Revival

 

THIS morning, I dreamt I was in a church sitting off to the side, next to my wife. The music being played were songs I had written, though I’d never heard them until this dream. The entire church was quiet, no one was singing. Suddenly, I began to quietly sing along spontaneously, raising up the name of Jesus. As I did, others began to sing and praise, and the power of the Holy Spirit began to descend. It was beautiful. After the song ended, I heard a word in my heart: Revival. 

And I woke up. Continue reading

Communion in the Hand? Pt. I

 

SINCE the gradual re-opening in many regions of Masses this week, several readers have asked me to comment on the restriction several bishops are putting into place that Holy Communion must be received “in the hand.” One man said that he and his wife have received Communion “on the tongue” for fifty years, and never in the hand, and that this new prohibition has put them in an unconscionable position. Another reader writes:Continue reading

The Summit

THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Thursday, January 29th, 2015

Liturgical texts here

 

THE Old Testament is more than a book telling the story of salvation history, but a shadow of things to come. The temple of Solomon was but a type of the temple of Christ’s body, the means by which we could enter into the “Holy of holies”—the very presence of God. St. Paul’s explanation of the new Temple in today’s first reading is explosive:

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New Original Catholic Art


Our Lady of Sorrows, ©Tianna Mallett

 

 There have been many requests for the original artwork produced here by my wife and daughter. You can now own them in our unique high quality magnet-prints. They come in 8″x10″ and, because they are magnetic, can be placed in the center of your home on the fridge, your school locker, a toolbox, or another metal surface.
Or, frame these beautiful prints and display them wherever you like in your home or office.Continue reading

Arcātheos

 

LAST summer, I was asked to produce a video promo for Arcātheos, a Catholic boys summer camp based at the foot of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. After much blood, sweat, and tears, this is the final product… In some ways, it is a camp that portends the great battle and triumph to come in these times.

The following video portrays some of the events that occur at Arcātheos. It’s but a sampling of the excitement, solid teaching, and pure fun that happens there each year. Further information on the specific formation goals of the camp can be found throughout the Arcātheos website: www.arcatheos.com

The theatrics and battle scenes herein are intended to inspire fortitude and courage in all areas of life. The boys at the camp quickly realize that the heart and soul of Arcātheos is love for Christ, and charity towards our brothers…

Watch: Arcātheos at www.embracinghope.tv

Charismatic! Part VII

 

THE point of this entire series on the charismatic gifts and movement is to encourage the reader to not be afraid of the extraordinary in God! To not be afraid to “open wide your hearts” to the gift of the Holy Spirit whom the Lord wishes to pour out in a special and powerful way in our times. As I read the letters sent to me, it is clear that the Charismatic Renewal has not been without its sorrows and failures, its human deficiencies and weaknesses. And yet, this is precisely what occurred in the early Church after Pentecost. Saints Peter and Paul devoted much space to correcting the various churches, moderating the charisms, and refocusing the budding communities over and over again upon the oral and written tradition that was being handed on to them. What the Apostles did not do is deny the often dramatic experiences of believers, try to stifle the charisms, or silence the zeal of thriving communities. Rather, they said:

Do not quench the Spirit… pursue love, but strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy… above all, let your love for one another be intense… (1 Thess 5:19; 1 Cor 14:1; 1 Pet 4:8)

I want to devote the last part of this series to sharing my own experiences and reflections since I first experienced the charismatic movement in 1975. Rather than give my entire testimony here, I will restrict it to those experiences one might call “charismatic.”

 

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The Second Coming

 

FROM a reader:

There is so much confusion regarding the “second coming” of Jesus. Some call it the “Eucharistic reign”, namely His Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Others, the actual physical presence of Jesus reigning in the flesh. What is your opinion on this? I am confused…

 

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