When we see Jesus spend an entire night with Nicodemus, we remember that he calls us to evangelization. Nicodemus came to Jesus because he was intrigued, and Jesus found the right words for the evangelization of this honored member of the Sanhedrin. How ready are you to help someone come into the fullness of the faith? Are you able to move someone from curiosity to conversion? Melissa came into the faith because of a camping trip with a friend in... Read more
What are we really doing at Mass? Is it just a remembrance or are we re-enacting a sacrifice? Why do we have to use bread and wine—wouldn’t it still work if we represented the Last Supper with Oreo cookies and Coca Cola? Anyone versed in ministry has probably encountered some funky attempts to answer these questions, some more successful than others. The answer, though, is quite clear: for a Catholic Mass to take place, we need bread and wine. Heart... Read more
The Catholic world is abuzz about the new movie Cabrini from Angel Studios. This year, March 8 – International Women’s Day – will feature a movie about an exceptionally strong, Catholic woman who transformed the way a nation would see immigrants. Alejandro Monteverde, award-winning director of Sound of Freedom, directed this movie as well, so we can expect it to be a first-class experience. Her life remains relevant by highlighting topics such as immigration and the role of women in... Read more
It is easy to feel distracted at Mass and this is frustrating because we know that the Eucharistic Celebration should excite us. When we feel disconnected from the story behind what is happening, we can experience feelings of tedium and boredom. This is unfortunate because every Mass is actually quite packed with action. The Mass re-presents the sacrifice of Calvary, and this leads to three very exciting things happening at every Mass. Christ is eaten, the mind is filled with... Read more
It can be painful to handle our anger as Christians. It is easy for us to feel ashamed about feeling angry, thinking this emotion is un-Christian. On the other hand, we may justify our anger as “righteous anger,” finding enjoyment in feeling livid all the time. Then, we seem like radicals with an axe to grind. Both perspectives miss the mark. I remember a story about a man who was a recovering drug addict. Deep down, he recognized that his... Read more
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet). Since this sacrament is central to a Catholic understanding of the world, it is all the more important that we get to comprehend it as much as we can. There are many names we use to describe the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and each one can help us to appreciate different aspects of this great gift that we receive. By reflecting on the various names, we... Read more
What would you do to save your child? Perhaps one of the most extreme examples is what Liam Neeson’s character Bryan Mills does in the box-office hit Taken. After his daughter is kidnapped, this retired CIA agent pulls out all the stops to rescue her, revealing his strong paternal instinct to defend his daughter at all costs. While most dads do not have the technical training in weapons and hand-to-hand combat that Neeson displays in the movie, the desire to... Read more
What makes something moral? Does God decide good and evil arbitrarily? The movie John Q poses a fascinating moral dilemma. The movie begins with a Little League baseball game, where suddenly a boy collapses. His family rushes him to the hospital and soon they find out that he needs a heart transplant to have any chance at survival. The news becomes even more devastating when they find out the cost of the surgery and that their insurance will not cover... Read more
To understand the sacrament of the Eucharist, it is important for us to understand symbols. What are some symbols from our everyday experience? Golden arches mean McDonald’s. A silhouette of a man and woman mean that the restroom is nearby. A printed “55” on a highway sign means that we should not drive faster than 55 miles per hour. These are all symbols that signify reality. Even though we may speak of the symbolic power of the Eucharist, we must... Read more
The Eucharist has always been at the center of the faith in the Catholic Church. Some theologians like to think that the sacraments were made up later, which is why I like looking to St. Justin Martyr. He is one of the earliest Christians and shows us that Catholic teaching on the Eucharist was present from the beginning. No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in... Read more
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