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 us of the fact that each of us who are baptized are temples of God.  This should impact the way we view ourselves and also the way we treat others.

The second reading that we heard ends with these lines; “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).  At the time of baptism, we receive the Holy Spirit.  The fact that God dwells within us is amazing.  It also means that we need to act like temples of God, calling us to a higher way of living.

If God dwells within us, we need to act appropriately.  We must not defile our bodies, meaning we must strive for purity in body, mind, and heart.  We need to take care of our bodies, not drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, using drugs, or participating in other reckless behaviors.  What kind of language are we using?  The way we speak and the words we choose to use matters.  What forms of entertainment and media are we taking in?  What thoughts do we have?  With anything we do, say, and think, we should keep in mind the reality that we are temples of God.  This should change everything for us.  And when we fail to honor God, He welcomes us to come to Him and cleanse our temples, to be forgiven in the sacrament of reconciliation.

Do we recognize the presence of God, dwelling within others?  This should impact the way we interact with and treat the people around us.  We can and will encounter God through other people.  Do other people recognize the presence of God within us?  We can ask ourselves this question, reminding ourselves that we need to live in a way that honors God.

We are called to bring the presence of God wherever we go, remembering that the Holy Spirit is within us.  That God would choose to remain within us is a powerful reality that should impact our daily lives.  My prayer for today is that each of us would remember that we are temples of God and that He is calling us to honor Him by our lives.  

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 faced intense backlash from his comments.  However, Vance was not out of line in his comments.  As Christians and Catholics, we have the faith we do because we believe it to be true.  And if we believe something to be true, we should want everyone, especially the people we know and love, to have what we have.  The Gospel gives us The Great Commission, where Jesus tells us to “go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19).

We can respect other people’s religious beliefs or lack of while also hoping that they may come to embrace the faith that we have.  The media seems to not be aware of this concept.  Our faith is meant to be shared.  Jesus has tasked us with sharing the Gospel by the way we live, through our words and actions.  When we let our faith be reflected in our lives, it is not to force anyone to convert, but rather to hope that they might one day be drawn to Christ and come to believe.  We hope and pray that people’s hearts are touched and transformed, coming to make a decision for themselves.

As Catholics, we believe that Jesus Christ and His Church have the truth and have the power to transform lives.  After all, we’ve experienced it ourselves.  The beliefs we have do not mean that we hate other people who don’t have the same beliefs.  We can disagree with others and still love them.  Each and every single person is included in Jesus’ command to us to make disciples.  We should not be ashamed of our faith and should always be open to the ways God might use it to touch others.

A lot of people out there disagree with Catholics.  And they have the free will to do so.  But that should never stop us from living and sharing our faith and what we believe.  If we love Jesus, we likely have a deep desire for others to love Him too.  That’s what our faith is all about.  May we all continue to live and share our faith, praying that Jesus may draw others to Him through it!

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 Jesus calls us to Himself.

Jesus loves each one of us as individuals and in a personal way.  He knows us by name.  And He is continually calling us, wanting to draw us closer to Himself.  He calls us to know Him, to serve Him, to love Him, and to share Him with others.

Are we listening?  Do we respond to the ways Jesus calls us each day?  In order to do this, we need to remember that Jesus is the reason for our lives and gives our lives purpose and without Him, nothing else really matters.  We will surely fail to listen and respond how we should many times, but if we keep this reality in the forefront of our minds, we will be able to better do what He asks of us.

Jesus calls each of us to Himself.  As disciples, we are called to follow Jesus and bear witness to Him in the world around us.  It is only with His grace that we can listen and respond.  May we all be drawn closer to Jesus, becoming more like Him so we can do the work of being His disciples! 

October is Respect Life Month in the Catholic Church.  It is a time to reflect on the gift of life more deeply, to renew and increase our commitment to promoting a culture of life through prayer and action, and to recognize the dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death.  Every week of the month, I will be sharing a post on one of the many life issues in our world today.  

Assisted suicide, also commonly called physician-assisted suicide is a practice that is increasing  throughout the world and throughout the United States as 10 states plus Washington DC have legalized it, with the potential for more to move in this direction.  This evil and sad practice, disguised as something compassionate speaks volumes to the culture of death.

When I was in high school, there was a story in the news and media that I vividly remember, as it spread across the country.  The name Brittany Maynard quickly became known to many people all across the nation.  And what followed her name was the phrase “death with dignity.”  This was the first time I can recall hearing about physician assisted suicide.  Brittany was a young woman, only 29 years old, suffering with terminal brain cancer.  Her story was truly heart-breaking and I cannot imagine the pain and suffering that came with her brain cancer.  She went to Oregon, a state that has a “Death with Dignity” law, allowing terminally ill individuals to end their lives with medication from a physician.  She unfortunately made the choice to end her life in 2014.  Her choice was applauded by countless people, she was lauded as a hero and elevated as someone with great bravery and courage.  As I followed this story, I felt sad that this was an option in parts of the country.

Our lives are not ours to take.  God is the creator and author of our lives, which means life must always be respected and protected from conception to natural death.  When a person ends his or her own life through suicide, no one celebrates that.  So why do people accept assisted suicide and see it as good?

Suffering is a reality of life.  Some suffering takes away a person’s ability to do the things they used to do, to care for themselves, and to enjoy different activities.  But this does not diminish the person’s value.  A person’s value and dignity does not come from what they can achieve or accomplish, but it comes from God, and the simple fact of one’s existence is what gives that value.  There should be a greater focus on palliative care, medicine, and treatment options wherever possible and helping a person through their suffering in however much time they have left.

A few days ago, I read a story about a young woman in Colorado who had an eating disorder.  Instead of being treated for that, the doctors gave her lethal drugs to end her life.  (Thankfully, her dad was able to intervene and destroy the drugs.). This is the dangerous path that the legalization of assisted suicide can and will continue to go.  The elderly, seriously ill, and disabled may start to be seen more as burdens.  But as Catholics and Christians, we know that people are blessings and not burdens.  

People in our lives who experience any sort of suffering, whether major and long term, or minor and temporary, give us the opportunity to love and to serve, to be Christ to them and also see Christ in them.  Let us pray often for those who feel like choosing to end their lives is their only choice and for those in the medical field who agree to assisted suicide, that they would instead respect life in each and every person in front of them. 

This is another topic that comes with a lot to learn, especially as it has become more prevalent.  A great book to read is On Assisted Suicide by Stephanie Gray Connors.  It is another book of hers that is part of The Dignity Series through Word on Fire.

“Each of us is called to be a witness to the Gospel of Life, proclaiming in word and deed the innate goodness and dignity of every human person” (Thomas).

Thomas, Daniel E. 2025 Respect Life Month Statement. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Oct. 2025, https://www.usccb.org/resources/2025-respect-life-month-statement.

October is Respect Life Month in the Catholic Church.  It is a time to reflect on the gift of life more deeply, to renew and increase our commitment to promoting a culture of life through prayer and action, and to recognize the dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death.  Every week of the month, I will be sharing a post on one of the many life issues in our world today.  

An issue that there are a lot of misconceptions around is In vitro fertilization.  It seems to be an issue that many people even within the Church do not understand or do not know Church teaching on.  Within the last few years, it became a big topic as it was discussed frequently during the election cycle. And it’s been making headlines and getting attention recently too.  Unfortunately, the current presidential administration has really been making a big push for IVF and promoting it as something good.  The Catholic Church stands firmly against IVF and whether people know or not and whether they want to accept it or not, it is always morally wrong.

One thing we must always be clear on is that the way in which a child is conceived does not determine the value and dignity of that child.  This is to say that, if you were conceived through IVF, your life is a gift and valuable.  If your kids, family members, or friends were conceived through IVF, their lives are gifts and valuable.  But the end doesn’t justify the means.  In other words, wanting to have a baby does not justify the process of IVF.  We can denounce the process without denouncing the people who are here as a result of it. 

I can only imagine how deeply painful and confusing the cross of infertility would feel.  To desire and want children is a good and normal desire.  But we must always remember that life is a gift.  And it is only God who can give that gift, because He is the author of life.  To manufacture babies in labs and in petri dishes makes babies commodities.  They become like “products” that people believe they have the right to, rather than seeing them as a gift.  We do not have rights to other humans.  The IVF process also goes against the way that God intended for new life to begin. As we know, God can always bring good out of evil, bringing forth a beautiful baby, made in His image, from the unethical practice of IVF.

The ways that IVF is most often and commonly practiced kills countless lives.  Multiple embryos are typically created, to increase the likelihood that one will implant, grow, and lead to birth.  Embryos are often frozen for years, used for research, or permanently abandoned and discarded.  There are also times when embryos are deemed “genetically unfit” and they are immediately discarded like trash.  Other times, parents desire certain traits or want to choose the gender.  This becomes a very dangerous game of eugenics.  As we know, life begins at conception, meaning human embryos are new and unique human lives.  IVF kills innocent human lives, yet, this is so often not talked about.

This barely scratches the surface of why IVF is morally wrong.  It is an issue with many layers to it.  The answer to infertility is not IVF, and it doesn’t even really get to the root of the issue and solve it.  There are some great resources to learn more and to help understand how to respond to common questions people have.  I highly recommend the book called On IVF, by Stephanie Gray Connors.  She is one of the most profound and knowledgeable Catholic and pro-life voices out there.  She shares the truth with clarity, conviction, compassion, and love and does a deep dive into the topic and has an answer to every reason someone may give for supporting IVF.  She also is a guest on an episode of the Pints with Aquinas Podcast with Matt Fradd where they discuss this topic in depth.

May we not be afraid to share that life is always a beautiful gift from God, not a product to be created based on desires. 

“Each of us is called to be a witness to the Gospel of Life, proclaiming in word and deed the innate goodness and dignity of every human person” (Thomas).

Thomas, Daniel E. 2025 Respect Life Month Statement. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Oct. 2025, https://www.usccb.org/resources/2025-respect-life-month-statement.

Today’s first reading comes from Romans.  The first line is a bold and striking statement.  The reading starts with, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel.  It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: for Jew first, and then Greek” (Romans 1:16).  Paul writes this statement, showing his confidence in the Gospel and his willingness to share it.  Do we have the same faith and confidence?  Can we say that we are unashamed of the Gospel?

To the world, the Gospel and our faith appear foolish, unintelligent, and useless.  But if we truly believe, our faith must be everything and that must be reflected in our lives.  Are we willing to stand up for our faith when we are the only ones standing, when it is unpopular, when we will face ridicule and rejection?

Paul knew that sharing Christ would bring hardships and suffering.  Yet, he persevered because he was confident in the transformative ability of the Gospel.  He knew the power that Jesus had to change and impact lives.  It should be the same with us.  Do we fully recognize the power that Jesus has to change and transform lives?  We cannot keep that to ourselves.

The Gospel contradicts the world and what the culture says we should value and how we should live.  So, if we are living our faith, we will probably stand out at times.  And that is uncomfortable.  It can be so much easier to keep our faith hidden, to not let others see or know that we have faith.  But if we value our faith and are living it out daily, we will be uncomfortable.  We must ask ourselves, is our love for Jesus greater than our desire to be comfortable?

Each day is a chance for us to increase our commitment and confidence in our faith.  We will fail at times, but that must never be a reason to stop or back down from sharing or living our faith.  My prayer for each of us today is that, like Paul, we would be able to say, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel” and that we would allow it to continue to transform our lives!

October is Respect Life Month in the Catholic Church.  It is a time to reflect on the gift of life more deeply, to renew and increase our commitment to promoting a culture of life through prayer and action, and to recognize the dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death.  Every week of the month, I will be sharing a post on one of the many life issues in our world today.  

Back on July 2nd, the Wisconsin State Supreme Court struck down the 1849 abortion ban.  As a body of people tasked with ensuring that the best interests of citizens are met, the government has failed to recognize and protect the most vulnerable- the unborn.  While disappointing, it is not shocking to see politicians fail to recognize the dignity of every human life. What is shocking, is seeing some Catholics and other Christians celebrate  this ruling and praising those involved with making the decision.  We know that abortion is more than just a political issue.  It is a heart issue and a moral issue, a deep stain on the fabric of our society.

Life is an irreplaceable and precious gift.  And that gift starts in the womb, at conception.  A failure to recognize the value and dignity of life from that moment is a failure to recognize the value and dignity of the lives of all of us.

Life is always a gift because it is from God and He only gives us what is good.  From the moment of conception, a new and unique individual, with his or her own DNA comes into existence.  And that is a beautiful and amazing thing.  Whether or not the child is “wanted” by his or her parents never lessens the value of that child.  The circumstances the child might be born into never lessen the value of that child.  The abilities or lack of and medical conditions the child might have never lessen the value of the child.  All of this is to say that abortion is never acceptable and justifiable in any circumstances or for any reasons.  Our society has widely accepted the lie that abortion is okay, that it is needed, and that it’s a woman’s right to choose. 

Abortion violently destroys human life.  This clearly and unquestionably violates the command to not kill.  And that is a simple reality that much of our culture has refused to accept, even some Christians.  We must work to promote and support life, speaking out about the evils of abortion always.

We must also walk with women and families who need support.  Pregnancy resource centers are doing amazing work, providing material, spiritual, and emotional support to pregnant women and their babies, before they’re born and after.  Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics do not support or care about women, families, or their babies.  They care about the bottom line, taking advantage of and lying to women, and doing whatever it takes to profit from deception.  Pregnancy resource centers are truly amazing places that God works through.  We need to support them with our money, time, and prayers.

Abortion is a prevalent issue today, an attack on the most innocent and vulnerable.  It can be really hard to go against the grain, to speak out when so many people are pro-abortion.  We must speak the truth with love, and that means opposing abortion and supporting life, through our words and actions.  Life is always a gift, and that gift starts in the womb.  May this reality guide us to respect and stand up for the lives of the unborn always!

“Each of us is called to be a witness to the Gospel of Life, proclaiming in word and deed the innate goodness and dignity of every human person” (Thomas).

Thomas, Daniel E. 2025 Respect Life Month Statement. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Oct. 2025, https://www.usccb.org/resources/2025-respect-life-month-statement.

I returned home from a CEW (Christian Experience Weekend) retreat yesterday evening and I’ve been reflecting on how retreat experiences are vital to our faith.  The analogy that came to mind was that of a car needing to be filled with gas.  Without refueling our vehicles, they will become empty and not be able to move forward.  It is the same with our faith.  Without taking time to be filled, we will be empty and not able to move forward.  

Whether attending a retreat or serving on a retreat, we are filled by the Holy Spirit, being given the fire and love that gives us the ability to go back in the world and move forward, to live and share our faith.  The world can so easily tear us down to the point we feel like we are running on empty.  We need to take time to be filled, to get that spiritual boost that reignites us so that we can continue the work that God is asking of us.

Scripture tells us that God knows what we need before we ask (Matthew 6:8).  And I’ve experienced this reality myself.  God knows that we need faith communities to walk with and to encounter Him.  He knows what we need and when.  God makes Himself present in powerful and tangible ways when communities are gathered together for His sake.  He knows that the journey can be hard and that we need experiences that fan the flames of the Holy Spirit in our lives so that we are strengthened and ready to continue to be witnesses of Him in the world.

The power of the Holy Spirit is real and makes a profound difference in our lives and in our faith.  He fills us up with his fire and love.  And this means we cannot stay still, like a vehicle without fuel.  He gives us what we need to move and to go where He needs us to go and do what He needs us to do.  Are you full right now?  If not, find a way to be filled and reignited.  My prayer for each of us today is that we would let the Holy Spirit move us forward as we work to do what He asks, being a witness to the ways our lives have been changed.

Last week I was at an advisory board meeting for Phoenix Catholic, the Catholic group at UW-Green Bay.  Listening to all that the group is doing and the ways that students’ faith is being impacted was a great inspiration to me.  The question that the board has been exploring over the past few years is, how can campus ministry be a bridge to missionary discipleship?  Being at the meeting, it was a reinforcement of just how important and impactful college campus ministry is.

The four year period of time from 18-22 years old, the typical age of a college student, can really shape a person.  When students go off to college, one of two things can happen.  They either lose their faith and stop practicing or just drift away, or their faith is deepened and transformed.  Unfortunately, the statistics point to the former, and it’s a huge percentage.  There are a lot of factors that play into this.  Some of these factors include the prevalent party environment and out of control drinking, the hook-up culture, and other activities contrary to the faith, the presence of some professors who are openly anti-Catholic or anti-Christian, who do not hold back on pushing their views in the classroom, the desire of students to recreate themselves and fit in.  There is a lot that students are up against when they get to college, it truly is a whole new world, one that has the ability to suck people in and pull them from their faith.

In the midst of the seemingly typical college lifestyle, there is good that is happening.  And that good is Catholic campus ministry.  Having access to a faith community filled with others who are the same age and are striving to grow closer to Jesus and deepen their faith is what makes a difference.  Being able to attend various gatherings throughout the week such as dinners, Bible studies, service events, and more, as well as mass and adoration is what makes a difference.  My time in college had a huge impact on my own faith and I know that without Phoenix Catholic, my faith would not be the same.  And I am seeing other students’ lives and faith being deepened and transformed.  That gives me hope.

No one can force their kids to get involved with the Catholic organization on their campus.  But they can encourage and pray that they may choose to do so, or that they may encounter others who invite them to do so.  If you have any college students in your life or kids who may one day go to college, pray that they would be open to growing in their faith when they head off on their own.  College campuses are known to be places where not so good things happen.  But they also can be the place for students to have deep encounters with Christ.  Let us all pray for Catholic organizations on campuses and for all who may be impacted by them!

In today’s Gospel, Jesus talks about light, a theme and message that is spread throughout the Gospels and other places in scripture.  In the first verse of the passage, Jesus says, “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light” (Luke 8:16).  We first received our light at Baptism.  The celebrant tells the parents and Godparents that the child “is to walk always as a child of the light”.  Reflecting on today’s Gospel, we are reminded that we are to be the lamp, and to live in a way so as not to conceal that light.

The light of Christ that is within us is meant to shine and fill up the space around us.  It is by this light, that others can come to see and recognize Jesus and the truth of who He is.  Once we read and understand the Gospel message, our lives must reveal this message to the world around us.

Oftentimes, we can say we love Jesus and are living our faith.  But how true is this if our lives are not a reflection of this statement?  It can be easy to cover up and conceal this reality.  We don’t want to be different or to stand out, so we might sometimes not share our faith, especially in the areas that might be darkest, the areas that need it most.

What is the purpose of a lamp if it is not going to be used?  If it is concealed with a vessel or under a bed, what is the point?  It is the same for us.  If we are not trying to reflect Christ’s light, and rather, keeping it hidden, what is the point?  The light we have been given is meant to shine the truth of our faith and show who Jesus is.

The world needs Christ’s light, every space and corner must be illuminated with Him.  And we are the lamps that can help to make Him visible in these spaces.  My prayer for each of us is that we would allow His light to be on display in our lives today.