Catholic life

Rooted in Hope: Building Our Lives on Christ and God’s Unfailing Love

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

Reflection on Luke 21

My Sisters and Brothers,

As we sit together today in prayer, let us acknowledge our Lord Jesus’ presence among us. And, before anything else, remember this: Jesus loves each of us more deeply than we can ever imagine. No matter where we are or what we face, He is always with us and never distant, never leaving us to face life’s storms alone.

Today’s Gospel is enough to make anyone uneasy. Jesus stands before the glorious temple in Jerusalem—the heart of faith, the symbol of God’s presence—and shocks everyone by saying, “All that you see here—every stone—will be thrown down.” The people are stunned. They want details: they want a timeline, a way to prepare, a set of steps to avoid catastrophe.

And Jesus tells them, honestly, you can’t avoid troubles of the world. There will be wars, disasters, betrayals. Even the things you most treasure and trust: family, friendships, even the beauty and security of your religious traditions—sometimes even these will fall away. But then, right in the middle of all these warnings, he says, “Do not be terrified… Not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

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Temple of the Spirit: Letting Christ Renew Our Hearts

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

A reflection on the Gospel of John 2:13-22

Brothers and sisters,

Today’s Gospel is dramatic. We see Jesus as we don’t often see Him—angry, passionate, driving out money-changers and cattle from the Temple. His voice echoes: “Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” You can almost feel the whip in His hand, the clatter of coins, the shocked faces. At first glance, it seems harsh. But as with everything Jesus does, there’s something deeper.

What was so wrong with selling animals and changing money? The merchants were, in a practical sense, helping people fulfill their religious duties. Yet Jesus knew the difference between help and hindrance. He saw clutter—spiritual distractions and noise—taking over what was meant to be sacred space. The Temple, God’s holy dwelling, had become just another market.

But listen again to Jesus’ words—He pointed to something even greater: “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The people thought He was talking about the stone building, but He meant His own Body. He was saying that God’s real dwelling place was no longer a place, but a Person. In Christ, heaven and earth meet.

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The Simple Catholic’s Christmas Gift Guide

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Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through the links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of The Simple Catholic.

‘Tis the season of lights, laughter, and little miracles in our front-yard football games—but also the season of gift-giving. As a Catholic elementary teacher, husband of four lively children, and founder of The Simple Catholic, I’ve learned that the best gifts are those that reflect more than the wrapping paper. They reflect truth, virtue, and wonder.

This year I’m delighted to share a curated Christmas Gift Guide featuring small Catholic and Christian-owned businesses I’ve had the joy of partnering with. These aren’t just products; they’re invitations to faith, family, beauty, and home. I’ve organized this guide by kids → parents → home so you can easily scroll, sip your cocoa (or eggnog), and find something meaningful for everyone on your list.

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A 1084 Word Interview with Brooke Joiner from Catholic Owned

/ chicoinematt

Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Brooke Joiner, co-founder of Catholic Owned® via phone call on October 17th, 2025. Some of the questions/answers have been rearranged, edited, and paraphrased to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.

From Calcutta to Catholic Commerce

You and Matteo met while serving with the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta. How did those experiences among “the poorest of the poor” shape the spiritual foundation and mission of Catholic Owned?

Great question! I went to Calcutta by myself to serve and my husband went there with a group. We had met and were introduced by seminarians. We were married the next year and lived in Italy for the next four years. 

We consistently try to say yes when God is calling us to do something. And that started with both of us saying yes to going on the mission trip to Calcutta. 

We experienced a similar call from God to leave both of our jobs to start Catholic Owned. 

The Call to Radical Trust

You both left successful business careers to go “all in” on Catholic Owned. What did discernment look like in that season, and how did you recognize that this was truly God’s call for your family?

We were working in the yachting/marine industry in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. At the time of us thinking about doing something different we had three children. We have done (and are still doing) Mother of Divine Grace Homeschool. Part of the preschool curriculum is to listen to the Glory Stories from Holy Heroes and we had heard the Our Lady of Fatima story so many times. We started doing the First Saturday devotion, and this led to us praying the Rosary daily. This devotion started to create a chasm between our work and who we desired to be. God told my husband that we needed to start this business, so we started working on it on the side. The chasm just grew and it got to the point that we were willing to do whatever we needed to do to go “all-in” with Catholic Owned, which we did a month after our fourth child was born.

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Never Rejected: Christ’s Promise of Hope, Trust, and New Beginnings

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

A reflection on the Gospel of John 6:37-40

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today’s Gospel offers us an astonishing promise from Jesus: “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me… everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”

If you’ve ever feared being left out, or wondered if you’re good enough for God, this Gospel is for you. Here, Jesus is perfectly clear: when you come to him, you are welcomed. The will of his Father is that not one person is lost. Christ came to gather all and reject none.

But how can we draw hope from this in our ordinary, messy lives? It all leads us to the Paschal Mystery—Jesus’ dying and rising. When Jesus hung on the cross, it looked like God’s love had failed. But the resurrection shows us the truth: no darkness, no rejection, no defeat is the end of the story in God’s hands. What Jesus says in this Gospel, he lives out for us—and for each of us, there is new life beyond the grave.

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