They asked him: Say then, Scibboleth, which is interpreted, An ear of corn. But he answered, Sibboleth, not being able to express an ear of corn by the same letter. Then presently they took him and killed him in the very passage of the Jordan. And there fell at that time of Ephraim two and…
Continuing in our theme of the traditional mediation of the Four Last Things, this week we will consider the reality of Judgement. To begin, we must distinguish between the two forms of judgement that pertain to our eternal life. First, we will each experience our own Particular Judgement. This means that we will stand before…
As the Birth of Christ approaches, it is helpful to contemplate the Four Last Things. Traditionally, the Church has taught that Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell constitute these four final realities. The intention of this article is not to give a detailed theological overview, but instead to give us pause in the hope that we…
The foundation of our love and devotion for the poor souls in purgatory is this: “If one member suffer any thing, all the members suffer with it; or if one member glory, all the members rejoice with it” (I Cor. 12:26). This is the bond of charity that binds the Church Militant to the Church…
Editor’s Note: The Catholic Church has made provision for cremation under certain circumstances in the 1983 Code of Canon Law, a somewhat striking departure from her earlier view on the matter. For an explanation of this modified view, see here. The following essay does not treat of the Church’s current provision, but rather examines the…
Is My Baby in Hell?: Hope for Parents of Unbaptized Infants Michael Lofton R&T Press 106 pages $12.99 paperback, $2.99 e-book Michael Lofton is the host of the Reason and Theology show and is currently pursuing his Th.D. with Pontifex University on weighing magisterial texts. His recent work is entitled Is My Baby in Hell?…
When Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ instituted the Holy Mass as a perpetual sacrifice of His Body and His Blood for the remission of our sins (Mt. 26:26–28; Mk. 14:22–24; Lk. 22:19–20; 1 Cor. 10:16–18; etc.), it is clear that He intended in a special way that the New Testament Sacrifice of the Holy…
“Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust, thou shalt return.” I’m old enough to remember the priest murmuring that as he smeared ashes on my forehead, conveniently bared of my perpetual bangs by my Catholic school beanie. The words seared. I remembered them all year and waited for them the following year. Then…
Sunday was my thirteenth day in coronavirus quarantine. I must confess that although I have done some liturgical sewing and have spent more time than usual exercising, cooking, and praying, most of this precious downtime has slipped by without anything of note transpiring. But Sunday was different. My church — a small Melkite parish —…
We press our lips against the foreheads of our loved ones, we tell them just how beloved they are, and we suit up for war. The world, the flesh, the devil, our own fallen nature, the wounds of Original Sin that none can escape — we are never in want of enemies. When will sinful…
This past Sunday, I had the privilege of attending a conference talk on Heaven by Father Isaac Mary Relyea, part of a Lenten mission series on the Four Last Things hosted by The Fatima Center. In the car on the way there, I joked about how my fiancé and I needed Father Isaac to give…
