Well, when you ask Alexa if she's Catholic, she will typically reply, "Sorry, I'm not sure," but I have my suspicions that she might be Catholic. There was recently a hoax in which comedian Steve Crowder upset several conservative news outlets and Christians when he...
This time of year is when many people start frantically searching for the perfect gift for every person on their list. It can be overwhelming, time-consuming, and draining. Many times we lose the joy and peace that comes with Christmas because we are so worried about...
How well (or poorly) do you prepare for your day? Are you one of the wise virgins, ready with oil in your lamp, or - like the foolish, unprepared virgins - does the day get away from you for failure to properly prepare, pray, and meditate on a structure that keeps you...
I almost skipped over this video as I was scrolling through Facebook, but I decided to take just a minute to watch it. I'm so glad I did. This is a powerful reminder of how blessed we are to be able to have a Bible and the freedom to read it whenever we would like. "I...
Do you have any Catholic Bible verses memorized? If you really believe in the power of the Word of God, you should make an effort to study it, understand it, and memorize it. It is a gift that we have been given to help us in our faith. It's very useful in the...
Many of us have been listening to Bible stories since we were kids. Noah's Ark, David and Goliath, and Daniel in the lion's den are some of the classics that children love to hear again and again, but have we taken the time to read them as adults? Though they do...
We get it. You already have a to-do list that is long. This list isn’t meant to guilt you into an impossible regimen on top of your already crammed day. The goal is to start incorporating one or two of these things into your day and then keep working until these...
Prayer is intended to be our way of communicating with God. It is a gift, yet sometimes it becomes a task, a burden, or a mundane part of our daily routine. We may also experience dry spells in our spiritual life and begin to feel disconnected from the God who...
While it is not a requirement for a president-elect to use a Bible for the inaugural swearing-in ceremony, the majority of US presidents have chosen to do so. The Bible (or, in many cases Bibles) chosen has symbolic and personal meaning to the future President. The...
I enjoy reading good books. When I buy a book that someone has recommended to me, I can’t wait for it to arrive and then to read it straight through to the end! But I must confess to owning a book which has been recommended to me by many people who I greatly admire,...
St. Paul writes Hebrews that ‘the word of God is alive and active’ (Hebrews 4:12) and this is still true even in our darkest moments of pain and confusion. The Bible can provide us the answers and the comfort that we are seeking. Whatever you are going through, if you...
I remember a day when I woke up and decided I was going to be holy. Sounds good, doesn’t it? The problem was, I didn’t think I could be holy enough as myself. So I looked at the people around me who I felt were holy and tried to be like them. Of course, it was a...
Pope Francis recently wrote the preface to the new Youth Bible. What he says is amazing, and we encourage you to read it in full. His words are challenging, insightful and encouraging. He speaks from his own experience of reading the Bible and exhorts us to remember...
Michael Stark is the Executive Producer of the Truth & Life Bible. The Truth and Life Catholic Bible App is a free download that has taken the award winning Truth & Life Dramatized New Testament audio and synchronized it at verse level to the RSV-CE Bible...
Oftentimes our Wikipedia-mindset has taught us to read like robots. It's one thing to read a text looking to obtain information, it's another looking to undergo transformation. "Reading" the Bible isn't meant to merely offer certain ideas or reflections, it is meant...
Catholics are often accused of not knowing the Bible very well. Our Protestant brothers and sisters admittedly seem to have memorized more scripture than the average Catholic sitting in the pews today. Why is that? It is not due to lack of appreciation of...
It can seem easier to keep everyone happy by agreeing with the majority. We earn praise, or at least avoid trouble, when we’re on board with popular opinion. On the flip side, actually disagreeing, even politely, can draw all kinds of pressure to change our minds....
When reading Holy Scripture, we can’t help but discover certain traits in the various characters of the bible that we can identify with. Whether it be those who walked side by side with the Lord Jesus, or those who proved their faith in God time and time again in the...
Gazing upon their look of joyful, child-like wonder, one can't help but be moved. My eyes quickly glanced to the Bible at my side, standing there, one book among many. How many times have I looked upon it? How many times have my hands grasped it? How many times have I...
“It is the story of God’s love!” These were the words of my religion teacher, uttered when she was introducing us to the Bible. The truth in her words, thirty years later, I still unpack in the infinite treasury that is the Bible. Indeed, God created men and women out...
A while back a few of us in my community stumbled upon an impressive series of videos done about the Gospels. Here is one that depicts the Savior's parable of the good Samaritan, in which a man is robbed and beaten by thieves, and a Samaritan shows mercy on him (Luke...