Like this message if you have ever messed up or failed, and then someone accused you for it. Accusation hurts. It unlocks shame in our hearts. And that is one thing not present in this Sunday’s first reading. In Genesis, Adam fails. And so, right after Adam’s sins, what does God do? He asks one symbol question, “Where are you?” He does not accuse. He does not say, “Well, I knew you were going to mess up at some point.” He is trying to get close to Adam.
In the midst of our sins, in the midst of falling flat on our faces, what does God do? He runs after us. He is not content with us being far away. He wants to draw us close. This is the God that I want to follow. This is the God that I want to die for. We never have to fear accusation again because we have a God who does not accuse; he pursues. This is Spirit Juice. Peace.
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The Imprint on Your Hearts
Let’s talk about money. In ancient Rome, Caesar’s face was imprinted on coins so that people would know who the emperor was. In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus asks the Pharisees to take out a coin and tells them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God what is God’s.” Jesus is telling the Pharisees to give him his coins, be good citizens, pay their taxes, and not jaywalk. But everyone…
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Joy in the Midst of Suffering
So, have you ever felt like you are going to die after you get a paper cut or stub your toe? Me too. But blessed Chiara Luce Badano, a contemporary teenage saint of the church, teaches us how to have joy amid suffering. She contracted a rare form of cancer as a teenager. But amid her suffering, she knew that Jesus had already won in her heart, and she did not have to be afraid. Today, we celebrate…
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Living in Unreality
Okay, so I just spent three hours playing Fortnite with another priest. And yes, we got some dubs. But afterward, I felt horrible after three hours of living in unreality that weighed on me. Whenever we are living away from the truth, that is further away from Jesus. And in the gospel for this Sunday, Pilate is also living in unreality. He knows that Jesus is innocent, yet he decides to live and act not in reality…
