When the speed limit is 35, and there's someone slow in front of me and I go 45 around him, I say no big deal.

But that's not what the speed camera will think. It snapped my picture.

I'm sure I won't be getting a warning in my mailbox next week.

The manufacture of 1-ply toilet paper makes no sense.

Double or nothing.

The highest form of worship in the Bible is sacrifice (not songs and sermons).

The Old Testament sacrifices foreshadowed the sacrifice of Christ.

Now, in New Testament times, we still offer sacrifice, but it's the True Sacrifice -- the fulfilment of the Old.

Unlike the Old, the New Testament Eucharistic Sacrifice does not just symbolize the once-for-all True Sacrifice of Jesus, but it IS the once-for-all True Sacrifice of Jesus -- that is, its re-presentation and renewed application.

We can't pretend sacrificial worship is only a thing of the past. We partake of the Sacrifice -- the Sacrificial Victim -- at every Mass.

We layfolks participate by prayerfully eating the flesh that actually saves us (not the animal flesh that represented it). It is truly effectual.

It is Jesus' true Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity as a Sacrament (a sign that effects what it signifies), given to us for our salvation.

It's all His work, not our work. It's Jesus' gift of Himself.

PTL!

Crazy small world.

We went to Mass this morning in Tampa, FL, on vacation.

Afterward, an older "snowbird" couple we've never met stopped us in the parking lot because they recognized us from our regular parish in Iowa, apparently seeing us just 2 weeks ago. They're here in Florida now for 6 months.

The lady thought she knew our faces (though we didn't know theirs), but she was certain when she saw the way we hold each other's hands during Mass.

Will see Paul & Libby when they return to Iowa in April.

We will be back home tomorrow evening.

And then back to work. 😭

It's been a good vacation.

Bodies were not created as sin machines; they were made good.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS ON THE PROBLEM OF EVIL



Philosopher Peter Kreeft said St. Thomas's answer is good philosophy, good spiritual direction, and powerfully practical,

"Because it enables us to say to God 'Even though I do not understand why you allowed this, I trust you', not just when we see little evils like hemorrhoids but even when we see horrible evils like Holocausts."