Author Archives: kmwanek

On Friday I texted my sibling group chat to see what we were getting our mom for Mother’s Day and then for her birthday a week later.  Of course, they had all decided on their own gifts, abandoning the idea of all going in on a gift together.  This left me trying to come upContinue reading “Giving to the One who Gives Everything”

When it comes to driving and navigating, I have no sense of direction and I get lost easily.  One time in high school, I was leaving a meeting at night and needed to follow someone to find my way back from a church that is ten minutes from my house.  Needless to say, my directionalContinue reading “Finding the Way”

There are a lot of different names for Jesus and many different ways we can picture him.  Good Shepherd is one of my favorite titles for who Jesus is.  Just as a shepherd gathers his sheep and protects them, Jesus gathers us up as his flock and protects us.  He calls out to us asContinue reading “Following the Good Shepherd”

Reading through the Gospel for today (Monday 4/19), there is one part that stands out to me.  “Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.  Do not work for food that perishes butContinue reading “Food that Endures”

On Friday I was writing a talk that I had to give at a retreat the next day.  I was asked to give a reflection for Saturday’s retreat back in February.  Why did I wait until the last minute to write the talk?  There is no real reason I can think of besides the busynessContinue reading “We Need Retreats”

“What joy we have, For the stone is rolled away And the tomb holds nothing now. No sting of death, No power over sin or grave…”  As Christians, this is what Easter is about!  Nothing can keep us from the joy of Jesus’ resurrection and nothing can steal that joy away.  The amazing thing aboutContinue reading “What Joy we Have”

Holy Week is upon us.  When I was a kid, I knew Holy Week to be the important week where we had to go to church three or four days in a row.  As Catholics we are not just asked to go to church multiple days, we are called to fully participate in the liturgiesContinue reading “The Week that Changed the World”

I remember the first time I heard the concept of sharing pronouns.  I was in college when I first heard people discussing this.  It was at this point in time that I realized just how lost and confused our society was.  Now, it is on a regular basis that I see lists of pronouns inContinue reading “Male and Female He Created Them”

I’ve worked at a dining and banquet hall for the past 10 years.  One thing I’ve seen time and time again is just how impatient some people can be.  Some groups who come in on Sundays for the family style chicken dinner seem to never be satisfied.  As soon as one platter of chicken isContinue reading “Being Patient with God”

A few days ago, I was thinking about how people define themselves.  Oftentimes, it seems like we let our jobs and what we do define us.  Other times we think our failures and weaknesses say who we are.  Do we find our identities in our job titles or in God?  Do we allow what weContinue reading “Who are We?”