Charlie Elder House is a residential home for homeless, teenage boys. In the home boys learn to live independently, achieve academic success, maintain positive relationships and contribute to the community.
But anxiety. Ah, anxiety can rob us of both the humor and the hope that makes this beautiful life bearable and resilient.
When Middle-Eastern Christians are beheaded for their faith, when men, women and children are killed in the streets of France, when ancient holy sites are reduced to rubble — something deep in the human heart cries for revenge.
For the past few years a battle has been waged in our beloved country. Thankfully no one has been slain thus far. Nonetheless some of the combatants, at least on one side of the present conflict, claim that they have been made to suffer.
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.
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.
Catholics and many other Christians disagree with legalizing same-sex marriage and enacting laws that force organizations and businesses to publicly affirm homosexuality. These laws run contrary to human flourishing and we must oppose them. But that is where it ends. In a civil society we must be free to disagree with someone because of their life choices or beliefs without being blamed for inciting hatred and murder.