In our gospel today on this First Sunday of Advent (Matt 24:37-44), Jesus uses the flood in the time of Noah to provide us with a lesson on the end times and his second coming. Our Lord tells us: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”
Hell is as Close as One Mortal Sin
Landing on the wrong side of the great chasm for all eternity is as close as dying in a state of mortal sin. Jesus’ parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man teaches this important truth: every person faces at the end of his earthly life the possibility of an eternal, unchangeable destiny. Salvation or damnation. One is good. The other terrifyingly bad.
The Parable of the Dishonest Steward
The Parable of the Dishonest Steward in Luke’s gospel can be a little confusing. What is Jesus saying here? Is he commending dishonesty?
The Nativity of The Blessed Virgin Mary
Today we celebrate in the Church the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The life of the Church throughout history bears the mark of devotion to Theotokos, the Mother of God, whose fiat—her “yes” to the salvific plan of God the Father—brought the Savior and Redeemer of humankind into the world.
Who Do You Say That I Am? asks Jesus
Who do you say that I am? asks Jesus. It’s the question above all others. The way we answer this question will echo into eternity. It’s a question of life and death. It’s a question about everything.