Palm Sunday, The Passion of the Lord
Hosanna!
“With face set like flint,” this Sunday’s first reading tells us (Isaiah 50:7), Jesus approaches the moment of his Passion in Jerusalem. More…
Every Tongue Shall Confess That Jesus Christ Is Lord 13
Category Archives: Lent
Blessed Are the Merciful, They Will Be Shown Mercy 9
Sunday Gospel Reflection, Fifth Sunday of Lent, the Woman Caught in Adultery (and the Pharisees caught in their own trap)
The Pharisees in today’s Gospel not only intend to stone the adulterous woman, they hope to “kill two birds with one stone.” Their hidden motive is to “find some charge to bring against Jesus.” Jesus responds by cleverly inviting them to examine their consciences. More…
When Does God Not Forgive Sins in Confession? 4
By Fr Edward Hopkins
Fr Edward Hopkins tackling the tough theological questions
When this title was suggested to me, I thought, “Now that’s a provocative question!” I had time to think about it. And so I’d like to offer you a short answer and then a more involved one.
Short answer: “When you are NOT sorry” that’s when God does not forgive sins in confession. More…
My Son, You Are Here With Me Always 15
Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday) Gospel Reflection
This is a gratuitous comic. It has little to do with today’s post, unless you think about it too hard, and then it has a lot to do with today’s post
Perspective — Maybe you’re looking at it the wrong way
The Father is Waiting for Us: Reflections on Confession and Rembrandt’s “Return of the Prodigal Son” 2
By Fr Jason Smith
A few weeks back I was hearing confessions in an old, cold, and rather uncomfortable confessional, the kind that our forefathers once used with a screen and two wooden doors, one on either side, so that the priest can slide them closed and the person on the right can’t hear what the person on the left is saying, or vice versa. More…
Are You Ready for Holy Week Missions in New York City? 2
Okay, this isn’t NY, but you still get the idea
Sorry, that was just at tease. Holy Week in New York looks more like this… More…
Do You Think Those Men Were Greater Sinners Than You? Fuggedaboutit! 14
Third Sunday of Lent: It’s Metanoia Time
One day a pastor of a small church in the country decided to paint his church. Being very frugal, he calculated carefully to spend the absolute minimum on paint. Unfortunately, when he was only halfway finished, he started to realize that he did not have enough paint to complete the job. Not wishing to spend any more money he decided to dilute the remainder of his paint with paint thinner to stretch it out longer. It turned out that he had to repeat this process several times before he finished. Just when the pastor finished the last brushstroke on the side of the church, all of a sudden, the sky darkened, and it started to rain hard. More…
Why Should I Confess My Sins to a Priest? 7
Have you ever asked or been asked,”Why should I confess my sins to someone else, If I can just confess them to God directly?”
Of course, you can confess your sins to God anytime you want. And God forgives you if you are truly sorry.
When you confess your sins to a priest, however, you are not just telling some guy what you did wrong. In order to understand why confessing your sins to a priest is different (and important), you need to exercise your faith in the teaching of the Church.
The following video explains this clearly and effectively: More…
Do I Really Have to Confess All My Sins? 14
If you want all your sins forgiven, then, Yes, you really do need to confess all your mortal sins. And it’s worth it too.
Here’s why:
In Real Estate and in Prayer It’s about 3 Things: Location, Location, Location 6
Finding the place to pray makes all the difference
During the season of Lent, the Church invites us to pray more and to pray better.
Isn’t it odd, though, that when we begin to think about prayer, the first things that come to our mind are the objections? If this happens to you, then maybe your focus is out of place. Literally. More…
Biltrix 