This Sunday, our readings are focused on death and the afterlife, offering two examples of how life may be full of suffering but that there is something more that awaits us. In the case of the tortured men in Maccabees, we know that God brings the just to himself and gives new life. In the case of the woman who is passed around to seven different men while alive, we know that this is no more giving or taking of marriage in heaven, that all live “as angels,” free and equal.
As we continue to remember the dead who have meant something to us (either on All Saints or All Souls this week), we know that God lifts up the just and offers us a new chance at broken relationships in heaven.
Broken, But Not Lost
For many Christians, October 31 isn’t just Halloween, it is Reformation Day, a commemoration of those who left the Catholic Church to start a new way. As Catholics, we can’t help but weep for the division that still plagues us 500 years later. But all is not lost. Our family may be broken, but there is something that Protestants can teach us Catholics. For this reason, I decided to make two videos this week, telling both sides of the story.
Learning to Cope with Loss
What do you tell a ten-year-old when his best friend dies? How do you help him cope with such an unimaginable loss? The Bridge to Terabithia sets out to answer just that. Generations have grown up reading the book, and this week, Fr. Tito and I discussed the movie adaptation.
Jesus Gives Us Hope
The reason that we have hope in the face of division and tragedy, is, of course, Jesus Christ. How wonderful it is, then, that we get to end our week by reflecting on the newest season of the hit show The Chosen. As we’ve said before, it’s not perfect, but we think it’s pretty dang good.
Want to Encounter Jesus Yourself?
Join me each day on my new podcast, The Word Became Flesh, to read and reflect on Scripture. It takes just 15 minutes a day to get to know Jesus better and welcome him into your life.
Your Civic Responsibility and Opportunity
This Tuesday in the United States is a major election. As Catholics, these can be difficult times, as our two-party system offers us very poor options. Inevitably, we are choosing flawed candidates that undermine a good society in some sense. That said, there is something to like in each candidate and I hope that you can take the opportunity to vote on Tuesday, remembering that a vote does not mean a full endorsement of a candidate’s position. In a messy world, we have to do the best with the choices we’re given.
Peace and good to all,
Fr. Casey
Breaking In The Habit 
The Maccabees! What an example of courage, integrity, trust and hope! Not to mention Handel’s
Judas Maccabeus… I was part of a Franciscan church choir singing it in the middle of Communism in 1947. We need Maccabees today more than ever.