Author Archives: kmwanek

The Christmas season is always a beautiful time in the Church. The 4:00 PM Christmas Eve mass I attended was full, which is always a great sight to see. The birth of Jesus is one of the most significant events in history and one of the most important parts of our faith. If we trulyContinue reading “Christ the King”

On Sunday morning, I was at mass at a church in North Carolina.  I arrived 20 minutes early and the parking lot was already filling up.  By the time mass was going to start, the church, which can seat 750 people, was full.  It was to the point that ushers were walking around finding spaceContinue reading “A Deep Inner State”

Winter is in full swing here in Wisconsin.  And that means cold and snow.  I will quickly admit that winter is not my favorite season.  I prefer warmth and sunshine and enjoy the heat of summer, which is always much too short.  Winter brings slippery roads, getting stuck, and shoveling.  But the long winters weContinue reading “Like a Snowfall”

Today’s Gospel reading reminds us of the importance of child-like faith.  God reveals Himself to us in so many ways, but we need to have eyes of faith.  We need to have trust and open hearts, willing to recognize all the ways He is showing up in our lives.  Are our eyes open to everythingContinue reading “Eyes that See”

Memento mori.  This latin phrase means “remember your death.”  Sometime in college, I came across the twitter account of Sister Theresa Aletheia, a sister with the Daughters of St. Paul.  She used this phrase as a hashtag daily and shared reflections on what it means, while also keeping a skull on her desk.  Her dailyContinue reading “Memento Mori”

In a confession I had last month, the priest talked about writing down 20 different things I was grateful for and doing that for a week.  I think this practice, even just thinking of these things and not writing them down, is something that would be beneficial for all of us.  A huge part ofContinue reading “Acknowledging our Blessings”

Last weekend, working on a TEC retreat, it was a powerful reminder that there is nothing or no one except for God who can transform people in such a short amount of time, in a matter of three days. To watch the retreatants arrive on Friday morning and to see their transformation as the weekendContinue reading “Transforming Hearts”

The Sunday mass readings from this past weekend had a temple theme, providing some powerful messages.  While there is a lot to unpack from the Gospel, it is the second reading that I want to reflect on.  The second reading that we heard from Corinthians is one of my favorite scripture passages.  It reminds usContinue reading “Temples of God”

Last week, vice president JD Vance was answering questions from students which included a question about religion.  In answering the question, Vance shared that he hopes his wife will someday be moved by the Church like he was and come to be a Christian.  People in the media lost their minds and Vance has facedContinue reading “That They May Come to Believe”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus chooses his 12 apostles.  The names of each of the 12 apostles is listed in the passage.  But before that, it says, “when day came, he called his disciples to himself” (Luke 6:13).  How does this line apply to our own lives?  We too are called to be disciples, and JesusContinue reading “Calling His Disciples”