Every once in a while, the outside world takes an interest in our faith and something we do goes mainstream. This may seem like a great thing—like the world is becoming more like us—but this is almost never the case. When the world adopts something we do, it makes that thing more worldly and sometimes takes us with it.
Living a #Blessed Life
The word “blessed” immediately comes to mind as an example. How often we hear this word in everyday conversation. How ubiquitous it is on social media. And yet, how distorted it has become from its original meaning in Scripture.
Don’t Mess with Exodus
The Exodus story is among the most recognizable and important stories in the entire Bible. Many major films have been made about it, and there are always some issues. This is to be expected with any source material. Exodus: Gods and Kings takes this to the next level. Let me put it as nicely as I can: it’s a garbage movie that we reviewed so you don’t have to.
Why Don’t We Eat Meat On Friday?
Yesterday, I decided to take a break from always explaining things and giving technical answers. Sometimes you just need to laugh, and this TikTok has done that for a lot of people!
For the real answer, you can watch this video from four years ago.
Religion and the World at War
This title might be trying to shape this week’s podcast to fit the theme of this post, but I see a connection. In the movie Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Tina Fey plays a reporter covering the war in Afghanistan, a place where secular culture is such an enemy to religion that religion dictates the culture. This isn’t exactly the point of the movie (you see how I’m trying to fit a square peg in a round hole), but it does do a great job of challenging our preconceived notions about people in that country with that perspective.
Look what I found!
If you’re looking for a way to grow in true faith to be blessed in the Lord and not by the world, I have found the perfect book for you. Literally. Nestled in between dozens of other great books from Ave Maria Press are the very first copies of The Way of Beatitude: Living Radical Hope in a World of Division and Despair. Hot off the press and releasing in three weeks, you can find them at the Religious Education Congress in Anaheim this weekend, preorder them on Amazon, or enter to win one for free. Another 250 winners were selected yesterday, so if you entered, be sure to check your SPAM folders.
Until next week, peace and good to everyone!
Fr. Casey
Breaking In The Habit 
Your book looks really good and I plan to get it, but I would also recommend “Following Christ in a Consumer Society” by the late John F. Kavanaugh SJ.
Father Casey, what is your and Father Patrick’s opinion of the old movie: “The Ten Commandments”?