
Free for New Chapters
by © LPi Fr. John Muir | 02/09/2025 | Weekly ReflectionMy parents’ garage is full of old junk that no longer serves any purpose in my life. As a 46-year-old man, I admit that’s pretty lame. Either due to my sentimentality or laziness (or both, probably), I just couldn’t get myself to throw things away. But a few days ago, by a grace of God, I thought: “I’ll hire my nephew Ryan to throw a bunch of my stuff away — he couldn’t care less about my junk!” And you know what? It worked. In one day, Ryan chucked the majority of his uncle’s useless stuff. I feel so free, ready for a new junk-free chapter in my life.
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The Thoughts of Many Hearts
by © LPi Colleen Jurkiewicz Dorman | 02/02/2025 | Weekly ReflectionWhen Simeon cradles the infant Messiah in his arms, he speaks of salvation and glory and revelation. He speaks of his own death. He speaks of the fulfillment of God’s promise to all people.
But most memorable, in my opinion, are his words about the hearts of men. This Child, he says, will be the way “the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
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Unpacking Our Faith: Why Do We Celebrate Mass? Discovering Its Power and Purpose (Week 10)
by Rev. Emmanuel I. Ihemedu | 01/26/2025 | Live the LiturgyDo you know why the Priest or Deacon says: “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord”? The dismissal reminds us that Mass equips us to serve the Lord through peace and love. Our response, “Thanks be to God,” reflects gratitude for the transformative power of the Eucharist—not a desire to leave quickly, but recognition of the strength we receive to live as disciples.
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Unpacking Our Faith: Why Do We Celebrate Mass? Discovering Its Power and Purpose (Week 9)
by Rev. Emmanuel I. Ihemedu | 01/19/2025 | Live the LiturgyThe breaking of the bread at Mass signifies our unity as one body in Christ, even though we are many. When the priest breaks the Body of Christ during the Lamb of God, it recalls how Jesus’ body was broken on the cross to “take away the sins of the world.” This act nourishes us spiritually, empowering us to rise above sin and grow in goodness.
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Unpacking Our Faith: Why Do We Celebrate Mass? Discovering Its Power and Purpose (Week 8)
by Rev. Emmanuel I. Ihemedu | 01/12/2025 | Live the LiturgyDo You Know the Origin of the Kiss of Peace at Mass?
The Lord’s Prayer, which begins the Communion Rite, reminds us of our shared dependence on God as His children. It leads us into the Kiss of Peace, a tradition deeply rooted in early Christianity.
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Unpacking Our Faith: Why Do We Celebrate Mass? Discovering Its Power and Purpose (Week 7)
by Rev. Emmanuel I. Ihemedu | 01/05/2025 | Live the LiturgyDo You Know What Happens during Consecration? After the Sanctus, the priest calls upon the Holy Spirit to transform the gifts of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. This sacred moment begins the narrative of the Last Supper, where Jesus took bread, blessed it, and said, “This is my body.”
The Eucharistic presence of Jesus is not static—it is active. Through the words of consecration, “This is the cup of my blood… it will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven,” Jesus offers Himself to the Father as a sacrifice to reconcile and heal the relationship between God and humanity.
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