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The 31-year-old mother of four made an announcement to family and friends on Facebook: She and her husband of four and a half years were expecting a fifth child. “We’re blessed,” wrote she. Most Christ followers believe an automatic blessing awaits mothers- and fathers-to-be, no matter the circumstances under which their newborns are brought into the world. But the Bible does not say that the actions of expectant parents can displease God, yet the arrival of their newborn guarantees the Almighty’s blessing. In fact, it teaches us the opposite – that God does not reward parents-to-be whose actions run contrary...

Not Your Average King – A Homily for the Feast of Christ the King Msgr. Charles Pope • November 25, 2017 • The readings for this Feast of Christ the King evoke three images of Christ as King. All of them are to some extent paradoxical because they emphasize things we don’t usually associate with kings. They also tell us that we have already met King Jesus even if we don’t realize it. Let’s look at these three images of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of all Creation: I. Caring King – The first reading, from Ezekiel 34, speaks...

The 1917 restoration of the patriarchate helped the Russian Orthodox Church overcome persecution, the head of the Russian Imperial House Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna believes. As the head of chancellery of the royal house Alexander Zakatov reported to Interfax-Religion on Saturday, Her Royal Highness, speaking at a festive meal in the cathedral of Donskoy Monastery, stated that “the restoration of the Russian patriarchate has been a beacon of light in that dark time of revolutionary turmoil and civil strife.” The grand duchess was also present at the Divine Liturgy before the meal, celebrating the centenary of St. Tikhon’s election as...

Are the conquest narratives in the Old Testament any different from what we are currently viewing with ISIS throughout the Middle East and Europe? Questions like this often come up in discussing the existence of objective moral values and duties and their proper grounding. When God is posited as the grounding of morality, the objector usually brings up some obscure OT text that he or she thinks will demonstrate that God has a warped sense of morality and it is usually in this context that the conquest narratives are brought up. False DistinctionOne reason this problem has persisted is that...

Even skeptics are wowed by the high-tech museum. Pulitzer Prize winner Philip Kennicott called Museum of the Bible ‘stocked with historic treasures.’ By Josh ShepherdNovember 20, 2017 The professor of Jewish studies passes under an ornate archway, leading to another part of the sprawling History of the Bible floor. Keeping up with him isn’t easy, as we dodge workers who continue to install museum panels before opening day.“There’s nothing false anywhere,” Professor Lawrence Schiffman says over his shoulder, gesturing towards dozens of Torah scrolls carefully lit for preservation. “I’ve been walking around even today, reading more labels. We keep...

Will to listen Only open and tender hearts will be blessed with the knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom Msgr. Charles Pope Question: As I understand it, Jesus came as the Savior for all. Yet Jesus spoke in parables, and when asked why, he says that knowledge of the mysteries of heaven has not been granted to everyone (Mt 13:10-17). I am puzzled, as it seems as if Jesus is speaking in code and purposely excluding many, especially those in most need of his mercy. Would you please help me understand? — Robert McBride, Cheswick, Pennsylvania Answer: It may...

Monsignor Longhi’s confidence, which ended up on YouTube, stirs discussion. The prelate tells Vatican Insider about John Paul II’s words to the US President, “At the feet of this idol you call security, you want to sacrifice all human dignity”Saint John Paul II was a mystic, “he dialogued” with Our Lady and had prophetic visions. One of these visions has to do with the future of Europe and a potential “Islamist invasion”. But there is also talk of a war that “will not be between religions”. And of a strong sentence pronounced by the Pope to American President George Bush...

A Google search for “family at Thanksgiving” yields disturbing results. An article authored by Dr. Marie Hartwell-Walker and posted on Psych Central’s web site offers “10 Tips for Surviving Thanksgiving with the Dysfunctional Family.” Another article, written by TODAY contributor Gail Saltz and posted on the morning show’s site, is headlined “Thanksgiving stress: How to avoid holiday family conflict.” And still another article, keyboarded by Esquire.com writer-at-large Dave Holmes and posted on the magazine’s site, begs the question: “Is Thanksgiving Better With Family or Friends?” Hartwell-Walker advises lining up “some co-conspirators” before the family gathers for Thanksgiving. “Chances are you’re...

How to Thank God as He Has Instructed - A Meditation on Thanksgiving Day Msgr. Charles Pope • November 22, 2017 • 1 Comment Your grace and mercy, brought me through. I’m living this moment, Because of you. I want to thank you, And praise you too. Your grace and mercy, Brought me through!On this feast of Thanksgiving (here in America) we do well to ponder how we ought to give thanks to God. Indeed, how can one adequately thank God, who is the giver of every good and perfect gift? Is it really enough to simply kneel and...

Why Damnation Is Eternal and Other Teachings on Hell Msgr. Charles Pope • November 21, 2017 • This is the thirteenth and final installment in a series on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell.The teachings of the Lord on Hell are difficult, especially in today’s climate. The most difficult questions that arise relate to its eternal nature and how to square its existence with a God who is loving and rich in mercy. As a closing reflection on Hell and on the Four Last Things, let us ponder a series of questions.1. Does God love the...

Images of Hell Msgr. Charles Pope • November 20, 2017 • This is the twelfth in a series of articles on the Four Last Things: death, judgment, Heaven, and Hell.Hell, Fra Angelico, Museo di San Marco, Florence Part of what makes Jesus’ teaching on Hell difficult is the severe imagery He uses. In pointing to Hell, he seems to point to its deepest pits. He warns of eternal fire, undying worms, and wailing and grinding of teeth. Rather than lingering on philosophical descriptions or on the more subtle aspects of suffering, Jesus goes to the deepest aspects of the...

Moscow, November 16, Interfax - Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna Romanova, the head of the Russian Imperial Family, said she hopes to move to Russia soon and believes that it is "not yet the time" for the restoration of monarchy. "I really hope for that [move to Russia]. I am often asked [about the fact] that I live in Spain, but visit Russia often. I hope I will soon live in Russia and go abroad to visit," the grand duchess told reporters on Thursday. In response to a question about her attitude to the restoration of monarchy in Russia, she said...

Hell Has to Be Msgr. Charles Pope • November 19, 2017 • This is the eleventh in a series of articles on the Four Last Things: death, judgment, Heaven, and Hell.Today we come to the final of the Four Last Things: Hell. I have written extensively on this topic over the years, largely in response to the widespread dismissal of the revealed doctrine of Hell. In contradiction to Scripture, many presume that Hell is an unlikely destination for most. Never mind that Jesus taught just the opposite (e.g., Matt 7:13-14). In my own small way, I have tried to...

Growing in the Fear of the Lord – A Homily for the 33rd Sunday of the Year Msgr. Charles Pope • November 18, 2017 • The past few Sundays have featured the November theme of the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. In today’s Gospel we are reminded that we will one day have to account for our use of the gifts and resources that God has given us.But today’s readings do more than that; they also set forth a virtue that helps us to use God’s gifts well. That virtue is the fear of the Lord....

Meaning of 'gospel' As first books of the New Testament hadn’t been written, how did apostles ‘believe in the gospel’? Msgr. Charles Pope 11/15/2017 Question: In Mark 1:15, Jesus is calling for all to “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Clearly, the Gospels were not yet written when Jesus was saying this. What exactly was he talking about?— Paul VanHoudt, Erie, Colorado Answer: Your question is rooted in the tendency we have to equate the word “gospel” with a written text — more specifically, four written texts in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. However, the “Gospel” should be...

What Do We Mean by the Communion of Saints? Msgr. Charles Pope • November 16, 2017 • This is the eighth in a series of articles on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell.Continuing our series on the Four Last Things, in today’s post we consider an aspect of Heaven called the Communion of Saints. I have discovered that it is frequently misunderstood. Many of you know that I write the weekly “Question and Answer” column for the Our Sunday Visitor newspaper. Every once in a while, someone poses a unique question, one that I had never...

What Is Eternal Life? Msgr. Charles Pope • November 15, 2017 • This is the seventh in a series of articles on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell.I often think that we haven’t done a very good job of setting forth the doctrine of eternal life. For most people, the concept seems a rather shallow one: that we will live forever. Frankly, many may not consider it all that appealing if the place where we live forever is Heaven. Too often, Heaven is reduced to merely this: a place where I’ll be happy. I’ll have a...

Raymond Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center In “Islam’s Expansion Across Europe: Not Martin Luther’s Fault,” one Paul Gottfried pretends to respond to my article, “The Pro-Islamic West: Born 500 years Ago.”  While many of his own readers saw through and exposed his misrepresentations in the comments section more thoroughly than I ever would have, Gottfried’s piece is still worth examining if only for the important lessons surrounding it. First, if you seek an example of or are uncertain what a “strawman argument” is—typically defined as “giving the impression of refuting an opponent's argument,...

Do You Desire Heaven? Really? Msgr. Charles Pope • November 14, 2017 • This is the sixth in a series of articles on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell.After some sobering reflection on death and judgment over the past several days, it’s finally time to talk about Heaven. Now that is a topic everyone wants to hear about! Yet there is a strange disconnect today. As it becomes easier and easier to satisfy our desire for instant gratification, we find it harder and harder to take the time to ponder a future paradise.Almost no one talks...

Hezekiah’s religious reforms sought to centralize worshipA millennia-old latrine discovered at Tel Lachish in Israel might reveal some interesting insights into Biblical history. According to Sa’ar Ganor and Igor Kreimerman, who conducted the excavations on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), the latrine could be evidence of King Hezekiah’s religious reforms enacted throughout the Kingdom of Judah in the eighth century B.C.E. The archaeologists detail their discovery in the article “Going to the Bathroom at Lachish” in the November/December 2017 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. The latrine discovered in what may be a shrine at Lachish. Photo: Courtesy of...