Petersboat

The title of this episode is a reference to the film, The Crossing Guard, which I mention toward the end of the reflection in the hope of illustrating the way that Christ can be of the greatest help to us, if we would open our heart to Him. Of course, it is a scary thing even to acknowledge our desire for God - as terrifying as the seemingly infinite space of the cosmos.

Looking forward to the end of time with hope requires conceiving of our lives by the Holy Spirit in light of the promises God makes to us in the Scriptures, which are themselves inspired by the Holy Spirit. The hope we find in them enables us to overcome the deception of the evil spirit.

If being together at Mass on Sundays is called "practicing the Faith" that means the world is our playing field, which means that Christ is training us to give thanks to God always and everywhere.

The root system of the mulberry tree is deep and complicated, not unlike the human heart, the ground beneath our feelings and emotions. It's a great thing to believe in God. But it's altogether heroic to trust in Him when our emotions are revolting against His will. When that happens, the mulberry tree of our lives has truly been unrooted and planted in the sea of His mercy.

Sometimes we walk too far behind Christ, weighed down by regret. And sometimes we walk too far ahead, worried about the future. But the person in front of us, in the present, is offering us an encounter with God. The victory of Christ moves us beyond our fear, enabling us to love that person.

So much of this world is man-made that it's a lot like The Truman Show. But Christ comes into our lives, like Sylvia into Truman's, emboldening us, by the way that He looks at us, to escape into the truth about reality, and to find Him by always seeking His face.  

Treatments like chemotherapy, for example, are in some ways similar to Christ's death on the cross; they are necessary evils; one heals cancer, the other sin. In this episode, I argue that political debate is also a necessary evil, because we need laws now to intervene where once (before the fall of man) there was the bond of love. I also propose that the necessary evil of the handing over of Tyler Robinson by his parents may prove to be the most unlikely source of healing for those wounded by the loss of Charlie Kirk. I end with a word of hope that young people (especially those on college campuses) will find places to argue that best facilitate an encounter with love, which alone fulfills the Law.

Dealing with God will always mean dying to that part of us that resists seeing things from his perspective.

This is the first episode of a new segment called, "The Monday After," offering a series of reflections following the Sunday Mass. 

The journey of Father Walter Ciszek through Soviet prisons is both harrowing and enlightening. Listeners hear about the struggles of faith under communism, where spiritual longing clashes with ideology. Engaging discussions reveal the deeper meanings of life and the resilience found in adversity. The simplicity yet profound nature of faith comes to light, encouraging a personal connection with God. Ultimately, the narrative underscores the transformative power of belief amidst life's complexities.