I don’t know if you’re like me, but every time I see a baby, I only want to hold and squeeze it because it’s so cute. Maybe that makes me weird. What this is called is the positive feedback loop. When we hold or care for an infant child, it releases oxytocin. It’s written in our biology that babies are cute. The gospel for this Sunday is intense, but it is all about the preciousness of children, and the Catholic Church says that children are the supreme good. Jesus talks about some fierce things. He talks about divorce. He talks about adultery. He talks about human beings being made male and female, and all of these things that Jesus is talking about are rooted in children being the supreme gift.
In our culture, children are seen as a curse, an accident, or a problem. Jesus reminds us in the gospel that children are the supreme gift from the Lord, and let’s not forget that. This is Spirit Juice. Peace.
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No Side Hustles in Our Faith
Ride-sharing. Food delivery. Pet sitting. Side hustles are everywhere and there’s nothing wrong with that. But when it comes to faith, eternal life, and the meaning of life itself, there are no side hustles. In one of His most famous teachings, Jesus says He has not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. He is the fulfillment. He is the way to heaven. He is the meaning of life. Chase your goals and work hard but when it comes to what truly matters, there’s only one answer. It’s always been Jesus.
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God’s Law and Barnacles
Okay, so let’s talk about barnacles. And I’m not talking about what SpongeBob says when he’s upset. But barnacles attach themselves to a boat or a large creature like a whale and are foreign entities. They’re not supposed to be there. In the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus is very clear about us, and how we love to create our human laws and put them in God’s law, but when we do that, we attach barnacles to…
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Struggling with Anxiety?
Anxiety hates clarity. It thrives in vague fears, worst-case scenarios, and the thoughts we keep trapped in our minds until they start to feel like monsters.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells us not to be afraid because He is with us. He knows every fear, every anxious thought, and every hidden place in our hearts, and with Him, there is clarity and peace.
One simple step is to bring those fears into the light: write them down, name the worst-case scenario, and let Jesus meet you there. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Being in His presence is where anxiety begins to lose its grip.
