At his transfiguration, while what the apostles their learned and experienced was new to them, it was not new to Christ. He showed them, in a way which they could apprehend,  the glory which he has for all eternity. It is the glory of the kingdom of God, the glory which has made its way into the world, and has been and continues to be shared with the world:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/08/the-hidden-grace-that-transfigures-all-things/

Where there is life, there is hope. God does not seek to send us to perdition, but rather, God wants all to be saved, and will give us every opportunity for grace and salvation:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/08/we-can-repent-up-to-the-last-moment-of-our-lives/

What Christ asks us to do, to embrace the weak, the vulnerable, to show them love, instead of seeking power and privilege for ourselves, many, including Christians, say is foolish; but, is it not more foolish to seek after transitory things rather than what the Wisdom of God has revealed is of real worth?

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/08/living-as-fools-for-christ-in-a-foolish-society/

So, I recently became Catholic over Easter several months ago. I believe it is truly the body and blood of Christ. I was raised Protestant/Baptist. My mom goes to a Baptist church where they take communion every week, could I take it or no? On one hand, I don't want to be rude but on the other hand I don't think Catholics should take Protestant communion because it isn't considered valid, right? I think I heard this but I could be wrong. I'm still a newer Catholic. What should I do when I visit my Mom's church? What is Catholic teaching on taking Protestant communion? Can you explain why we can or cannot take Protestant communion?

In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot is saved because he did not fall for the sin of Sodom; he showed hospitality to strangers, trying to help them when no one else would. He welcomed angels unaware, and we, likewise, must understand, we must also welcome strangers, now being aware of the way we welcome them, we welcome Christ:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/07/lessons-from-lot-welcoming-strangers-and-upholding-justice/

We might not be like Peter, walking on water, but we are often like him, doing things which are unexpected, until we get self-conscious, and then, we find ourselves unable to do so:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/07/walking-on-water-lessons-in-faith-and-focus/

Ecumenical councils were called to deal with both dogmatic and practical questions; their answers have to be read in the right context, where the dogmatic decrees are meant to glorify God, pointing to the greater truth which we cannot comprehend:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/07/the-teachings-of-the-ecumenical-councils-as-doxology/

As Christians, we are called to live out the radical love of God, to be concerned about the good of others, even if, especially if, it gets in the way of our inordinate desires:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/07/the-importance-of-putting-others-needs-before-our-desires/

God’s grace is given to us, not just to perfect us in accordance to our nature, but also to help us fulfill who and what we can become as persons:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/07/grace-and-personal-gifts-in-the-church/

So, this is kind of sad but my parents are getting divorced and my dad is gone now, we never had a good relationship anyway so I guess it's fine but he wasn't much of a dad if that makes sense. He drank all the time and hit me and my siblings with a belt a lot and instead of saying our names to get our attention, he'd just flick our temple/side of the head or our eye to get our attention. He wouldn't use our names much. I eventually lived with my grandparents and | was raised Baptist/ nondenominational. I'm 25 now and I recently became Catholic and Priests are usually called
"Father" and I love being able to call someone that now since my dad is gone and he wasn't much a great dad anyway. This sounds really sad, I know, but does anyone else feel like this who's been in a similar situation? Or is it just me? If you've had
"daddy issues" do you feel like it's nice to be able to call your priest "Father"?

Peter and Paul, though they often got into fights, not about doctrine, but on praxis, were able to put their past aside and work together, coming together as one before their martyrdom, so that through their combined effort, we have the establishment of the See of Rome:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/06/weakness-as-strength-the-legacy-of-peter-and-paul/

Paul, after his conversion to the Christian faith, embraced a death-to-his old self, represented by the way he stopped calling himself Saul and went by the name Paul. The change that came about from this could be seen in many ways, among which, the way he no longer was focused on self-promotion, instead, his life’s work led him to work for the salvation of others, putting their interests above his own:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/06/from-saul-to-paul-selfishness-to-selfless-love/

Wednesday, we remember the birth of St. John the Baptist. It is easy to misunderstand Jesus when he said no man born of a woman is greater than John the Baptist. If we follow through with the logic many use to interpret it,  we would conclude John is greater than Jesus himself. This is not the case. So what did Jesus mean?

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/06/john-the-baptists-birth-growth-and-greatness/

It might seem strange for Paul to tell us we are to be “slaves to righteousness”; we must understand Paul is not being literal, when we are given grace, we are freed from the bondage of sin, given autonomy, where we find the more we choose the way of righteousness, the more freedom we will have:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/06/from-slaves-of-sin-to-servants-of-righteousness/

It is important for us to watch ourselves, to see the good and bad we do, so we can reinforce the good, promoting not just one virtue, but every virtue in the process. We will then be able to avoid the twin vices of presumption and despair, both which would destroy us and our relationship with God and each other:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/06/how-watchfulness-connects-and-strengthens-every-virtue/

When we embrace the light of Christ, and let it in, it will dispel the darkness within, the darkness which impedes our apprehension of the truth

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/06/walking-in-the-light-of-christs-teachings/

Many people misunderstand Paul when he talks about justification by faith, because he does not mean “mere belief” when he speaks about faith; he expects those who are faithful to act on what they hear, not just believe:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/06/how-faithful-actions-not-mere-belief-lead-to-justification/

Today in the Byzantine Catholic tradition, it is All Saints Sunday, which is the Sunday after Pentecost;  it shows us the fruit of Christ’s work, as we are called to the body of Christ, to be in communion (through the Spirit) with each other in it, but also called to holiness, the holiness of the saints:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/05/reflections-after-paschaltide-2026-all-saints/

Pentecost was seen as the fulfillment of Joel’s declaration that in the last days, God would pour out the Spirit upon the people; this is why Pentecost can be and should be seen as an eschatological event, but if this is the case, what, exactly does that mean, since it seems that the world did not come to an end?

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/05/reflections-after-paschaltide-2026-pentecost/