Who are we to God? We are family to God. And if we are family to God, then we are brothers and sisters to one another. Why is this so important to linger with? Because though this language is almost certainly familiar to most of us in the Church, the lived experience of being a family in the Church is probably not...

James isn’t telling us to sell everything and give it all to the poor. And Jesus only said that to one man, because that was the one thing that was holding him back from the fullness of life for which he was looking. Still, it is worth remembering that Jesus teaches us that wealth is a great danger. Why? ...

We frequently hold up St. Joan of Arc as an example of magnanimity. Her famous words –  “I am not afraid. God is with me. I was born for this!” – are not proud, arrogant or boastful words; they’re words that flow from a greatness of soul. Joan knew that God had distributed to her many and particular gifts, and like the good and faithful servants in Jesus’ parable, she wanted to make a good return on those gifts...

What does it mean when Josephus says, “Repent and believe in me”? He’s certainly not telling someone “how to get to heaven.” He’s more or less saying, “Abandon your current way of acting (in this case, by waging war against Rome) and put your trust in me.” Such an exhortation relates to action...