Fifth Sunday of Lent Readings for Sunday, April 2, 2017 By Glen Argan The story of the raising of Lazarus (John 11.1-45) presents us with Jesus’ greatest outpouring of emotion in the four Gospels. Upon arriving at Bethany, Jesus was “greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.” Then, when arrives at Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus is again “greatly disturbed.” Jesus weeps
Read moreBy Glen Argan After two rather ignominious defeats, the supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump may be inclined to argue that democracy is being thwarted. After all, Trump was elected in November promising to kill so-called Obamacare and to keep Muslims out of the country. However, the promise to kill Obamacare has itself been sent to an early grave by
Read more(From The Catholic Register, Toronto) By Glen Argan At the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church wiped its hands of its “long century” of defensive reaction to the modern world and climbed into what it hoped would be a new era of dialogue. However, it takes (at least) two to dialogue and over the last 50 years the Church’s willingness
Read moreBy Glen Argan A year and a half ago during our happy trek across northern Spain known as the Camino de Santiago, we encountered a few heavy rainfalls. The worst was the last day’s walk into Santiago de Compostella when we got thoroughly drenched. During all this, I took care to keep my passport in the best of condition. Alas,
Read moreGospel for Fourth Sunday in Lent Sunday, March 26, 2017 By Glen Argan The man born blind is each of us. Watch how this nameless man grows in maturity, indeed Christian maturity, throughout the healing story in John 9 (1-41). The man was born blind, Jesus says, “so that God’s works might be revealed in him.” God’s work here is
Read moreBoersma speaks on nature, real presence By Glen Argan Special to the Prairie Messenger EDMONTON — A deeper understanding of the intertwining of nature and the supernatural can provide insights that will bring Catholics and Protestants closer together, says a Christian Reformed theologian from Vancouver. “Nature is never strictly or purely natural,” said Dr. Hans Boersma, a systematic theologian at
Read more(First published in The Catholic Register, Toronto, Ont., http://www.catholicregister.org) By Glen Argan The Alberta government and pipeline construction are again in the news. In its March 2 speech from the throne, the NDP government said it would oppose legal cases threatening the recently approved Trans-Mountain Pipeline which will move oil from Alberta to the West Coast. Environmental groups frequently make
Read moreGospel for March 12, 2017 Second Sunday of Lent By Glen Argan The Transfiguration (Matthew 17.1-9) is one of the great stories of the New Testament. Typically, it is interpreted as a story which reveals that Christ’s glory and his passion are one. That is true, but I think that taken alone such an interpretation rushes ahead too quickly to
Read moreFirst Sunday in Lent Sunday, March 5, 2017 By Glen Argan Sin is a room with no exit, not even a window that lets in a glimmer of light. When we face our sin square in the eye, we realize we have let it define us. That sin of adultery, that refusal to help the person in need, that little
Read moreBy Glen Argan The Catholic Register (Issue of Feb. 26, 2017) (www.catholicregister.org) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s first meeting with the new president of the United States has come and gone. Uneventfully. That the meeting be uneventful was the dream of the majority of Canada’s newspaper columnists, to say nothing of the government itself. Don’t kick the thin-skinned elephant and provoke
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On the Threshold 