So, you know that part of the Mass where everyone has received communion, and then the priest sits down. Everyone in the church then follows the priest and sits down, and it’s like this great relief. It’s this great sigh. And what’s so awesome is that we feel this great relief because everything has been accomplished. Everything is finished. We get to be with the Lord. And so, that is the Ascension that we celebrate today—the resurrected Jesus, after being with the apostles for 50 days. After Jesus lived on earth for 33 years, he finally could sit at the Father’s right hand, that he is in union with the Father and the Holy Spirit in heaven. Everything has now been accomplished. Everything is finished.
And so, this is just a fantastic time to be happy for Jesus, to rejoice in his joy. My invitation for everyone today is to celebrate the resurrection, celebrate the fact that Jesus is with his dad and let’s glorify him like rock stars.
Reel Homilies with Father Tim Anastos is free to watch, but it’s not free to produce! Generous donors make it possible for us to continue creating this content. If you enjoy Reel Homilies, please consider making a monthly tax-deductible gift. Spirit Juice Entertainment Group (SJEG) is the non-profit arm of Spirit Juice Studios. It is a 501(c)3 organization that relies on your support to continue creating original, authentically Catholic content that reaches thousands of people each week through our website and social media channels.
Start a new monthly donation and receive an array of Reel Homilies and Spirit Juice swag in gratitude for your generosity. For more information, please visit our Reel Homilies Support page.
To qualify, you must donate a minimum of $10 per month. All gifts in between will be rounded down to the nearest package amount. Please allow 6-8 weeks for your package to be shipped. Questions? Contact us at [email protected]. Your donation is tax-deductible within the United States, and we will provide a tax receipt for your records.
-
Embrace The Ordinary
Imagine yourself three years ago. What were you like? Most likely, you have grown and matured, and the vast majority of those three years were probably really ordinary; they were probably boring. We are now in ordinary time, and the Gospel is for this Sunday. The disciples begin their three-year journey with Jesus. Imagine the disciples at the beginning of this time, and imagine who they are at the end of that time…
-
Face to Face with Jesus
What happens when you come face to face with the God of the universe? You don’t want to leave.
At a recent retreat, students encountered Jesus in a powerful way and many of them said the same thing: “I don’t want to go. I just want to stay.” In His presence, everything else fades.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Peter, James, and John experience that same reality at the Transfiguration. Overwhelmed by glory, they want to pitch tents and remain there with Him.
This Lent, keep it simple: make space to sit in the presence of Jesus. Stay. Listen. Let Him meet you there.
-
Kingdom of Heaven
A rare Pokémon card can be worth thousands of dollars, and for one student, getting that treasure took years of saving, trading, and sacrifice.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a treasure hidden in a field. When someone finds it, they’re willing to sell everything to gain it. That kind of desire makes us ask: what treasure are we really chasing?
The Kingdom of Heaven is worth infinitely more than anything we can collect, earn, or own. It is eternity with Jesus, the greatest treasure we could ever seek.
