Preparing for Holy Week

I want to challenge you to step away from the noise and take intentional time to prepare your heart for Holy Week. This is not just another week on the calendar, this is the most powerful journey of our faith. From the praise of Palm Sunday to the suffering of the cross, you are not meant to simply observe it… …

The Trap of Lent

Yes, you read that title correctly — The Trap of Lent. I can already hear people gasping in reverence: “How can you say such a thing?” Well, because during the first Lenten journey into the desert — when Jesus spent His 40 days fasting and praying — there was a series of traps being set for Him along the way …

One Million Acts of Kindness Week (February 14-20, 2011)

I was very grateful for the pleasure of having coffee this week with my buddy Bob Votruba, founder of One Million Acts of Kindness.   Bob has been a very good friend of mine for many years and it is amazing to watch him put his convictions into action.  A few years ago, Bob decided to give up his comfortable lifestyle …

How Ready Am I?…

Recently, I read the book “Choosing to See” by Mary Beth Chapman.  For those of you that do not know, she is the wife of recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman. On May 21, 2008 their 5 year old daughter was accidentally hit and killed by the car of their 17 year old son while he was pulling in their driveway;  …

Watches and Warnings

Oh, snow season in Cleveland, Ohio is filled with so many hours of the weather person telling us about the next snowstorm and all the reasons we are going to inevitably perish when the white stuff arrives.  Upon this news, panic ensues causing the mad rush for people to fill their car’s gas tanks up and long lines at the …

Building a Forever Foundation

After a long travel schedule this Advent—following a very full and demanding fall—I finally forced myself to do something I haven’t done in a very long time: I took a few days off. If you know me at all, you know this didn’t come easily. I tend to be a bit of a workaholic. And if I’m being honest, stepping …

All About Being Human

I am fortunate enough this week to be preparing the liturgy for the ‘Baptism of the Lord’ and it refreshes me for so many reasons… the fact that I said “refreshes” was a pun I had not intended and cracks me up.   But when you get down to it, it’s really all about being human… In praying on the readings, …

Now What??..

2010 is closing out and we have made the conscious decision for a better 2011…so “now what??”. Ask yourself a few simple questions like: What are you going to do with all that the past year gave you? What did it bring you to be thankful for? What did it send your way to learn from? What did it remind …

Lower Your Expectations…

I recently asked a good friend of mine, who is a priest, how he deals with people around him that do not always respect his vocation. His answer was simple, “I have just learned to lower my expectations”. Wouldn’t this sort of acceptance save us a lot of grief from time to time? Now understand, there is a difference between …

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Episode 705: “Penance… Really?” with Fr. Jacob Bearer

 Episode Overview In this thoughtful episode, Greg Wasinski welcomes Fr. Jacob Bearer for a deep dive into the often-misunderstood topic of penance. Rather than presenting penance as mere obligation or self-punishment, the conversation reveals it as a pathway to healing, conversion, and deeper communion with Christ and His Church. Listeners are invited to rethink penance in light of Scripture, …