Jonathan Ryan's Blog, page 3

Dark Devotional: The Death of the World

It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began until that time (Dan. 12:1). Growing up on the fringes of an apocalyptic Christian sect best known for its failed predictions about the end of the world can leave you jaded. Near the close of 1999, for example, when everyone was prepping for Y2K, […]

Things Keeping Us Going: There’s A Cow in the Yard Edition

  It’s Monday again. I have been hearing from many of you that you are weary with all of this. So, I thought today you would enjoy a completely ridiculous, yet true story: Late last week, two grubby looking guys in a truck were driving around and around my daughter’s decidely […]

Dark Devotional: Can We Live on Bread Alone?

The first reading this Sunday is the story of the woman who shared her last bit of bread with the prophet Elijah. In this passage, Elijah asks a woman for a drink of water and a morsel of bread. There is a famine in the land, and the woman replies that she only has enough […]

Tales from the Confessional

Jesus, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away. Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. (Heb. 7:24–25). Catholic Twitter lit up recently when penitents started discussing their experiences in the confessional. It started when Zuri […]

Things Keeping Us Going: All Saints Edition

Today, All Saints Day, is a feast that I have never been particularly good at, partly because I was rather poorly taught about saints. I just did not get them. I mean, of course I am interested in those folks performing (or at least experiencing) miracles, and I am in as much need of good […]

Dark Devotional: Am I an Atheist?

  “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” ~Mk 10:52 About a month ago I signed up to write this Dark Devotional.  I oversee them, and there was a blank spot in the schedule. The gospel is about Jesus curing a blind man. That should be easy-peasy, I thought. But as the weeks went on, […]

Dark Devotional: The Divine Bellhop

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” (Mark 10:35) Before I became an apologist, I assumed that people with questions about Catholic doctrine or morals asked their questions with nothing more than a desire to […]

Things Keeping Us Going: I Love A Parade Edition

Considered one of the top 50 country fairs in the United States, Woonsocket, Rhode Island’s Autumnfest is a community-wide tradition that we look forward to every year. It culminates with a 10- division parade. For their entire lives my daughter and two sons have been attending or participating in this parade. When they were little, […]

Dark Devotional: Everything Is Naked

No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account (Heb. 4:13).   “Clothing is meant to conceal a woman’s figure, not to reveal it.” “Your choice of clothing at Mass demonstrates your respect for our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.” […]

Dark Devotional: It Is Not Good to Be Alone

  I sit and wait Does an angel contemplate my fate? And do they know The places where we go When we’re grey and old…   Man, I really wanted to write about angels this week. I’ve been in love with them since I was a child, when I used to write them letters about […]