Jesus Isn’t Afraid of Your Mess

Why did God reveal his glory in a manger of all places? Imagine you visit one of your friends who’s recently had a baby. You walk in and immediately see their newborn baby all swaddled up and laying in a dog food bowl. You would be dumbfounded and may even quickly leave to called the

3 BARRIERS TO EXPERIENCING GOD’S PRESENCE

Feeling distant from God? Here are three barriers that can separate us from experiencing God’s presence and how to overcome them. 1) Sin is an obvious barrier between us and God, because it is ultimately disharmony between our will with God’s will. Sin leads to guilt and shame. The solution? We need to bring our

Cosmic Nativity 2022

Though our culture often thinks of Christmas as mostly a nostalgic time of the year with family gathered around a tree, the reality is that the first Christmas was a mega event in world history that had rippling effects up to the present moment. Though our society may think of the nativity scene primarily as

Is Everyone A Priest?

  Growing up priests were not something we had at our church, and the only image I had of priests came from the movies, which generally were negative, corrupt depictions. Combine that negative backdrop with an elementary understanding of church history and the Protestant Reformation, when all Christians were ‘freed’ from the Roman priesthood, and

BATHSHEBA TWEETS #METOO

Today, on November 29th, just days after that annual Thanksgiving Parade when we  hear his nostalgic voice on television screens in living rooms across America, the news  breaks that he has too fallen.

Could I have been Luther?

A Millennial Catholic Reflects on the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation In 2012, I made the decision to become Catholic and in a sense, walk away from my previous understandings of Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation, which today, marks the 500th anniversary. This was a life changing decision for me. I do recall that when I

Guardians of the Sacred Scriptures

Question: One thing that I have often heard about Catholicism is that the Pope had the ability present Divine Revelations that would be acceptable on the level of scripture. Could you discuss some ways in which a Catholic perception of scripture and God’s word differs from Protestant view. Can you also tell us a bit

Rethinking Mary (Part One)

  Submitted by Heather on Facebook: I would like to ask a question too please. I’ve always wanted to know why/how you use Hail Marys. It was once presented to me as a sort of repentance/payment for a sin. This sin=20 Hail Marys etc and it was assigned by the priest. Is this really true?

Baptized with Water & Fire!

(Picture above includes my Methodist Pastor friend and a dear mentor, Pastor Dave Scifres, performing a baptism.) Submitted by a friend on Facebook. Could you explain the biblical basis for infant baptism? I’ve always wondered and have attended a few baptisms [at a Lutheran Church.] I was the most uncomfortable when the pastor (priest?) said

The Universe as our Prayer Room

Question submitted from a friend on Facebook: Where in scripture is it permissible to request any other mediator besides Jesus Christ himself? Not Mary, not any disciple, no martyred hero can be our High Priest or speak on our behalf. Only Jesus Christ. I love you enough to ask you. Want you walking in full