Reflections

The Sacraments: Introduction

In our Baptism Preparation class, we will often ask if the collective group can name all 7 sacraments in the Catholic Church.  Typically, it’s fairly easy to come up with 6, but the last one usually stumps our young parents [read more...]

Lenten Hunger Pangs

The readings for this Sunday speak about physical and spiritual thirst and hunger. In the first reading, the Chosen People found themselves irritable and impatient because they lacked food and water. They started to doubt God’s care, asking: Is God [read more...]

Jesus Was Born to a Teen Mom

This is a story about people jumping to conclusions and judging others without grace or mercy. And it’s also a story of incredible grace and forgiveness. This is a story about people jumping to conclusions and judging others without grace [read more...]

Divinized

When Jesus was transfigured before the Apostles, they saw what Jesus would look like in all of His glory after the Resurrection. In the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches, the Transfiguration is understood as Christ revealing to the Apostles what [read more...]

Jesus Had to Control His Outrage, Too

If anyone knew the temptation to retaliate, it was Jesus. He was spit upon. He was falsely accused. He was challenged by powerful men and even mocked publicly. But how did Jesus respond? Sometimes he said nothing. Other times, he [read more...]

Lent’s Spiritual Desert

“Lent is a new beginning, a path leading to the certain goal of Easter, Christ’s victory over death. This season urgently calls us to conversion. Christians are asked to return to God ‘with all their hearts’ (Joel 2:12), to refuse [read more...]

Deacon’s Beacon: Lent, Time to Develop a Deeper Relationship with God

Today is the first Sunday of Lent – it’s a time for us to focus on our relationship with God – where our Lenten Journey with Jesus Christ will take us this year.  Based on current events in our world, [read more...]

Jesus Felt Heartbreak, Too

Jesus had great compassion. Everywhere he went, he sought to alleviate suffering. He ministered to the sick, injured, and outcasts. In those days, people who were afflicted with leprosy were isolated in leper colonies. While others shunned them, Jesus treated [read more...]

Why is Your Religion the Right One?

There are thousands of religions out there. So, why think Christianity is the right one? And why Catholic Christianity in particular? On this episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and Bishop Robert Barron discuss these challenges which [read more...]

How Baptism Changes Everything

When we’re baptized, we become adopted sons or daughters of God. We become “children of God”. So… does that mean we aren’t children of God before that? And if we aren’t… what are we? Today, Fr. Mike explains to us [read more...]