Last week, Fr. Mark-Mary invited us to not just show up for Mass, but actually pray the Mass—participate in the Mass. But… what does that actually look like? Today, Fr. Mark-Mary gives us 5 concrete ways to enter more fully into the celebration of Holy Mass.
Don’t Just Go to Mass . . . Pray the Mass!
For practicing Catholics who attend Mass every Sunday, it can be easy to get caught up in the routine instead of consciously entering into the sacrament. When this happens, although we remain physically present, we start to become emotionally distant from what’s actually taking place on the altar, while missing some of the main aspects of our faith. Today, Fr. Mark-Mary shares some ways we can dive deeper into the Mass through prayer. You can read the institution narratives that Fr. Mark-Mary mentions in the following passages: Matthew 26:20-29 Mark 14:17-25 Luke 22:14-20 1 Corinthians 11:23-25
What to Do When You Get Interrupted
An interruption is anything that takes our attention away from our primary task. We may think our days are filled with interruptions: people cutting us off in traffic, a slow internet connection, etc. But in order to truly be interrupted, we have to have a primary task. We live in a world that is constantly trying to distract us, so much so that if we really start to think about what our primary task for today is, we may not be able to come up with one. What if we lived every day with the primary task of strengthening our relationship with Christ, and hedging our way towards eternity in Heaven? Today, Fr. Mike explains the purpose interruptions have in our lives, and how they can even guide us back to our primary task of reaching Heaven.
Are You Complaining Too Much?
St. Paul tells us, “Do everything without grumbling,” but even the best-intentioned Christians can fall into a toxic habit of constant complaining. It’s true that sometimes, sharing a complaint can help rectify an unjust situation or call attention to something that needs to change. But when you start fixating on the negative things around you and voicing your critiques or grievances about everything in your life, you imprison yourself in your own personal hell.
Today, Fr. Mike encourages us to ask for God’s grace to break free from the habit of complaining.
Is Truth….True??
What is truth?
On this channel, we speak a lot about the teachings of the Church and how our society longs for these truths. But have you ever stopped and asked yourself what truth really is? There can be a lot of long, philosophical, complicated answers to this question, but today we have a simple one: truth can simply be defined as “what is.” In other words, a statement is either true or false depending on how closely it describes reality, or what is. But if truth is centered around reality, are there different truths for different people?
Today, Fr. Mike explains what real truth is.
Does God Want to Hear Everything?
Should we really talk to God about everything?
There are a lot of different kinds of prayers (liturgical, litanies, the rosary, the chaplet of divine mercy, etc.), but today Father hones in on mental prayer. Mental prayer—including lectio divina and Ignatian prayer—is about having a conversation with God and inviting him into your mind and your heart. But our minds are messy places, and our hearts are wounded. Should we really be talking to God about all of our thoughts, longings, and desires?
Are You Your Own Worst Critic?
Why do we keep critics in our lives?
You probably have someone in your life that seems to be on the hunt for anything they can criticize. It might not be a friend, a coworker, or a family member. It might just be yourself.
Today, Fr. Mike explains how to turn your inner critic into your inner coach.
Haven’t Been to Confession in a While? A Couple Tips
Learn more about Fr. Mike Schmitz and Fr. Josh Johnson’s Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation: https://tinyurl.com/yhwfakge
Confession is a place of never ending mercy and forgiveness, and is one of the most beautiful parts of our Catholic faith. But for many, it can also be a very daunting experience, especially if it’s been a long time since your last confession. Whether it’s the first time you’ve gone in a year, or it’s the first time you’ve gone in your life, God is ready and willing to forgive your sins. All we have to do is let him into our hearts.
Today, Fr. Mike explains how to approach going to confession for the first time in a long time.
We are Divided and Distracted
Is it just us, or does the world seem a bit divided right now?
Human beings were not only created with a unique purpose, but also created to live in community. However, there are two things that can disrupt this call: division and distraction. Why these two? Well, distractions are things that take us away from a given task or goal, taking us away from living with a purpose. Likewise, division takes away from living in community with those around us.
The twentieth century brought with it innumerable inventions of distraction: things like television, radio, computers, etc. All of these products are great innovations that have moved us forward in our abilities to create community and showcase our unique strengths, but they’ve also put distraction at our fingertips.
It’s not just technology that has caused distractions either. We can become distracted by virtually anything: chores, work, leisurely activities. But when we’re distracted, we’re held back from the task at hand, and the ongoing task for all of us is to live in community, and live with purpose.
What does that mean for something like politics? Well, if you’re American, you basically have two political responsibilities as an American citizen: educate yourself well on the politics in your country, and vote whenever elections come around. Anything other than those two tasks are distractions from the purpose of politics.
When it comes to division, our country has definitely had its fair share. So how do we fight against this division that seems to be splitting our country? Through conversation and through kindness. We’re called to be united in community with those around us, so much so that Jesus refers to them as our brothers and sisters. Division won’t be conquered easily, but if we’re willing to converse, listen, and treat each other with kindness, we can get a couple strides closer to the community God desires for us.
If the media has you confused about what should be informing your vote, inform your conscience with over 2,000 years of Church teaching. Read Clear Conscience: A Catholic Guide to Voting (http://tinyurl.com/y3ejf2xj) and get ready to vote!
Cancel Culture vs. Correction Culture
How should a Christian react to “cancel culture”?
Chances are that if you’ve been on social media or listened to the news in the past year, you’ve heard of “cancel culture.” Cancel culture is that practice of boycotting a person or group of people because of controversial actions or opinions. While it might have a fancy new name, this is nothing new to history. Every time period has had some individuals or practices that society deems as controversial or questionable. But are we supposed to practice this kind of behavior as Christians?
Today, Fr. Mike talks about cancel culture, and how we as Christians are called to respond to it.
