Focus on Faith
Man and wife in heaven? Is Old Testament God violent?
Q. My wife passed away three years ago, and I miss her very much. We were married for 63 years. What are the Church’s thoughts on the hereafter? Will we still be man and wife?
Q. In the Bible, I have just finished the story of David and Saul, and it strikes me that throughout the Old Testament (at least so far), God has been a bit of a warrior, delivering enemies into the hands of those who are faithful. Yet, when I come to the New Testament, Jesus seems to speak against violence. Why the change?
Generosity not optional for Christians
If you were to ask 100 random people on the street what Catholics are known for, what do you think they would say? Of all those people, how many do you think would say “generosity”? Unfortunately, my suspicion is that the number would be very few.
What can I do to help my children stay Catholic?
Q. I try to do all I can to help our children know of God’s love for them. I want them to be truly Catholic, not merely in name, but as their deepest identity. In the face of a seemingly hostile culture, what can I do?
Mistakes and mercy
One of the greatest fears of my childhood was getting caught doing something bad and having to face my dad. It’s not that he was mean or abusive, it’s just that I did not want to disappoint him, and this caused a knee-jerk reaction of fear whenever such situations would arise.
Priests and family counseling; Catholics and tithing
– Where does the Church stand on parish priests counseling their parishioners?
– Can you explain the Church’s teaching on tithing?
True love involves some suffering
I once had a priest tell me, “If you want good friends, you first have to be a good friend.” Since I heard this, I have tried to be a good friend when my friends call on me. That has included staying up late with friends who are going through a difficult time, dropping everything I’m doing to pick up someone who went walking and then got caught in the rain, and being vulnerable and asking for forgiveness when I have done something to offend a friend.
Gossip: Even when we need to talk about ‘secret’ things?
Q. You wrote about gossip earlier. But don’t people need to know certain “secret” things? Wouldn’t it be irresponsible of me to keep some things to myself?
Practicing our faith will prepare us for Jesus
During the Passover, after carrying out the instructions God revealed to Moses, the Israelites await their salvation. In their journey to the Promised Land, God reveals himself to his people, but this means the Israelites are called to adhere to the covenant. When they are faithful to the Word of God, they receive abundant blessings. When they turn away, they experience hardships, their enemies prevail, and they’re unhappy.
Conversion of Islam; women and Vatican vote
Q. Long ago, as a child, I remember saying prayers aloud for “the conversion of Russia” after every Mass. Why, in our troubled world, are we not doing the same thing now for Islamic extremists, who are surely in need of our prayers? And where would such a directive come from?
God longs to give us his greatest gift
“We would sooner grow weary of receiving God’s gifts than he would grow weary of bestowing them upon us.”
What’s the matter with gossip?
Q. What is the problem with gossip? I mean, sometimes I just need to vent
Good Samaritan shows how to make God’s presence known
It is often remarked in both the secular and Catholic media today that society’s religious beliefs are declining. The Church has been asking the question these last years about what can be done to try to stem the tide of this alarming trend. Her answer so far has been to call for a “new evangelization.”
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