Category: Mother Mary

“All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet, now that Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the royal palace.” —2 Kings 11:20 Athaliah, the queen mother, violently oppressed God’s people for seven years. They were freed from her oppressive, idolatrous regime by: the courage of Jehosheba, who risked her life to save the life of baby Joash, the future king (2 Kgs 11:2), the wise and strong leadership of Jehoiada, the priest (2 Kgs 11:4ff), and the submission of the captains and the guards to Jehoiada’s authority (2 Kgs 11:4ff). The Church today throughout...

“On that same day after the Passover on which they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased. No longer was there manna for the Israelites, who that year ate of the yield of the land of Canaan.” –Joshua 5:11-12 Each day for forty years, God fed the Israelites with miraculous manna from heaven. When they had entered the promised land and their first harvest was complete, “the manna ceased” (Jos 5:12). What a loving, providing Father our God is! For the forty days of Lent, we, like the Israelites, are journeying through the desert of self-denial toward...

“Who can free me?” –Romans 7:24 Our human nature is fallen, wounded, and weakened because of the sin of our first parents, that is, original sin. Our desires, intentions, and feelings lack power (Rm 7:18). “What happens is that I do, not the good I will to do, but the evil I do not intend” (Rm 7:19). Our wills also are incapacitated. We do what is against our wills (Rm 7:20). “This means that even though I want to do what is right, a law that leads to wrongdoing is always ready at hand” (Rm 7:21). Moreover, our bodies are...