Let’s talk about Emmett from the Lego movie. He thinks that everything is awesome. Yet, he is actually living a lie and he can’t truly be happy until he is honest with himself and honest about his situation. Right, come on, let’s be honest. And so in the same thing with the gospel today, here is the tax collector who is brutally honest with the Lord, whereas the Pharisee putting up a front, putting up a facade, not being truthful about his situation.
And so who can God truly love? The one that is brutally honest with the Lord or the one that puts up a front. And so my invitation this week is be brutally honest with God. If you’re having a crappy day, tell Jesus, “I’m having a crappy day.” If I’m having an awesome day, if everything is awesome, tell Jesus that everything is awesome. If I have incredible flatulence, be honest with Jesus about it. He wants to love you where you are right now. So please be brutally honest with Jesus. That can change your heart and change your life.
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Uncomfortable for Jesus
So Jesus sounds like Yoda for this Sunday’s gospel. He says the foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay His head. It sounds cryptic. What Jesus is not saying has anything to do with Airbnb accommodations, but the part of Jesus’ heart that he is sharing with us is that when it comes to following him, sometimes we have to be uncomfortable. I’m very awkward. I have no power…
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Start Small
So at the foot of the mountain of Assisi. There is a beautiful church called Saint Mary of the Angels. Inside the church is another very small church called the Portiuncula, which is where Saint Francis began his mission. He didn’t begin as one who was feeding the whole world. He was just a simple man who said yes in a…
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Face to Face with Jesus
What happens when you come face to face with the God of the universe? You don’t want to leave.
At a recent retreat, students encountered Jesus in a powerful way and many of them said the same thing: “I don’t want to go. I just want to stay.” In His presence, everything else fades.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Peter, James, and John experience that same reality at the Transfiguration. Overwhelmed by glory, they want to pitch tents and remain there with Him.
This Lent, keep it simple: make space to sit in the presence of Jesus. Stay. Listen. Let Him meet you there.
