Catholic writer

Preparing the Heart for Christmas: Welcoming Jesus, Bearing Good Fruit 

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

Reflection on the Gospel of Matthew 3:1-12 

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, 

As Advent unfolds before us, we’re handed an invitation—not just to more lists, more shopping, or more frantic hustle, but to something riskier and far more honest. Let’s take a glimpse at someone in our own midst—a woman like Samantha, perhaps someone you know, perhaps someone a little like you. 

Every year, Samantha mapped out her perfect Christmas with military precision: menus, presents, decorations, endless lists promising a season that would finally feel right. And every year, as she sat among the torn wrapping paper and cold leftovers, a hollow ache settled in. “Hollowed out by the holidays,” she joked. But beneath that joke—loneliness, disappointment, a hunger for something real. 

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The Heart of Advent: Staying Awake and Ready for Jesus’ Arrival 

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

A reflection on the Gospel of Matthew 24:37-44 

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, 

Today I want to share with you the story of my best friend, Mark—a man who, like many of us, always considered himself a person of faith. Mark was faithful to Mass, devoted to service, and kept his rosary close by. Then came that dreadful day: his company downsized, and he lost his job. Suddenly, his world was turned upside down. 

Job hunting became his entire focus. Mark poured over online applications, crafted cover letters, hustled every hour of the day, skipping meals, and convincing himself that Sundays were too precious to spend at church. “I’ll pray later,” he thought. “Right now, I have to work.” Sound familiar? Life’s uncertain moments can shake us, and when our routine is upended, it’s all too easy to assume we’ll come back to God—once life is less complicated. 

But weeks of rejection wore Mark down. His faith felt distant; his hope, almost gone. It took a caring friend from church to reach out, listen, and gently remind Mark that we need God most when we feel out of control—not because God will solve our troubles instantly, but because He promises to walk with us through them. Jesus calls us to “stay awake”—not to let worry, fear, or busyness blanket our faith. 

That very night, Mark picked up his rosary, dusted off his prayer life, and asked not for a job, but for peace. The next day he went back to Mass. Being there, he noticed something different—something softer and clearer in the choir’s song, something opening up inside himself. In the weeks that followed, Mark rebuilt his rhythm of prayer, reconnected with his community, and felt his anxiety begin to loosen its grip. 

A new job eventually came, through a connection he made at church—one he’d have missed if he’d stayed isolated. But looking back, Mark realized that the real transformation wasn’t finding work. It was learning to stay awake to God’s presence, preparing his heart for Jesus’ arrival in ways he’d almost overlooked. And it made all the difference. 

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With Jesus in Paradise: The Gospel of Hope and Mercy for All

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Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

A reflection on the Gospel of Luke 23:35-43

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today’s Gospel from Luke 23 draws us into one of the most astounding moments in Scripture: the crucifixion, where Jesus, suffering and mocked, reveals the true nature of His kingship. Let me share a story from a Catholic prison chaplain, Father Mark, whose ministry on death row embodies the transforming hope of this Gospel.

Father Mark visited men living with regret, some convinced they were beyond God’s forgiveness. One man, John, had always refused to see a priest, insisting he was too far gone. As his last days approached, John finally asked to talk, not about his crime, but about the smallest hope that God might still care for him. During their meeting, John quietly asked, “Could God really remember me?”

Father Mark turned to today’s Gospel and told him of the Good Thief—Dismas—who, nailed beside Jesus and condemned, found the courage to say, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus, in turn, offered pure grace: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” On the day of John’s execution, Father Mark repeated those words as he gave the last rites. In that moment, the Kingdom of God shone through, a kingdom of unearned hope and mercy, even behind prison walls.

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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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An 857 Word Article with Author Matthew Bond

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Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Matthew Bond via phone call on June 28th, 2025. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.

“Making Ends Meet” blends science fiction, faith, and frontier grit—what inspired you to set this story on Mars?

I picked Mars because it’s a tangible place to colonize in the near future and I think the plot needed a little distance from Earth (further than the moon). Mars and the wild west have always made great settings for story, because of the hazards, unknowns and sense of adventure. I wanted to portray Mars as an obtainable goal much like going West in the 1800s was for the average citizen.

How does your Catholic worldview shape the narrative?

That’s a very good question! It’s really integral to the story. But I try to present the faith in everyday clothes. I wanted a story that feels like a saint story of old but brought to a future we can look forward to. I feel that C.S. Lewis used a direct approach with Christian allegory whereas Tolkien was more subtle. I wanted to strike a balance between these two approaches. 

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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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