The Word Among Us

July 2004 Issue

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

When Rob was told by his company that he had to take a business trip abroad, he decided to take his teenaged son, Jack, along with him. Since Rob traveled a lot for his company, he thought it would give them a perfect opportunity to do something exciting together. But things didn't turn out as planned. In the morning on the third day of their trip, Rob and his son were kidnapped and held hostage for several days. More »

First impressions mean a lot. Think, for instance, about how easy it is, after meeting a person for the first time, to draw any number of conclusions about that person. In many cases, these first impressions stick and can be very hard to change. More »

It is a common misconception that the portrayal of God is very different in the New Testament from the picture we see in the Old Testament. According to this view, the Hebrew Scriptures depict God as the transcendent Creator or stern Lawgiver, punishing the sins of his recalcitrant people. He is the God who allowed hordes of Babylonians to invade Jerusalem, pillage and murder, and drag the remaining Israelites off to exile. Even in scenes that show God's care for his people, he is depicted as delivering them from bondage in Egypt by drowning all the Egyptian forces in the Red Sea. Then, he gives them the Promised Land by allowing Joshua and his men to kill most of the Canaanites, its previous pagan inhabitants, beginning with Jericho. More »

Special Feature

Fifteen years ago, I was twenty-seven, single, living in Maryland, and contemplating a life of celibacy for the sake of the kingdom of God. Today, I'm married, live in Florida, and have three children. Many things I expected to happen in my life did not happen, and a number of unexpected occurrences did happen—all resulting in the happiness I now know as a husband, father, and Catholic editor. More »

Burning napalm. Fleeing refugees. Soldiers slogging through rice paddies and jungle trails. Booby traps, snipers, ambushes, bloody firefights. The anguished faces of the wounded and dying, desperate for compassion and comfort. When we think of the Vietnam War, these are the images we see. More »

"But you have to be there! It's our son's wedding, and you're the best man." "I just can't do it. I can't stand next to that priest. I can't go anywhere near him." More »