Reflection on the Gospel of John 20:19-23

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

United by the Spirit: Living the Peace, Forgiveness, and Love of Pentecost

Pentecost

My dear brothers and sisters,

Today, let’s linger for a moment in the quiet afterglow of Pentecost. Imagine yourself in that upper room: doors bolted, hearts pounding, shame and fear swirling after the chaos of the cross. The disciples have every reason to shrink back, unsure if they even belong in the presence of their Lord. And then, suddenly, Jesus is there. Not with words of blame, but with a message that lands like a soft blanket: “Peace be with you.”

He doesn’t ask for explanations or apologies. He shows them his wounds; proof that love survived the grave. Their fear melts into joy, because in that moment, forgiveness is not just a concept. It’s a person. It’s Jesus, alive and loving them as fiercely as ever.

This is not just a story for that one locked room. It’s for every one of us who’s ever felt ashamed, unworthy, or afraid to stand before God. Jesus says, “Peace be with you,” not as a suggestion, but as a gift. He meets us in our fear and calls us beloved. “My son, my daughter, I love you so very much and am always with you.”

But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He breathes the Holy Spirit into his followers; not only to comfort them, but to send them out. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” The Church’s mission is born right there, in the space between fear and forgiveness. The Holy Spirit fills that room, and suddenly the disciples are changed. They’re no longer hiding. They go out and speak in every tongue, sharing the Good News with the world.

You don’t need to be a perfect person for the Spirit to work wonders through you. The disciples were ordinary people: full of doubts, regrets, and rough edges. But when the Holy Spirit comes, those locked doors open wide. The Spirit meets us as we are, and gives us the courage, the words, and the love we need to build up the Church and the world around us.

The Spirit’s gifts aren’t just for a chosen few. Each of us receives them in unique ways: through our personalities, our strengths, even our weaknesses. Some of us build up the body of Christ with patience, others with kindness or faithfulness, still others with gentleness or self-control. These are the fruits of the Holy Spirit, growing quietly within us, lighting up our hearts so that we can share God’s love with everyone we meet.

And what is this love? It’s mercy that knows no end. It’s forgiveness that wipes away every sin. And it’s the invitation to join Jesus; not just in his suffering, but in his resurrection, in the joy and hope of new life.

So as we go out today, let’s remember: Jesus is always with us. The Spirit is alive in our hearts. We are called to forgive, to love, and to serve; not because we are perfect, but because we are loved.

Let’s give glory to our Lord God by living this truth. Let’s love our neighbor, forgive as we have been forgiven, and build a community where the light of the Spirit shines bright. And always remember these words: “I love you, my son, my daughter, and am always with you.” Go out with love, give praise and glory to our Father in Heaven, and love those around you as God loves you.

Amen.

Live the Eucharist

About Our Guest Blogger

Blessed Carlo Acutis once said, “Not me, but God.” His words echo deeply in my own spiritual life. This blog is not about me, but about the work of the Holy Spirit. I choose to remain anonymous because the voice behind these reflections isn’t what matters — the One speaking through them is.

I am a lifelong Catholic with a deep love for Scripture, the sacraments, and the quiet ways God speaks through everyday life. Live the Eucharist was born from my desire to share how the Gospel and the Eucharist shape not just my Sundays, but every step of the journey.

My hope is that these reflections bless you, challenge you, and draw you closer to Jesus — truly present in the Eucharist and profoundly present in your daily life.

Thank you for sharing!

A 748 Word Interview about Ephesians 6 Ministry

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Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Father Nick Fleming via phone call on May 7th, 2025. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given. 

The name “Ephesians 6” clearly references the Armor of God passage. What specific aspects of this Scripture inspired you to found this ministry, and how does it shape your approach to spiritual growth? 

This ministry began out of a desire to do spiritual warfare. The spiritual battle over the soul can only be won if we focus on God. There are two ways to contend with an opponent: to fight them head on or to live your best life. 

For example, if you are running a race, your opponent will try to distract you. Our attention is taken away from the finish line. That’s how the Devil works. Not coming into full view, he begins with little distractions. Peter was walking on the water when he was focused on Jesus, he only started to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus. 

Faith is our shield, the sword of the spirit…what better way to describe our faith than the armor. 

Your mission statement mentions helping people “engage in Spiritual Warfare.” How do you explain this concept to those who might be unfamiliar with it, and what practical tools does your ministry provide?

First of all, to help people recognize their disorder in the world and to help them see the disorder and find the root cause. I start to ask them mundane questions: do you make your bed, do you have a regular morning routine? I help people first find the disorder. They can start to find virtue by establishing order in their life. It’s a life grounded in purpose. 

Through my experience in pastoral ministry, I find people come to me when their life is falling apart. So helping them to see the disorder first is how we can lead them to the path of salvation. 

For example, the first experience Peter had with Jesus was him as a sinful man. 

So rather than fixing a broken world we focus on fixing the broken heart. By redeeming each and every individual, the Kingdom of God is made present. 

The Lord wants us to take the first steps. Our God is a Good Father who wants us to have independence, to freely choose Him and not as a drone. He wants us to surrender our humility to Him but at the same time he will allow us to participate in the redemptive act of the Cross of Jesus. I am surrendering my ego and my own self-gratification of ambition to act out of humility to follow Jesus. 

That’s the crux of the Church’s ministry to find people in the wounds of Jesus and to help them desire God’s will. 

In your experience working with people through Ephesians 6 Ministry, what do you find are the most common spiritual challenges people face today, and how does your approach help address them?

There is no particular virtue lacking in the world. I think the most prevalent issue is mediocrity and that people believe there is no such thing as being great. Greatness begins with purpose. People allow themselves to be moved by the circumstances in their lives or whatever seems to be going on in the world around them. 

I help people find that they are more than the circumstances that they are in to make them to be. Once we learn where the disorder is, we can establish order and find purpose. This is where the armor of God comes in.

“Strangers in a Strange Land” by Cardinal Chaput mentions the problem with our age is not that we are not strangers in a strange land, it is that our children and grandchildren are comfortable being in this world. That we have grown too comfortable. That’s our chief struggle. And we see that there’s a longing. We see a growth in more orthodox and traditional churches. It makes it worthwhile when it’s hard to live. The young people are drawn to this more ascetical life because they long for meaning, heroism. 

The world should open us up to wonder and awe. Life is not meant to be a vat of entertainment. Leisure is not sitting idly and doing nothing. It is sitting with purpose and reflecting on the good. Play is what satisfies our reason. It is contemplating the greatest things. 

Real rest is when you stop putting on a performance for the other and when we can rest in their presence. 

Where can my audience find more about your ministry?

Follow us on Instagram 

About Fr. Fleming: 

Fr. Nicholas Fleming, entered the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence and attended Providence College, where he earned a degree in Philosophy in 2011. He earned a degree in Theology from Angelicum University and was ordained a priest on June 27th, 2015. Following ordination, Fr. Fleming completed a license in Marriage and the Family at the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and the Family. After completing his studies in 2016, he was assigned as an assistant pastor at SS John and Paul in Coventry. Fr. Fleming currently serves as the pastor of SS John and James and St. Mary Church West Warwick, in RI. While pastor, I have perceived the need for more specified virtue training to encourage the faithful to be fit for the Kingdom, and with the help of his partner has begun the work of Ephesians 6 ministry.

Thank you for sharing!

Catholic Meme Monday— Issue 187

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Hope you had a blessed Pentecost Sunday! 🙏✝️🕊️

Time for another Catholic Meme Monday.

Punny! 💦🌊

Capitlization protects against blasphemy. 😄😄😄
🧢⚾😄😄
Happy Early Feast of Saint Anthony! 🙏
And when you enlist the help of Saints Jude and Rita too. 😄🙂🙏
😄😄😄
Jesus heals 🩹🤕✝️🙏
Another niche Jude and Anthony meme 😄😄😄
Amen!
😄🙂🙏
An early reminder for next Sunday. 🙏
Look I found another Saint Anthony meme! 😄
Okay one last Anthony meme 🙏🙂😄
Sacraments are visible signs of God’s invisible grace. 🙏
Punctuation protects against heresy. 💪🙏🙂

That’s all I have this week. Stay tuned for next week’s Catholic Meme Monday. Receive updates straight to your email inbox by subscribing to The Simple Catholic blog.

P.S. If you prefer receiving quality Catholic humor in daily doses follow me on Instagram @thesimplecatholic.

Thank you for sharing!

Small Pilgrimages: Evangelizing Your Kids One Step at a Time

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Sponsored: This article is made possible by Pockets of Heaven, supporting quality and engaging Catholic content.

Evangelizing children isn’t always about complex theological lessons or far-off mission trips. Sometimes, the most powerful encounters with God happen right in your own backyard or even your living room. Just as adults benefit from pilgrimages that draw them closer to God, children can encounter Christ through small, intentional “journeys” of faith that fit within everyday life.

Let’s explore how these small pilgrimages can help pass on the faith to your kids while strengthening your domestic church.

new evangelization

The Domestic Church: Where Evangelization Begins

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us of the parents’ vital role:

“Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule… Parents have a grave responsibility to give good example to their children” (CCC 2223).

In many ways, the home itself becomes a sort of permanent pilgrimage site, a sacred place where children encounter God daily through prayer, forgiveness, service, and love.

As I’ve written before, even small actions like having holy images in your home, praying before meals, answering questions during Mass, or visiting a local Catholic bookstore create micro-moments of evangelization. One of my daughters, for example, loves flipping through pamphlets about the Eucharist. That small curiosity leads to natural conversations about the Real Presence. These little moments plant seeds that the Holy Spirit can grow over time.

Adding sacramentals and liturgical resources to your home can also help foster these everyday encounters. Catholic businesses like Pockets of Heaven provide beautiful, handcrafted tools that help families create prayer spaces, celebrate feast days, and make the liturgical year come alive for kids in simple but meaningful ways.

You don’t need a master’s degree in theology to evangelize your kids. What matters most is creating a loving environment where faith is part of daily life, where Christ is present in both words and actions.

Pilgrimages Teach Kids That Life is a Journey Toward God

Father Dave Pivonka wisely reminds us that “Every single one of us is a pilgrim on a journey. For us Christians, as Pope St. John Paul II said, this journey should ultimately lead us to the heart of the Father.”

Pilgrimages, whether big or small, teach kids that faith is not static. It’s a living, breathing adventure toward God’s heart. And this journey doesn’t require international travel. While trips to Lourdes, Fatima, or Rome are beautiful, they’re not necessary to experience the graces of pilgrimage.

Small pilgrimages could include:

  • Visiting your diocesan cathedral for Mass.
  • Spending an hour in adoration at a nearby chapel.
  • Walking as a family to a local Marian shrine.
  • Going on a nature walk while praying the Rosary.
  • Visiting a cemetery and praying for the dead on All Souls’ Day.

These intentional acts pull kids out of their daily routines and help them encounter God anew. As Fr. Pivonka puts it, “Do something intentional that takes you out of your ordinary routine. Seek to encounter Jesus. You will be amazed what God can do in your heart.”

The Sacraments: Theological Rest Stops Along the Journey

Life is exhausting. I’ve written before how my own fatigue nearly led me to despair. Yet, in that weakness, I was reminded of Bishop Paul Swain’s beautiful words:

“Sacraments are not the end or graduation of the Catholic life, rather sacraments act as theological rest stops to give us strength.”

Confession, for example, is like a pit stop where we release burdens and receive grace to keep walking. As the Catechism explains, “The sacrament of Penance repairs or restores [fraternal communion]” (CCC 1469).

The Eucharist provides nourishment for the journey ahead — our manna in the desert:

“The principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an intimate union with Christ Jesus… Life in Christ has its foundation in the Eucharistic banquet” (CCC 1391).

And marriage? It’s not simply a contract but a covenant of mutual sacrifice. As I’ve joked before, marriage often feels like a holy war against pride, impatience, and selfishness. But it’s also a place of peace, where we strategize, rest, and receive grace for the road ahead.

When we bring our children into these sacramental rest stops by taking them to Confession, preparing them for First Holy Communion, and witnessing the beauty of a sacramental marriage, we’re showing them how to draw strength for their own pilgrim journey.

Penance, Solidarity, and Thanksgiving — Lessons Even Kids Can Learn

Pilgrimage isn’t always comfortable. Fr. Pivonka shares stories of pilgrims enduring blistering heat, unexpected thunderstorms, and travel mishaps. Yet these struggles become opportunities for offering penance, teaching kids a profound lesson: suffering can be united to prayer.

On a small pilgrimage to a local shrine, a child might get tired or frustrated. That’s a chance to gently explain:

“You can offer this tiredness for Grandma who’s sick, or for a friend who’s struggling.”

Solidarity is another beautiful fruit of pilgrimage. Whether walking together as a family or participating in parish events, kids learn that they’re not alone in their faith. They belong to the wider Body of Christ — a Church filled with fellow pilgrims, saints, and sinners all journeying home.

Finally, pilgrimages naturally lead to thanksgiving. As Fr. Pivonka writes about his own Camino de Santiago:

“Going on pilgrimage does something to our hearts and to how we see the world… We begin to see [God] in places where we didn’t before.”

When kids see the beauty of God in creation, family, sacraments, and community, gratitude becomes a habit that sustains their faith long after the pilgrimage ends. Even creating little “pockets of heaven” in our homes — through prayer corners, seasonal decor, or feast day celebrations — can help foster that spirit of gratitude.

 Biblical ABC Book published by Parousia Media

Start Small, Start Today

Evangelizing our kids doesn’t require perfect words or elaborate plans. It begins with small acts of intentionality, small pilgrimages of the heart, the home, and even the neighborhood.

As parents, our job is to guide our children toward Christ through daily witness, sacramental life, and occasional small pilgrimages that draw them deeper into God’s presence. With each little step, they’ll discover that their whole life is a beautiful, lifelong journey toward the Father.

As Proverbs 16:3 reminds us:

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”

Buen Camino.

Thanks again to today’s article sponsor! Visit Pockets of Heaven where you’ll find resources to help your children journey with Jesus, Mary, and the Saints in the pockets of everyday life.

Thank you for sharing!

The Simple Catholic Sunday Funnies: Episode 14

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Welcome to another The Simple Catholic Sunday Funnies! Growing up, one of my favorite parts of Sunday was flipping to the comics section of the newspaper: a little pocket of humor, color, and light-heartedness to start the week.

Now, in that same spirit, I’m excited to share this weekly collection of wholesome, funny Catholic comic strips. Thanks to the incredible talents of artists like Father Alvaro Comics, The Catholic Cartoonist, Sam Estrada, and Fr. Michael DeBlanc. These comics bring a joyful twist to our shared faith, reminding us that laughter is one of God’s great gifts.

Special shout-out to Tomics by Tom Gould as our newest contributor!

Enjoy some Pentecost Sunday humor. 😆🔥

Follow The Catholic Cartoonist on Instagram.

Find more of Sam’s work at prostrada.com!

Other frequent Catholic comic contributors:

Follow Father Alvaro Comics on Instagram

You can follow Fr. Michael on Instagram: @patermichaeldeblanc and on Facebook Fr. Michael DeBlanc).

Bonus Comic from my Meme Hunt Last Week:

I hope this week’s edition of The Simple Catholic Sunday Funnies brought a smile to your face and a bit of lightness to your Sunday. In a world that can often feel heavy, it’s good to pause, laugh, and see our faith reflected in simple moments of joy.

Be sure to check back next week for more Catholic humor — and as always, feel free to share with a friend who could use a laugh and a little grace.

Thank you for sharing!

The Church’s Birthday: What Pentecost Teaches Us About the Holy Spirit

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Every year, fifty days after Easter, the Church throws a birthday party of sorts. But this isn’t the kind of birthday where you blow out candles or awkwardly sing “Happy Birthday.” Pentecost marks something far more profound: the moment the Church was born through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost

The Upper Room: Where It All Began

Imagine the scene. The Apostles and Mary are gathered together in the Upper Room. They’re praying, waiting, wondering what comes next. Jesus had promised them a Helper—the Holy Spirit—but they probably didn’t fully grasp what that meant. Then, suddenly, a mighty wind fills the room, tongues of fire descend, and everything changes (Acts 2:1-4).

This wasn’t some private mystical experience. The Spirit’s arrival empowered the Apostles to speak in different languages, proclaiming the Gospel to people from every corner of the known world. What began as a small, frightened group of disciples instantly became a bold, Spirit-filled Church ready to take the Good News to the ends of the earth.

Pentecost: The Anti-Babel

To understand the full meaning of Pentecost, it helps to look backward—all the way to the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11). At Babel, humanity’s pride led them to build a tower to heaven, thinking they could reach God on their own terms. God confused their language, scattering them across the earth.

Pentecost reverses Babel. Instead of division, we see unity. Instead of prideful self-reliance, we witness humble reception of God’s gift. The Holy Spirit unites people of every nation, not by erasing their differences, but by enabling them to hear and understand the Gospel in their own language. Everything at Pentecost points back to this truth: all good things—especially unity—come from God.

The Church’s Distinguishing Marks Revealed

Pentecost gives us the Church’s “baby picture.” Even in her earliest moments, we can see her essential features.

  • Charismatic: The Church is filled with the Holy Spirit’s gifts. Tongues, preaching, healing—all flow from the Spirit’s power.
  • Trinitarian: The Spirit’s descent reveals the full work of the Trinity—sent by the Father and the Son (Acts 2:33-36).
  • Marian: Mary is present at Pentecost, just as she was present at Jesus’ conception. The Spirit overshadows both Mary and the Church, birthing Christ and His Body.
  • Apostolic and Petrine: The Apostles, led by Peter, proclaim the first great homily of the Church, explaining how Christ fulfills the Scriptures. Peter’s leadership demonstrates his unique role (Matthew 16:17-20).
  • Sacramental: Peter calls the people to repent and be baptized, receiving forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39).
  • Catholic: Though the first converts were Jews, they came from every nation, foreshadowing the Church’s universal mission.

Always in a Situation of Pentecost

Pentecost isn’t simply a historical event to be remembered; it’s the Church’s ongoing reality. Saint John Paul II captured this beautifully: “The Church of Christ is always, so to speak, in a situation of Pentecost: she is always gathered in the Upper Room in prayer, and at the same time, driven by the powerful wind of the Spirit, she is always on the streets preaching” (June 8, 2003).

The same Spirit that empowered Peter and the Apostles is alive and active today. The Church’s mission continues, proclaiming Christ to every nation and generation. Even now, the Holy Spirit unites us across languages, cultures, and continents as one Body in Christ.

Pentecost, Holiness, and Mission

Saint Pope John Paul II often spoke of how holiness fuels mission. The Spirit doesn’t just empower us to preach; He sanctifies us to live holy lives. As John Paul II said, each saint is “a masterpiece of the Holy Spirit.” Holiness isn’t a luxury for a select few but the ordinary path of every Christian, made possible by the Spirit working in us.

This holiness starts in prayer, continues in the sacraments, and grows through charity and humility. As the Holy Spirit moves us closer to Christ, our witness naturally overflows into mission, just as it did for the Apostles on Pentecost.

The Holy Spirit: The Hidden Gift That Makes All Things New

The Holy Spirit remains somewhat mysterious. We cannot see Him, but His effects are undeniable. Like the wind, we hear His movement and feel His presence. He empowers the Church, guides her into truth, convicts hearts, comforts the suffering, and strengthens the weak.

Pentecost reminds us that the Church’s strength never comes from programs, popularity, or human wisdom. It comes from God’s Spirit. What began in the Upper Room now radiates to the entire world—and continues today in every parish, family, and soul open to His presence.

So this Pentecost, as we celebrate the Church’s birthday, may we echo the prayer of Saint John XXIII that John Paul II often repeated:

“O Holy Spirit, Paraclete, perfect in us the work begun by Jesus… Let everything in us be on a grand scale: the search for truth and the devotion to it, and readiness for self-sacrifice, even to the cross and death.”

Come, Holy Spirit, come.

Thank you for sharing!

A 1069 Word Interview with A Catholic Coach

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Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Kramer Soderberg via phone call on May 14th, 2025. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given. 

Growing up as the son of a college basketball coach, how have the lessons you learned from the court shaped your Catholic faith journey and your approach to spiritual “coaching”?

That’s a great question! I have been around the game of basketball my whole life. My dad was a college coach when I was born. Growing up in my early life I was the typical cradle Catholic. But after college I found myself learning more about the faith. 

I realized that the stuff I learned on the court could be applied to my faith life. That I should approach my faith life with excellence like I did on the court. Another aspect that made me revert to the faith was the concept that if I wanted to achieve my goals in sports that it was really hard. Only later when I was reinvestigating the faith that I realized it was hard. The Catholic Church challenges you. It wouldn’t make sense if this journey was easy. Christ is challenging us to holiness and greatness. This is the same mentality that any great athlete pursues. 

I love the word “strive”. It’s very connected to the title of my book: Fill Your Cup. My dad brought out three different sized cups to represent different types of athletes. And his message was that success was filling your cup (that you were given). True success in God’s eyes is to realize your potential and strive to fulfill your vocation and potential. It is so freeing to not worry about what anyone else is doing. That’s true success and sounds like the virtue of magnanimity. 

Your dual identity as both a basketball coach and Catholic evangelizer is unique. How do you find these two callings complement each other, and what strategies from coaching translate most effectively to spiritual guidance?

I think my faith and vocation as a coach go hand and hand. Your Catholic faith should be intertwined with your life. It is simple for me to connect the two. When your faith is the most important part of your life it’s this mindset to not limit it to Sunday. To pray unceasingly. There’s certainly challenges: to a referee that’s annoying you or when players aren’t playing to their potential. But my faith helps me in these situations.

When I became a head coach, I thought I would get a lot more time to work on my Xs and Os and the gamplans. But what I learned was that I also focused on helping my players get in the right mindset and the idea of motivating my players for greatness was really the main role as a coach. The biggest crossover from being a college coach and my ministry is helping motivate and inspire people to that greatness, that sainthood and that desire to pursue it. 

As a former player who excelled at both high school and college levels, how does your competitive background influence the way you approach challenges in your faith life and family leadership?

I think competitiveness is a great attribute. Like all good things, it can be skewed in the wrong direction. Competitiveness is so important in the athletic field and life in general. It comes back to this idea of pursuing greatness. It is not necessarily competitiveness against someone else, it is more so being the best I can be and challenging myself to the limits. That competitive fire as a player has never died as a coach. But when I realized that being Catholic is hard, the competitiveness translated to the spiritual life to drive me. 

I have used the term crossover often, I don’t think I have paid attention to it. 

Many Catholics struggle with bringing their faith into public spaces. As someone who moves between the athletic and faith worlds, what advice would you give to those looking to authentically integrate their Catholic identity into their professional lives?

I think that’s challenging. Most of us separate the two. On Sundays I go to Mass and on Mondays I go to work. During my reversion, I had a fascination with Jesus the person. I was thinking how he could be at peace all the time. What made him different? I grasped this idea that Jesus was always aware and connected with God’s Presence. This point hit home when I wrote this book. Constant awareness of God’s presence in your life is transformational. When I started to practice this, my life started to all become one (coaching, family life, and life).

So my suggestion is to be constantly aware of God’s presence. Three triggers helped me to be reminded of God’s presence: 

  1. Nature
  2. Other people 
  3. Struggles, annoyances

These triggers helped to remind myself to practice being aware of God’s Presence. When you practice you form habits. And when you have habits you will start to blend Sunday into Monday. 

About four or five years ago I hung a Rosary on my hip and I grabbed my Rosary to help center myself and remind me of God’s Will during stressful moments during a game. 

With the intense schedule of basketball season and raising five children, how do you maintain spiritual disciplines and prayer life during particularly busy seasons?

It’s challenging for sure. I have always been a routine based guy. I think most athletes are similar. I have about five to six simple morning prayers. I read the Gospel each day. Anytime I am driving to and from work I pray the Rosary and I try to go to Mass throughout the week (4-5 times).

During the season, I find it easier to be more focused on the Lord. My habits during the stressful times I have the habit of running to the Lord. It’s interesting that in the off season I find it tougher to stick to my routine and be aggressive in my prayer life. 

As a basketball enthusiast myself: If you could compare your Catholic faith journey to any current NBA player’s career trajectory or playing style, who would it be and why?

I’d probably say Kobe Bryant. Early on in my faith life I had a lot of youthfulness and excitement. About halfway through that downfall (during Kobe’s career) I had a type of low-point before my reversion. After that low-point it seemed that Kobe grew as a father and basketball player. It is at the low point that we are the most aware of God. 

About Kramer: 

First time author, Kramer Soderberg, is a devoted husband to his wife, Andrea, and father to his five children with a sixth on the way due in September 2025. Son of long time college basketball coach, Brad Soderberg, Kramer grew up in Saint Charles, Missouri where he excelled on the basketball court at both the high school and college levels. He is the head coach at Millikin for the past four years.

Outside of coaching, Kramer devotes much of his free time to growing in his Catholic faith and spreading his love of Jesus to others through speaking opportunities and personal interactions throughout his community.

Thank you for sharing!