There is perhaps no greater vocational calling than to be an ordained minister of Christ. On All Saints Day, my deacon (now Fr. Chandler Wiley), was ordained as a priest in Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. It was a privilege for me to be present at such an occasion.
As I reflect on this sacrament of Holy Orders, I am deeply moved by the beauty and depth of this calling. To be called as the one who stands to offer up the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist in persona Christi is probably the most profound and mysterious vocation one can participate in. The weightiness of responsibility can be overwhelming, I’m sure.
That being said, being a priest is one of the most rewarding vocational callings too. To some, their priest may be the most tangible portrait of Christ they will have in this life. Especially if they come from broken homes and families. To be able to speak the word of God to the broken, absolve the sins shameful, and preside over the Mass to the faithful must be incredibly rewarding and fruitful. As I reflect on the joy of watching my brother enter into this sacrament, I am reminded of the words of St. Paul who says:
“But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.” - Philippians 2:17-18
The priest of God lives a life of sacrificial love for the sheep of God. But in this, he shares his joy with the sheep that they too might be filled with joy. This is a beautiful thing, and something I bear witness to in my own life. The joy of those ministers who are above me has manifested in my own joy and sanctification. Praise be to God!
Today, in your prayers, thank the Lord for your ministers. They engage in a profound mystery of sacrifice and joy.
This is the first video reflection for the Great Fast.
Welcome to the Mere Catholicity Locals Community! Here, you will find like-minded Christians with a desire to live ecumenically and pursue Christ in all things.
The Mere Catholicity movement runs only through listener support. The work that I (Jonah) do requires time and money. Without the financial support of my Locals community, I would not be able to continue making content. Simple as that. It is only thanks to this group that I can continue providing you with content that (hopefully) both edifies and challenges!
The good news for you is that joining the community itself is completely FREE! Once you sign up, you will be able to see most posts, live streams, and even content posted by other users. However, you will only be able to observe. You will not be able to comment, post, or see any exclusive content. This might be a good way to see if you want to support later down the line. So please join! Even if you cannot afford to give at this time!
Now, for those who do wish to give ...
Friends - as I consider the various platforms that I operate, I find Substack to the most conducive to the model of online ministry that I am aiming for. Though I still plan to post here, as many of you still support me through this platform, Substack is where I will be focusing the majority of my time. If some of you wish to move your subscription from here to Substack, you are welcome to do that. Those who continue to support here, I will continue to post here — mostly the stuff that is behind the paywall on Substack so that you are getting the exclusive content regardless of where you are subscribed.
Hope you all are doing well. Lord bless you.
- Rev. Jonah
I've been gone again for a time preparing for my ordination. I was ordained a Deacon in the Holy Catholic Church on March 8th, 2025.
It was a joy beyond words. I am now back in full swing with ministry, media, and work.
I hope you all have been doing well. More to come soon.
Good morning everyone. I wanted to quickly update you on the Mere Catholicity Podcast. I’ve been posting videos on my channel, but it has been quite sometime since my channel has had a podcast episode release.
With my new job as a classical teacher, scheduling interviews has been a challenge. However, my plan is to use my summer breaks as time to double down on planning and recording new podcasts. The idea will be to record a ton of interviews that will then slowly release throughout the school year, expiring around the time the following summer arrives. This will ultimately result in a consistent once a month interview.
All that to say, the podcast will resume here in May or June of 2025 with some excellent interviews lined up!
Blessings on your Sunday!
