Spirit Juice is proud to present Reel Homilies from Father Tim Anastos, associate chaplain of the St. John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Illinois-Chicago. In these minute-long reflections, Father Tim will unpack the Sunday Gospel readings through the lenses of Church tradition, pop culture, and self-improvement. We hope these reflections serve to inspire your own thoughts on the Gospel and bring you closer to Christ…as well as bring a smile to your face.
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Truly, Interiorly, Fulfilled
So, when I was a senior in college, I got offered a job with the FBI. And I remember when that moment happened, I felt interiorly so empty, which is crazy because here’s what the world is saying. This will make you happy. This will make you fulfilled. It felt empty at the time because I knew the Lord was calling me to something else. He was calling me to something that would…
Shining Light in the Dark
So why does Batman only come out at night? Because that’s when the criminals come out. You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it. Criminals prefer working in the darkness rather than the light. And so in the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus says, “The light came into the world, “but people prefer darkness to the light.” The reality is that we are all criminals. We love to keep…
Let Jesus Clean House
This happens in professional sports all of the time. A team is on a losing streak. The owner is not happy. And so the owner brings in a new coach to clean house. In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus enters the temple and cleans house. He is not satisfied with his home being violated. The crazy thing is that we are also a home for Jesus. We also have a temple within our hearts for the…
The Most Important Position
So it’s about time we talked about Quidditch, which is obviously a real sport. After consulting many experts, the reality is that the most important position is not the seeker, the keeper, or the chasers; the two beaters on the field are protecting the rest of the team, enabling everyone to feel safe. If this makes no sense, stay with me. In the second reading for this Sunday…
Blessed Lent 2024
Okay, guys, this is it. It is happening. Lent 2024. It is finally here, and this will be the best lent ever for us. Jesus says in the gospel today, “Repent and believe in the gospel.” We are called to believe the gospel. CS Lewis, an absolute spiritual savage, said, “You should never believe anything unless you think it’s true.” And so the amazing reality is that…
Ash Wednesday
It is Ash Wednesday, so we may go up to receive ashes today, and we might not know what we’ll get. You might get the classics, the X marks the spot, the perfectionist, the Harry Potter, the NFL, the Picasso, or the Twinsie, or you could get the double wide. Whatever you receive, whatever is on the exterior. The reality is that you have…
Obedience Vs. Disobedience
So, the word “obey” has developed a negative connotation. When we are called to obey someone, it’s cringe. But “obey” comes from a Latin word which means to listen to. For example, when we obey the Lord, we listen to Him and what the heart of Jesus desires. In the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus asks the leper to obey. He says, “Do not tell anyone about this.” And what does the leper do? He disobeys. And so the…
Palm Sunday 2024
So this weekend is Palm Sunday, which means that we will hear from the entire Passion of Jesus Christ at mass. So, prepare your body to stand for a long time. What is so beautiful about this Sunday is that we learn about God’s infinite love. Jesus Christ goes to the greatest lengths to prove His love for us. This is so beautiful because, as Christians, this Palm Sunday reminds…