We think we’re most free when we can be in control. “I’m free when I get up every day and have control over my life and circumstances.” That’s not Catholic freedom, according to Jacque Philippe, but it is accepting reality as it is. We struggle with freedom because it’s hard to accept our weaknesses, and it’s pretty difficult to accept…
Getting into heaven is just like slacklining. If you’ve ever been to a college campus, you’ll notice those people who go on tightropes in the quad trying to balance on these slack lines. And so I’ve done it before, and I lasted about two seconds. The key is to keep your eyes forward and on the slack line. As soon as you start turning your head to the side or looking at other things, you lose your balance. You fall, whoa…
What makes us most free is this submission to God and this dependence on Him. Yes, freedom is dependent on obedience rather than doing whatever I want. When we fall in love with God and experience that love, this profound interior freedom takes place, and it becomes the most important thing in our lives — even to the point that it…
So I was just accused of being an arsonist. A student just sent me a message with this AI image of myself, saying, “Thank you for setting the university on fire with Jesus.” Jesus says in the Gospel for this Sunday, “I have come to set the Earth on fire and how I wish it were already blazing.” Jesus was in no way a mediocre person. You are not called to be a mediocre person. You are called to let Jesus set your heart…
What’s the most prevalent voice that you hear in your life? Is it God’s or someone’s/something else? We long to teach people how to pray, contemplative silence, inner recollection, and interior stillness are ways to live in a relationship with God. But, there’s a silver bullet to make people live in chaos and noise, exteriorly or interiorly. Every day, through general media…
Ever had to kick out a Cubs fan out of Sox Park? Yeah, that actually happened. It was a historic day, Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, was being honored with a special Mass at Sox Park. Chicago Catholics came out in full force, and so did one very bold Cubs fan. Naturally, I had to intervene. But it actually didn’t stop there. What happened next is we handed out free swag, grilled people on Pope Leo trivia, and turned the pre-Mass crowd into a full-on gameshow. From Dominican mix-ups to Room of Tears plot twists, this was not your typical Sunday at the ballpark. And as a South Sider, seeing Sox Park packed for Mass, with the Pope’s name echoing in the stands, was something I’ll never forget. Moments in this video include: Warning a Cubs fan at the gate (out of love, obviously) Trivia with Sisters, strangers, and Chicago cops Goofy guesses, deep-cut Catholic questions, and free T-shirts A joyful celebration of Pope Leo XIV—Chicago’s own 🙏 This video’s part faith, part fun, and 100% Chicago.
Girding your loins 101. Number one, be a bro from the ancient world wearing your tunic. Number two, take the bottom of your tunic and tuck it into your belt. Number three, create an ancient cargo short feature, and now you are ready to go. You’re prepared to lift heavy things, to go for a nice run. You are prepared to do battle. When Jesus says, “gird your loins” in the gospel, he is saying, “be in the position to be…
How are you able to receive and communicate with God? Silence is the divine language. God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit love and communicate in eternal silence; if we want to look at and learn about God, we must let ourselves be moved by that. However, the world has become a place of radical noise, trying to rob us of the experience of God, and there’s…
So lately, my internet algorithm has been leading me to practical self-help stuff. So apparently, I need help. But the reality is, most of us attend self-help groups because we want to grow. We want to grow in our social skills and our health: Jesus and the gospel offer efficient guidance. Jesus says, Don’t store up treasures and riches for yourself. That will not fulfill you, that will not satisfy you, that will not bring you…
“I haven’t believed enough that he is enough.” That’s what Br. Angelo says as a guest on this episode, and how true is it for each of us? Even when we experience God’s goodness, repeatedly and in big and small ways, it can be a struggle to keep believing that God is enough. He is LORD. He is enough, and we only…
