I have a twin brother. Much to the displeasure of our parents, we would do as all siblings do. We would poke and prod one another, wanting to get a rise out of one another. While immature, we craved one another's reaction. Society is the same way, wishing to see the flock of Christ riled up to the point of agitation when provoked, and then being the first one to point the finger. In a recent address by Pope Leo, he told the Jubilee for Legal Professionals, “Striving for justice, therefore, requires being able to love it as a reality that can only be achieved through constant attention, radical disinterest, and assiduous discernment." This is the antithesis to the plan that Satan and an apathetic society have for God's kingdom; they elicit a response. As we heard today in Church, "Man cannot serve God and mammon." We are not called to enact the "justice" of the world, but justice as put forth by Christ. It is radical and opposing to our human nature, and while righteous indignation is allowed, it's what we do with this anger that will define us. As Fr. Fleming said this week, we are all called to live courageously. As an action from this, consider saying an Our Father for those in places of power and justice throughout the world. If you're interested in reading more about the Pope's message, feel free to visit the link below: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/266689/forgiveness-is-fundamental-to-justice-pope-leo-xiv-tells-legal-professionals-at-jubilee-of-justice

While God's plan is clear in the Bible, it becomes harder when searching for God's plan in our lives and the world around us. While we know we must do all things to the Glory of Christ, seeing how to do so is a lifelong journey. One such priest who searched out God's will in his life to the end was Father Mychal Judge. A priest, Franciscan friar, and FDNY Chaplain; he was known to recite this prayer asking for direction: "Lord, take me where you want me to go; let me meet who you want me to meet; tell me what you want me to say; and keep me out of your way." Whatever he did, he aimed to be where God needed him most. 24 years ago he heard God calling him for action, this being to respond to the attacked Twin Towers. Upon arrival, he rushed into the crumbling buildings to give last rites to firefighters. In doing so, he became the first certified fatality of the 9/11 attack, perishing while preparing others to cross this mortal plane. While he made a great sacrifice, it should remind us to be people of both prayer and action. Death may be bittersweet, but the one who has hope in Christ is always alive, now and forever. With this said, please pray for the repose of all the souls tragically taken from us this week as well and on that faithful day years ago. To read more about this incredible Franciscan hero, please visit the link below: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/franciscan-spirit-blog/mychal-judge-ofm-hero-on-9-11/

As Catholics, we are called to be a lot of things. Evangelists, peacemakers, and Saints. While it is an ideal to strive for, it's not always easy. From spiritual warfare to the imperfect nature of ourselves and fellow believers, it's not always an easy path. One person who showed us the path was Blessed Carlo Acutis. This soon-to-be millennial saint was an Italian teenager whose zeal for the adoration of our Lord through the Blessed Eucharist led him to create a website. Here, we posed stories of miracles that further emphasize the fullness of the Catholic faith. From eucharistic miracles to apparitions of Our Lady, he aimed to show the world the beauty that God continues to show us to this very day. While he passed from this side of eternity due to Leukemia in 2006, his website, his uncorrupted body, and his legacy to Christ have kept him considered for sainthood. With a second miracle attributed to him through the recovery of a person who had severe brain hemorrhaging, the process of his canonization has begun, and he will be declared a Saint this Sunday, September 7. Reflecting on this story, I believe it can give us hope that we can all make a change through the internet, as well as in our lives. While Bl. Acutis had his content spread throughout the internet. Think about how much further he could have spread his message if he had had social media. With this, try to share your favorite homily, saint story, or Skool site with someone you know! To see Carlo's amazing website, please visit the link below: https://carloacutis.com/

The virtues of faith, hope, love, and charity are just some of the virtues practiced in the Catholic faith. While they help us unite with God and strengthen our relationship with Him, as well as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, there are more than just those virtues. One such virtue not discussed enough is the virtue of temperance. While temperance, at least for myself, invokes thoughts of the Prohibition era, this virtue goes far beyond the restriction of liquor. It's virtue is for moderation and self-restraint, reigning in our free will to abide by God's Will. This virtue was recently highlighted by Pope Leo XIV's message to a conference discussing "changes and conflicts in society, gender, AI, and integral ecology". In this message, he urged participants to look to saints such as St. Liguori, who worked “to find a balanced synthesis of the laws of God and the dynamics of man’s conscience and freedom..." Within this, he called participants to find the balance between our personal desires and the commandments of God. With a time where hot-button issues like corporal punishment and immigration run rampant in society, we are called to set aside our personal beliefs and convictions to ensure God's will be done. For as Christ says in Luke 22:42 "not my will but yours be done." With this in mind, take some time this week to pray for the world leaders, that they lead with justice and mercy to help the world. If you're interested in reading the Pope's whole message, please visit the link below: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2025/08/20/250820c.html