Recent content by John Carberry

The Death Penalty, by John Carberry “If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged seven times” (Gn 4:15). Are the Old and the New Testaments consistent regarding the death penalty for crimes? Since the death penalty was common under Mosaic Law, why does the Church consider it improper today?[1]...

Hope and Fear, by John Carberry Some may consider hope and fear as polar opposites, with one favoring hope and avoiding fear. The Bible presents us with many lessons that seem to indicate that we are not to be afraid (Mk 6:50, Mt 10:31, 14:27, 17:7, Lk 5:10, 12:4, Jn 6:20, Dt 31:8, Ps 118:6, Rv...

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Why Not? by John Carberry In vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) are common issues in today’s culture where the Church rules one way, and the people follow another. In vitro comes from the Latin word meaning in glass because the female egg is...

Freedom, Choice and Slavery, by John Carberry The four hundred years of slavery in the desert for the Israelites foreshadow the choices that God gives us daily. The book of Genesis begins with creation, first the material aspects of the universe and concluding with the creation of humanity...

This is just a guess for your question, but since God completed creation and rested on the 7th day, he blessed it and made it holy: "God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation" (Gn 2:3, Ex 20:11).

What is a Soulmate? by John Carberry We were made in the image and likeness of God with a body and a soul. But what is the soul? Some catechists compare the body and soul to a boiling pot of water over a gas flame. The boiling water represents the body, and the flame represents the soul. The...

Feel free.

Seven Holy Things, by John Carberry Why are there seven sacraments in the Catholic Church? Many of the protestant sects questioned what the Catholics held as sacraments in the sixteenth century. Why do you need a priest to forgive your sins? Who can give a priest authority? How can the...

Love God with All of Your Mind by John Carberry We must all seek to understand. In the Parable of the Sower, the seed that was sown on the footpath and eaten by the birds represents the one who failed to understand (Mt 13:4, 19). Christ criticizes the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees who...

Sacraments by John Carberry The Sacraments of the Catholic Church are signs and symbols which present an underlying reality. When we look to each sacrament, we often associate a concept regarding a Church teaching about an important aspect of the faith. Sacraments also present certain truths...

Catechist, Masters of Theo from Franciscan, Steubenville.

A Homily at Emmaus, by John Carberry Emmaus1 has sometimes been referred to as the first Mass because it shows similarities to a contemporary Mass.2 Many of the Mass components are present: The Liturgy the Word, the repetition of Sacred Scripture, the Homily or the explanation of Sacred...