G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “It is the test of a good religion whether you can joke about it.”
I certainly think that he would have (and hopefully you will) chuckle at the following joke:What do you call Santa when he has no money? Saint ‘Nickel-less’.
Today is Saint Nicholas of Myra’s Feast Day. It’s also the greatest Catholic meme day of the year. 🙂🥊👊
Thinking about Saint Nicholas (aka Santa Claus, yes he is real and I still believe in him. 🎅 🙏 🙂) puts me in a jolly mood and sparks one of the greatest gifts God has given me— my creativity.
Every year on August 15, Catholics around the world celebrate one of the Church’s most beautiful feasts: the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Alongside the feasts of the Immaculate Conception (December 8) and Mary, Mother of God (January 1), this is a Holy Day of Obligation, a day when we gather for Mass to honor the Mother of God.
And let’s be clear — we venerate Mary, we do not worship her. All true Marian devotion leads us closer to Jesus. The Church teaches that the mysteries of Mary’s life inseparably connect to the mystery of Christ.
The Assumption celebrates that, at the end of her earthly life, God took Mary up body and soul into heavenly glory. This is not simply a personal privilege for her: it is a sign of what God desires for all of us. The Catechism describes it beautifully: Continue reading →
In 2019, the Catholic world was shaken to its core.
A study found that the majority of Catholics believed that the Eucharist was just a symbol. Despite there being errors in the research, the warning bells were loud enough. And the Church took notice.
Since then, we’ve seen something beautiful flourish. Last year, the National Eucharistic Congress was held in the United States. Eucharistic processions happened around the world. And here in Sydney, our Archbishop is leading a procession expected to draw over 20,000 people.
This is amazing progress. But even still…
We’re still missing something.
The early Church had such a rich and beautiful belief about the Eucharist. It was deeper, more transformative, and more profound than what many people hold to. Yet today, much of it has been forgotten by us.
A true ‘Eucharistic Revival’ must revive this truth. And that is what we want to do today.
The Eucharist Is Love Himself
To understand Jesus in the Eucharist, you have to understand who God really is.
Scripture gives us two big claims;
“God is Triune.”
“God is Love.”
These two claims baffle many Christians. Personally, it took me years to understand what it meant. But once I did, the Eucharist made a lot more sense.
Here’s what I realised; if you think about love, what do you need for it to exist?
Well, obviously you need a lover. But this lover needs someone to also adore, ‘the beloved’. And then both of them can love each other deeply.
God is like this.
The Father is the Lover.
The Son is the Beloved.
The Holy Spirit is the Love between them.
Yet, they all fully possess the same nature.
This Eucharist that you are receiving isn’t just Jesus. It’s Love Himself. And when you receive it worthily, you are swept up into this divine exchange of love.
A Mystery Lost in Translation
But for us English speakers we run into a problem.
Our language is inadequate. We say we ‘love’ chocolate, our friends, and God, we are all using the same word. To the Greek New Testament writers, that would have been unthinkable.
The Gospel writers use a very specific type of love when talking about God:
Agape.
Agape is not just love. But it is a total, sacrificial, self-emptying love. The kind of love that doesn’t hold anything back.
This is the love God is.
You see this love most clearly on the cross. And we can also see that in the Eucharist.
“This is my body, given for you.” (Luke 22:19)
“My blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:20)
The Eucharist is more than simply a ritual. It’s Jesus pouring himself out specifically for you.
You Are What You Eat
Many Catholics just stop at level one:
“Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist.”
Whilst that’s true, for the early Church there was more to it than just that. It was about transformation. It was about becoming like God. A process they called theosis.
When you receive the host, you’re not just receiving Christ. Christ is receiving you. You are giving yourselves to each other.
This is the self-sacrificial love that I was talking about before. And the more we partake in this love, the more we become like the God who is Love itself. We become like cleaned mirrors that clearly reflect the likeness of God. (Gen 1:26)
This is the very point of the Eucharist… and even the Incarnation. The great St Athanasius went as far as to say that “God became man so that Man might become like God.”
The Eucharist is something that consumes you with God’s love. And there is no one who knew any of this better than St Ignatius of Antioch.
The Man Who Became the Eucharist
St Ignatius of Antioch was one of the most famous and earliest Christians. As a bishop, he couldn’t stand when people said that the Eucharist was just symbolic.
“They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered for our sins… They who deny the gift of God are perishing in their disputes” (Letter to the Smyrnaeans 6:2–7:1).
This is what many faithful Catholics agree with and even use in apologetics.
However, St Ignatius of Antioch’s love for the Eucharist doesn’t end there. In the year 107 AD, he was arrested for his faith and sent to Rome to be massacred.
Honestly, what the Romans did to St Ignatius should send shivers down your spine. But he wasn’t paralysed by fear. He knew that he would eventually be torn to pieces by hungry lions and… looked forward to it.
It wasn’t because he hated life. But because Christ had offered himself, and this was Ignatius’ opportunity to love him in return. This was a masterclass in theosis.
He became like the Eucharist.
“Suffer me to be the food of wild beasts, which are the means of my making my way to God. God’s wheat I am, and by the teeth of wild beasts I am to be ground that I may prove Christ’s pure bread.” (St. Ignatius, Epistle to the Romans 4.1)
This is what the Eucharist received well does to you. It fills you with a love so deep that not even death can overcome it. St Ignatius’ love is beautiful and an example to us all, but you’re probably thinking…
What about us now?
There aren’t too many lions in the US or Australia. And martyrdom isn’t that common anymore. But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook.
The Eucharist still calls you to the same love. To become a living sacrifice, even in your everyday life.
“Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” (Romans 12:1)
There are millions of ways to live this out. But here are just a few ideas to get you started
Work with diligence
Choose to forgive and offer your resentment to God
Pray with your whole heart
Offer your Sundays to God
Practice a consecration to St Joseph or Mary (or even both!)
Give some of your time, money, and talents to charity and the Church
Discern whether religious life (eg. being a nun or priest) is worthwhile for you
Be honest with people about your failings
Go to Confession and offer your sins to God
In short, give everything to God and hold nothing back. You were made to be a total self-gift.
This Corpus Christi, when you march down in the procession, be proud. Be proud that our Eucharistic Lord gives himself wholly to you. But also be proud that God allows you to offer yourself to him.
And in the end, you can truly be called a “good and faithful servant”. (Matt 25:23)
References and Further Study
Augustine. “On the Trinity”. Augustine: On the Trinity: On the Trinity Books 8-15. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2008
Ignatius of Antioch. “The Epistles of St Ignatius of Antioch”. The Epistles of St Clement of Rome and St Ignatius of Antioch. New Jersey, Paulist Press International, 1946
“Wasting Your Life”. Fulton Sheen: Family Retreat, hosted by Ven. Fulton Sheen.
Edalat Hope is a Catholic blog writer for ‘Virtue Books and Gifts’, an apostolate dedicated to deepening the love of God across Australia and beyond. His aim is to help make accessible the classic spiritual works and practices that have formed saints for generations. https://www.virtuebooks.com.au
Secular society hits us with commercialization of Christmas and makes the world weary after December 25th.
The day after the celebration is often spent returning gifts to stores.
Where is the joy in that act?
Shouldn’t we spend the days after the birth of our Savior still reveling in awe of the Incarnation (God becoming man when truly reflected upon brings one to tears, I was leaking joy from my eyes earlier this week).
But Christmas is not a day it’s actually a season.
Jesus saved us from sin and day. The very least we can do is to leave up our Christmas tree for the 12 days of Christmas.
In a world brimming with natural wonders, few sights captivate the human spirit quite like the vibrant beauty of a rainbow. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the rainbow holds profound symbolism that speaks to the depths of our faith and the boundless love of God. Inspired by my own experiences and reflections, as well as insights from two compelling articles, let us embark on a journey to unravel the spiritual significance of the rainbow.
Birth in a Rainstorm
My oldest son is named Noah, and he was born in a rainstorm. He and his siblings are also quite the artists, so the rainbow is a symbol that reminds me of his birth, in addition to reminding me about God’s promise in Genesis. The mention of the name Noah conjures imagery of the biblical account of the Great Flood. Just as the appearance of a rainbow marked God’s promise to Noah, the birth of a child amidst a rainstorm tangibly reminds us of hope and the fulfillment of divine promises.It symbolizes the renewal of life, a testament to the enduring love of our Creator.
The Sacrament of Baptism and God’s Covenant
While I identify as a Catholic dad, but my first identity is an adopted child of God. I received this adaption through the graces of my Baptism. Drawing a parallel between the Flood in Genesis and the sacrament of Baptism, we see that the rainbow becomes an emblem of rebirth and spiritual regeneration. Just as the waters of the Flood cleansed and renewed the earth, so too does the sacrament of Baptism wash away sin and initiate us into the divine family. The rainbow signifies our adoption as children of God and the beginning of a lifelong journey of faith.
A Symbol of Hope and New Beginnings
After a long winter, I tend to think more about spring/summer-related signs like the rainbow more often. What natural signs remind you of Jesus? After a storm, the rainbow emerges in spring and summer, signifying the shift from darkness to light, desolation to renewal. As the earth awakens, the rainbow reminds us of Jesus and the hope He brings. It symbolizes new beginnings, triumph over death, and God’s unwavering presence in every season.
The Incarnational Bridge
Jesus bridges us to God.
A facet of the rainbow rarely focused on: its structure. A bow. It looks like an arch or a bridge. And the bridge is a symbol of the Incarnation because Jesus links us to God. Delving deeper into the rainbow’s symbolism, we uncover its structural aspect—a bow resembling an arch or a bridge. This image becomes a profound reflection of the Incarnation, where Jesus becomes the bridge connecting humanity to the divine. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Christ provides the pathway to God, enabling us to encounter the fullness of His love and mercy.
Rainbows in PopCulture: The Rainbow Road and the Bifröst
How many times have you fallen off this course?
In popular culture, rainbows have portrayed roads or connections to other realms. Mario Kart’s Rainbow Road is a boundary-breaking course, igniting players’ imagination. Similarly, the Bifröst in the Thor movies symbolizes the interplay between mortal and divine realms. It is a rainbow bridge linking Asgard to Earth. Though fictional, these representations remind us of the rainbow’s power to bridge gaps and unite realms. They serve as a signpost to Jesus, the ultimate bridge between humanity and God.
The Bifröst connected Asgard to earth.
Mirrors of Christ’s Light
The best way to convert souls is for them to encounter holiness. We are called to be mirrors of Christ’s light. As believers, we are called to reflect the light of Christ in our lives and illuminate the world around us. Just as the colors of the rainbow blend harmoniously, creating a magnificent kaleidoscope, so too should our lives radiate the diverse facets of holiness. By embracing our unique gifts and virtues, we become living reflections of Christ’s love, drawing others closer to God through our words and actions.
Evangelizing through the Rainbow:
How do we evangelize others about God’s love? Keep discussing the various aspects of the rainbow: structure as a bridge, colors representing a kaleidoscope of holiness, its occurrence usually in spring/summer, reminding one of art/creativity. And our creativity is derived from the creativity of the Holy Trinity.
Just as light is separated into the color spectrum when viewed through a prism, so too are Christians emboldened with various gifts (hues) of charisms to spread the Good News to the darkest parts of the rest of the world. Only unified through the light of Christ may the saints provide various ways to communicate the Gospel.
To effectively share God’s love with others, we can engage in conversations that explore the manifold dimensions of the rainbow. By contemplating its structure as a bridge and its representation as roads in popular culture, we invite others to discover the transformative power of the Incarnation. Emphasizing the diversity of colors, we illustrate the rich tapestry of holiness within the communion of saints.
When we see a rainbow, we reflect on the renewal of life in spring and summer, inspiring hope in others. The rainbow’s connection to art and creativity is seen in Mario Kart’s Rainbow Road and the Bifröst in Thor. These references show the rainbow as a bridge, uniting realms and fueling our creativity—a reflection of divine creativity within us from the Holy Trinity.
Conclusion
The rainbow shows God’s Covenant love, weaving personal experiences, biblical narratives, and theological reflections. Its vibrant colors remind us of rebirth, hope, and the bridge to God. Let the rainbow inspire us to mirror Christ’s light and share God’s boundless love.
According to Marvel Comics lore, Thor’s weapon Mjolnir is a hammer that is only able to be wielded by the worthiest of superheroes. In fact, throughout the origin story of Thor he initially is not able to brandish this weapon due to his arrogance. It took the courage to put others before himself and subordinate his selfish desires before Thor was able to pick up Mjolnir and adequately defend his planet.
Saints are Real-Life Superheroes
While the story of Thor is ultimately fiction, it contains kernels of truth. People with strong character and resolve in the face of adversity may be able to wield immense power with grace. “With great power comes great responsibility!” Ben Parker told his nephew Peter Parker—the Amazing Spiderman. Along with my passion for comic books and superheroes, my Catholic faith is shaping influence on my life. Saints act as exemplary witnesses to truth, honor, and self-sacrificing love.
Pope Francis said, “The Lord asks everything of us, and in return he offers us true life, the happiness for which we were created. He wants us to be saints and not to settle for a bland and mediocre existence” (GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE #1). We do not have to rely on a mythological hammer to receive strength. Instead let us be reminded by the words of St. Paul in Ephesians 6:10-11, “Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. 11Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.”
Saint Pope John Paul II once declared, “I plead with you–never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid.” This statement encapsulates those who pursue heroic virtue! True heroes never go up–no matter the odds stacked against them!
Enter Athanasius― The Hammer of Orthodoxy
Among the greatest heroes of the Christian faith is Saint Athanasius. St. Athanasius, as bishop of Alexandria, actively led the Catholic Church in the 4th century A.D against the sinister and alluring heresy of Arianism. He earned the nickname “Father of Orthodoxy” for unifying efforts, despite frequent death threats and enduring five exiles. Whenever I face stormy seasons in my life, Athanasius provides me with hope. He actively demonstrated the power of the Holy Spirit through his timeless and ever-relevant writings, particularly in his work On the Incarnation of the Word.
Below I compiled a short list of my favorite Athanasian aphorisms from the “Hammer of Orthodoxy” as I like to refer to this intrepid saint. May his wisdom embolden you to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the fullest!
“The Son of God became man so that we might become God.”
“One cannot possibly understand the teaching of the saints unless one has a pure mind and is trying to imitate their life.”
“For the Lord touched all parts of creation, and freed and undeceived them all from every deceit.”
“Death has become like a tyrant who has been completely conquered by the legitimate monarch; bound hand and foot the passers-by sneer at him, hitting him and abusing him, no longer afraid of his cruelty and rage, because of the king who has conquered him. So has death been conquered”
And Even More Athanasian Quotes 😊
“There were thus two things which the Savior did for us by becoming Man. He banished death from us and made us anew; and, invisible and imperceptible as in Himself He is, He became visible through His works and revealed Himself as the Word of the Father, the Ruler and King of the whole creation.”
“Surely it would have been better never to have been created at all than, having been created, to be neglected and perish; and, besides that, such indifference to the ruin of His own work before His very eyes would argue not goodness in God but limitation, and that far more than if He had never created men at all. It was impossible, therefore, that God should leave man to be carried off by corruption, because it would be unfitting and unworthy of Himself.”
“Let them know that the Lord came not to make a display, but to heal and teach those who were suffering. For the way for one aiming at display would be, just to appear, and to dazzle the beholders; but for one seeking to heal and teach the way is, not simply to sojourn here, but to give himself to the aid of those in want…”
“For of what use is existence to the creature if it cannot know its Maker?”
Editor’s Note: Post originally published on September 8, 2019.
According to 20th century Scottish author William Barclay, “There are two great days in a person’s life—the day we are born and the day we discover why.” Everyone had a birthday. Birthdays are universal. Celebrations of life. Reminders of impending death. Or a view somewhere in between. Why do you celebrate your birthday?
Each new year of our life allows us to learn from our past shortcomings and hope for future successes. Celebrating our birthday helps us to live in the present moment. On September 8th, the Catholic Church observes the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The topic of the Mother of God is a point of contention for Protestants. There are a lot of misconceptions that Catholics worship Mary. I even had a conversation with a co-worker last week who asked me, “Why is it that some Catholics worship Mary?” My reply was concise and the same as the official stance of the Catholic Church, “Catholics don’t worship Mary. She is not God. We never, ever worship her. Instead, we honor her.”
Some of you might still be skeptical. You might be thinking, “Well, if you don’t worship Mary why does the Church have a specific feast to celebrate her birthday [along with the countless other feasts!] It all seems too much.” That certainly is a valid concern. I can understand how non-Catholics perceive Catholics’ devotion to Mary as being excessive or over the top. This article will discuss three reasons why Catholics celebrate the birthday of Mary— and how authentic honor should always end in the worship of Jesus Christ!
An Anchor to the Incarnation
Birthdays celebrate a real and historical event. Your parents received a birth certificate a few weeks after you were born. In the modern era, people use their date of birth on loan applications, online activity, account openings, as passwords, and other situations where you have to prove your identity.
When the Catholic Church celebrates the birthday of Mary, her existence as a real figure, in history, is recognized. Why is it important that Mary was actually born, a real person like you or I? Her existence is absolutely necessary for the doctrine of the Incarnation—the teachings that Jesus is fully God AND fully human. During the Nicene Creed, the priest and the laity bow at the following line: “He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary.”
Before I studied theology it always seemed peculiar that we would bow during those words. For my master’s course on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, I had to write a paper discussing the internal consistency and unity of the doctrines. The doctrine I chose to study was the Incarnation. I discovered that Mariology [the theological study of Mary] was closely related to the Incarnation.
The Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. formally rejected the Nestorian heresy— a belief that rejected Mary was the Mother of God and thus also rejected the humanity of Jesus. Mary as the Mother of God secures the reality that Jesus was fully human along with being fully God.
Obeying the 4th Commandment
Another reason Catholics celebrate the birthday of Mary is out of honor. According to the Second Vatican II document Lumen Gentium, ” [Mary] she is our mother in the order of grace” (no. 61). This truth is in keeping with Scripture when Jesus gives her mother to the Apostle John (see John 19:26-27) and Sacred Tradition.
The vast number of Marian feast days throughout the year point to her holiness and complete obedience to God. Just like our earthly mother, we should honor our spiritual mother as well!
True Devotion of the Mother Ends with Worship of the Son
Each year it seems like retail stores put out Christmas displays and products earlier and earlier. Already I have heard people at work lament that the radio is not yet playing Christmas music. The birth of Christ is definitely something to get excited about. Catholics celebrate the birthday of Mary as a type of early preparation for Christmas!
The Catholic Church is quite clear that Jesus is the sole Mediator. According to St. Paul in 1 Timothy 2:5-6, “For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human,d who gave himself as ransom for all.” We only honor Mary as a means to get closer to Her Son. St. Louis de Montfort said it best, “We never give more honour to Jesus than when we honour his Mother, and we honour her simply and solely to honour him all the more perfectly. We go to her only as a way leading to the goal we seek – Jesus, her Son” (True Devotion to Mary ).
While we are members of the Body of Christ, Mary is the “neck of the Body of Christ” connecting us to the Head—Jesus. Celebrate the birth of Mary because it was through her decision to fully obey God that the Savior of the World was born. Happy Birthday Mary and happy early birthday Jesus!
