Around the Year with the von Trapp Family by Maria Augusta von Trapp is surprisingly upbeat and joyful, especially when we recall that The Sound of Music ends with the von Trapp troupe fleeing their beloved Austria. The 1965 American musical drama ends by highlighting the danger the family averted by escaping with only what […]
When it Comes to Life and Death, the Paradox that is Humanity is Inexplicable
On January 22, 2019, New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, signed into law the Reproductive Health Act. This was also the anniversary of Roe v.Wade. When the governor finished signing this bill, a suffocating wind exploded from the halls of the capitol, caused by the cheers and screams of those upstanding […]
Humility—What is it? Where is it? Who has it? How do we attain it? Let’s ask St. Benedict
What is humility? The dictionary defines it as: (noun) “modest opinion or estimate of one’s own importance, rank, etc.” The opposite of humility is pride. Pride is defined as: (noun) “a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.” Apparently, […]
Pope St. Stephen I—He defined the Sacrament of Baptism and it Stands to this Day
If we could travel back in time to the middle of the third century we would quickly discover the Catholic Church, although quite different from today, had many similarities to our modern-day Church. There was plenty of hierarchical infighting going on and the politics of leading the Church was in flux. In […]
Being able to celebrate new life while grieving death: the Mass made it happen
In our Catholic world, March 25 is the feast of the Annunciation. Yes, this is the day the Holy Spirit came to an innocent, pure teenager in Nazareth and announced to her that God wanted her to be the Mother of the Messiah. Mary said, “Yes.” It was a day to […]
What’s on God’s To-Do List for you?
What surprises does God have on his to-do list for you today? Does he wake you up early enough to enjoy the beautiful sunrise he created? As you get dressed, does he prompt you to pray for a divorced friend or cancer-stricken relative? Perhaps when you get to work and […]
The Mercy We Are Called to Live
When introducing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy in her book, Blessed Are You, author Melanie Rigney writes, “Both types can come free and easy … or hard and challenging” (Franciscan Media, 2016, p. 66). This immediately made me think of the healthy benefits of exercise. I can stroll […]
When You Think You Think You Have Nothing to Give, Bring Your Drum…
At least that is what a young boy did thousands of years ago when he wanted to honor a new king. You probably can hear the drum beating as he asks “Shall I play for you? On my drum?” You know the rest. Most of my life, I’ve felt I […]
Chanukkah, Christmas and the Theology of Light: Reflections of a Jewish Convert and Physicist
Christmas, “The Feast of Lights”—Is there a theological significance to this or is it just a hangover from older customs? Let me share my thoughts–informed by my faith as a Catholic, my Jewish heritage, and my vocation as a physicist. Some 80 years ago when I was a child, I […]
Within the Crowd I Watched in Awe as the Priest Stepped into the Sandals of Christ
What follows is about a priest in a crowd, a famous poem, and a moment in time. The moment was like seeing a tiny flower growing out of a crack in a concrete sidewalk. That tiny flower is another example of God’s creative beauty that surrounds us yet is barely […]