VerbumCatholic commentaries on the Gospel for Sunday, Matthew 21:33-43, the parable of the tenants.
“What are you looking at, Thérèse, dear?” asked Pauline. “I am seeing what a blessed Rosary looks like."
Caravaggio, St. Jerome Writing Today, on the Memorial of St. Jerome, Pope Francis released the Apostolic Letter Scripturae Sacrae Affectus to mark the sixteen hundredth anniversary of his death. The letter chronicles the saint’s journey around...
So it is that in the Collect for the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time the Church asks God to graft “into our hearts the love of” God’s name. In this way the Church asks that a “deepening...sense of reverence” might abound in us, and through that, the...
Fr. Harrison Ayre describes his PhD research on Joseph Ratzinger / Benedict XVI and recommends his favorite books.
This week in the lectionary we read from the 11th chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. The chapter focuses on John the Baptist. Here St. Augustine explains Christ's teaching in Matthew 11:25-27, which follows right after Christ's description of John's...
Henry Ossawa Tanner – The Annunciation Abraham’s full trust in the God who is faithful to his promises did not fail, even when his word was mysterious and difficult, almost impossible to accept. So it is with Mary. Her faith experienced...
As it has for many teachers, this week brought a dramatic shift in my own preparations as my high school made the transition to eLearning due to the rapid spread of COVID‐19. The announcement that we would be closed through the end of March came...
On the eve of Advent in 2007 then Pope Benedict XVI delivered the encyclical Spe Salvi. In it he talks about how faith unites the present and the future: Faith is not merely a personal reaching out towards things to come that are still totally...
This is the first in a new series of interviews with the Daughters of St. Paul, a religious order devoted to media evangelism and sanctifying the media. They share the gift of Jesus Christ through print, film, music, and digital and are known to...
Verbum co-sponsored the Pontifical Biblical Institute’s Jesus and the Pharisees conference in Rome this May. At its close, we had an audience with the pope in the Clementine Hall of the Papal Palace and presented him with an iPad loaded with the...
Virgin and Child with Sts. Dominic and Catherine of Alexandria – Fra Angelico, c. 1435 By Eva Marie Haine In April, I explained some basic principles of how to look at art from a purely formal point of view—that is, an analysis of how an...
This painting by Fra Angelico was part of the predella that belonged to a triptych of the Madonna and Child with Four Saints (known as the Compagnia di San Francesco Altarpiece), assigned to the convent of Santa Croce in Florence.
By Oliver Davies, excerpted from this month’s free Catholic book. It is natural for travelers to hurry on to their homeland; it is natural too that they should experience anxiety on the roadway and peace when they arrive home. And so we too who are...
Enjoy this reflection on John 14:15–16, part of the Gospel reading from this Sunday’s Mass, taken from The Navarre Bible: Saint John’s Gospel. John 14:15–16 Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I...
The Resurrection of Christ, one of Raphael’s earliest known works, is packed with symbolic elements intended to communicate theological truths. Here are some highlights:
If you love Catholic theology and great book deals, you’ll love this month’s Pre-Pub highlights. (Pre-Pub is your opportunity to get books and collections at a discount before they publish. You can see the full list here.)
The Farewell Discourse, from the Maesta by Duccio, 1308–1311.
Enjoy this reflection on John 17:20–26, the Gospel reading from yesterday’s Mass, taken from The Navarre Bible: Saint John’s Gospel.
You only have a few days left to get these resources on Mary and the Catholic tradition at a great discount.
Tiziano Vecellio painted this striking piece of Mary and Jesus set in an open landscape with Giorgione influences, like asymmetrical composition and full figures. The piece is true to this period in art—with classicistic, refined characters...
Photo by James Coleman on UnsplashCopy In Queen Mother: A Biblical Theology of Mary’s Queenship—currently 50% off on Verbum.com—Edward Sri unfolds common approaches taken to Mary’s role as queen and demonstrates how the “queen mother”...
Caravaggio’s Denial of Saint Peter is thought to be one of the artist’s two last works (the other being The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula).
Yesterday it was announced that Jean Vanier has died. The well-known philosopher, theologian, and humanitarian was 90. Vanier was best known for founding L’Arche in 1964, a global network of communities where people with and without disabilities...
The month is ending and with it your chance to get a free book on the Gospel of Luke, plus other Catholic resources.
Head to Verbum’s monthly sale page to see what’s marked down this month only.
In her book Building the Benedict Option, Leah Libresco Sargeant offers some ideas about how to gather together with others to seek God. Let these three selected quotes stir your imagination for the ongoing task of dwelling with God and neighbor.
Editor’s note: Andrew Curtis wrote this shortly before moving on to other pursuits. While no longer a Verbum employee, he remains an enthusiastic Verbum user. This is the third in a series on how Verbum employees use the software in their daily...
Passion of Jesus; sculpture of Crucifixion of Jesus observing Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus (known as Pieta). National Gallery of Slovenia. 14th and 15th century. “[Jesus Christ], who though he was in the form of God, thought it not...
The team behind Verbum Catholic Study Software will play an active role in the Pontifical Biblical Institute’s upcoming international conference. Verbum Catholic Study Software will be cosponsoring the upcoming international conference, Jesus and...
And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he...