[Pearls Ep 156:  Bringing Sunday into the week.] Perhaps you’re familiar with the concept of a “lead magnet” (or lost leader).  You’ve certainly encountered it – you give them your email address and they give you a pdf that shows how to retire by buying and selling beenie-babies.  Or something like that.  And once they Read More >

[Pearls Ep 156:  Bringing Sunday into the week.] Sunday’s Gospel turned our minds to the beatitudes. But what exactly makes something a beatitude?  How is it different than simply a good habit, or virtue?  For example, when does “being poor in spirit” become beatitude and not just trying to live a more simple life? For Read More >

[Pearls Ep 156:  Preparing for Sunday.] The Sunday we encounter the beatitudes (copied in the postscript as well). The beatitudes are presented as perfected actions and corresponding blessings. The first three beatitudes (blessed are the poor, the mourners and the meek) are particularly relevant to purifying “that bothersome thing I call ‘myself’” (as the great Read More >

[Pearls Ep 156:  Preparing for Sunday.] This Sunday’s Gospel reading presents Jesus preaching the Sermon on the Mount. Not just the Sermon on the Mount, but the Beatitudes. The Sermon on the Mount is the pinnacle of Jesus’ teaching, and Beatitudes are the pinnacle of the Sermon on the Mount. So, this Sunday we get Read More >

[Pearls Ep 155:  Answering atheism Tuesday.] As we complete our reflection on the kingdom of heaven, do you sometimes feel like you are living in two worlds – two kingdoms?  This was St. Augustine’s theme for the colossal “City of God.”   Augustine characterizes the Earthly City (modeled after the Roman Empire) as being “created by Read More >

[Pearls Ep 155:  Bringing Sunday into the week.] We’re looking at Jesus’ words that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.  We have only to hold fast to Christ and we can live in His kingdom even as we pass through this fallen world. First and foremost, we hold fast to Christ through His Sacraments, Read More >

[Pearls Ep 155:  Preparing for Sunday.] Yesterday we looked at the reality that we bring our kingdom with us. In antiquity the kingdom was where you lived, and life in that kingdom had a tremendous impact on how you conducted your own life.  In our current time and place in history, though it may not Read More >

[Pearls Ep 155:  Preparing for Sunday.] This Sunday starts the third week of Ordinary time.  As we continue to follow Jesus at the start of his public ministry we’re back to working the basics.  That’s the powerful wisdom of the liturgical cycle.  Next year we’ll again start with Jesus at the beginning (but from the Read More >

[Pearls Ep 154:  Aswering atheism Tuesday.] We’re finishing our reflection on Ordinary Time. We’ve been looking at how Ordinary Time is really a time to deepen our rhythm of life, make small adjustments based on the graces received (in this case) during Christmas. There’s an important distinction to be made between this approach to patterning Read More >

[Pearls Ep 154:  Brining Sunday into the week.] We’re continuing to look at ways to make the most of Ordinary Time. Perhaps you’re familiar with this proposition.  I’ll offer you two options, pick one: I’ll give you an easy $100,000 in cash right now, and we part ways. I’ll give you one penny today, but Read More >