Several years ago, I got to meet Pope Francis. I didn’t have much time with him, so I asked him one question: “Holy Father, can you please pray for my sister and her future spouse, whoever that might be?” Two weeks later, my sister began to date her now husband, which is incredible. However, what struck me the most was how Pope Francis responded to me. He said, “I will, of course, pray for your sister, but I need prayers, too. So please pray for me.”
Pope Francis was a man who told the truth about himself. He needed Jesus, and he needed Jesus’s mercy. So, one of the ways we can carry on his legacy is by being honest with ourselves and saying to ourselves, “I need Jesus, and I need his mercy.” Pope Francis was a pope of mercy, and so we pray for him now and for these next nine days of mourning. Eternal rest grant unto Pope Francis, O lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
This is Spirit Juice. Peace.
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Blessed Are The Peacemakers
If we aren’t at peace within ourselves, we often end up recruiting others into our inner battles. That’s why Jesus’ words in this Sunday’s Gospel matter so much: “Blessed are the peacemakers.” True peace doesn’t start “out there.” It begins by making peace with ourselves and before that, making peace with Jesus. Only then can we become people who bring peace into the lives of others. Like any true peacemaker, we have to face our fears, reject what pulls us away from God, and let Christ define who we are. That’s where real peace is found and where it can finally begin to spread.
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Humbling Ourselves
Jesus could have entered Jerusalem on a horse, the way powerful people did. Instead, He chose a donkey.
In this Sunday’s first reading, Zechariah prophesies that the Messiah will come riding on an ass, a sign of humility, not worldly power. Jesus shows us that true authority doesn’t come from status or force. It comes from service.
That’s the heart of Christian leadership: to serve, to humble ourselves, and to love even when love is difficult. If we want to be exalted with Christ, we first have to learn how to become servants.
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Holy Saturday 2024
This is a little dated, but the “Bourne” trilogy. Jason Bourne, an ex-assassin, runs away and hides from the government. He does everything in his power, training, and skill to hide from the government, and he succeeds. When it comes to being a Christian, we will never succeed at hiding from Jesus. Today, Holy Saturday, what does Jesus do? Before the…
