Enkindle: Family Scripture Reflections

In this reflection for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Adam Novotny explores how God spoke to Elijah not in the wind, earthquake, or fire but in a tiny whispering sound, drawing on quotes from St. John Paul II, Mother Teresa, and St. John of the Cross to challenge us to cultivate silence so we can recognize and hear God's still, quiet voice.

In this reflection for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Kristen Fisher connects the feeding of the 5,000 to the offertory at Mass, showing how Jesus always starts with what we bring Him, no matter how small or broken, and transforms it into something far beyond what we could imagine.

In this reflection for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Erik Arnold uses the story of thrift store treasure hunters to illustrate Jesus's parable of the pearl of great price, showing how the kingdom of God is easily overlooked by those without wisdom and challenging us to quiet down, pray faithfully, and ask the Holy Spirit for the gift to recognize and pursue what is truly most valuable.

In this reflection for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Adam Novotny connects Isaiah's image of rain watering the earth to the parable of the sower, showing how God generously scatters His Word into all hearts and challenging us to ask whether we are good soil, ready to receive and grow from the Word of God.

In this reflection for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Scott Oesterle uses his two-year-old son's insight that "good kings ride on donkeys" to explore Jesus's meek and humble heart, challenging us to flip our idea of greatness and love our families with the gentle strength that serves rather than demands to be served.

In this reflection for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Erik Arnold uses a 17th-century painting of the Adoration of the Christ Child to illuminate the call to love Jesus above all else. This is not a demand to choose between God and family, but an invitation to fall more deeply in love with Jesus than we ever thought possible.

See the painting here.

In this reflection for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Scott Oesterle explores how God notices the smallest details of our lives, encouraging us to acknowledge Christ by paying attention to and welcoming the people around us who feel overlooked.

In this reflection for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Adam Novotny explores Jesus's words "the kingdom of heaven is at hand," reminding us that heaven is an immediate, accessible reality through Christ, not just a future promise, and encouraging us to repent and reconcile "early and often."

In this Corpus Christi reflection, Kristen Fisher tells the story of Tarcisius, a young altar server who died protecting the Eucharist while bringing it to imprisoned Christians, using his courageous faith to challenge us to believe what Jesus truly promised: that His flesh is real food that gives us strength for the journey to heaven.