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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Ascension Day
Have you ever been away from home for a long time? And then you finally get back home, and suddenly, you walk into your house, and all of the fears, anxieties, and worries dissolve, and you feel safe. It’s amazing. And this Sunday, we celebrate the ascension, which is Jesus Christ going back home. The crazy thing is that this is not just for Jesus. This is for us. We one day will be…
God Stays
So, two couples I’m preparing for marriage chose this Sunday’s Gospel for their wedding. So, I asked both couples the same question: “Why did you choose this reading?” Couple number one responded, “Yeah, we chose this gospel because it was the shortest option.” And I was like, “Bruh.” The second couple replied, “We chose this gospel because God wants to remain with us…
Strong and Unbreakable
So, when I was a kid, something traumatic happened to me. Plants invaded our house. Vines from the outside got so strong that they started to destroy our brick wall. You can see my dad peeling off that plant carpet that got so strong that it was destroying our brick. In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches.” Jesus is the great unifier. We are all…
The Holy Name of Jesus
So, the coat of arms in my archdiocese is epic. It shows a phoenix, which is a symbol of resurrection. And on the chest of the phoenix is the IHS, which is the holy name of Jesus. And so, in the first reading for this Sunday, Saint Peter, our first pope, heals a man by the holy name of Jesus. He can heal because of his name because Jesus’ name is mighty. In the Old Testament…
Resurrection of the Body
So, Captain America is obviously the best out of all the superheroes. When he receives the soldier serum, he becomes more of himself. He doesn’t become less of himself. He becomes perfected. Before the serum, he was weak, but he was good. After the serum, he is still good and perfected. This is precisely what Jesus says in the gospel today: that we believe in the…
Glass Half-Empty or Overflowing
Okay, so maybe you are a glass-half-empty kind of person, or you are like me, and you are a glass overflowing. Everything is awesome all of the time, and nothing is ever wrong kind of person. But in the Gospel for this Sunday, St. Thomas the Apostle is a glass-half-empty kind of person. He is very skeptical. Something is intriguing happening here. Thomas, a man…
I Wrote A Book!
Exciting news! Fr. Tim Anastos wrote a book, and we want to give you a free copy! If you support Reel Homilies with a recurring donation of $10 per month or more, we will send you a copy of Jesus, Make Me Fully Alive. This book features 30 Holy Hour reflections to help you grow in your prayer life. Set up your donation, and we will send you a copy of the book!
Pentecost 2024
Okay, so I promise I am not a pagan. In Greek mythology, the God Prometheus steals heavenly fire and gives it to the people on earth. The gods, especially Zeus, are so upset that they condemn Prometheus to eternal punishment because they are jealous and want to withhold the fire. This is the crazy thing. Today, on Pentecost, it’s the opposite, that our Father in Heaven gives us his fire…