Seeds of Truth Ministries

Joseph Hollcraft

More Blog Entries

Come and See

I still recall as a young boy walking to our local grocery store, and one of my older brothers going underneath a bridge to find some crayfish. At the time, I had no idea what he was doing, or why he would be doing anything other than getting to the... Read more

Stretch for God

What is the first thing we do when we wake up in the morning—if not, before we get out of bed? Stretch (and yawn). We do this instinctively. Our bodies need to stretch after a good night’s rest, because it loosens our muscles and helps blood circulation. Stretching is more... Read more

The Son Becomes the Father and the Father Becomes the Son

In June of 2006 my wife and I went to the theatre to watch Superman Returns. As usual, I did not leave disappointed: from the imaginative cinematography to the engaging storylines, the movie moved swiftly along, but it was one encounter that had the hair on my skin stand up... Read more
  • 1 of 13
  • >

A Vision from the Hilltop

We believe that God created the world according to his wisdom. It is not the product of any necessity whatever, nor of blind fate or chance. We believe that it proceeds from God's free will; he wanted to make his creatures share in his being, wisdom and goodness: ‘For you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created’(Rev.4:11). Therefore, the Psalmist exclaims: ‘O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom, you have made them all’ (Ps 104:24); and ‘The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made’” (CCC 295).

This past week my extended family made the trip to Lake Tahoe. Among other things, we made the hike up to Eagle Lake. At the halfway point up the hike—a good 400 feet above Lake Tahoe, I turned around to behold an extraordinary sight: the water beyond the water; the pine trees beyond the pine trees; the rock beyond the rock. My eyes beheld the overwhelming beauty that is Lake Tahoe and all the interconnectedness of the pristine blue water, towering pine trees, and massive rock. 

It was then I sensed God inviting me to contemplate the deeper meaning of this encounter with God’s creation. Saint Thomas Aquinas once said, “all wisdom begins with a vision from the hilltop.” In principle, once you have access to higher ground, you now have a broader vision that allows you to see one aspect of creation in the light of the whole. 

In the spiritual life, wisdom is a taste, an inclination of how one thing belongs to the whole of something else. Consequently, the wise person gains insight into the way things ought to be understood—not as a concurrence of events that have no perceptible connection, but as a series of interlocking events that are bound by God’s sovereign care. God, in his providential love, will use whatever it takes to bring about the greater good for our salvation. Whether it be an unsuspecting encounter with another person, event in your life, sickness, or holiday trip, no one thing should ever be viewed as independent from God’s larger plan. There was never a moment in the life of Christ where he looked at a situation and said: “that’s a coincidence.”

As Father, God invites us to contemplate the meaning beyond the meaning, that we might discover His providential love in the many hills and valleys of our everyday life (encounters, events, sicknesses and holiday trips).

As I look back on my time in Lake Tahoe, it was clear to me that God used creation—His first love letter to man, to inspire within me a deeper sense of what Saint Thomas Aquinas intended to mean when he said, “all wisdom begins with a vision from the hilltop.” And I am forever grateful for it, and hopefully all the wiser!

View Dr. Hollcraft's author profile on Amazon
Unleashing the Power of Intercessory Prayer - Book Cover

“Hollcraft's book engagingly integrates his personal experience with the luminous witness of Scripture and the overflowing holiness of the saints to help you maximize the effectiveness of your intercessory prayer.”
Bishop Liam Cary
Diocese of Baker, Oregon

“With this book, Hollcraft opens the door to the humble act of praying for others and invites us, through practical and accessible tips, to step through that door with trust.”
Dr. Anthony Lilles
Author and Academic Dean of Saint Patrick's Seminary, Menlo Park (CA)

"As I read through these pages, I am reminded of our beautiful calling to pray for others, and Dr. Hollcraft explains here how to do so in deepest intimacy with Jesus Christ!"
Fr. Dave Pivonka T.O.R.
President of Franciscan University of Steubenville

Buy Now on Amazon.com

Buy Now from Sophia Institute Press

A Heart for Evangelizing - Book Cover

“Evangelization is never about numbers, and never about programs. It’s one heart setting another on fire. With this book, Dr. Hollcraft helps us keep the home fires burning—even as we set the world ablaze with Christ.”
Mike Aquilina
Award-winning author of more than 40 popular books

“Hollcraft wonderfully displays the tapestry of Catholic life and evangelization by weaving solid Catholic teaching, its application to the modern world, and clearly expressed examples that bring out the light and shadows of this beautiful picture.”
Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J.
Author, television host, Senior Fellow of the St. Paul Center
for Biblical Theology

"In a world of burgeoning textbooks and media, the reminder that  catechesis is inescapably a personal task to which we are all called, through a cooperation with the redeeming and educative work of the Person of the Holy Trinity, is a timely and important one."
Dr. Petroc Willey
Professor of Catechetics, Franciscan University of Steubenville

Buy Now on Amazon.com

Buy Now from Emmaus Road