She smiles as she enters the pew on the opposite end from where I’m sitting. Three little boys, all in a row, file in after her and before her husband.
Hearing the good news that the Catholic bishops of the United States, acknowledging the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, consecrated our country to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, we can only rejoice that Christ allows us another opportunity to thank him, beg his continued assistance and give ourselves entirely to him.
“It is not good for the man to be alone,” God said of Adam in the garden, before the creation of Eve (Gen 2:18). But it is fair to ask, “Why was it not good?” After all, everything God created up to that point was called “good.”
Certainly, AI has been a subtle, largely unnoticed part of our lives for a long time. But, in 2023, when the viral launch of the seductively user-friendly ChatGPT brought AI into our homes, schools and offices, we were forced to confront the far more profound impacts of AI, of which ChatGPT plays only a minor part.
The redemptive work of Christ was not complete until the new outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Jesus had spoken of this promised gift very directly and intentionally toward the end of his earthly journey.
It’s mildly amusing that our Gospel for today’s celebration of the Ascension makes no mention of the actual event itself. Rather, Matthew treats us to the “Great Commission,” the final standing instructions of the Lord, which bring his entire Gospel to a close. We know that Christ ascended to heaven from Luke and Acts. Yet, by omitting a description of the Ascension, it’s as if Matthew wanted to emphasize the “So what?” of the entire affair.
When Jesus spent 40 days here on earth after his glorious Resurrection from the dead, he then ascended to his father in heaven. This is the truth of the Ascension. St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) identified this mystery and our response to it: “Today Our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven; let our hearts ascend […]
Corpus Christi