Sin, Guilt, Forgiveness, and Punishment- Part II
Click here to read Part I of this article. Punishment What is punishment? The Catholic Dictionary defines punishment as, Any ill suffered in consequence of
Click here to read Part I of this article. Punishment What is punishment? The Catholic Dictionary defines punishment as, Any ill suffered in consequence of
Have you ever heard someone say that God’s forgiveness removes the guilt of sin? And have you ever wondered why God punishes a person from
Many people, including my past self, say the word grace without knowing exactly what it is or what it does. We sometimes think of it
Forgiveness, both extended and received, is at the heart of the Lord’s Prayer and the Gospel message itself. We ask God’s forgiveness while forgiving others
“What do you mean you don’t care? Don’t you want justice for your daughter?” The fury in the Assistant State Attorney’s voice vibrated in my
I was visiting a parish, not too long ago, to participate in a Mass to St. Anthony, my late Italian grandmother Angelina’s favorite Saint, and
Because of annoyance, bickering, contention and other dysfunctional behaviors, far too many families look for ways to avoid spending time together as families. Perhaps some
Forgiveness is a multi-dimensional concept deeply embedded in human nature and spiritual consciousness. It is the conscious act of releasing resentment, anger, or vengeance towards
Last month, I offered some thoughts on forgiveness. The subject seems to have resonated with quite a few people. It also gave rise to a
As typically happens when I sit down to write, I began thinking about which experiences and events over the last few weeks would make for
We often hear people comforting a grieving friend or loved one at a wake or funeral say, “He (or she) is in heaven with Jesus
Because of my background, I can’t help but get caught up in the worldly affairs that surround me. This is especially the case for political
One of the greatest difficulties with the teaching of Christ is that it is so easy to say and so difficult to do. I am
During his three years of public ministry, Jesus was able to preach and teach in various settings, from the intimacy of a dinner party to
There are many challenges in our world and often the good seem to suffer. But despite these difficulties, we know from Scripture that we are
Nothing seems to go right for God-fearing people today. Unexpected sudden deaths, huge financial debt, fascist riots in the streets by “woke” American terrorists, runaway inflation,
I wanted to give a short-fun-filled life to those that stayed I’ve subsequently decided I’m unhinged, a candidate for the funny farm. It’s not as
“Don’t judge!” Is commonly heard in our vernacular now, and applied to all life’s choices. From diet to fashion to even parenting styles and, of
Ages ago, I used to think the word “hang-ups” referred only to a person’s petty insecurities, say, a manager’s being annoyed by a subordinate’s brilliance
Joe died suddenly and quickly from a heart attack. He lived alone so no one knew Joe had died until a neighbor found him on
The Christian duty to provide for the poor and the needy is conditioned only by our own capabilities. Whether the poor person “deserves” to be
Shaming is all the rage these days. Shame on any white person who refuses to apologize for slavery and other misdeeds of the past. The