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, God’s name was a symbol of his power and his presence.
And so every time we say the name of Jesus, we are reminded that it is powerful and that he is present to us. Often, we don’t know how to pray, and all we have to do, from the depths of our hearts, is say his name, Jesus. So the next time it’s really hard to pray from the depths of your heart, you can say, “Jesus.” That’s enough. This is Spirit Juice, peace.
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A Commandment
When I was a kid, my mom would tell me very often, Tim, that those chores I told you to do were not a suggestion. Saying, I am your mother. Now, do it. Very similarly, in the gospel for the Sunday, Jesus gives us a commandment to love one another. This is a commandment that we are not given a suggestion. We are not given a philosophy. We are not given a soft ask that the Lord provides us with a commandment…
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Gate To Heaven
So, at the end of your life, you get to the gates of heaven, and the person guarding the gates of heaven, either St. Peter or Morgan Freeman, asks you, “Why should I let you into heaven?” And we could have so many answers, like ” because I’m awesome,” ” because I gave much money to the poor,” ” because I went to mass every Sunday,” or “I’m not Voldemort.” We can give many good answers…
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Blessed Lent 2024
Okay, guys, this is it. It is happening. Lent 2024. It is finally here, and this will be the best lent ever for us. Jesus says in the gospel today, “Repent and believe in the gospel.” We are called to believe the gospel. CS Lewis, an absolute spiritual savage, said, “You should never believe anything unless you think it’s true.” And so the amazing reality is that…
