The God of All Things

Earlier during the week, I read a comment made by a grieving mother in response to an article published in CatholicStand.com about God's plan. The author was trying to make a point that though God doesn't always give us what we want, He will always give us what we need. The person who made the comment couldn't understand how this idea of God's providence fit into the immense suffering and death of a child. She wanted her child, but God thought that her needs are better served by voiding her motherhood! In the past, I had made several attempts to delve into this problem of unanswered prayers - I am a firm believer that there are no unanswered prayers. But then, how would you explain the agony of this mother, how is it that her prayers for her sick child are ever going to be answered?

When There is No More Love Left to Give

For the past year or so, I have been writing a lot about love - God's love to be more specific. When God is love, then you can never say enough about His love. One of the things I also tried over the past year is to try to put what I write into practice. While analyzing God's love, it is hard to ignore the reason God is revealing His love to us, His fallen creation. God wants us to learn from Him, from His love. Then He wants us to practice it by loving Him and loving those around us. So the ultimate purpose of our life is to love. Unfortunately though, this is where I fail miserably. No matter how much I try, I always find myself more on the receiving end of love than on the giving end. Why so, I wonder, why is it so hard to love?

Tony, Tony, Turn Around. Something's Lost

St. Antony of Padua is one of those Saints who is known, loved and admired all around the world. He joined the Franciscan Order in 1221, when he was 26 years old. He died at the age of 36. He is typically depicted with the Infant Jesus, to whom He miraculously appeared. Saint Antony was declared a saint less than one year after his death. He is the patron Saint of sailors and fishermen.  When his body was exhumed 32 years after his death, his body was found to be corrupted, yet his tongue was totally incorrupt, so perfect and simple were the teachings that had been formed upon it. He had fervent devotion to Mother Mary and used the Holy Name o Mary to fight against the heretics of his time. His feast is celebrated on June 13th.

Can I Judge Without "Judging"?

In the Gospel of St. Matthew, we see Jesus using tough language against judging others: "Stop judging, that you may not be judged... Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:1,3). This passage brings up an interesting dilemma as it seems to contradict another important teaching of Christ from Matthew's Gospel itself: "If your brother sins, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone" (Matthew 18:15). In order to point out your brother of a fault, is it not necessary to judge him first? But is it not a sin to judge my brother to begin with?

Is God's Love Truly Unconditional?

Christianity is founded on the love of God for His fallen creation. The Catholic Church teaches its followers that God's love is unconditional - there is nothing that we could do to stop God from loving us! But is it all true? And if it is, then why do catholics, and Christians in General, have to obey so many Commandments, and observe Penance and other obligatory devotions? Don't we do all those things to get God to love us?

Ordinary Time Needs Extraordinary Faith

Ever wondered what's so ordinary about Ordinary Time on the liturgical calendar? 

Here's my latest article from CatholicStand.com

The Fire of Joy, Purification, and Torture

June is devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart is celebrated on the octave (eight day) of the Feast of Corpus Christi. This year this feast happens to fall on a first Friday, a day usually devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus throughout the year. The devotion to the Sacred Heart became universal following the visions of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647 - 1690). 

The most noticeable aspect of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the fire which represents His burning love for all mankind. In fact, the representation of fire as God's love goes beyond symbolism. The actual love of God the Father and God the Son is showered upon human beings in the form of fire - the holy Spirit came upon the Apostles as tongues of fire. As we live in the Age of the Church which is guided by the Spirit of God, this fire is ever-present in our everyday life. 

Why is God not a Woman?

While speaking to a group of youngsters during a Retreat, a young man challenged me for consistently calling God a 'He'. He said that according to his parents, God is neither a 'he' or a 'she', but an 'it'. By now, it should be no secret that I have all kind of questions when it comes to God. But this one was new territory for me as I never considered God as anything other than a 'man'. So ever wondered why God is always addressed as a man in Christianity, why not a woman, or something in between?