June 14

by David Lins  |  06/14/2020  |  (Being) Catholic Matters

I experience anxiety anytime I open my mouth these days. The avalanche of statistics, articles, video, and opinions on virtually any topic can leave anyone feeling woefully unprepared to speak out with any modicum of conviction.

But there are some things I know...

Today is the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. It is the day we celebrate our Lord sharing himself with every single human who chooses to accept that it is his Body and Blood.

This is key, because once again, Jesus sets the standard.

Continue

St. Philip Neri

by Fr. Jess Ty  |  06/14/2020  |  Weekly Reflection

Dear Family of God,

Do you know a story about what St. Philip Neri did when he saw someone leaving church right after Communion?

He sent servers with candles and bells to accompany the man. The guy stormed back into the Church and confronted the priest. "What kind of joke is this?" he demanded. St. Philip Neri said, "It's no joke. The rules of the liturgy say the Blessed Sacrament should be treated with reverence. You left the Church immediately with no prayer of thanksgiving. You were carrying the Blessed Sacrament within you. So I asked the boys to accompany you to honor Him."

After Communion you and I are tabernacles - the physical presence of Jesus continues in us for a brief time. That's why we have the Communion hymn, a time of silence, the Communion Prayer -- and even the announcements, to build up the Body of Christ in practical ways. I encourage you to use well the time after Communion to say thanks, to express your gratitude, and to pray for one another. Pray that we will all be bearers of God’s love to our broken world.

Continue

Who is the Holy Trinity?

by Fr. Jess Ty  |  06/07/2020  |  Weekly Reflection

Dear Family of God,

What is Holy Trinity? Or more precisely, who is the Holy Trinity?

The Catechism teaches that “by sending his Son and the Holy Spirit of love in the fullness of time, God has revealed his innermost secret: God himself is an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and He has destined us to share in that exchange” (CCC 221).

Jesus is the revelation of the Father; He became Man to show us the Father. He became human like us, so He can show us the Love of the Father. He came so that we can share in the eternal exchange of love of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Christ saves us from sin and selfishness so that we can share in the total self-giving love of the Holy Trinity through our union with Him, and through the Holy Spirit.

Continue

June 7

by David Lins  |  06/07/2020  |  (Being) Catholic Matters

I rarely do this, but because of two particular emails I received in response to last week’s email blast about fear—and due to current events—I’d like to add a bit to those thoughts. (Don’t stop halfway through.)

In Batman Begins, a character named Scarecrow releases a fear toxic across Gotham City. It feels like the devil has done the same thing to our land.

As I write this, we are dealing with a declared pandemic, people have died, many more have become unemployed, a fire has broken out just miles from the church and has destroyed several homes, those sworn to protect and serve are murdering people on camera, riots are spreading across the land, a curfew has been imposed on law-abiding citizens...and who could forget the murder hornets.

Continue