So one of the most memorable experiences of being a Chicago Blackhawks fan was the 2013 Grant Park Victory Parade to celebrate the fact that the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. Thousands of people were in Grant Park, and there was this one moment that I will never forget. In front of thousands, Jonathan Toews raises the Stanley Cup over his head, and everyone goes crazy. People start bowing. People start lying on the ground prostrate. People were worshiping the Stanley Cup.
That is what idolatry is. I remember my heart sinking and thinking, “Oh my gosh, this is idolatry.” The second reading for today, Saint Paul, shouts to the world. Boast only Jesus Christ. Your boast is your Lord and God who died for you, who lives and loves you with incredible love. What are the actual idols in my life that I may worship? Boast only in Jesus Christ.
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Jesus and Our Purpose
Imagine if Luke Skywalker never left Tatooine, or imagine if Frodo never left The Shire, or imagine if Eleven never left Mike Wheeler’s basement and just stayed there. All of these heroes were meant for something. They had a purpose, and they lived it out. And we are called to do the same thing. In the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus pities the people because they are like sheep without a shepherd, and…
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Keep Your Eyes on Jesus
Getting into heaven is just like slacklining. If you’ve ever been to a college campus, you’ll notice those people who go on tightropes in the quad trying to balance on these slack lines. And so I’ve done it before, and I lasted about two seconds. The key is to keep your eyes forward and on the slack line. As soon as you start turning your head to the side or looking at other things, you lose your balance. You fall, whoa…
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Invite Jesus In
In the ancient world, water symbolized chaos and death, something dangerous, unpredictable, and overwhelming. On the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Jesus steps directly into those waters. He enters into chaos, into death itself, and transforms it. This is what Jesus always does: He enters the places we’re afraid of and begins the work of redemption. Whatever chaos we carry may it be sickness, trauma, fear, or loss, Jesus wants to enter it with us. All we have to do is invite Him in. That’s where healing begins.
