Film Flash: Michael (2026)

  

15 words or less film review (full review to follow soon)

This hagiographic movie is toe-tapping pop entertainment with heart that captures Michael Jackson's magic.

New Evangelizers Post: The ABC's of Mercy

                                          

I have a new article up at NewEvangelizers.com.  

Two Sundays ago we celebrated the Feast of Divine Mercy.

On that Feast, we remember that the Mercy of God is offered to us and that it can transform our lives and the world. One look at the world around us today, and there is little doubt that we could use all the mercy that we can receive.

I don’t know about you, but I like things simple. And I’ve found that this devotion breaks down into simple ABC’s. (to be clear, this is not my original idea, but comes from the devotion itself).

A. Ask for Mercy

Our Lord desperately wants to forgive us and bring us home. The only barrier to this is that we have to choose this. In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the father waited patiently for his wayward child to come home. But he could not force his son to return. The son had to choose to swallow his pride and return to the father to seek forgiveness. The good news for us is that, just like the father in the parable, God will rush to us if we return to Him. The entire treasury of Divine Mercy is waiting for us if only we ask. It seems unbelieveable that God’s generosity can fall on us like this, but it’s true.

Think of Peter and Judas. Both greatly betrayed the Lord on Holy Thursday. Both ran out into the darkness when they sinned. But Judas gave into despair. Peter went back to the Lord. And at that charcoal fire on the sea shore, Peter told Christ he loved Him for each time that he betrayed Him. Peter was completely forgiven because he sought God’s mercy. Judas did not. But I have no doubt that forgiveness would have been his if he returned like Peter did. As (soon to be Beatified) Fulton Sheen said, the great tragedy of Judas’ life is that he is not St. Judas.

B. Be Merciful

Once we have received mercy, it is our responsibility to be as Christ and give mercy to others. I have found that this is so much easier when we come face-to-face with our own sinfulness and experience the full mercy of God. In that light, how can we not be merciful to others? In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, a master forgives one servants large debt, but that servant does not forgive another servants much smaller debt. If we ask and receive God’s mercy for our sins against Him, then I must forgive others when they sin against me.

This is difficult, to be sure. For this reason, we must pray constantly for the grace to be forgiving. You may be a much better person than I am, but I have to struggle against pettiness and resentment for every hurt and slight, whether real or imagined. I have to constantly ask God to give me a forgiving heart. And when Our Lord reminds me of how much mercy He has given me, it becomes so much easier to be merciful to those who do me wrong.

C. Complete Trust in God’s Mercy

For me, this is the most difficult. I am someone who becomes overwhelmed by the full weight of my sins. But we are called to trust in God’s mercy.

I think it is telling that at the bottom of the famous Divine Mercy portrait of Jesus, the words are “Jesus, I trust in You!”

We have to trust in God’s mercy, otherwise we will let sin hold sway over our lives. This is a common tactic of the evil one. After he tempts us to sin, he hits us with overwhelming guilt. Now there can be a healthy guilt that brings us to repentance. But there is an unhealthy guilt that overburdens us and obscures the light of God in our lives. Remember our Lord said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36) CS Lewis said that “I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him.” (Letters of CS Lewis) And of course we must remember the words of Pope St. John Paul II who said “We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures, we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of His Son Jesus.”

You can read the whole article here.

Sunday Best: Summer Movie Season 2026

   It is now April, so it's time to look forward to one of my favorite seasons of the year: Summer movie season.

It used to be that Summer movie season would begin in June.  But then it became standard for the big movies to come out in May.  

I know as a cinephile I should be more interested in when the "important" movies come out just before the major awards.  But I think the movies of summer are pure cinema and tend to be the ones remembered long after people have forgotten the plot of whatever film won the Oscar for Best Picture.

Here is a list, with a few brief thoughts of my own, including on a scale of 1-5 stars my likelihood of seeing it in theaters (1 being “Not at all” 5 being “Cannot wait!”).


MAY 1

Devil Wears Prada 2

 

It always surprised me how much I enjoyed the original film.  I care nothing for fashion, so it is a testament to the film makers that they got me to care so much.  And the movie still holds up after so many years.  So I will definitely see this movie in theaters.  (*****)

Animal Farm

 

It is hard to overstate how thematically inverted this film looks.  First of all, the novel is a dark and serious allegory for Russian communism.  This movie looks like a children's film about the dangers of western capitalism.  I cannot understand the insanity of this move.  (*)

MAY 8

Sheep Detective

 

This has a unique idea set in a traditional British murder mystery.  It could be cute and enjoyable.  I love the cast (***)

Mortal Kombat II

 

The most recent Mortal Kombat was enjoyable, but became to gory/violent and they killed off the best character in the movie.  This one looks like an improvement with a fantastically cast Karl Urban as Johnny Cage.  If it wasn't for that, I probably would not be interested (***)

MAY 15
In the Grey

 

This looks like a typical heist movie, but nothing special about it yet (**)

Obsession

 

I am not into horror movies. (*)


MAY 22

The Mandalorian and Grogu

 

A lot of people have been dumping on this movie, but I am excited.  I know that Season 3 of the show was not the strongest, but with Jon Favreau (who was instrumental in the success of the first season) directing this one,  I think this could be a fantastic Star Wars movie.  (*****)

 

MAY 29

Pressure

 

A war movie about meteorology.  I get it, but it just isn't grabbing me.  (**)

The Breadwinner

 

Nate Bargatze has quickly become one of my favorite comedians, so I am going to give this movie a try.  From what I have seen, he does not have a lot of acting skill.  But neither did some of the greats like Adam Sandler in the beginning of their film careers.  I'm hoping the the funny outweighs everything else in this film.  (****)

JUNE 5

Masters of the Universe

 

The first trailer left me lukewarm.  But something about the most recent one has me excited.  I think it was the shot of Trapjaw, who looks the way I always imagined a live-action version of that character to look.  That one moment transported me to my grade-school self playing with my He-Man action figures.  I think they hooked me.   (****)

Scary Movie 6

I've liked some movies in the series, but I have the feeling this one is going to be awful.  The trailer was more vulgar than funny.  (*)

JUNE 12

Disclosure Day

 

I am always up to see a Spielberg movie.  Granted, he has not been up to the height of his powers in the last ten years or so.  But because this one has a lot more story influence from him, I'm hoping that it will be good.  (****)

JUNE 19
Toy Story 5

 

I like that this movie has something relevant to say, but not in a political way.  It is talking about technology and its affect on imagination.  For that reason, I think this is more interesting that many recent PIXAR films (****)

The Death of Robin Hood

 

The cast looks good, but I am so over the demythologizing of heroes from the Western cannon.  It has not been edgy or interesting for a long time.  (**)

JUNE 26
Supergirl

 

This is another movie that the online geek community has been bagging on.  I don't know that it will be great, but I think it looks enjoyable.  I especially love Jason Momoa's Lobo, which is perfect casting. (****)
 

JULY 1

Minions and Monsters

Whoever thought of the insanity of joining The Call of Cthulhu  to a Minions movie is either crazy or a genius.  Or both.  (***)

Young Washington

This could be an interesting historical drama.  But I might wait for streaming. (***)

JULY 10

Moana

 
I am not the biggest fan of the original, so I am not terribly excited for the live-action remake.   (**)



JULY 17

The Odyssey
 

Why does every Christopher Nolan movie seem like an event?  Right now, I think he is the only director that can get people hyped based on his name alone.  I was fortunate to see an early clip of the sacking of Troy and it looks amazing!     (*****)

JULY 24

Evil Dead: Burn

 

Not into horror movies. (*)

JULY 31

Spider-Man: Brand New Day 

Of the MCU franchises, I think this is one of the strongest.  Tom Holland's Spider-Man is the most like the one I pictured from the comics.  I like that this feels a little more "street-level" like Spider-Man: Homecoming.   (*****)

August 7
Fall 2

 

Didn't see the first one (*)

One Night Only

 

I'm not sure I can get my head around the premise about adultery being excusable for one night or something like that.  Anyway, I think this is a pass for me. (*)

AUGUST 14

Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie

 

Not for me (*)

The End of Oak Street 

I need to see more before I get interested(**)

AUGUST 21
Spa Weekend

 

The movie has a pretty decent cast, but I need to see a trailer first.  (**)

AUGUST 28

Coyote vs. Acme

I more curious about this one than anything.  This was a movie that was shelved for years by Warner Bros, so it could be terrible.  But if it isn't, it would make the studio look very foolish.  I like the idea of Wile E. Coyote suing the Acme Corporation.  (**)

Cliffhanger

This seems like a pointless remake.  But I'll wait for a trailer before deciding. (**)

Thoughts?

New Evangelizers Post: The Soul and the Stone

                                         

I have a new article up at NewEvangelizers.com.  

Stone.

That word is so heavy. It carries such weight. We say of things that they sink like a stone. We order stone countertops because they endure. They withstand weather and use and time. And when my mother passed, we ordered a head stone to place by her grave.

I can still remember the last time I saw her face. I was sitting in the funeral home with others as they closed her casket for the last time. When that happened, I thought to myself, “That was the last time I would ever see her face.”

I wonder if that is how Mary Magdalene felt at Christ’s tomb.

It says at the end of the Passion in Matthew that “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.” (Matthew 27:61). As they were sitting there I can imagine that the Marys sat there think that this was also the last time that they would ever see the face of Jesus. I think of them staring at that stone at the entrance of the tomb. Jesus said He would return. But they saw His death.

And stone is so heavy.

We all have stones in our lives. I can imagine that most of you reading this have lost loved ones and have laid them beneath the gravestone. The reality of death is so tangible and inescapable. But the stones in our lives aren’t always about death. Some of us struggle with sin and addiction. Perhaps our relationships are broken. These weigh on us like stones. Their weight feels so unmovable that we think that this will never change.

And inside, especially as we get older, we can feel the stoniness of our hearts. As children we are open and vulnerable. But as we encounter pain, betrayal, and loss, we steel ourselves against that pain. And slowly we turn our hearts to stone. There is a calcification that happens in our lives were we become intrenched in our own way of doing things, our own way of seeing the world. And as time goes on, we think change is impossible because our hearts have slowly become heavy, heavy stone.

But this is the place where faith means the most.

God told us ” I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

For God, nothing is impossible. Even the stones in our hearts can be transformed. And we know He has the power to do this because He came back from the dead.

This is not easy to believe sometimes. I can still feel the loss of my mother and the empty space in my heart from her death.

But I have to believe that I am going to see her again. I have to believe that one day, I will hear her voice and hold her hand.

I have to believe this because Jesus told me that this would happen. He promised that when He said, ““I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” (John 11:25). We put this verse on my mother’s headstone. That way, when we looked at the heaviness of the stone as Mary Magdalene did, we are reminded of His promise that death is not the end.

He can roll way any stone in our lives because that is what He did to that stone at His tomb. But He asks that we believe, that we trust in Him.

You can read the whole article here.

Divine Mercy 2026

    

(repost from 2018)

Very few feast days are as important to me as today.

Much of what is printed below I have written before.  But with each year I age, I become more and more aware of how much I need God's Mercy.

There is a story about Socrates I heard once.  A phrenologist came to Athens and claimed to be able to read people's souls by studying the contours of their head.  Socrates, being a person who was open to new ideas asked to be tested.  The phrenologist examined Socrates and said that his skull showed he was proud, lustful, greedy, wrathful, and other things like this.  Socrates' followers began to laugh at this diagnosis of their moral teacher.  But Socrates very seriously rebuked them and said, "This man is telling the truth.  I struggle with these every day of my life."

I bring this up because sometimes when I tell people that I am the biggest sinner that they've met, they think I am only giving some kind of pious hyperbole.  But it is far from the case.  The only soul I can see into is my own and I see much darkness there.  No, I am not about to catalogue all of my vices.  But sometimes when I receive compliments of a moral or spiritual nature, I burn a little inside.

This is partly my fault.  I have found that when people give you compliments the most gracious thing to do is to accept it and say thank you.  Otherwise, that person feels admonished.  Also, I think I put on too much of a holy exterior image.  That isn't to say that I am not spiritual.  But sometimes I feel like the charge Jesus leveled against the Pharisees applies to me:  "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness." (Matt 23:27)

Especially as a religion teacher, the weight is sometimes overwhelming (though I speak as a weak man).  I stand in front of others proclaiming Christ while I too often fail in following Him.  Every day I pray before Jesus, "Please do not hold my sins against my students, but help me to give them only You!"

I bring all of this up only to emphasize how absolutely important today's feast is to me.

The Feast of Divine Mercy reminds me that though my sins burn and blister my heart, Jesus has an ocean of Mercy to drown that fire.

I know that God owes me nothing.  Or rather, what He owes me is wrath.  But He wants to give me Mercy.  It would be just if I received punishment.  But He wants to pour out forgiveness.

If it were not for Christ's incredible emphasis on His Mercy, I think that I would fall into despair.  It takes so much faith to believe that God is not fed up and disgusted with my lack of progress in the spiritual life.  But even that is my own projection of my weak love onto the infinite love of God.

And even here in this struggle, there is a grace.  As 2 Corinthians 4:7 says, "But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. "

My own weakness is there to keep me from ever thinking that the good that comes about through me is somehow from me.  All the good that I have ever done is only by the power of God.  He is the treasure, I am the earthen vessel.  Glory be to Him.

So today, please turn to His Mercy.

It does not matter what your sin is, He wants to forgive you!  He wants to put that old life behind you and begin again.

It does not matter how many times you've turned back and turned away.  Today, return to His Mercy.

Yes, you have sinned.  Join the club.  I am a lifelong member who has not graduated from even the most basic lessons.  I say this not to minimize my sins or your sins.  Every sin is another nail to pierce the Flesh of the Lamb of God.  We must be truly sorry and accept responsibility for them and resolve to sin no more by God's grace.

And then we must embrace His Mercy.

As one website writes:

The Divine Mercy message is one we can call to mind simply by remembering ABC: 

A - Ask for His Mercy. God wants us to approach Him in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins and asking Him to pour His mercy out upon us and upon the whole world. 

B - Be merciful. God wants us to receive His mercy and let it flow through us to others. He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as He does to us. 

C - Completely trust in Jesus. God wants us to know that the graces of His mercy are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust in Jesus, the more we will receive. 

(http://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/)


And on this Feast Day, I invite you to pray with me not only the Chaplet of Divine Mercy (click this link to learn how) and pray with me the Divine Mercy Litany:

The Love of God is the flower—Mercy the fruit. 

Let the doubting soul read these considerations on Divine Mercy and become trusting.

Divine Mercy, gushing forth from the bosom of the Father,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, greatest attribute of God, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, incomprehensible mystery, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, fountain gushing forth from the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity
, I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed by any intellect, human or angelic,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, from which wells forth all life and happiness,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, better than the heavens,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, source of miracles and wonders, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, encompassing the whole universe, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, descending to earth in the Person of the Incarnate Word,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, which flowed out from the open wound of the Heart of Jesus, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, enclosed in the Heart of Jesus for us, and especially for sinners, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in the institution of the Sacred Host,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the founding of Holy Church, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in our justification through Jesus Christ,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, accompanying us through our whole life,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, embracing us especially at the hour of death,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, endowing us with immortal life, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, accompanying us every moment of our life,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, shielding us from the fire of hell, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the conversion of hardened sinners,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, astonishment for Angels, incomprehensible to Saints,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in all the mysteries of God,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, lifting us out of every misery, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, source of our happiness and joy, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in calling us forth from nothingness to existence,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, embracing all the works of His hands,
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, crown of all of God's handiwork, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in which we are all immersed, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, sweet relief for anguished hearts, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, only hope of despairing souls, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, repose of hearts, peace amidst fear, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, delight and ecstasy of holy souls, 
I Trust in You.
Divine Mercy, inspiring hope against all hope, 
I Trust in You.

To The Divine Mercy
I fly to Your mercy, Compassionate God, who alone are good. Although my misery is great and my offenses are many, I trust in Your mercy, because You are the God of mercy; and, from time immemorial, it has never been heard of, nor do heaven or earth remember, that a soul trusting in Your mercy has been disappointed.

O God of compassion, You alone can justify me and You will never reject me when I, contrite, approach Your Merciful Heart, where no one has ever been refused, even if he were the greatest sinner (1730).

[For Your Son assured me:] Sooner would heaven and earth turn into nothingness than would My mercy fail to embrace a trusting soul (1777).

Jesus, Friend of a lonely heart, You are my haven, You are my peace. You are my salvation, You are my serenity in moments of struggle and amidst an ocean of doubts. You are the bright ray that lights up the path of my life. You are everything to a lonely soul. You understand the soul even though it remains silent. You know our weaknesses and, like a good physician, You comfort and heal, sparing us sufferings — expert that You are (247).

In Thanksgiving
O Jesus, eternal God, I thank You for Your countless graces and blessings. Let every beat of my heart be a new hymn of thanksgiving to You, O God. Let every drop of my blood circulate for You, Lord. My soul is one hymn in adoration of Your mercy. I love You, God, for Yourself alone (1794).


To the Mother of God
O Mary, my Mother and my Lady, I offer you my soul, my body, my life and my death, and all that will follow it. I place everything in your hands. O my Mother, cover my soul with your virginal mantle and grant me the grace of purity of heart, soul and body. Defend me with your power against all enemies, and especially against those who hide their malice behind the mask of virtue (79). Fortify my soul that pain will not break it. Mother of grace, teach me to live by God's power (315).

O Mary ... a terrible sword has pierced your holy soul. Except for God, no one knows of your suffering. Your soul does not break; it is brave, because it is with Jesus. Sweet Mother, unite my soul to Jesus, because it is only then that I will be able to endure all trials and tribulations, and only in union with Jesus will my little sacrifices be pleasing to God. Sweetest Mother, continue to teach me about the interior life. May the sword of suffering never break me. O pure Virgin, pour courage into my heart and guard it (915).

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! - Easter 2026

      

 
"Who [indeed] is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"

Today I was thinking very much of my friend Matt who passed away this past June.  I was also thinking of something my friend Plucko said once: "If there is no afterlife, then everyone's life is tragic."

This, of course, does not prove that there is life after death.  But it does highlight how drab our world truly would be if there was nothing more than this life.  Every love you ever have would only be a temporary thing.

But in our bones we know that love is forever.  This includes the love of friends.

I think this is why we still love the dead.  You could write it off as some sort of coping mechanism of the mind.  But I think that it reaches into that deep reality that we know: that this life is not the end.

Today is the day that reminds us of that.  Jesus Christ rose from the dead to show us that our end is not the grave but life!  In Him, if we truly love each other, then we can hold onto each other forever.

Because of Jesus, one day I hope to see my friend again and shake his hand.  I live in this hope because the One who promised to me is trustworthy.  Jesus is offering us eternal love.  This means that He can make our loves eternal.

For those of you who have lost loved ones, I grieve with you.  But I offer you the hope that can only be found in Christ: hope that parting is not permanent.

Because death has been defeated by the Lord of Life!

He is Risen.

Alleluia!

Divine Mercy Novena Starts Tomorrow

      

(most of the text below is a repost from 2022)

A reminder that the Divine Mercy Novena begins tomorrow (Good Friday) and continues through until Mercy Sunday.  You can find the novena here:

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/novena-13366

This has been a powerful and profound devotion in my life and many graces have come to me through a devotion to Jesus' Divine Mercy.  

Very recently, I experienced such an overwhelmingly powerful act of mercy.  I am acutely aware that under Divine Justice, there is much for which I have to answer.  Each day I seem to be racking up a debt of sin.  But even more concretely, the way I treat the people I claim to love is often selfish and shameful.  When confronted with this reality, I often shrink with shame.  I struggle with this.  I think that God loves me but because of my sins, He doesn't like me very much.  It is an image that is horribly unfair to Our Lord.

Sin is a real barrier between God and us, but God's love is greater than that.  Not too long ago, I had to admit my faults to someone, expecting them to return to me bitter (but just) judgment.  Instead, this person simply smiled at me and told me that all was well.  There was no trace of bitterness or judgment.  There was only pure kindness and love and a joy that I could unburden myself on them.  

This act of mercy lifted a great burden from my heart.  And it acted as a symbol for how God's mercy is similar.

It is a beautiful lay your faults bare to someone and have them look beyond them is a beautiful thing.  Too often I think we define ourselves by our sins.

Pope John Paul II once said that we are more than the sum total of our sins.

God sees us as we are, beyond our sins.  He wants us to come to Him and lay our sins on His mercy.  

I look forward to joining all of you in spiritual communion through this novena.

In these days with all of the worries and struggles that we have, we have a greater need to throw ourselves at the Mercy of God!