Ask a Franciscan
Why Was Jesus Baptized?
Q. Matthew 3:13-17 describes the baptism of Jesus, including John the Baptist’s objection that Jesus should be baptizing him. Why did Jesus want to be baptized, anyway?
A. This question was raised by Christians already in the first century, which is probably the reason that it is recorded here—unlike the baptism accounts in Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-22. John the Baptist had disciples and a very well-known ministry before Jesus had disciples or a public ministry.
Finding Satan’s Story in the Bible
Where in the Bible can I find the story of Lucifer and the fallen angels? I’ve looked, but without success. Is there some other book that contains this story?
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Meaning of the Word ‘Paschal’
I know that words often have a root meaning. For example, our word sacrament comes from the Latin word sacramentum, which I know St. Augustine described as “an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.” In preparing for a ...
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Pope Francis, Big Bang, Evolution
According to a news article, Pope Francis recently acknowledged the Big Bang theory and evolution. I was quite startled by comments I’ve heard about this story. I hope you can enlighten me on this matter.
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Holy Communion without Confession
I am a 79-year-old Catholic who doesn’t believe in the Sacrament of Penance.
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The Rift between Jews and Samaritans
I have been perplexed by the rift between Jews and Samaritans and their hatred mentioned in the New Testament.
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Is Gambling a Sin?
Is it a sin to place a bet on a horse race? What about lotteries or betting on sports contests? What does the Catholic Church think about playing slot machines? At times it seems that the Church opposes gambling, but ...
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