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Early Christians are a wonderful example of the unity for which Christ prayed at the Last Supper: And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. . . . And all who believed were together and had all things in common (Acts 2:42-44). Their unity grew from reading the Old Testament and receiving the teachings of those in authority. It was expressed in their fellowship—“those who believed were of one heart and soul&rd …

It is wonderful how a gentle and amiable heart can win others. -St. Francis de Sales If you trace the word back far enough, you’ll find that the word “courtesy” comes from two Latin words meaning “with a garden” (cum hortus). From there it came to mean the enclosed place around a building, and from there the building (or “court”) itself, and from there the behavior of the court. Besides an interesting lesson in etymology, this gives a lead as to how to …

One of the more common arguments to the Resurrection is that Jesus passed out or “swooned” on the cross. Unless you broke the legs of the victims, it could take days for a person to die, but the Gospels report that Jesus died unusually quickly: Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the cent …

Courtesy isn’t so much a virtue in itself as a way of living other virtues. It shapes how a particular virtue is practiced in a social setting. Here are seven virtues needed if we are to be courteous. Humility. Suffice it to say that humility is the truth about who we are. The truth is that we are all children of God, and we are all sinners. You can’t be courteous if you are preoccupied with yourself, your rights, the impression you make, or what others will say about you. You can& …

When one traces the golden thread of salvation history, the Holy Spirit is never absent. He is there, veiled or visible, from the dawn of creation to the descent at Pentecost. It was the Spirit who hovered over the deep (Gen. 1:2); the same Spirit who inspired the prophets of Israel (Ezek. 37:1-14); the same Spirit who overshadowed Mary, bringing about the Incarnation (Luke 1:35); and the same Spirit who descended upon Jesus at his baptism, publicly marking him for the messianic mission (Matt. …