In the pursuit of elucidating the distinction between the notions of praise and worship, as they pertain to the spiritual praxis of the devout, it behooves us to undertake a disquisition reminiscent of the method employed by the venerable St. Thomas Aquinas. The Angelic Doctor, in his monumental Summa Theologica, availed himself of a dialectical … Continue reading Praising and Worshipping
"Speak, Lord, your servant is listening." 1 Samuel 3:9
There’s a reality I keep running into over and over again in conversations about Christianity. The second someone hears the words “Roman Catholic Church,” walls go up. Guards come up. Assumptions come up. People stop listening before the conversation even begins. And honestly, I think if we removed denominational titles for just a moment and … Continue reading What Denomination Are You?
There’s a common claim you hear all the time: works don’t matter, just believe. It sounds simple. It sounds clean. But when you actually open Scripture, that idea starts to fall apart pretty quickly. The tension usually shows up when Catholics talk about works. The response is almost automatic: “That’s legalism,” or “you’re trying to … Continue reading Faith That Moves: What the Blind Man Shows Us About Works
Quite a few years ago I was at a party when the conversation turned to religion, I forget how, but it was about a certain teaching that dealt with the deuterocanonical books. It always turns religious with me, haha. Someone asked what I believed, and after I answered, a lutheran buddy jumped in with confidence … Continue reading Who Told You Which Books Belong In The Bible?
Every Easter I am recalled back to a conversation I had with a friend about this exact topic. I asked her what Jesus Christ meant when He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Without hesitation, she said, “His salvific work is complete.” That’s the answer most people give. It sounds right. It feels complete. But … Continue reading What was Finished on the Cross?
There is always a goal in front of us, and for most of our lives we assume that the problem is choosing the right one rather than questioning the entire pattern of choosing itself. Only with time do we begin to see that each stage we once treated as ultimate eventually shrinks in our rearview … Continue reading The True Goal
I did not grow up Christian. I was raised in a Buddhist home shaped by immigration, memory, and obligation rather than by formal religious institutions. In America, our practice looked nothing like the tradition my mother had known in Vietnam. There was no temple nearby, no monks, no communal rhythm of worship. What remained was … Continue reading When Fear Masquerades as Conviction
Photo by Chad Greiter on Unsplash From a Facebook Question to the Heart of the Church I recently came across a Facebook post from someone preparing to move to Sioux Falls. They were searching for a church that teaches the Bible well and is active in the community. It was an honest question, and the … Continue reading What the Crowd Couldn’t Accept
As a modern-day Catholic, I observe with a heavy heart the diverse landscape of contemporary Christianity. While the vibrant faith and dedication of many Protestant communities are commendable, there are significant deviations from the teachings and traditions that were established by Jesus Christ and His apostles. This divergence has led to fragmentation and doctrinal discrepancies … Continue reading A Letter to the Modern Day Protestant Churches
I was reading headlines on my phones news app and one headline caught my eye and made me go through a range of emotions likened to someone going through the stages of grief. What was this headline? '17 Celebs Who Won't Leave Their Kids' an Inheritance'. That's the reason for your emotional turmoil? Well it's … Continue reading A Legacy of Faith: Building Spiritual Generational Wealth Beyond Material Riches
Disciples At The Ready 