Friday Coffin Break # 10 Behold

Happy Friday, Everybody.

This Sunday’s Gospel is the Baptism of the Lord. Let’s make today a little Good Friday by sowing some sacrifice, offering or mortification, in union with Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross, that we might reap a fuller Sunday harvest of Easter Resurrection Joy.

This Sunday's Gospel is Matthew 3:13-17 (from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible)

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and behold, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Theologians use this reading as a biblical reference for the doctrine of the Most Holy Trinity. In it we have the Father speaking to the Son who has the Holy Spirit descending and alighting upon him. Going over the Gospel today, the repetition of the word “behold” jumped out at me. I am frequently reading scripture from the perspective of trying to understand and articulate the significance of the fact that we are embodied creatures. In that light, the “hold” in “behold”, uh, grabs me.

God does not merely want to suggest something to us. Jesus did not need to be baptized because he had nothing for which to repent. He showed us the way. The way out of the bondage of sin and death. In the process the communion of the Triune God was revealed and we are instructed to apprehend that. Grasp that. Maybe even cling to it. As the diabolical always has tried, and continues to try, to tear us apart we are given the adventure of cooperating with God’s will by actively holding on.

Hold on to Faith. Hold on to Hope. Hold on to Love.

A time is coming when we will be able to relax our grip, but not yet!

In a little over an hour I will be livestreaming on youtube at 3 pm EST at:

https://www.youtube.com/live/ZFn9_afhlKU

We can talk about this Gospel, the Catholic view of death, the importance of the body, woodworking, or something that’s on your mind. Please join me!

LIve from the coffin shop this Friday

Good Morning, Everybody!

As you know if you have been following our work, I believe that every person is of immeasurable value. Jesus Christ gave his life for us that we might be set free from sin and death. Out of this faith flows our woodworking, that our labors might honor the individual and irreplaceable value of every human life and point sorrowful hearts home to the merciful love of God.

I am getting increasing numbers of emails and phone calls with specific questions about our caskets, as well as questions about Catholic funerals and funerals in general. To be more responsive to these questions I am going to host Friday livestreams for an hour or so, during which I will try to answer any questions you may have. If you are not able to be there for the livestream, which will be at www.youtube.com/@DieHumanPodcast at 3 pm Eastern Standard Time, you can email me questions at this email: coffinmakermd@gmail.com and I will try to answer them on the livestream, which will then be archived.

After 16 years of doing this work, I humbly concur with all the greatest thinkers in human history that our ability to consider our mortality, while often frightening at first blush, is in practice a gift that, when opened, gives context, direction and meaning to every moment of our lives.

It is also what separates us from the beasts.

So be not afraid and join me Friday at 3 pm EST in the coffinshop if you can!

P.S. Whether you can make it this Friday or not, please take a moment to go to www.youtube.com/@DieHumanPodcast and subscribe to the channel. Thanks!

Friday Coffin Break # 9 Wise Men and Myrrh, See?

Merry Christmas season and happy New Year everybody.

On this first Friday of 2026, let’s take 5 minutes to reflect on the upcoming Sunday’s Epiphany Gospel story, of the three Wise Men’s worship of Jesus, in the light of the grave. Remember, every weekend can be a Little Triduum, with some sacrifice being made each Friday, in recognition of Jesus’ life-giving Friday sacrifice for us, that we might more fully enter every Sunday as a foretaste of Eternal Resurrection Joy!

This Sunday's Gospel is Matthew 2: 1-12 (from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible)

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:

‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler

who will govern my people Israel.’”

Then Herod summoned the Wise Men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” When they had heard the king they went their way; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Gold, frankincense and myrrh, see? The gold was to honor Jesus’ kingship. The frankincense was to honor his divinity. The myrrh was a prefigurement of the death he chose to freely die for us as he stooped down into our humanity, taking on flesh that we might be freed from the bondage of sin; that we might put on divinity in the eternal communion of the saints.

Myrrh is for mercy.

Mercy might seem costly in the moment, but Jesus has paid the biggest price, shown us the path to follow and assured us that he will not abandon us.

Here’s to a grace abounding 2026!