Okay, let’s talk about hipsters. We all know them. They are everywhere. And the crazy thing about hipsters is that they all look the same. Have you ever noticed that? St. John the Baptist was the OG hipster. He ate organic, farm-to-table locusts and honey every day. He wore vintage clothing. St. John the Baptist even lived in a minimalist way out in the desert and the most hipster thing that he ever did, he pointed towards Jesus when no one else was, and he just says in the gospel today, “I am a voice crying out in the desert.” All John the Baptist is is a voice pointing towards the Lord. In this Advent season, can I be humble enough to just say, it’s not about me, it’s about Jesus Christ, and I can be that voice pointing towards him always?
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Obedience Vs. Disobedience
So, the word “obey” has developed a negative connotation. When we are called to obey someone, it’s cringe. But “obey” comes from a Latin word which means to listen to. For example, when we obey the Lord, we listen to Him and what the heart of Jesus desires. In the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus asks the leper to obey. He says, “Do not tell anyone about this.” And what does the leper do? He disobeys. And so the…
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Living Attractive Lives
Sometimes the Gospel spreads not through arguments, but through attraction. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us: “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” We’re called to live our faith openly, not hidden, not forced, but visible through love and good works.
When we truly know that we are loved by Jesus, something changes. Our lives become compelling. That was the secret of the saints, people weren’t drawn to them because of charisma or cleverness, but because Christ was alive and active in them.
Live close to Jesus. Let Him work through you. An authentic, joy-filled faith is more attractive than we realize.
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Fear of Being Less of Ourselves
One of my favorite scenes from The Lord of the Rings is when Gandalf heals King Theoden from Saruman’s possession. This is such an awesome scene of healing. At one point, the possessed King Theoden says to Gandalf, “If I go, Theoden dies.” And that’s precisely what we see in the gospel today. The demon spirit tells Jesus, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?” We say that to…
