Imagine if your group text with friends suddenly went public. Or if some of the dumb or embarrassing things you’ve said in the past were brought back to life. Most of us fear that kind of exposure because we know we’ve failed, and we’re not sure we’d be received well.
In this Sunday’s first reading, we hear about King David. For many people, the first thing that comes to mind is his failure with Bathsheba. Yet God looks deeper than David’s mistakes. He sees both the potential for sin and the potential for great love and He still chooses him.
That’s the good news for us. No matter what’s in our past or what we’re ashamed of, God looks into our hearts, sees everything, and still calls us. He is not scandalized by your heart.
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The Holy Name of Jesus
So, the coat of arms in my archdiocese is epic. It shows a phoenix, which is a symbol of resurrection. And on the chest of the phoenix is the IHS, which is the holy name of Jesus. And so, in the first reading for this Sunday, Saint Peter, our first pope, heals a man by the holy name of Jesus. He can heal because of his name because Jesus’ name is mighty. In the Old Testament…
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Christmas Is Cancel Proof!
A few years ago, I was at a barbershop, and while getting my haircut, a woman shared with everyone in the room that she had a rough year. And because she had had a rough year, she decided to cancel Christmas. And the inner Buddy, the elf in me, freaked out. You can’t cancel Christmas. How can you do that? The reality is that the incarnation cannot be canceled. Christmas is cancel-proof because…
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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.
