
Juan Point at a Time
By Juan P Ruiz


Woes to Freedom
As always, Jesus wants us to avoid spiritual traps and see ourselves through the eyes of God our Father... especially when he's naming one woe after another!
Luke 6:20-26

Lie #22 of the Evil Spirit - If I don't defend my faith in public, I'm a bad Catholic.
It is not uncommon to hear disparaging remarks about the Catholic faith and tradition today. Sometimes that creates a space for the evil spirit to get under our skin a bit.
Year C - Ordinary Time - Week 3
Lk 4:14-21

Sharing the Graces God Gives Us
Sometimes we keep ideas or graces that might have come from God to ourselves out of fear, but as always, God's invitation is not to fear.

Embracing the Messiness
God chose to enter straight into the world, straight into the messiness of our lives.
Christmas Vigil Mass

The Yoke Made Easier
One of the many ways we sometimes make a burden of life is presuming God is punishing us for some past transgression, when perhaps that is not a helpful question to even ask.
Mt 11: 28-30

Hiding from Forgiveness
JBap is out preaching to himself and to others the same message, "Make way for the Lord."
Year C - Advent - Week 2

Liturgical New Year's Resolutions
Boy, what a confusing title for this episode, but it's accurate. The new liturgical year begins with readings that call to mind the Last Judgment. It is an invitation to make resolutions from a different perspective than usual...
Year C - Advent - Week 1

Pausing for Peace
Jesus sees the Israelites are pursuing peace where it will not be found and weeps for them. If only they had paused and noticed his visitation, they might have avoided a lot of tragedy.
Lk 19:41-44

Marriage is meant to Soften our Hearts
As always, God is on our side. In today's Gospel, Jesus addresses the tough topic of divorce and has some encouraging words about what we should expect marriage to do for us.
Year B - Ordinary Time - Week 27

Not Shutting Down God
If we shut God down when the needs seem overwhelming, the story ends early.
Year B - Ordinary Time - Week 17

When time seems too short

False Prophets exist, but God and goodness will not fail us

Hitting Below the Belt
Once again, Jesus is giving some practical advice and helps to hoping when we hit or get hit "below the belt."
Ordinary Time - Week 12 - Tuesday

No-Win Scenarios
Sometimes the evil spirit presents us with no-win scenarios, that turns out are not no-win scenarios when Jesus enters the story.

We Know the Way

Entering into the Wilderness
This homily was given at a mass where a major relic of Saint Jean de Brébeuf was present which is why the homily has so much to do with him.

Of course I will it. Be healed.

Attitudes That Harm Us

A Cameo Worth Noting
The prophetess Anna makes a cameo in today's Gospel and her history can prove a valuable, though simple, lesson.

How to Grow in Wisdom
You know wisdom when you see it, but how do we grow in it?
Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 32

What is My Price of Admission?
Without even realizing it, we may sometimes be charging Christ a price of admission into our hearts. And there's a simple question way to figure out what that price might be.
Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 31 - Thursday

Preparing a Room for the Guest
Jesus invites us to develop routines that keep us open to his Spirit and remain faithful to them.
Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 29 - Tuesday

A Litmus Test for our Relationship with God
Jesus opens the eyes of the Pharisees in today's readings with a litmus test that we can apply to our own lives.
Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 30

North American Martyrs sacrificing for the sake of the Gospel
Memorial of the North American Martyrs

Start Praying Right Where You Find Yourself... and Don't Stop
Today's reading offers some suggestions from Jesus on prayer.
Ordinary Time - Week 27 - Thursday

Christ has resolutely set himself on our hearts
Jerusalem is a city, but also a symbol. Luke is well aware of what he is doing when writes that Christ determined to go there.
Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 26 - Tuesday

Lord, I am not worthy you should enter under my roof.
Unworthiness can be a rather distasteful concept in popular culture, but they are valued within our Christian tradition. So much so that we repeat it every mass... Why?
Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 24 - Monday

God sees us first
Today's Gospel is about an encounter between Philip, Jesus, and Nathaniel. As always, God takes the lead.
Feast of Saint Bartholomew

Decide in neither Desolation nor Jubilation
Saint Ignatius offers guidelines for the discernment of spirits in his spiritual writings. If I could add one thing with confidence thus far, it would be the simple reminder in this homily.
Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 17 - Saturday

Two Criteria for Companions on our Spiritual Journeys
This homily was given to high school freshman at the end of their orientation.
Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 17 - Friday

Accepting as God does
We can easily get lulled into one extreme or another when it comes to accepting others. Jesus wants to free us to love others just as he has loved us.
Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 13

3 Perspectives on Meaning in the Universe
Jesus speaks with metaphor about how the body is illumined or darkened by what we believe to be out there in the world - and tracking how different worldviews perceive meaning can help us understand our own perspective.
Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 11 - Friday

Telling Lies Telling Small Little Lies
Sometimes we tell lies to avoid a storm, but it erodes our integrity and becomes self-defeating. Jesus gives us the best reason not to do so.
Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 12

Keep Holy Those Sacred Spaces
Like an expectedly intense liturgist, Jesus unexpectedly draws our attention to sacred spaces. How much do I do to maintain my own?
Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 08

Get over thyself, my friend.
Jesus points Peter three times beyond himself, and, Saint Philip Neri, who is celebrated on this memorial, is one example of what that can look like.
Memorial of Saint Philip Neri
Easter - Week 07 - Friday

God has judged the world.
God has judged the world and in response He gave his only Son.
Year A - Ordinary Time - Week 09

Jesus had to leave.
Jesus didn't want us creating more division or setting ourselves against each other, that's why he had to leave. The unity Jesus wants is Catholic, universal.
Solemnity of the Ascension

Judas Sullied What Jesus Washed
Jesus teaches us a small lesson on how to respond to those whose betrayal is pending. It is a small lesson to learn, but very difficult lesson to practice.
Easter - Week 05 - Thursday

Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and the Life
Jesus refers to an often-heard and often-misunderstood or not-understood phrase in today's reading. This homily is a bit of unpacking of that phrase.
Year A - Easter - Week 05

We already know the Good Shepherd
Jesus claims that the sheep know the voice of the good shepherd... So what is that good shepherd like?
Easter - Week 04 - Sunday

When God Seems Disguised
People have difficulty recognizing Jesus after his resurrection. Is it because he wears disguises or they are missing something that has always been evident?
Year A - Easter - Week 03

What Thomas Sought

A Missing Detail on Resurrection Sunday

The Messiness of Farewells
Saying farewell well is always worth the trouble, even with the smallest things. And Jesus isn't bothered by the process in the least.
Holy Week - Monday

Martha's Redemption
Martha gets such a bad rap she just doesn't deserve, which only makes her redemption all the sweeter.
Year A - Lent - Week 05

Living in a Shelter of Shame
We can sometimes get stuck living in a little shelter of shame, but the good and great news is that God's got so much more in mind for us.
Year A - Lent - Week 03

The Fear of Anonymity
A fear of anonymity coupled with never feeling known is a surely an indication of some evil spirit baloney.
Lent - Week 03 - Wednesday

Easier Said than Done, but Better Enjoyed than Not
Jesus invites us to forgive rather than judge or condemn, but that seems to be easier said than done. In today's homily, I offer a couple examples that help illustrate where one might begin when feeling stuck in judgment or condemnation.
Lent - Week 03 - Monday

Have no Fear When God shines forth through Man

Stop Arguing and Start Praying
Jesus encounters his disciples in an argument about a young lady and takes a different tact for healing her.
Year 1 - Ordinary Time - Week 07 - Monday