Good Wednesday morning. The world kept moving overnight. Here's what happened, and what your faith has to say about it.
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John 5:17-30
"Jesus said to the Jews, ‘My Father goes on working, and so do I. ’ But that only made them even more intent on killing him, because, not content with breaking the sabbath, he spoke of God as his own Father, and so made himself God’s equal. To this accusation Jesus replied: ‘I tell you most solemnly, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees the Father doing: and whatever the Father does the Son does too."
| Rosary Mystery of the Day | |
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Today's Mysteries |
Wednesday: Glorious Mysteries |
Glorious Mysteries
- 1. The Resurrection
- 2. The Ascension
- 3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
- 4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- 5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Objection
"Catholics believe you're saved by works, not by faith. That contradicts the Bible, which clearly says we are saved by grace through faith, not by works."
The Catholic Response
The Catholic Church has never taught salvation by works alone. The Council of Trent declared that 'none of those things which precede justification, whether faith or works, merit the grace itself of justification' (Session 6, Chapter 8). What the Church does teach is that genuine faith produces works, because as James 2:26 says, 'faith without works is dead.' Paul and James aren't contradicting each other; Paul opposes works of the Mosaic law as earning salvation (Romans 3:28), while James insists that living faith necessarily bears fruit (James 2:24). The Catechism puts it plainly: 'Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ. It is granted us through Baptism, the sacrament of faith' (CCC 1992).
CCC 1992 | CCC 2010 | James 2:24-26 | Romans 3:28 | Ephesians 2:8-10 | Council of Trent, Session 6, Chapter 8
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Test Your Faith IQ |
Saints |
In today's Gospel, Jesus claims to do only what he sees the Father doing. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, whose feast is today, was exiled multiple times for defending Christ's divinity. How many times was Cyril exiled from Jerusalem?
- A) Once
- B) Twice
- C) Three times
- D) Five times
Answer at the bottom of this newsletter.
 Photo: Fox News
Fox News
Senate intelligence hearings will press Trump's spy chiefs on the justification for war with Iran after a senior official resigned in protest.
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FAITH & THE WORLD |
Proverbs 11:14 |
"For lack of guidance a people falls; security lies in many counselors."
Just War Doctrine (CCC 2309)
The Catechism is blunt: war requires "rigorous consideration" of strict conditions, including that all other means of resolution have been exhausted (CCC 2309). When an intelligence official resigns in protest and senators demand public answers, that's not dysfunction. It's exactly the kind of deliberation the Church says a just society owes its citizens before sending them to die.
Reflect → When you see powerful people rushing toward conflict, do you pray for the courage of those who slow them down?
 Photo: CBS News
CBS News
A woman in Macau was hospitalized after a humanoid robot startled her by waving its arms, drawing a crowd of onlookers who filmed instead of helping.
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FAITH & THE WORLD |
Luke 10:33-34 |
"But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them."
CCC 1700 (Dignity of the Human Person)
The real story here isn't the robot. It's the crowd that gathered to film a frightened woman instead of helping her. The Catechism teaches that every person bears the image of God and deserves to be treated as an end, never as content for someone else's feed (CCC 1700).
Reflect → When was the last time you reached for your phone instead of reaching out your hand?
 Photo: CBS News
CBS News
Homeowners are exploring home equity loans and HELOCs as borrowing options amid shifting interest rates.
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FAITH & THE WORLD |
Proverbs 22:7 |
"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender."
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (§174, Universal Destination of Goods)
The Church has never said debt is sinful, but it has warned for centuries that debt can become a form of bondage. St. Thomas Aquinas argued that charging excessive interest exploits human need. Catholic Social Teaching insists housing is a fundamental right, not a speculation vehicle, and every financial decision should be weighed against whether it builds up or erodes your family's freedom.
Reflect → Are your financial decisions pulling you toward freedom or quietly tightening a chain?
 Photo: Good News Network
Good News Network
A 2,100-year-old Phoenician coin was unknowingly used as bus fare in Leeds, England, before its ancient origins were discovered.
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FAITH & GOOD NEWS |
Matthew 22:20-21 |
"Whose image is this and whose inscription? They replied, 'Caesar's.' At that he said to them, 'Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.'"
CCC 299 (God's Providence in Creation)
Jesus once held a coin and asked whose image it bore, then reminded everyone that they bear God's image. A coin survives 2,100 years and pays for a bus ride; you survive 80 years and are destined for eternity. The question was never about the coin.
Reflect → If an ancient coin can outlast empires, what are you building that will outlast you?
 Photo: Reasons to be Cheerful
Reasons to be Cheerful
Paris has dramatically expanded its cycling infrastructure, making the city more accessible and less car-dependent than ever before.
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FAITH & GOOD NEWS |
Genesis 2:15 |
"The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it."
Laudato Si' (§153, Integral Ecology)
Pope Francis wrote in Laudato Si' that quality of life in cities depends directly on transportation systems that respect both people and creation (§153). Paris choosing bikes over bumpers is a small act of the stewardship Genesis demands. Every pedal stroke is a quiet yes to the garden we were given.
Reflect → What is one small, concrete way you could care for creation in your daily commute this week?
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Saint of the Day |
March 18 |
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
Cyril was exiled from his own diocese three separate times by Arian bishops who disagreed with his theology. He spent roughly 16 of his 35 years as bishop kicked out of his own city. Each time he came back, picked up where he left off, and kept teaching. His catechetical lectures to new converts are still used in seminary formation today.
His feast is March 18, and his lifelong insistence on teaching the full truth about Christ's divine nature mirrors today's Gospel, where Jesus claims equality with the Father.
Trivia Answer
C . Cyril was exiled three times between 357 and 378 AD, spending about 16 years total away from his diocese. He was finally vindicated at the First Council of Constantinople in 381, which affirmed the Nicene Creed he had defended his whole life.
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