John M. Grondelski

What Wisdom Can We Learn from Solomon about Mixed Marriages?

Thursday's First Reading attributes the fall of the united Kingdom of Israel to Solomon's religiously divided household. What does that say about mixed marriage?

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Jesus's Saturday Stroll

Tuesday's Gospel speaks of Jesus's disciples picking and eating some grain on the Sabbath. But that Gospel is more than about Sabbath rules. It's about who Jesus IS.

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Matthew's Conversion - And Ours

Saturday's Gospel features the call and conversion of St. Matthew and Jesus dining with tax collectors. What does that say about Him as Savior and the modern controversy about "accompaniment?"

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Jesus Is Savior -- Period.

Friday's Gospel about healing a paralyzed man is secondarily about the healing. It's main focus is "who is Jesus," the answer being He who saves us from sin.

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Do WE Want to Be Saved?

Thursday's Gospel features a leper approaching Jesus, asking for healing "if You will it." God always wants to heal us. The acid question is: do we?

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Samuel's "Familiarity" with God -- And Ours?

This week's Mass readings introduce the prophet Samuel: who was he, why was he important, and how did he get "familiar" with God?

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The Devil Is Real

Repentance means man taking responsibility for his evil. But man is not the only doer of evil: Jesus makes clear we need to take seriously the devil.

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Ordinary Time Starts with the Extraordinary: Repentance

As Ordinary Time begins, the Church starts where Jesus did: in a call to repentance. What does that mean?

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What's Above YOUR Door? — Blessings at Epiphany Time

In Catholic tradition, Epiphany Time was also a period for the blessing of homes. This essay discusses that history, offers modern approaches to blessing the home, and emphasizes why it's important.

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The Biblical Theology of "What's In a Name?"

The Memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus is an opportunity to examine how the Bible regarded names and naming, and what applications that has to modern life.

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Let's Start Our First Fridays/Saturdays Now -- And How They Fit Our Spiritual Lives

The start of a new year is a good time to (re)start the First Fridays/First Saturdays devotion. More about them -- and their promises:

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Today's Providential Gospel

The Gospel of January 1 speaks of the shepherds visiting Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, and of Christ's circumcision. It also has a lot to say about a central Christian principle: Providence.

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Is Denying Sin the Defining Feature of Secularism?

Secularism is celebrated in some ecclesiastical circles, but is its central dogma one of denying the reality of sin?

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50 Years after Persona Humana - What the Church Teaches about Premarital Sex, Homosexual Acts, and Masturbation

December 29, 2025 is the 50th anniversary of Persona humana, the Vatican Declaration on Certain Questions Concerning Sexual Ethics. Persona humana spoke about premarital sex, masturbation, and homosexual activity. Let's review what it said and WHY its teaching remains so vital half a century later.

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“There Is No Other Hand!”

Unlimited and uncritical appeals to "dialogue" that constantly want to consider "the other hand" lead to dilution of the faith and open the door for its opponents.

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