Posts by Tom Nash
We Must Obey God, Rather than Men
In less than two weeks of Mass readings, the Apostles progress from cowardly deserters to bold proclaimers of the Gospel. In particular, Peter goes from denying Jesus three times on Good Friday to admonishing the religious leaders proximately responsible for Christ’s crucifixion. I say proximately responsible, because all sinners bear responsibility for the redemptive death…
Read MoreEvil Spirits Ironically Testify to the Existence of the All-Good God
The problem of evil poses a stumbling block for existing and would-be Christians. How and why would God permit evil? And if He allows it, why believe in such a God? The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) addresses the mystery of iniquity, including how a loving God could permit the abuse of freedom: because…
Read MoreNothing Will Be Impossible with God
As we draw close to Christmas, we anticipate, as our First Reading proclaims, that “the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall name him Emmanuel” (Isa. 7:14). Some biblical scholars are quick to argue that the Hebrew word sometimes rendered “virgin” in Isaiah 7:14 is alma, which, strictly speaking, means “young maiden,” whereas…
Read MoreA Promoter of Peace or Division? Understanding Jesus and His Gospel Message
In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9). And yet, in today’s Gospel, Jesus seems to proclaim something quite different: “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.…
Read MoreWhen God’s Leaders Fail, How Should We Respond?
As in the Old Covenant, so in the New. Throughout salvation history, God has always led his people through human leadership structures that he has ordained. From the patriarchs, to the kings, to the scribes and the Pharisees in the Old, to the apostles, to their successors the bishops, and also the ministerial priests in…
Read MoreIn Judging, Start with Yourself
Today’s Gospel contains perhaps the best-known verse in the Bible: “Judge not, that you may not be judged” (Matt. 7:1). For those not inclined to keep the Ten Commandments, and even less to being reproved for violating them—even if done charitably—this is a go-to verse, an attempt to invoke Jesus to shut down his disciples…
Read MoreWhat Matters Most?
Paul and Barnabas had remarkable success in their first missionary journey to the Gentiles. But some of the converted Pharisees start urging that Gentile believers be circumcised and taught to follow Mosaic Law. The Jerusalem Council was convened in A.D 50 to settle these matters. We read in Acts 15:1-2: “But some men.. from Judea…
Read More“And Their Eyes Were Opened”: Recognizing the Reality of the Real Presence
Have you ever had an “Aha” moment, when something you didn’t understand suddenly became crystal clear? “Sin makes you stupid,” as the adage goes (see Ps 24:9), but it can also become an occasion for repentance and growth. In His divine wisdom, God often punishes us by letting us have our own way. And when…
Read More“Love Your Enemies”: The Empowering Freedom of Forgiveness
David gives us today a great example of merciful love. King Saul had seen the proverbial “writing on the wall” (see I Sam. 18:5–9; Dan. 5:5–9, 24–28). So even though David would become the king’s son-in-law, marrying his daughter Michal, “Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that all Israel loved…
Read MoreWord from the Blessed Mother: Come Let Us Adore Him
The Blessed Virgin Mary may not seem like a relevant role model to today’s young people, particularly in Western cultures that value “thinking for yourself” and “liberation,” especially of the sexual variety. In addition, Mary’s witness may seem out of reach to many, particularly young women. A Virgin? Who never, ever sinned? For many young…
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