down from the past, suggests for those living today. Much of that wisdom was hard-earned, and certainly, it has value, but the reason why we cannot rely upon common sense, but rather, must judge it, is because we continue to develop our understanding of the world around us. We often have discovered many presuppositions given... Read more
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