Good morning, friends.
New here? Welcome! Wednesday @ Lunch is a weekly email where I share what I'm thinking about, working on, and reading. Glad you're here.
On the Blog: A Formation House for the Domestic Church
Monday night I sat down with Suzanne, Joseph, and Andrew to walk them through what I've been building, family meeting style.
When I finished, Joseph looked at me and said: "This is amazing. This will make you a Doctor of the Church someday."
From his mouth to God's ears. But I reminded him: what matters is that we all become saints.
I've been working on pieces of this for months - and last week at Disneyland, the pieces finally came together. Walt Disney understood something profound: everything feeds everything else. I kept looking at all the things I've been building and thinking they were too scattered. Then it clicked: they're not too many. They're disconnected.
What I needed wasn't subtraction. It was the hub.
A formation house serving the domestic church across generations.
It's called Domus Formation. And I'm inviting you to be part of it.
Formation February
I'm calling this month Formation February - and I need your help.
If any of these resonate with you, I’d be grateful if you tried them out. And if they resonate for someone you know, I'd be grateful if you'd pass them along:
For families with children at home: Hearth & Altar / Hogar y Altar (en español)
For Catholics in the second half of life: Eventide & Altar / Ocaso y Altar (en español)
For teens: Young Disciples Society
For young adults: Ostium (coming soon)
For someone exploring faith or learning to pray: Fons
For a 15-week Scripture journey: Emmaus Disciples
Learn more at WeAreDomus.com.
Interesting Links & Connections
Pope Leo XIV on formation (last week): Speaking to the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, Pope Leo urged formators to look to "spiritual giants" like St. Augustine, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and St. Philip Neri as models. His key point: "We cannot stop at transmitting a doctrine, an observance, an ethic, but rather we are called to share what we live." Formation isn't just teaching - it's accompaniment. Read more →
On integrity and "Yes means Yes": A good reflection from Catholic Daily Reflections on this Sunday's Gospel: "Work to become a person of true honesty and integrity. Be sincere in all of your dealings... Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.'" This is the theme of my 2 Minute Homily this week. Read more →
Locked in for 2026: If you missed this piece from Catholic Exchange at the new year, it's worth revisiting: "Growth requires direction. Without it, we do not remain spiritually stationary; we regress." A good challenge for the second month of the year. Read more →
Sunday's Mass Readings
6th Sunday in Ordinary Time — USCCB Readings
Jesus goes deeper than the Law: it's not enough to avoid murder, adultery, or false oaths. God cares about what's happening in your heart. "Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.'"
I've been thinking about this as a father. There have been times when my boys have asked me to do something, and I've said yes - and then I forgot. After enough of those moments, they started saying, "Dad, do you promise?"
They needed more than my yes. Because my yes had let them down:
This Week's Catholic Cartoon
From Joshua Masterson, The Catholic Cartoonist:
A Final Word
"We cannot stop at transmitting a doctrine, an observance, an ethic, but rather we are called to share what we live, with generosity, sincere love for souls, willingness to suffer for others, and unreserved dedication, like parents who sacrifice themselves for the good of their children."
— Pope Leo XIV, Address to the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life (February 6, 2026)
What's on your mind? Just hit reply - I read every response.
If this email was forwarded to you and you'd like your own, subscribe here.
Know someone who might appreciate Wednesday @ Lunch? Share it with them.
Deacon Michael Halbrook serves at St. Elizabeth Parish in the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois. He's a husband, father of four sons, and writes about faith, family, work, and life at DeaconMichael.net. And he’s launching Domus Formation.
