Elon Musk, Simone Biles, Dwayne ‘The Rock, Johnson, Mulan, Tony Stark. What do all of these people have in common? Ambition. They have this drive to be great. In the gospel for this Sunday, James and John, the Sons of Thunder, have ambition. All they want to do is sit on Jesus’s right and left and be the most awesome. And the crazy thing is Jesus doesn’t take that away from them. Jesus wants all of the apostles; he wants us to have ambition for him. But many times we have drive, we have ambition for the wrong things, whether it’s with our job, sports, or whatever it might be.
But Jesus wants us to have that ambition, that drive for him. So my invitation this Sunday and for the rest of the week is to let Jesus purify our ambition, purify our drive for him. This is Spirit Juice. Peace.
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The Best Institution
St. John Paul II once said that the greatest institution that has ever existed and ever will exist is the family. Greater than any corporation, league, or system we can imagine. On the Feast of the Holy Family, we’re reminded that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph placed their family life entirely in God’s hands and that trust led them into the greatest adventure of all. Their home wasn’t perfect or easy, but it was rooted in surrender. No matter how messy, broken, or complicated our own families may feel, we’re called to do the same. If we want to change the world, it has to begin with healing and holiness, in our families.
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Do You Realize Jesus’ Love For You?
One of my really good friends from college just got engaged, and she’s just filled with joy. But the crazy thing is literally moments after she was engaged, the whole world who knows her knew that she was engaged because she couldn’t help but share the love that she found with her fiancé. That is exactly what happens in the Gospel…
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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.
