Author page: Fr. Barnabas Powell

It's an old word, but I like it. The word "covenant" is such a significant word for we moderns precisely because we have seemed to have forgotten the power of "covenant." Our society is gripped by hyper-individualism that seems to be intoxicated with the notion of "rights" and "privilege" and "power." This intoxication has created…

"Blood is thicker than water." "He makes my blood boil." We are related by blood." So many sayings about "blood" and so many common sayings from culture to culture. It seems we humans are hard-wired to "know" the importance of the life-fluid we call blood. And yet it would be a mistake to reduce this…

At the very heart of the timeless Christian faith is the Eucharist. And you’ve heard me say many times before that the word “Eucharist” has its root in the Greek word for “thank you.” The very center of what it means to be a Christian isn’t some cultural habit “I’m Christian because I was born…

God will never again destroy His world through water. Next time, as the scriptures declare, it will be fire! Whoah! That sounds serious. And it is! But what makes it serious isn't fear or retribution or even punishment. God simply isn't interested in that elementary and easily misunderstood interpretation of His plan for His Humanity.…

I have a friend who is a biologist and she is also an atheist. She’s an atheist because she’s convinced there is no such thing as “free will.” And she believes this because of her science. To her, every choice we think we make is actually just certain chemical reactions to different stimuli. I know,…

It never fails. I'm sitting with a young couple in pre-marital counseling and we get to the part of the service where the husband is commanded to love his wife as Christ loves the Church and the wife is to "obey" her husband. They look at each other. They look at me. Sometimes they smile…

My best friend in the world died of a brain tumor many years ago. Anyone who has either struggled with cancer or knew someone who did, knows the radical nature of cancer treatment. Chemotherapy is literally poison used to kill cancer. But it's still poison. Many have wondered if the cure is worse than the…

An Optimist says the glass is half full; A Pessimist says the glass is half empty; A Realist says the glass has water in it; An Opportunist drinks the water while the other three are arguing! Let's face it; life is complicated and perspective makes a difference in practically all situations in our lives. But…

The old saying is "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." And then there is "He's a chip off the old block." When I was a young man I feared these old sayings, terrified that they were right. You see, I didn't want to be like my dad. Don't get me wrong, my dad…