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 Gaudete Sunday, the church saying, no, you have to be joyful. Even if your life sucks, you can still choose joy. We know and are convicted as Christians that Jesus Christ has won. Pope Francis said joy is the air we breathe as Christians, no matter what happens. You can have joy because Jesus has claimed us. My favorite thing that blessed Chiara said was, I’m going to die, but I still have my heart. And with that, I can love.
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Ash Wednesday
Okay, it’s been a hot minute, but we are back. It is Ash Wednesday, so we may go up to receive ashes today, and we might not know what we’ll get. You might get the classics, the X marks the spot, the perfectionist, the Harry Potter, the NFL, the Picasso, or the Twinsie, or you could get the double wide. Whatever you receive, whatever is…
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From Mud Pies to Beautiful Beaches
Guys, C.S. Lewis is such a stud. He is a champion and a man among men when it comes to the Christian faith. And he had a great quote, “We are like ignorant children. Completely happy and content playing with mud pies in the dirt when we have no idea what an invitation to the beach at the sea would be like.” Jesus is inviting us to live…
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Light The World On Fire
Pentecost is not the moment the Church plays it safe. It’s the moment the Holy Spirit sends the apostles out to set the world on fire with the love of Jesus.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” That mission isn’t only for priests, missionaries, or “extra holy” people. It’s for every Christian, including you.
So the question is simple: are we talking about Jesus in our lives, or are we avoiding it? Pentecost reminds us that the Holy Spirit gives us the courage to stop staying quiet and start sharing the Gospel.
