When I was a young boy in Burlington, Vermont, my dad had a good friend named Phil who owned a sporting goods store. I loved sports, so meandering the treasure-filled aisles was an unmitigated joy. One afternoon, we were shopping for a baseball glove. Dad said to me, “Hey Johnny, see that man who just walked into the store? That’s Phil.” I remember being fascinated and a little terrified.

Dear Family of God,

Jesus said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” The autumn leaves are reminding us not only that winter is near but that life in this world is temporary, and death is certain. Our Liturgical Cycle B is ending, and we will start a new liturgical calendar in two weeks.

With our readings this week focusing on two widows giving to provide for the need of a prophet (or the temple), it naturally raises questions about the practice of tithing. Are Catholics obliged to tithe? If so, how much? And, how should we think about tithing?

Although tithing is traditionally understood to give 10% of your gross income (5% percent to your local parish, and 5% to charitable causes) the Church does not specify how much –or what percentage – a person should give to the Church.

How do we practice in our lives the first and greatest commandment?

Obedience to God is the proof of our love for God. Jesus said: “If you love me, you will do what I commanded you.” For some of us it is not just following the Law, if we want to be perfect, as Jesus said to rich man, “Go sell all your possessions, give the proceeds to the poor, and come follow me.” This is the great challenge that Jesus offering to all of us today.

We live in interesting times. A time when it appears that everything has been politicized. There are forces in our culture that think the foundation of our culture should be the government. This is most clearly shown by those who advocate for socialism (or communism) and think that the means of production—the factories, the companies, the machines, etc. that produce the goods and services of our economy—should reside primarily (or exclusively) in the hands of government bureaucrats.

According to Dr. John Bergsma: The key to receiving lasting glory is Jesus Himself, and the center of Jesus’ mission is His freely laying down His life for the sake of us sinners. Leaders of this world, Jesus says, exercise leadership for their own benefit. This is the way Satan understands leadership—for the benefit of the one in authority.

During your life, you may have had the above question. To help us answer it I would like to quote from the ‘Dialogue’ of St. Catherine of Siena. This is a private revelation that Catherine received from the Lord. As a private revelation, it is not necessary for a Catholic to believe but has been judged worthy to believe by the Church and containing no doctrinal error. Put more colloquially, we are free to believe it if it spurns us on to love God more and to set it aside if it does not.

Some years ago I was on a plane flight where I struck up a conversation with the young man next to me. He was a college student at the University of Arizona. After discussing a number of topics about family and personal interests the conversation turned towards faith. He informed me that he used to be Catholic but was no longer practicing. When I inquired as to why he left the practice of his faith, he responded (to my frustrated dismay), “I got really into science.”

What is idolatry and autolatry? Why is obedience crucial to avoid both?

According to David Fagerberg, in his article at “The Catholic Thing,” 9/18/22. Religion is a virtue because it renders God his due. When asked to whom latria (“supreme worship”) should be given, justice answers that only the Uncreated should be worshipped, not a creature.

Recently, my sister told me a story about her 6-year-old daughter – my niece – who had a friend of hers over. Now, the friend she had over has nine brothers and no sisters. So, at one point she was delighted when they were able to lay out in the bedroom all of my niece’s princess dresses and take careful time beholding and appreciating each one (not something often done when you are the only girl in a family with 9 brothers).

Why is there suffering in the world? Why do we always seem to rebel against God? Why do we want to take the place of God our Creator?

It all started when Adam and Eve mistrusted God and instead listened to the Evil One, the Ancient Serpent, the father of lies. The devil tricked Eve to disobey God, to be like God without God, “to know what is good and what is bad.” It means to know everything like God and even to decide what is good or bad, which is a prerogative of God not of the creature.

Some years ago, I came across a little book called “Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power” by the Catholic German philosopher Josef Pieper. This book explained to me why I generally hated political discourse but didn’t know why. I wanted to be an informed Catholic American doing my patriotic duty –which falls under the fourth commandment – by learning the issues and voting well i.e. according to a well-formed Catholic conscience. And yet, I had such little patience for politicians and their discourse –why?

Dear Family of God,

This weekend we will hear Jesus rebuke the Pharisees and the Scribes: “This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” (Mark 7:6-8).