by Mike Costanzo | Jun 22, 2022 | Faith, Reflections
Everyone knows that we here in America are in the midst of an all-out culture war regarding guns and their place in society. And in this skirmish, most of the pro-gun rhteoric presupposes the sanctity of a little thing called “self-defense.” This tenet of U.S. law is...
by Mike Costanzo | Dec 25, 2021 | Devotion, Reflections
Every year, everyone asks my kids if they’ve been good this year. Why? Because, as the legend goes, if they’ve been good then they’ll get presents. Not only that, but the presents-to-goodness ratio is directly proportionate, so the more goodness, the more presents...
by Mike Costanzo | Feb 9, 2013 | Devotion, Reflections
Death. Nobody really likes to talk about it. And for good reason; it’s a raw, gritty topic that throbs with the pain of past losses, the fear of future losses, and the threat of the ultimate loss—ourselves. Even for Christians, who believe that death is...
by Mike Costanzo | Sep 17, 2012 | Devotion, Faith, Reflections
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.1 In the version of the Bible I read, the New Testament talks a lot about the “flesh”—that is, my sinful nature, the part of me that is hell-bent and always wanting to do...
by Mike Costanzo | May 24, 2012 | Devotion, Reflections
One of the things about my seminary experience that changed me for good was the opportunity to take introductory Greek and Hebrew classes. While I am no scholar and unfit to accurately translate anything not written by the apostle John on my own, I have nonetheless...
by Mike Costanzo | Apr 8, 2012 | Devotion, Faith, Reflections
This morning in church my pastor said something profound: Why don’t Christians make more of Easter? He didn’t mean it in a guilt-inducing, shame-on-you sort of way; that doesn’t help anybody. But he had a good point: on Christmas we give gifts and...
