Reflections

  • St. Teresa of Avila Friended Me

    St. Teresa of Avila Friended Me

    by

    Jason
    in ,

    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…

  • The Evil Fisherman

    The Evil Fisherman

    by

    Jason
    in

    The 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…

  • Front Row Seats

    Front Row Seats

    by

    Jason
    in

    Our 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…

  • Summoning Your Saint Posse

    Summoning Your Saint Posse

    by

    Jason
    in ,

    When 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,…

  • Getting Off the Merry-Go-Round

    Getting Off the Merry-Go-Round

    by

    Jason
    in

    I 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…

  • The Christmas Jerk

    The Christmas Jerk

    by

    Jason
    in

    Do 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…

  • Jiggety Jig

    Jiggety Jig

    by

    Jason
    in

    Let’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…

  • The Thing About Gifts

    The Thing About Gifts

    by

    Jason
    in

    You don’t need to put a gift in a box and wrap it in fancy paper for it to be a gift. It’s still a thoughtful and generous gesture of love or appreciation. But the wrappings add mystery, magic, and a key ingredient that makes it truly special: anticipation. Anticipation is one of two things we’ve…

  • An Invitation to Be Quiet

    An Invitation to Be Quiet

    by

    Kim
    in

    A prayer for my Sweet 16 daughter, Lucy, who celebrates her birthday on the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 💙 Take heart, dear one. The world you were born into is loud, unkind, and crude. It will cast judgments on you and cancel you quickly. You are right to be afraid. Danger looms around each dark…

  • Jolly Old St. Nick

    Jolly Old St. Nick

    by

    Jason
    in ,

    St. Nicholas is in my “Saint Posse,” the name I’ve given the group of patron saints I feel especially close to and inspired by. It is thought that Nicholas may be the patron saint of more causes than any other saint, including children, sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, brewers, pawnbrokers, toymakers, unmarried people, students, and…