Christ’s Appearances Before and After the Incarnation Explained

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Long before Christmas in Bethlehem, something remarkable appears throughout the pages of the Old Testament: manifestations of God that hint at a divine mystery yet to be revealed. The Church has wrestled for centuries with a profound question: When God appeared to Abraham, Moses, and the prophets, who exactly did they see?

The answer involves what theologians call “Christophanies,” appearances of the pre-incarnate Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, before He took on human flesh. But the story doesn’t end at the Incarnation. The manifestations of Christ continue in the New Testament, culminating in feasts we still celebrate today. Understanding both the Old Testament appearances and the New Testament revelations helps us grasp the full scope of how God has chosen to make Himself known.

What Is a Christophany?

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Hungry for Righteousness, Trusting in God

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

A reflection on the Gospel of Matthew 5:1-12a

Dear Friends in Christ,

Daniel had signed the lease, hired two people, and spent most of his savings. Now his new company had three customers and a stack of bills. Each morning, he sat in the empty office and prayed, “Lord, show me how to do what’s right today.”

The first answer was uncomfortable. A supplier offered cheaper materials that Daniel knew would fail the people depending on his products. He said no. Instead, he called customers, listened to their struggles, and changed what the company made.

Months passed. Word spread among families who had long been priced out of the help they needed. Orders grew; so did Daniel’s team. He still prayed before work, especially on hard days.

When a new employee asked why he took such care with each order, Daniel smiled. “God didn’t promise me an easy start. He taught me whom this work is for. That’s why I trust Him.”

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The Saints Who Helped Shape My Catholic Faith

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November 1st—the Solemnity of All Saints—is among my favorite celebrations in the Church’s liturgical calendar. Only the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity and Corpus Christi (the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ) eclipse All Saints Day in significance for me personally.

One of my favorite aspects of Catholicism is the beautiful reality of the Communion of Saints. Prayer is a bridge to God, and intercessory prayer reminds us that we don’t have to walk the journey of faith alone. Just as we ask our family and friends to pray for us here on earth, we can turn to our heavenly brothers and sisters to intercede for us before God.

The saints are guides to Christ. They reflect the love of Jesus in unique ways, much like individual mirrors reflecting the same divine light. Some were scholars and theologians. Others were parents, missionaries, martyrs, or ordinary people who lived extraordinary lives of faith.

What unites them isn’t their personalities, accomplishments, or even the particular struggles they faced. It’s their love for Jesus Christ and their willingness to cooperate with God’s grace.

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Reimagining John the Baptist Through Art and Music

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The Kickstarter for Blood of the Baptist describes St. John the Baptist as an “extreme radical” and “one of the world’s greatest original rebels.” Can you speak to these characteristics and why this specific story was one you wanted to tell?

John the Baptist was something of a rock star in his day. He attracted enormous crowds, challenged the powerful, and inspired a movement. Yet despite his extraordinary influence, he possessed the humility to declare of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

What fascinates me most, however, is the apparent scandal of his fate. Here was a man preparing the way for the Messiah, only to find himself imprisoned while Jesus was out performing miracles, healing the sick, and dining with sinners. Yet Jesus never came to rescue him. Imagine how bewildering that must have seemed at the time!

Of course, we now understand that Jesus would ultimately endure an even greater suffering and sacrifice. But exploring that tension, and the extraordinary faith required of John, is what drew me to his story. And then there’s the sheer brutality of his death. John’s life culminates in one of history’s most shocking executions: his beheading, with his head served on a platter. It’s a tragedy worthy of a Greek epic, except this was no myth. This is history.

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Saint Jude the Apostle: Patron of the Impossible and Apostle of the Heart

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Each year on October 28, the Church honors two lesser-known Apostles, Simon the Zealot and Jude Thaddeus. Their names might not appear as often in Scripture as Peter or John, yet their quiet faith continues to echo across centuries, especially in moments when life feels impossible.

For many Catholics, Saint Jude has become a spiritual companion in times of desperation. He’s the Apostle you call on when all the stoplights turn red, the deadlines loom, and hope seems just out of reach. I’ve learned that firsthand.

The Apostle with Many Names

The Gospels refer to him in several ways: “Jude Thaddeus,” “Judas the son of James,” and sometimes “Thaddaeus” alone. In his own short New Testament letter, he simply calls himself “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James.”

Pope Benedict XVI reflected on this humble introduction, noting that Jude’s identity wasn’t found in his status as an Apostle but in his relationships—to Christ, to his brother, and to the faith. He was, in every sense, a man of communion.

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Loving God by Loving Those Closest to Us

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

A reflection on the Gospel of Matthew 22:34-40

Dear Friends in Christ,

My mother was recently diagnosed with ALS. Things she used to do without a second thought—getting around the house, eating a meal, cleaning up, getting dressed—have become difficult. My father is in a rehabilitation center, living with dementia and mobility problems of his own. My sister does the bulk of the caregiving for our family, and my family and I help her as I can.

Some days, love looks less like a feeling and more like helping my mother. It looks like making sure she can eat comfortably. It looks like visiting my father, sitting with him, and giving him our attention even when conversation is difficult. My brother and sisters and I are learning how much patience and care these ordinary moments ask of us.

So when I hear the question in today’s Gospel—“Which commandment in the law is the greatest?”—I hear it differently than I once did. Jesus answers, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Then he adds, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The whole law and the prophets, he says, depend on these two commandments.

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