[Pearls Ep. 121:  Friday follow-up] Suspend reality with us for a moment… Say we come to you and tell you that this year is going to get much worse – food shortages, $10/gal gas, endless health fear mongering from the elites, war – everything but a plague of locusts. BUT … in one year we Read More >

[Pearls Ep. 120:  Answering Atheism Tuesday] Last week we noted that peace is closely tied to order, in fact Augustine described peace as the “tranquility of order.” But as we also saw – not all order is created equal.  Genuine order is divine order – that is the order that leads to Christ’s peace, because Read More >

[Pearls Ep. 120:  Monday Motivation] We’ve been looking at the gift of peace which Jesus offers to us, a peace which the world cannot give us.   Christ’s peace is the peace that comes from doing the will of God.  And the closer we draw to Christ, the more naturally we live in God’s will. Here’s Read More >

[Pearls Ep. 120:  What exactly is “Christ’s peace?”] We’re looking at Christ’s promise to give us His peace, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.” So, what exactly is His peace. In the ordinary sense of things St. Augustine tells us peace is the “tranquility of order” – stability, justice, liberty, Read More >

[Pearls Ep. 120 – “My peace I give to you.”] In this Sunday’s gospel (included in the postscript) Jesus tells us He will give us His peace – which is not anything that the world can give. Peace seems to be in short supply these days.  In the world.  In or nation.  In our families.  Read More >

[Pearls Ep. 119 – Answering Atheism Tuesday.] As we reflect on Jesus’ new commandment to “love one another as I have loved you” we noted that authentic love, divine love, desires the highest and best things for the other. Great. Who doesn’t want high and best things? Let’s do it. Sooooo, who’s got a copy Read More >

[Pearls Ep. 119 – Monday Motivation] We’re looking at Jesus’ “new” commandment – “Love one another, as I have loved you.” It’s the last part that makes it new.  Jesus loves us perfectly – because He sees each one of us as His own precious creation whom He loves with divine love. It’s a tall Read More >

[Pearls Ep. 119 – Friday Follow-up] In Sunday’s Gospel passage Jesus commands us to love one another as He loves us. There’s an important prerequisite to that – first we must cultivate a love of God, and then we can share that with others – we can’t give what we don’t have.  Jesus himself tells Read More >

This Sunday Jesus gives us a new commandment – As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. Is that really new?  After all, in Leviticus (19:18) God commanded the Israelites to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Of course it must be new because Jesus doesn’t choose words willy nilly (one wonders Read More >

[Answering Atheism Tuesday] Jesus tells us, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” There are many other voices out there competing for our attention. Let’s compare. Jesus says, “I know them” – meaning you.  Jesus truly knows you.  He knows the true version of you – the you that He Read More >