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The appeal of St. Francis remains undimmed almost eight centuries after his death. In looking at him, people have always been helped to see Christ.
I’ve heard different explanations about how the books in the Bible got there. Who chose them and why?
The list of biblical books is called the canon (a Greek word from the Semitic term for a measuring rod). In this context, it’s a measurement of whether the writings called canonical belong to the inspired word of God.
All mainline Christians have agreed since the fourth century about which 27 books belong in the New Testament. Thus, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are there, but the Gospels of Thomas, Peter, Mary, and many others are not.
Where is heaven? Will my husband who died two years ago know me and still love me? If we have hurt people, will they have forgiven us by the time we get to heaven? What if there’s nothing beyond a person’s casket and grave?
Heaven is more a state of being than a place such as Boston, St. Louis, Phoenix, or Los Angeles a place that you can find on a map. Christians understand heaven as being with God for all eternity.
I understand that my prayers for someone will not cause God to move that person to the head of the line or guarantee a desired outcome. Then why do we pray for other people?
We cannot pray honestly for someone else without at the same time growing in compassion toward that person in particular and indeed toward all suffering people. Through honest prayer, we become more like the God to whom we address those prayers.
His words about marriage have been welcomed by many but not by everyone. Conscience is the key.
Why do Catholics pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to various saints? Is there anything in the Bible to back this up? Can’t this be considered idol worship? Why not pray directly to God?
The mother of Jesus Christ and the other saints have no meaning or power independent of God. Catholics and many other Christians venerate the saints as ongoing examples of what a life generously open to God’s grace can look like in a great variety of circumstances.
I have read that St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1091–1153) wrote the Memorare, but I have also read that it came later. Which is it?
The text ( “Remember, O most gracious virgin Mary, . . . “) is the shortened form of a longer prayer (Ad sanctitatis tuae pedes, dulcissima Virgo Maria) that comes from the 15th century. St. Francis de Sales (1567−1622) writes that he prayed it as a student in Paris.
