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22nd Sunday in Ordinary TimeBy Fr. Victor Feltes Jesus said to the crowd, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” Jesus speaks to the Old Covenant’s rules about the ritual purity of objects and foods. With the arrival of his New Covenant those ordinances passed away. “Thus,” St. Mark writes, “he declared all foods clean.” After carefully forming his Jewish people as a unique group set apart from the world, God lifts the burden of those purity laws to open the door to true religion for all the nations. That has led to gentiles like you and me worshipping him here together this Sunday. So what substances should enter our bodies? Millions of Americans now use illegal...

Our work forms us. It strengthens our character and cultivates our integrity. It deepens our love and gratitude for all that we receive from the grace of God. In my past vocation as a high-school English teacher, I helped students with their college essays and applications. I loved this part of the job. It transported me back to the time when I charted out my own course through life. It’s a terrifying and exhilarating moment, filled with limitless possibility. I always tried to impress upon them the gravity of the decisions they were about to make, especially about the choice of a major course of study, which should, at least in theory, prepare them for a future career.  Now, of course, what you do for a living isn’t of ultimate concern. God can sanctify any form of work, he can sanct...

By Phil Lawler ( bio – articles – email ) | Aug 27, 2024 Pharisees take a lot of abuse these days. Let’s give them fair treatment. Today, if you call someone a Pharisee, you’re insulting him. If you call him a Samaritan, that’s a compliment. That fact shows how thoroughly our Lord’s parables changed our perceptions, because at the time of Christ, Pharisees were respected figures, while Samaritans were objects of scorn. Jesus caused a sensation when he charged the Pharisees with hypocrisy; now in normal English parlance the two words, “Pharisee” and “hypocrite” are virtually synonyms. What was remarkable about the Good Samaritan was that he was good; the Jews who first heard that parable would not have expected that. Today we drop the adjective “good” and say that someone who he...

A dramatic Catholic disagreement has received less attention than it deserves.   On Sunday, at his weekly Angelus appointment, Pope Francis decried a new Ukrainian law concerning the Russian Orthodox Church and its presence in Ukraine. Popes don’t usually criticize national laws so specifically.   Moreover, the most senior Catholic in Ukraine, Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), has strongly endorsed the law. Thus the Holy Father and Major Archbishop Shevchuk, the “Father and Head” of the largest Eastern Rite Church in communion with Rome, have taken starkly opposing positions.   Restricting the Russians  The Ukrainian Parliament, Verkhovna Rada, passed a law severely restricting the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in U...

By Clement Harrold August 30, 2024 One of the stranger verses in the New Testament comes in Matthew 24:28: “Wherever the body is, there the vultures will be gathered together.” This enigmatic saying is repeated almost word-for-word in Luke 17:37. What on earth are we supposed to make of it? To begin with, a couple of translation notes are in order. First, the Greek word used for “body” in Matthew’s account is ptōma, which literally means “carcass” or “corpse” (versus Luke’s more generic sōma). Secondly, the word for vultures (aetoi) in Greek can just as easily mean “eagles,” which is how some modern translations render the verse. This ambiguity has led to a variety of interpretations, as we shall see shortly. Another important consideration here is the context in which Matthew 24:28 and Lu...

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:” St. James says in the Second Reading. Then he fills in the blank. But how would we fill in the blank if we didn’t have this reading? After five weeks of Gospel readings from John 6, the Eucharistic discourse of Jesus, the Church offers an important qualification in the readings for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. After five weeks of emphasis on the ritual communion we achieve with Jesus Christ’s real presence in the Mass, the Church wants to make clear that it isn’t ritual that saves us. But more on that in a second. First, let’s look at what religion that is “pure and undefiled before God and the Father” is not. For one thing, pure religion is not getting so caught up in the externals of ritual that you lose...

Live Action president Lila Rose is increasing her criticism of 2024 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump — arguing that his recent statements are alienating pro-life voters such as herself. “Given the current situation, we have two pro-abortion tickets,” Rose said in a post on X on Thursday, Aug. 29. “A Trump win is not a pro-life win right now,” she continued. “Pro-lifers will need to challenge both leaders either way. We only help Trump by sounding the alarm — Trump is losing pro-life votes regardless of what I say — because of his own actions.” Rose, who is Catholic, argued that “expressions of disappointment are not enough” and that “the currency and the language in this season is votes.” She added that “it is wrong for Trump supporters to demand that pro-life activists be endl...

A husband and father struggles to discover his place in the home. What exactly is his mission and how does he go about achieving it? A proper notion of peace, and of home, can offer clarification. Augustine’s definition of peace is my all-time favorite definition. Peace is the tranquility of order. These words speak to something deep within us. We are made for tranquility. But not just any. The ‘order’ that causes tranquility is a masterpiece. It is something that must be forged. And it is forged by wisdom, which Aristotle says is a power to see and give right order. When we look upon the astounding order of the natural world and feel a deep peace in it, we sense that a great wisdom stands behind it. When it comes to human life and human communities, here too there is an astounding order b...

The Pearl of York, why it matters, and canned heat Skip to content Happy Friday friends,  And a very happy feast of St. Margaret Clitherow to you all, whether you celebrate or not — because everyone should. For those of you unfamiliar with the Pearl of York, a martyr for the faith under the brutal reign of Bloody Queen Bess, her’s is a beautiful story.  She converted to Catholicism as an adult, already married, and was imprisoned several times for refusing to attend Protestant services. She also hid priests in her house in the Shambles, the chaotically labyrinthine district of York which gave its name to total messes everywhere.  Ironically, the place is now so thoroughly preserved it’s like going to a theme park, but you can visit St. Margaret’s house — which I hearti...

If 2024 turns out like most years of Pope Francis’ decade-long reign, the Catholic Church will soon be getting a new slate of cardinals.  And if Pope Francis does call his 10th consistory before 2024 ends, it’s reasonable to think that an American could be among those to receive a “red hat.”  Since becoming pontiff in March 2013, Francis has created new cardinals in every full calendar year of his pontificate except 2021. And with the backstretch of 2024 already upon us, the Vatican rumor mill is already turning about a forthcoming consistory.   The Italian traditionalist blog Messa in Latino cites “plausible rumors” that Pope Francis will soon announce a consistory set for October’s synod, while ecclesial insiders like Ed Condon are speculating about which Church leaders fr...

Join Fox News for access to this content You have reached your maximum number of articles. Log in or create an account FREE of charge to continue reading. By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. Please enter a valid email address. Having trouble? Click here. Archaeologists in the City of David National Park in Israel have discovered a rare stone seal from the first temple period – one of the oldest finds since the start of excavations in the country, affirming the biblical role of Jerusalem 2,700 years ago.  “The seal, made of black stone, is one of the most beautiful ever discovered in excavations in ancient Jerusalem, and is executed at the highest artist...