I'm James Stone. Biltrix is my blog. Learn more about me at https://biltrix.com/about-the-author/ Author: Biltrix

I'm James Stone. Biltrix is my blog. Learn more about me at https://biltrix.com/about-the-author/

All Posts by Biltrix

The Eucharist is Food for the Journey: A Pilgrim’s Reflection Reply

Art and Evangelization • Tags: , , , , , ,

By Alison Batley

“I now receive you who are the price of my soul’s redemption, I receive you who are the food for my final journey, and for the love of whom I have studied, kept vigil, and struggled; indeed, it was you, Jesus, that I preached and you that I taught.” Thomas Aquinas as he received Viaticum, his last Eucharist

Alison Batley

Alison Batley

An earnest probing of the human heart will find an internal longing for a desire that cannot be quenched by any earthly substance or worldly pleasure. As St. Augustine professes, “Our hearts are restless until we rest in You, Lord.” More…

Keeping the Flame Alive 2

New Evangelization • Tags: , ,

ElGrecoPentecostFor the past seven weeks we have kept the Easter Candle burning, lighting it every time we celebrated Mass.

The living flame of the Easter Candle reminded us that Christ is alive, that he rose from the dead just as the sun rises each morning to put an end to the darkness of the night. The tall, white candle with a burning flame on top reminded us of God’s faithfulness throughout all of history. More…

Pentecost: Receiving the Spirit of the Son Reply

The Theologian (Fr Jose LaBoy) • Tags: , , ,

By Fr José LaBoy, LC

The Easter season ends with the celebration of the Solemnity of Pentecost. Even though it is an ending of a liturgical period, the mystery itself marks a beginning: the life and mission of the Church.

Pentecost is the apex of the Paschal mystery, since Christ makes it very clear that the goal of his “going away” (his death, Resurrection and Ascension) is to send the Holy Spirit. This is what we find Jesus saying in the last Supper discourse: “But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (Jn 16:7) More…

3 Signs of the Spirit in Your Life at Pentecost 9

Spiritual Lights (Fr Jason Smith) • Tags: , ,

By Fr Jason Smith, LC
What would a personal Pentecost look like?

At the beginning of the Second Vatican Council, as the Church reached out to an increasingly secular and rationalistic world, Pope John XXIII offered a providential and much needed prayer. He prayed for “a new Pentecost.” More…

What Can Theology of the Body Do for You? 2

Culture War, New Evangelization • Tags: , ,

Fr Martin Connor

The damage being done through the sexualization of our culture is devastating and Theology of the Body offers a solid foundation to begin the necessary healing in each of us and in our relationships.

This year in which John Paul II was canonized we should desire go deeper in this teaching and also learn more about the healing that needs to take place in us as a family and in the culture we aspire to evangelize. More…

Setting Our Hearts on Heaven: St Leo the Great on the Saving Mystery of the Ascension (II) Reply

The Theologian (Fr Jose LaBoy) • Tags: , , ,

By Fr José LaBoy, LC

Vocation to heaven

St. Leo’s second homily on the Ascension is centered on the bodily absence of Christ from this world, which is a necessary consequence of his “going up” to heaven, and its importance for Christian living. What stands out in this homily is the positive interpretation he gives of this reality and how it is exactly because Christ cannot be seen that we can know him as he truly is and set our minds and hearts on him in heaven. More…

“Christ’s Ascension Is Our Uplifting”: St Leo the Great on the Saving Mystery of the Ascension (I) 7

The Theologian (Fr Jose LaBoy) • Tags: , , ,

By Fr José LaBoy

There are two main perspectives in the homilies of St. Leo the Great on the Ascension: 1) the Ascension as the glorification of Jesus and our uplifting; 2) the importance of this mystery for Christian living. In this first article we will consider the first perspective and see how what happens to Jesus Christ in the Ascension affects us. More…

Why Christ’s Ascension Is More Important Than We Might Think Reply

Spiritual Lights (Fr Jason Smith) • Tags: ,

The Ascension by Benjamin West

By Fr Jason Smith, LC

The Liturgy on the feast of the Ascension  presents us with the apostles staring awestruck at the sky as Jesus ascends out of sight; so much so, that we get the impression that they would have remained for days in this stupor, had not two messengers been sent to shake them up. More…