One of the things that I get a kick out of when watching our grandchildren is seeing how restless they can get—and knowing that eventually we will return those restless children to their parents to deal with! On a spiritual level, we never really outgrow that restlessness. We continually seek rest or fulfillment in any number of things. In reality, as St. Augustine famously wrote, “our hearts are restless, Lord, until they find rest in you.” […]
One of the traditional characteristics of royalty is someone who leads an army into battle. Before Israel had a king, they would go into battle led by the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the presence of Almighty God in their midst. Eventually, the Ark of the Covenant was lost to history. However, Christians see Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as the new “Ark of the Covenant”—one who bears within her the presence of the […]
In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore the significance of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 15). The feast reminds us of the seamless connection between body and soul, as Mary was assumed into heaven body and soul. Catholicism is not a dualistic faith that ignores the physical in favor of the spiritual. Rather, we see the two realities as intertwined. The Feast of the Assumption calls us to appreciate more deeply […]
I’m sure you can think of an experience in which you felt that someone you thought you knew showed their “true colors.” To show your true colors means to reveal yourself as you really are, for better or for worse. The Feast of the Transfiguration tells us the story of when Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the mountaintop and showed them his “true colors.” He revealed himself as he really is: the Son […]
Except for when we may be engaged in contemplative prayer or Adoration, we Catholics rarely sit still. Even when we worship at Mass, we sit, stand, kneel, genuflect, bow, cross ourselves, and walk in procession. We are a people “on the move“—pilgrim people. One of the most profound examples of this embodiment of our faith is the concept of a pilgrimage, and the “gold standard” of pilgrimages is, of course, the Camino de Santiago (Way […]
With the advent of social media, each of us now has the opportunity to be the herald of news, good or bad. And with that, of course, comes the desire to “break the story” and scoop everyone else. If there were a patron saint for this it would be St. Mary Magdalene, the first to announce the Resurrection of Jesus to others! In today’s Pop-Up Catechesis, we look at the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene (July […]
Now that summer is here, it feels so good to get outside, especially given all of the restrictions we have been living under in recent months due to the pandemic. The beauty of nature reminds us that all of creation is a wonderful gift from God that we need to take care of. In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore the Feast of St. Kateri Tekakwitha (July 14), patroness of the environment and ecology. […]
Rivalries can be harmful, but they can also be productive as rivals seek to “up their game” to keep up with and perhaps outdo the other. In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we look at the rivalry between Saints Peter and Paul, whose feast we celebrate on June 29, and how the two were able to set aside their rivalry to work toward the same goal: spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends […]
I’m sure you’re familiar with a TV commercial that asks, “What’s in your wallet?” In a life of faith, we ask a different question: “What’s in your heart?” In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore what is in the hearts of Jesus and Mary as we prepare to celebrate the feasts of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary (June 19 and 20, 2020, respectively). For more information […]
During this pandemic, we’ve had to restrict our presence to virtual for occasions that we normally and preferably would be really and truly present. In today’s episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we look at the concept of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist as we prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). For more information about the Real Presence and the celebration of the […]
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