Let the stars shine!

VATICAN CITY — The International Year of Astronomy 2009 has obviously started out with a big bang – even here in the Vatican.
You can read here some of the events the Vatican has planned for the yearlong, star-studded celebrations.
Vatican astronomer U.S. Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno has already published his first post for the Cosmic Diary — in which more [...]

CNS Bible Blog: Jesus’ farewell discourse

By Father Scott M. Lewis, SJ
Special to Catholic News Service
After the supper (described in the Gospel of John, chapters 13-17), Jesus gives a long farewell discourse reminiscent of the sort of teachings that great philosophers and religious figures were expected to give to their followers prior to their departure from this world. It represents a [...]

CNS Bible Blog: What made Peter squirm?

By Father Scott M. Lewis, SJ
Special to Catholic News Service
We have all seen the Holy Thursday scene so many times: a few embarrassed-looking parishioners in front of the congregation with their shoes off and an alb-clad priest trying to wash their feet without stumbling or falling. Everyone seems relieved when it is over.
But the footwashing [...]

CNS Bible Blog: Signs of the Messianic age

By Father Scott M. Lewis, SJ
Special to Catholic News Service
The miracle at Cana is of a rather strange variety. No healing or exorcism is involved, no one is raised from the dead and no sins are forgiven. It appears only in John’s Gospel.
Today, there are three separate candidates in Galilee for the Cana in question [...]

CNS Bible Blog: No shortcuts to our `second birth’

By Father Scott M. Lewis, SJ
Special to Catholic News Service
The story of Nicodemus in the Gospel of John, Chapter 3 is the key to understanding much of the fourth Gospel. It describes in symbolic form the human condition — the inability to understand spiritual things as well as the inability of many to understand and [...]

CNS Bible Blog: Life and truth in John’s Gospel

By Father Scott M. Lewis, SJ
Special to Catholic News Service
The prologue to the Gospel of John — Chapter 1, verses 1-18 — consists of a poetic hymn of great beauty and symbolic power. In centuries past the words themselves were thought to contain spiritual power so the prologue was often read over the sick. It [...]

CNS Bible Blog: Only seven miracles in Gospel of John

By Father Scott M. Lewis, SJ
Special to Catholic News Service
There are striking differences between John’s Gospel and the three “synoptic” Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).
The presentation of Jesus is the most prominent of these differences. Mark portrays Jesus as the “man of sorrows” who suffers and dies abandoned and misunderstood by all. From the cross [...]

CNS Bible Blog: The enigmatic Gospel of John

By Father Scott M. Lewis, SJ
Special to Catholic News Service
The Gospel of John holds a special and rather exalted place in Christian tradition. Our theology and spirituality draw heavily on its lapidary but enigmatic verses.
We immediately recognize “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” as descriptive of Jesus. The dramatic insistence in 1:14 [...]

CNS Bible Blog: A world without stars is a tragedy

By Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ
Special to Catholic News Service
The Bible is not without its share of wrathful moments. Like a stern parent, God challenges his people to do better, and warns them of the tragedy that will result if they do not change their ways. What could be more tragic than the end of the [...]

CNS Bible Blog: Stars are to be appreciated, but not to be worshipped

By Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ
Special to Catholic News Service
In ancient civilizations, the study of the planets and stars was carried out for two very practical purposes: time-telling and astrology. The opening chapter of Genesis, cited in our first blog entry, refers to the sun, moon and stars as the rulers of day and night: using [...]