Reflections
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I Can’t Believe It’s Not Jesus!
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in ReflectionsIn some ways, Wiccans are more Catholic than Catholics. For over two thousand years, the Catholic Church has maintained its understanding of transubstantiation, which is the belief that during Mass, the bread and wine used for Communion become the actual, literal body and blood of Jesus Christ. We know, it’s a hard teaching. People have…
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Just Like Judas?
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in ReflectionsThere are certain bad guys in the Bible we like to jeer: Pharaoh. Goliath. The Pharisees. We often treat them as one-dimensional villains, condescendingly shaking our heads at their failings and rolling our eyes at their hard-headedness. You only had one job, Adam and Eve! Take a chill pill, Cain! I can’t believe you keep…
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Ready to Ash Your Phone?
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in ReflectionsLet’s play a game. I am thinking of a person, place, or thing that, if you are reading this, likely plays a very important role in your life. Let’s see if you can guess what I am describing… ______ is always with us. ______ is the first thing we check in with each morning and…
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I Didn’t Get Anything Out of Mass
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in ReflectionsThis is a common complaint (one I’ve uttered myself more times than I care to admit!). Eventually I realized a few things. Mass does not exist to serve me. It’s not a movie, a rock concert, or a Tony Robbins motivational seminar. It’s not something you roll up to with a pair of 3D glasses…
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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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Have 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…