Kresta in the Afternoon

In his Gospel Sequence Lauda Sion Salvatorem, written for the inaugural celebration of Corpus Christi, St. Thomas Aquinas wrote “However much you can do, so much dare to do.” This spirit of “daring to do all we can” should take a special meaning for us during the three year Eucharistic Revival which kicked off last month. Fr. Roger Landry, one of the National Eucharistic Preachers, joins us.

This Sunday, the University of Michigan Medical School will hold its White Coat Ceremony, a traditional rite of passage for students starting medical school. The speaker, Dr. Kristin Collier, is pro-life, and although her speech has nothing to do with abortion, some students have demanded that the University disinvite her. So far, Medical School Dean Marschall Runge has refused. Kishore Jayabalan has more.

In February 2021, 76-year-old Rosa Lalor was walking and praying near her home in Liverpool, UK when she was stopped by a police officer. She was told that, because she was praying near an abortion clinic, her actions were a form of protest and violated Covid lockdown regulations. This month, she won her appeal – charges were dropped and her fine was reversed. Al tells the story.

When we think of St Paul and the Law, it’s easy to understand him as opposed to the Law, citing passages such as Romans were he writes that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. Understood in context, however, the law prepares the way for Christ. We talk more with Dr Robert Fastiggi.

Former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst died by suicide earlier this year. In an essay last summer, she reflected on the pressure she felt from aging: "turning 30 feels like a cold reminder that I’m running out of time to matter in society’s eyes — and it’s infuriating." Al discusses.

At a recent conference, Italian Archbishop Bruno Forte claimed that in order to ensure Judaic-Christian relations are free of antisemitism, Christians should let go of the idea that Jews must accept faith in Christ as normative for salvation. This would have been news to the Apostles, who saw the Risen Christ and shared the news with their own Jewish communities. Peter Herbeck joins us.

The Beatitudes go to the heart of how Christians think about their relationship to God and their relationship to one another. Dr. Rebekah Eklund joins us with a look at how writers and teachers, both ancient and modern, have reflected on the Beatitudes and developed spiritual disciplines to enter more deeply into the knowledge of God.

When we read or watch the news, we aren’t just informed – we are formed by the stories we hear and the images we see. But St. Paul also instructs us to not be conformed to the world. How can we consume the news in a way that builds virtue and leads to greater flourishing? Jeffrey Bilbro is our guest.

Do scientists see conflict between science and faith? Which cultural factors shape the attitudes of scientists toward religion? Can scientists help show us a way to build collaboration between scientific and religious communities, if such collaborations are even possible? Elaine Ecklund has conducted a comprehensive international study of more than 20,000 scientists around the world to find their views on religion. She joins us with the results.

In John 12, Jesus meets some Greeks who said they wanted to see him. In response, Jesus predicted his death and that the Father’s name would be glorified. What does it mean to say that Jesus shows us the way to the Father? Al discusses.