Opening the Word: A prodigal God

Parables like that of the prodigal or lost son find a way to capture the imagination of even secular men and women. The image of a father who runs to his son, who embraces him even before he can confess his misery,

Opening the Word: Luminosity of love

Spiritual theologians often have cautioned Christians about relying on visions. St. John of the Cross warned his readers that rather than expect a euphoric encounter with Christ, the one who adores God should ask for nothing more than the emptiness of the

Opening the Word: Ethics of adoration

In the public sphere, there is often a separation between the act of worship and public life. We are told religion, including worship, is personal. And the act of worship — what we adore — should have no influence on public life.

Opening the Word: Horizon of discipleship

Christians are at risk of falling into a severe trap. Namely, we believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is really a matter of being a decent, upright person rather than receiving the gift of salvation from God. Expectations say that a

Opening the Word: Blessings and woes

In this column, I often have cautioned against our mishearing of familiar scriptural passages. When we hear the parable of the prodigal son or the good Samaritan, we cease listening because we’re so used to these stories. Luke’s blessings and woes (the

Opening the Word: The least of these

Both the calling of the apostles and their following of Our Lord seem irrational. Jesus, the one who has come to fulfill the messianic prophecy of Isaiah, seeks out missionary companions. But instead of choosing those with power, he identifies once-anonymous men

Opening the Word: Prophetic discipleship

Jesus’ prophetic career seems to get off to a rocky start. Standing up in the synagogue in Nazareth, he proclaims that God’s reign, the final and definitive moment of divine judgment, is at hand. It is fulfilled in his very person, the

Opening the Word: Salvation is real

If you’re a frequent user of Twitter, you are aware of the internecine squabbles that break out among Catholics. This Catholic academic declares his or her bona fides against the rest of the hoi polloi who lack a proper education. That Catholic

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