Tag: Jesus

On
Dave Kuhle

Jesus came not to bring new laws, but to fulfill old laws

To the editor:

From the time I was in parochial school 50 years ago, I believed that Jesus replaced the old laws with new laws and gave us two new commands: to love God and one another. But I was wrong.

We frequently hear sermons at Mass that Jesus gave us new commandments, and in Tony Magliano’s article in the December Catholic Herald, regarding what Jesus would do if he were here today. Magliano wrote, “. . . consider John 13:34. Here, Jesus says: ‘I give you a new commandment: love one another.’” Magliano writes that Jesus’ commandment to love one another is new, and is vastly better than the old commandments which required an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

But a thorough understanding of John 13:34 reveals that when Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment: love one another,” he did not recite a new commandment, but quoted a 1,200 year old passage prescribed by Moses in Leviticus 19:18, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

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Fr. Donald Lange

Roe vs. Wade challenges us to protect the unborn

In 1925 Dorothy Day became pregnant. Because of a previous abortion, her pregnancy seemed a miracle. Now she had to make the toughest decision she ever made. If she gave birth, Forster Batterham, the child’s father, would probably leave her. He would stay with her if she aborted their baby.

On March 4, 1926, Dorothy gave birth to Tamar Teresa. She had her baptized and raised her as a Catholic. Later, Dorothy Day became a Catholic. Her decision caused her to lose the man she loved. But she gained salvation for herself and Tamara.

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Olivia Knier

Keeping close to Christ after Christmas

Guest Column logo

The lights are lit and the tree is up. The celebration of Christ’s birth has only just begun. The joy in the air is contagious for now, but how can we keep that joy long after the holidays are gone?

It does not take much thinking to come to the conclusion that all the happiness Christmas brings is in the anticipation and celebration of Christ’s birth, us making an effort to be so close to him with our families as he comes into the world.

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Fr. Paul Ugo Arinze

Let us joyfully tell the story anew!

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, January 9, 2011 marks the beginning of the National Vocation Awareness Week.

Guest Column

While the Baptism of Christ focuses on the revelation of Christ as the “Beloved Son of God,” it reminds us of our own Baptism.

Baptism marks the beginning of our “vocation”as Christians.

By virtue of our Baptism, we also share in the three-fold mission of Christ to be priest, prophet, and king.

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On
Fr. Donald Lange

Awareness week invites us to pray for vocations

We celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week this year January 9 through 15. Appropriately, the week begins with the feast of the Baptism of Jesus.

During this week we are encouraged to deepen our friendship with God as we reflect upon our own vocation. We are also reminded to foster and pray for vocations to all states of life. Because of the present need, the Church especially encourages us to pray for and support vocations to priesthood and religious life.

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On
Fr. Donald Lange

The lasting spirit of Christmas

During World War II near London, on Christmas morning, some lonely American soldiers looked for a Mass to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

As they searched, they discovered an old gray stone building. Carved over the door were the words, “Queen Anne’s Orphanage.” They knocked and a matron came to the door. She explained that the children were orphans whose parents had been killed in bombing raids.

Sharing the Christmas spirit

The soldiers went inside as the children tumbled happily out of bed and hurried into the gray guest room. There were no Christmas trees, crib, or presents.

 

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On
Mary C. Uhler, editor

Let there be peace, especially in the Holy Land

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

During Advent and the Christmas season, our thoughts naturally turn towards the Holy Land as we contemplate the events leading to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

We know that there was unrest and conflict in the Holy Land at the time of Jesus’ birth. In fact, Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem because of a decree from the Roman occupiers that all people must register in a census.

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Peggy Rakow

Jesus is with us in the Catholic Church

To the editor:

The author of the “Word to Life” column (Catholic Herald, October 28, 2010 issue) about the young man wishing to speak face to face with the pope missed a terrific opportunity to share with him the good news of the teaching magisterium of the Catholic Church.

To say that “Jesus is infinitely available unlike the pope” is to miss the truth that Jesus stated, “I am always with you” . . . IN his Church.

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