Author: Jason
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Acts of God
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in ReflectionsEvidently, all lawyers and insurance companies believe in God. After all, they regularly use the term “Act of God” in legal contexts, insurance policies, and contracts. In such cases, an Act of God is a natural event that occurs without human intervention and for which no one can be held responsible. Some examples include earthquakes,…
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The Immaculate Tour Guide
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in ReflectionsThe Mass is boring. I grew up Catholic, and when I was a kid, that’s how I felt. And I’ll admit that there have even been times as an adult when I find my mind wandering or glance down to check my watch. And yet…ever since my youth, despite my occasional lack of enthusiasm for…
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The Greatest Superhero
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in ReflectionsI was leading a Bible study with my kids and their homeschool friends recently. We were digging into the story in Matthew in which Jesus sent his Apostles out on a mission. He gave them some of his superpowers: casting out demons, healing the sick, cleansing lepers, and raising the dead. I asked the kids…
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St. Teresa of Avila Friended Me
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in ReflectionsHave you ever had a saint “friend” you? Although I was born way back in the 1900s, I know that in our online world, to have a person “friend” you means they are adding you to their list of friends on a social media site, essentially including you in their social circle and expressing an…
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The Evil Fisherman
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in ReflectionsThe devil is a liar. But sometimes he tells the truth. A fisherman can’t just throw a line with a hook attached to it into the water and expect to catch any fish. He has to conceal the hook by pairing it with a shiny lure or a juicy worm. Likewise, the devil can’t just…
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Front Row Seats
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in ReflectionsOur parish used to have an associate pastor with a penchant for calling on people at Mass. It was well-intentioned, but that didn’t make it any less uncomfortable. Needless to say, the very front pews in his Masses were quite sparse. Our family usually planted ourselves somewhere in the middle of the church; close enough…
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Summoning Your Saint Posse
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in ReflectionsWhen J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings, he gave us a vibrant metaphor for the Christian life. In many ways, we are all Frodo. We are all on a mission, called to take up our cross and wage war against evil and darkness. We’ve each been given a task only we can complete,…
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Getting Off the Merry-Go-Round
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in ReflectionsI love this time of year. As cliche as it is, there’s something about January that invites us to revel in possibility. There is so much potential and limitless opportunity. Unfortunately, too often I choose “all of the above.” And it’s not long before I’m an overwhelmed, stressed-out mess, resentful of my mile-long to-do list…
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The Christmas Jerk
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in ReflectionsDo you know the underrated villain of the Christmas story? No, not King Herod. He’s definitely the worst, but he also hogs the limelight. I’m referring to the innkeeper. “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for…
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Jiggety Jig
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in ReflectionsLet’s talk about jigs. Not the lively dance with leaping movements, but rather the device for guiding a tool or for holding machine work in place. The older I get, the more I appreciate that the Church has liturgical seasons. I’ve come to think of them as jigs that keep us on track spiritually. And this world has no…