My Dear Friends,

I feel a bit like St. Paul, writing to you across a great distance from the solitude of my kitchen counter. I long to be with you all—especially as we welcomed two new members into the group, with a few more to follow, God willing. But for now, both the Church and life have called me elsewhere.

I’m sorry for the delay in sending out this week’s resources, but on a cold, wet day I treated myself to a hot lunch, went grocery shopping without the kids, and actually came home with everything on my list. It was a successful personal day.

That doesn’t mean I don’t have things to share.

As we head into this weekend, you’ll notice a shift in the mood of the Church. As we pray for the dead, our readings turn toward the end of time and the promise of Christ. This week we celebrate the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran—the Pope’s cathedral, the first basilica, and the first great Christian church in the world. It reminds me that if there is a first, then ultimately there must be a last. Our readings this Sunday give us a glimpse of what is to come.

As Jesus enters the temple area, He brings with Him a whip. In the article I’ve linked, the author explains that the Greek tense shows this was an intentional action. Yet those changing coins or selling animals were doing something reasonable—helping poor Jewish pilgrims while making an honest wage.

Still, Jesus comes to change the narrative—not by condemning, but by welcoming the poorest and most broken; by destroying what was and building forth a Kingdom open to those with nothing to offer.

Think back to what we’ve spoken about these past few weeks: Jesus, born not in a palace but in a food trough—in a place literally called “House of Bread.” He walked our roads, healed, preached, and converted hearts. He looked at the man who could offer nothing in return and asked, “Do you want to be healed?”

So I ask you this week:
What has Jesus come to drive out of your heart?
And do we trust that He will also build us up on the last day?

Last night, Sister Jacinta shared with us the third—sometimes forgotten—Person of the Trinity: the Holy Spirit. This great Consoler, this fiery Advocate, the same Spirit who burns within my own life, is the God who held up the world in the void of Genesis. That truth never ceases to amaze me—that the God who sustains the universe is made present to us in prayer, in Scripture, and whenever we gather in the name of Jesus.

Sister asked, “Where have you seen the Spirit moving in your life?”

If you haven’t yet, buckle up and pray to Him. For while He sometimes rushes in as a driving wind, more often we hear Him in the quiet whispers of the heart. The Catechism reminds us that man is most disposed to hear Him in the silence of a well-formed conscience and the heart of a virtuous person.

Speaking of being well formed, my friend Rit Leslie gave his presentation on “The Dynamic Disciple,” and I’m sure left you with plenty to chew on. The beautiful thing about this road you’re on is that you’re not in some holding pattern or glass room simply observing the life of the Church—you are invited into it.

Believe it or not, the Church asks you, our Candidates and Catechumens, to begin sharing your faith now. And hopefully after last night, you see the many ways that can take place. Not all of us are called to stand on a box in the park and preach the Gospel. But by your very witness—when done with prayer and intention—you make the love of God present wherever you go.

The materials from this week’s session are included below—Sister’s PowerPoint, a few short articles, and an early video of Rit’s talk (one of the first I ever produced). Take some time this week to sit with these resources, pray with them, and let the Spirit reveal where He is moving in your life.

In closing, know of my prayers for you. Even though I cannot be there in person, I am deeply moved by the ways I see the Spirit already at work within you.

Yours in Christ,
Tyler