Norris points out that Judeo-Christianity begins in a desert, and advises us to read Exodus again. There, our ancestors sought escape from slavery, but began to question God’s faithfulness. “Did God lead us here to kill us?” they asked. The desert is challenging, but God remains faithful.
Why these movies? Why Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Superwoman and The Fantastic Four? The human heart cries out for something greater — for good to triumph over evil.
At times I feel like the darkness of events around us is overshadowing the light. Last month there was another horrible mass shooting that killed more than 49 people and injured another 53 in Orlando, Florida. Yet another national and international tragedy has befallen us. More families suffering and lives lost.
The physicality of Filipino spirituality flows into a practical empathy for others. Filipinos are the most kind, hospitable and generous people I’ve ever met.
The Alaska Legislature has sent legislation to Gov. Bill Walker to sign that requires sex education teachers as well as their curriculum and classroom materials to first be approved by local school boards before such classes can begin. Governor Walker has until July 28 to sign it, veto it, or do nothing and let it become law.
Alaska teens and college students plan to join Pope Francis and more than 2 million people at the World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland this month. It is a pilgrimage meant to change lives and open life-long connections.
As an intelligence officer in the Air Force and with a desire to marry and have children, Father Tom Lilly wasn’t planning to become a Catholic priest.
Under the leadership of adult parishioners and Deacon Kevin Woodvine a group of eight youth from Our Lady of the Angels Church in Kenai traveled to St. Gregory Nazianzen Church in Sitka. There the group met up with local parishioners and Father Andy Sensenig, a priest of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
Earlier this spring, students from Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School in Wasilla got their hands dirty as they put into actions Pope Francis’ call for a “Year of Mercy.” The idea took shape with a phone call from Diane Krauszer, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Palmer. She asked if students were willing to till soil, weed a community garden and prepare it for planting vegetables to give to Mat-Su Valley residents in need.
Neighborliness is obviously more complicated today than in Jesus’ time. Nonetheless, countless people still suffer mentally and physically along the roads or in the streets of our world. Is the person in Nigeria, Lebanon, Syria, New York, Chicago, South Bend or Anchorage our neighbor? It is a question that should continue to make us all flinch until we find the answer.