Written by Deepu on July 16, 2017
Retreat > Jesus Camp
Do you know what you’re looking at? This was taken at the Diocesan Youth Retreat (DYR) back in June. This was on Thursday night, where over 250 teens and 80 leaders knelt before the Body of Christ. It was truly a beautiful night, and although a picture may speak a thousand words, it doesn’t do
Written by Deepu on July 13, 2017
What Are You Waiting For?
Retreats are an amazing experience that have the potential to change your life. They also have the potential to, well, ya know, not. I recently helped out on DYR – the Diocesan Youth Retreat which is put on by the Diocese of San Jose. After the retreat this year (as so happens every year), many
Written by Deepu on July 9, 2017
Confirmed
According to the 2nd Reading today, you belong to Christ. One of the definitions of belong is to be properly or appropriately placed. God has a specific purpose for you. Do you know what that purpose is? When was the last time you really asked God what your purpose is? I don’t care how young
Written by Deepu on July 9, 2017
Me First!
Matthew 10:37-42 was the Gospel reading at Mass last week, and it can be challenging to really take in. Jesus basically says that He comes first (which we already know) – that not parents, not even your children, should come before Him. It makes sense, but when I look at my children, it can sometimes
Written by Deepu on June 18, 2017
Jesus? Is That Really You?
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The majority of our Christian brothers and sisters of other denominations don’t believe in the true Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. They believe that when Jesus said (in today’s Gospel) “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me
Written by Deepu on June 18, 2017
“You Are My Son, and the One True King”
You should all know what this quote is from. That’s right: The Lion King. Mufasa says this to Simba from the clouds. Simba has been struggling to come to terms with his past, and his dad, although dead, is there for him to guide him. Yet where was Mufasa for all those years as Simba grew
Written by Deepu on June 11, 2017
Easier Said Than Done
Oh Paul, you make things sound so easy. The advice given in the second letter to the Corinthians (from our 2nd Reading today) sounds so simple. Too simple. It makes it sound easy, which I think leads to many of us not really adhering to that advice. If I went through that whole list, I’m
Written by Deepu on June 4, 2017
No Matter What the Pentecost
I love learning about our Church. I got this book—The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament. It’s awesome. It takes certain words or phrases within Scripture, and explains them in more detail, and anything that references the Old Testament is noted. There’s so much depth to Scripture. For example, the first line of the First
Written by Deepu on June 1, 2017
Welcome the Wear-y
Awhile ago, I was talking with a teen who got Confirmed last year. We were talking about how she hasn’t been going to Mass lately, but has been attending service at a non-Catholic Christian church. When I asked why, she said that one time when she went over the summer, a woman came up to
Written by Deepu on May 28, 2017
Does This Thing Come with a Manual?
After we moved into our house, we started doing research on a washer and dryer. I like looking at customer reviews to see how well they stand up to their ads. One of the models for a washer we were looking at didn’t have the agitator in the middle (this is the top-load kind with the
Written by Deepu on April 19, 2017
His Achy Breaky Heart
God aches for you. Let that sink in for a minute. God aches for you. I heard or read this somewhere, I can’t remember exactly where, but it stuck with me. It’s such a beautiful insight and thought about God’s love for us. So often we go through life, blaming God for the things that
Written by Deepu on April 13, 2017
Pearly White Gates
I recently went to the dentist, and let me tell you, I had an amazing time. Not really. I mean, it wasn’t a horrible time, but it definitely wasn’t something that I’d describe as amazing. But after the appointment was done, man did my teeth feel clean. Now, I’m no saint when it comes to
Written by Deepu on April 13, 2017
Talk to God
In Exodus 17:3-7 (well, really in a lot of Exodus), the Israelites were not happy campers (literally). And they were bold people. They had no issue complaining to Moses about their suffering. The reason why they were wandering the desert for 40 years was because they complained. And yet God still answered them (even though
Written by Deepu on February 26, 2017
Let’s Go [insert Sports Team]!
Why do you (or others if you don’t), wear sports attire (hats, jerseys, shirts, etc.)? Is it because of the history of the team? Is it because of the experiences you’ve had watching the team play on your own or with friends and family? Is it because of the love of the game, and although
Written by Deepu on February 19, 2017
Not Your Father’s Bible Study
Studying Scripture outside of Mass is important. Like, really important. But why, Deepu? Good question, fair reader, thank you for asking. For one, how many of us really pay attention to the readings at Mass? For two, for those of us who do pay attention, how often do we hear it and actually reflect on
Written by Deepu on February 12, 2017
The Juggle is Real
Three kids. Three. That’s what we’re up against now, Beth and I. I know it can be done, and I know we will be able to handle it (I think). A lot of people tell us it’s a game changer because then you go to zone defense instead of just man on man coverage (I
Written by Deepu on February 9, 2017
Do Not Read This
I use reverse psychology on my son sometimes (Joshua, if you ever read this in the future, you will not like that I did this to you). Some people might argue that it’s not good to do this with your children, and you might be right – but I try to only use it in situations where
Written by Deepu on January 20, 2017
Overwhelmed
Not too long ago, I started taking the calling God has for me more seriously (I know, you’re totally impressed). There’s only one problem: I’m not really sure what God’s calling me to exactly (I know, I’m the only one who feels this way). So what I’ve really been doing is asking God more often
Written by Deepu on January 15, 2017
4>3
Did you know that? There’s the 1st and 2nd Reading, and the Gospel, right? What’s missing? If you said the Responsorial Psalm (usually the song between the 1st & 2nd Reading), then you are correct. Technically, it is a reading, taken from the Book of Psalms. Every week there is a different Psalm—however, due to
Written by Deepu on January 1, 2017
A New Year. Big Deal.
I’ve probably talked about this before, but this time we’re gonna get real. I have tried to start new habits on January 1st of many years (or January 2nd depending on how I celebrated December 31st—hey, I said we’re gonna real). But each and every New Year’s Resolution came to an end—either it was too
Written by Deepu on December 18, 2016
Righteous
How righteous are you? I don’t ask this in a judgmental way, but in reflective way. In the Gospel today (Matthew 1:18-24), Joseph is called a righteous man, and that he wouldn’t expose Mary to shame. via GIPHY In our age of being so connected to so many people through social media, that would definitely
Written by Deepu on December 10, 2016
Stained Clothes
It’s hard to avoid. I’ve got my nice clothes on (you know, anything I’ve owned for less than four years). I like the way I look in them, and although they are super comfortable, I’m always a little on edge when food is around because the risk of getting an irremovable stain rises. And then
Written by Deepu on November 23, 2016
God Bless You?
Sneezes. I really don’t like them. Not because they make snot fly at over 100 mph (which is pretty cool), or that you risk having snot all over the place if you don’t have a proper receptacle, but because I feel like I’m pressured to say, “God bless you,” or “Bless you.” Wait, Deepu…you’re Catholic…don’t
Written by Deepu on October 22, 2016
Holy Daze
Obligation. That word makes going to Mass sound like a chore. Holy Days of Obligation makes it feel like we’re being forced to attend Mass. But in all reality, we are obliged to. The Church isn’t trying to force us, but trying to guide and remind us that we need to go to Mass—not for
Written by Deepu on October 20, 2016
Caramel vs. Caramel
I’m writing this with some trepidation. I haven’t yet actually searched which one is right (side note: it’s weird to write ‘searched’ instead of ‘googled.’ Just thought you’d like to know). I’ve had this argument multiple times with friends and family. My biggest nemesis on this topic is my wife. She pronounces it, “car-mel,” while
Written by Deepu on July 29, 2016
50…45…40…30…20…10…
In the First Reading this past week (Genesis 18:20-32), we hear the story of Abraham pleading with God for the innocent lives in the city of Sodom. Previous times when reading this story, I thought that this was a lesson for us to always go to God, to always ask God for mercy and forgiveness.
Written by Deepu on July 26, 2016
Littering and…
People who litter disgust me. I know. I shouldn’t be judging others. But I feel like out of all the things that people do, littering is one of those things that you can’t put blame on anyone but yourself. I’m not saying it’s the worst thing that a person can do, but it’s one of
Written by Deepu on June 22, 2016
7/3/16 – Independence Day: The Resurgence of Will Smith
I’m really excited about seeing the sequel to Independence Day. I remember seeing the original for the first time in theaters back when I was in middle school. It was such an entertaining movie with a good balance of comedy and action. The actors were great—Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, and of course, Will Smith. When
Written by Deepu on June 19, 2016
6/19 – Luke 9:18-24
The more I learn about Scripture, the better it gets. There have been so many times in my life (and by that I mean like, 98% of the times) when I’ve heard, read, or even prayed over Scripture, and I got nothing. I would read it and think, “That’s a nice story,” or “That didn’t
Written by Deepu on June 11, 2016
“Prayer does not merely ‘help’ our relationship with God…prayer is our relationship with God”
This is from Mark Hart’s book A Second Look: Encountering the True Jesus This quote hit me hard. It made me look at prayer in a whole new way. Which means it made me look at my relationship with God in a whole new way. And, I didn’t like what I was looking at. I
Written by Deepu on June 11, 2016
Into the Unknown
I can’t tell you how many times I rewrote this article. Starting this blog has been more intimidating than I imagined. I initially thought, “This will be relatively easy – I write bulletin articles every week for my parish, which have, for the most part, been positively received. A blog is pretty much the same