The Truth about Movies and Les Miserables

I don’t usually go to movies to be entertained; instead, I go to engage with truth, beauty, and goodness. I find that movies often allow the voice of God to break into my soul in a way that no other medium can. Movies to me are like living icons – windows to God and truth. As such, I have little regard or appreciation for the common kind of analysis that movie critics provide (with... Read More

Struggling with suffering… – Part II of II

Q: Dear Father John, I really want to think of God as good but lately I have been struggling with all the suffering I see around me and in my own life. Where is God in all of this? In our first post in this two part series we reflected on suffering from a number of conceptual angles to try to orient our hearts in the right direction. Now we will discuss a few practical matters. Our faith is weak,... Read More

Struggling with suffering… – Part I of II

Q: Dear Father John, I really want to think of God as good but lately I have been struggling with all the suffering I see around me and in my own life. Where is God in all of this? A: Suffering and sorrow challenge our faith in God. They push us out of our spiritual comfort zone as we find ourselves asking: If God is all-powerful and all good, why doesn’t he just fix everything, why does he... Read More

29. Believing Leads to Seeing (Matthew 9:27-35)

“Therefore, that shining light of which has been lit for our salvation must always shine in us.” - St Chromatius Matthew 9:27-35 As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, ‘Take pity on us, Son of David’. And when Jesus reached the house the blind men came up with him and he said to them, ‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said, ‘Sir, we do’. Then he touched... Read More