Eric Clayton

In the second season of "The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power" there are two distinct quests, yet one singular story — and an essential question for all of us on our spiritual journeys.

What St. Ignatius of Loyola insists — and what Bluey's father, Bandit Heeler displays — is that when in a state of spiritual desolation, making a rash decision is never the answer. 

"Freud's Last Session," starring Anthony Hopkins as Sigmund Freud and Matthew Goode as C.S. Lewis, is a meditation on conversation as the two meet to discuss God, humanity and the intermingling of the two. 

Disney's "Wish" is no theological treatise. But if allowed, it might remind us that our deepest desire, our wish, is God's very self within us, dreaming about who we might yet be — no stars necessary. 

As in "The Bear," we all find ourselves trapped in dark, cramped, dingy places time and again. Those are the pressure cookers of our own spiritual journeys. 

Space might be the backdrop, spaceships may be the mode of transportation and aliens may be everywhere, but where the characters of "Star Trek: Picard" must boldly go is not really a place. Not a physical one, at least.

"Shrinking" tackles love and loss and grief and friendship. But at its core, writes Eric Clayton, it's a story about resurrection, rebirth and new life.

George Lucas' fantasy film "Willow" was released in 1988, the year I was born, but I wouldn't see it until 2023. In the film and the new Disney+ series, unlikely heroes rise to meet near-impossible odds and save the day.

The priest had 15 seconds to say something meaningful to a bunch of kids about God. To make an impact. I'm not sure that instructions on which knee should hit the floor quite got the point across.

"Spirited" is a delightful movie. Both a quasi-sequel to and adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol, "Spirited" tackles big, spiritual questions with joy, humor and a flurry of dancing feet.

"Andor" might just be some of the very best "Star Wars" out there. "Andor" does undoubtedly give us a darker take on "Star Wars"; but, as dark as it is, I believe it's a story of hope and redemption.

We're all Galadriel. We all walk that same path, though perhaps not in such a magical realm as Middle-earth. We may not befriend shipwrecked dark lords, but we know what it is to detect a shadow within ourselves.

Perspective: Storytelling is a spiritual practice that can deepen our faith in ourselves, our community and our God. Here are five mantras to help you cultivate a spirituality of storytelling.

We can no longer pretend that the problems are far away. Rather, we need to thrust our arms into the freezing water of the proverbial melting glacier and let it wake us up to the signs of the present moment.

Perspective: God's story is more like these fairy tales, pieces of a great narrative tapestry that stretch back further than we can know. We're still weaving it together. We're still imagining what it might become.

While the latest installment of "Star Wars" gives us action-packed blaster battles, lightsaber fights, gasp-worthy cameos and a few questionable plot decisions — the real story is a spiritual one.

Perspective: When I sit down to watch "Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure" with 4-year-old Elianna, we're sucked into the saga. Sure, there are silly songs and a questionable premise, but the heart of the story is powerful.

Perspective: Lent has been our exercise in assessing the pieces, examining and placing each one just so. When Easter arrives, we catch a glimpse of how those pieces are transformed into something spectacular.

TV review: I'm the target audience for "Star Wars" everything, but Easter eggs and fan service don’t necessarily make for good storytelling. Was delving into the mystery of bounty hunter Boba Fett the right call?

When all the presents are unwrapped, the food put away and the decorations taken down, will you have made Christ's love known to those around you? If not, you might reconsider just what you're preparing for this season.