We desire a strong and enduring sense of identity, essentially stable amidst all the changing circumstances of existence. But self-knowledge is arduous and elusive. And so we turn instead to making pictures of ourselves. Such pictures are not necessarily deceptive. But they typically leave a lot out, and what they include...
The wise virgins may indeed be wise, but at first sight they do not seem very attractive. In listening to the parable, we may wonder why they didn’t share their oil with the virgins whose oil was running out. Wouldn’t this have been the generous thing to do? Instead, the...
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice’. And yet it isn’t just the scribes and Pharisees, of course, but...
"Is it lawful to pay tax to the emperor or not?" The Pharisees, as St Matthew tells us, intended their question as a trap. If our Lord denied that paying was lawful, he'd antagonize the civil power; if he affirmed it, His religious integrity would be forfeit. Either way He'd...
St Bernard of Clairvaux speaks of Love itself as the thing we love most. He means that when we love, it is for Love’s own sake that we do it: that I love in order to love, as he says, and so without any other reason, with no other cause...