Today is a very solemn day. It is a day of mourning. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, he’ll be laid to rest. We pray for his soul. The thing that I remember most about him is how Pope John Paul II asked him when he was Cardinal Ratzinger, “What are you gonna do when you retire?” And Cardinal Ratzinger said, very simply, “I want to write a book about the Lord.” Cardinal Ratzinger, who goes on to follow Pope John Paul II, not to just write a book about the Lord but to witness the faith of Peter and to witness to all of us what it means to be close to Jesus.
He did so many things. He wrote so many books and he gave great orations and speeches. But the thing that everyone will remember about Pope Benedict the XVI is that he knew Jesus and he was a friend of Jesus. And so we are called to not worry about all of these crazy things that we could do in our lives but do we really care about knowing Jesus and being a friend of Jesus? Because that’s what lasts. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
Reel Homilies with Father Tim Anastos is free to watch, but it’s not free to produce! Generous donors make it possible for us to continue creating this content. If you enjoy Reel Homilies, please consider making a monthly tax-deductible gift. Spirit Juice Entertainment Group (SJEG) is the non-profit arm of Spirit Juice Studios. It is a 501(c)3 organization that relies on your support to continue creating original, authentically Catholic content that reaches thousands of people each week through our website and social media channels.
Start a new monthly donation and receive an array of Reel Homilies and Spirit Juice swag in gratitude for your generosity. For more information, please visit our Reel Homilies Support page.
To qualify, you must donate a minimum of $10 per month. All gifts in between will be rounded down to the nearest package amount. Please allow 6-8 weeks for your package to be shipped. Questions? Contact us at donate@spiritjuice.org. Your donation is tax-deductible within the United States, and we will provide a tax receipt for your records.
-
Sacrifice For Jesus
Okay, so in the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus is not trying to be an economist. He’s not concerned about what happens to the S&P 500. He is not worried about how much Bitcoin to give to the poor. Jesus is talking about our sacrificial hearts. In the gospel, the rich provide some of their money, and the poor widow gives all she has. Jesus is not concerned with numbers. He’s concerned with our…
-
Forced Love Is Not Love
So wouldn’t it be easier if Juliet forced Romeo to love him? Then, none of that heartbreak would’ve happened. So what if Jim from “The Office” forced Pam to love him in the first season? Then, none of that drama or heartbreak would’ve happened. The answer is no. Because forced love is not love. In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus is tempted by Satan to throw himself down, to reveal his glory, to reveal his divinity to the…
-
What Is The First Thing You Think Of?
When I say these phrases, what is the first thing that you think of that comes to mind? The first, “You’re a wizard, Harry.” Hopefully you thought of Hagrid from Harry Potter. The second, “Do not be afraid.” St. John Paul the Great, obviously, and the third, “We don’t talk about Bruno.” Encanto. You know there are a lot of phrases in our lives…
