Relationships require love and commitment from both people. We can’t force others to love us, or else it’s not really love. Joe Nolla, SJ, reflects on the love of God, who doesn’t require but desires our love in return.
All posts by Joseph Nolla, SJ
Joseph is in graduate studies for Philosophy and Theology at Saint Louis University. A former atheist and Air Force veteran, he loves traveling and having his views challenged. His hobbies include reading, running, and listening to punk rock.
Joined in 2020 10 posts jnollasj@thejesuitpost.org @JosephNollaSJ
Pentecost: Nobody is an Island | One-Minute Homily
Faith is not just an individual endeavor, it involves a community. Joe Nolla, SJ, reflects on Pentecost, when we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit sent to enliven an entire community of believers.
In a Universe So Vast, Do We Matter? | One-Minute Homily
Is it possible that we actually matter in the grand scheme of things? Yes. Joe Nolla, SJ, reflects on the infinite God that loves you infinitely more than you know.
Jesus Wept: A God Who is Like Us | One-Minute Homily
When Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus, he showed us that he is like us. Joe Nolla, SJ, reflects on the power of tears and laughter and how they reveal that Jesus shows us an image of God who cries with and for us.
Truth, Temptation, and the Prince of Lies | One-Minute Homily
Sometimes we can be tempted to believe a lie when it begins with the truth. Joseph Nolla, SJ, reflects on the tactics of the Devil in the temptation of Jesus.
Unlikely Messengers: God Chose the Foolish | One-Minute Homily
Are there people that don’t want to hear us? Are there people that we don’t want to hear? Joe Nolla, SJ, reminds us that God chooses the unlikely messengers to preach the Good News. We are meant to both preach and listen.
The Jesuit Border Podcast
Louie Hotop, SJ, and Brian Strassburger, SJ, are two recently ordained Jesuit priests working on the US-Mexico border in Brownsville, TX. They’ve started the Jesuit Border Podcast to share stories and interviews that explore the humanitarian response along the U.S.-Mexico border from a Catholic perspective. Check it out and subscribe!
Abandoning Afghanistan: Trying to Process It All
Air Force veteran Joseph Nolla reflects on the difficulty making sense of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in the aftermath of the withdrawal of US troops, as well as the conduct of the war itself. As painful as the fall of Afghanistan is, finding God in this moment is both a challenging and necessary task.
Is Defending God Always Helpful? Reflecting on O Death, Where is Thy Sting?
O Death, Where is Thy Sting: A Meditation on Suffering, a new book by Brother Joe Hoover doesn’t offer theodicies or justifications of God’s goodness; it is a collection of thoughts from a man trying to process the suffering in the world.