MSI Press Blog

  One of the oldest and most persistent questions in Christian thought is painfully simple: If God is all-powerful and all-good, why doesn’t He eliminate evil? Every generation asks it. It arises not only in philosophy classrooms and theology books, but also in hospital rooms, at gravesides, and in the quiet moments when suffering seems senseless. Catholic dogma does not dismiss this question or pretend it has an easy answer. Instead, it places the mystery of evil within a much larger story, one that includes freedom, love, redemption, and God's ultimate purpose for creation. While the Church acknowledges that human beings will never fully comprehend God's ways in this life, it offers a framework that helps believers understand why evil exists and how God works through it. Love Requires Freedom At the heart of Catholic teaching is the conviction that authentic love cannot be forced. God created human beings with free will because He desired a genuine relationship with them, no...

  Throughout history, many people who identified as atheists have later described experiences that led them to believe in God, a higher power, or a spiritual reality. These experiences vary widely. Some occur during moments of crisis, others during ordinary activities. While such experiences do not convince everyone, they often leave a profound impression on those who have them. One common catalyst is the experience of awe. Standing beneath a vast night sky, witnessing the birth of a child, or encountering extraordinary beauty in nature can evoke a sense that reality is larger and more meaningful than previously imagined. For some former atheists, these moments created a feeling of connection to something transcendent that seemed difficult to explain through material processes alone. Near-death experiences have also been influential for many converts. Individuals who came close to death sometimes report vivid perceptions, feelings of overwhelming peace, encounters with deceased lov...

  From: An Afternoon's Dictation: Inclusive Revelation for the 21st Century (Greenebaum) It is one thing t o demand answers but quite another to actually get them!  Book Description In 1999 Steven Greenebaum felt he'd hit the wall. Fifty years old, he could not make sense of his life or the world around him. For several months he angrily demanded answers from God, if God were there. One afternoon, an inner voice told him to get a pen and paper and write. Steven then took dictation - three pages, not of commandments but guidance for leading a meaningful life.   An Afternoon's Dictation grapples with, organizes, and deeply explores the revelations Steven received and then studied for over ten years. His sharing is NOT offered as the only possible way to understand it the dictation. It is offered, rather, as a start. The book's sections include deep explorations into "The Call to Interfaith," "The Call to Love One Another," "The Call to Justice,...

  Mystics are unique because they seek not merely to know about ultimate reality, God, or the divine, but to experience it directly . Across many religious traditions, mystics often report certain common characteristics: Direct Experience Most people approach religion through beliefs, doctrines, rituals, or sacred texts. Mystics emphasize personal encounter. They often describe moments of profound union, presence, or insight that feel more real than ordinary experience. A Sense of Oneness Mystics frequently speak of transcending the usual boundaries between self and the world. Christian mystics describe union with God. Other traditions may describe unity with all existence. While the interpretations differ, the experience often involves a deep sense of interconnectedness. Difficulty Putting It Into Words One hallmark of mystical experience is that people struggle to describe it. Mystics repeatedly resort to poetry, paradox, symbolism, and metaphor because ordinary language seems i...

  For those who no longer live inside the structure of organized religion, spirituality doesn’t disappear — it relocates. It settles into the places where life is actually lived. Without formal liturgy, everyday life becomes the sanctuary. The absence of church walls doesn’t create a void; it creates a wider field of attention. When Ordinary Life Becomes Sacred People who describe themselves as spiritually homeless often discover that awareness comes most naturally in the small, physical acts that shape a day. Cooking, walking, caring for others, tending a garden — these become acts of prayer. Not because they are dramatic or ceremonial, but because they anchor the body and quiet the mind. There is no need to “perform” spirituality. There is only the invitation to notice. The warmth of a pan on the stove The rhythm of footsteps on a familiar path The way a plant leans toward light The tenderness in caring for someone who needs you These moments don’t require belief systems. They r...