Spirit Juice is proud to present Reel Homilies from Father Tim Anastos, associate chaplain of the St. John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Illinois-Chicago. In these minute-long reflections, Father Tim will unpack the Sunday Gospel readings through the lenses of Church tradition, pop culture, and self-improvement. We hope these reflections serve to inspire your own thoughts on the Gospel and bring you closer to Christ…as well as bring a smile to your face.
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Joy in the Midst of Suffering
So, have you ever felt like you are going to die after you get a paper cut or stub your toe? Me too. But blessed Chiara Luce Badano, a contemporary teenage saint of the church, teaches us how to have joy amid suffering. She contracted a rare form of cancer as a teenager. But amid her suffering, she knew that Jesus had already won in her heart, and she did not have to be afraid. Today, we celebrate…
Something Greater Than Ourselves
Let’s talk about my dad. So when I was a kid, about a year ago… One of my most formative things was seeing my dad pray on his knees, praying to someone more important than him. As a kid, I saw my dad as the supreme commander of the universe. Seeing him answer to someone even more significant than him, loved by someone even greater than him, was so freeing for me just to be a kid and loved…
Immaculate Conception Day
In the Marvel movie “Infinity War,” Dr. Strange is the hero. Dr. Strange is the one who looks at all of the possible future scenarios and finds the one where they get to save the world. That’s the crazy thing. Dr. Strange has to keep it a secret to preserve the timeline and save the world. Today, on this Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception, Mary is preserved from Original Sin by the merits of Jesus Christ…
Just Like A Good Goalie
Hugo Lloris is a fantastic goalie on the Tottenham Hotspurs soccer team in English soccer, or if you’re in England, football. Hugo Lloris said this about being a goalie. “It’s not just about the talent. “It’s being in the right place at the right time.” So Jesus in the gospel is saying, “Stay awake. “Be alert. Be prepared. “Be in the right place at the right time.” As Christians, we are often not in the right place…
Captain America vs. Iron Man
Who would win in a fight, Captain America or Iron Man? I have my own opinion, but I’ll keep it to myself. Tony Stark and Captain America do get into a fight. Tony Stark feels betrayed by Captain America. Even though Captain America doesn’t do anything against Tony Stark, Tony Stark still feels betrayed, and it’s justified. The gospel for this Sunday. Jesus says, “Amen, I say to you, what you did not…
Jesus is the Bridegroom
I just got back from our women’s weekend here at the Newman Center, where college-aged women go off for a weekend and dive into what it means to identify as a sister, a mother, a daughter, and a bride, and it was so awesome sauce. All of these college-aged women were convicted of the fact that even though they were not married, they had a bridegroom, Jesus. This is why I love the…
Will You Know Jesus?
If I were blindfolded and placed in front of a lineup of women, one of them being my mom, I absolutely would be able to choose my mom out of the lineup because I know her. I know how she speaks to me. I know what she smells like. I know everything about her. I know it all. In the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus speaks to those who are not prepared, amen. I do not know you. It’s terrifying…
Have You Been Friends With Jesus?
‘Tis the season for gingerbread lattes, candy canes, and watching “Die Hard.” It’s a Christmas movie. Today, we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Advent, which is crazy because tomorrow is Christmas. Very rarely in the church calendar, this happens, where Christmas falls right after the fourth Sunday of Advent, and I love it when this happens because it always makes me realize that whenever I’m not…