The Call

Jesus calls every single one of us. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done or what we’re doing. When we say “yes” to His call, a conversion occurs. We’re no longer the person we once were. Does that mean we don’t mess up and make mistakes? No! But it means we know the relationship that gets damaged when we do.

Have you ever had a crush on someone, but they didn’t know it? The guy/girl went about his/her business (maybe even having a crush on someone else and asking you for advice… the nerve!). The second your feelings get revealed though, even if they aren’t returned, your crush’s behavior changes. He/she doesn’t want to hurt you and is more careful around you. That’s the same with our relationship with God, once we answer His call. We may not choose Him all the time (sin), but we know how He feels about us, so we’re a little more careful.

One Body

God doesn’t make mistakes. We were all created with our own gifts that are to be used to glorify Him. Some of us are super organized (some of us… I’m not… but some of us are). Some of us are strong leaders. Some of us are strong speakers. We all have gifts given to us by our Creator. No one is great at EVERYTHING. And no one is great at NOTHING. Together, we form the body of Christ.

Just as the eye or the nose would be useless by itself, so are our gifts. We are meant for community. Every vocation is tethered to a community. We receive the Eucharist at Mass during a time of Communion. Through our creation to Christ’s death on the Cross to our families to our Baptism, we are united as a part of this universal Church. This Body has many parts, but it is very much ONE.

Listen to Your Mom

BREAKING NEWS! Jesus drank wine! *gasp* This Sunday, we learned that if you were having a party back in Jesus’ day, and you ran out of wine, He was the guy you hoped you invited. More importantly though, this is Gospel passage has two important messages: 1. Do what Jesus says. 2. Jesus does what His mom says.

In Jesus’ time, weddings used to last a full week. The honeymoon and wedding were basically the same thing. It takes a lot of wine to last week, and typically, they didn’t save the best for last. In this case, when they ran out, Mary went to her Son for a miracle. Like many of us with our own moms, He told her no. She told the servants to do whatever He said anyway, and He did as she asked despite saying no originally.

Why do we pray for Mary’s intercession? Because Jesus listens to His mom.

Christ's Humanity

This Sunday, we got to hear about the only recorded time in the Bible that all three persons of the Trinity are present, but also about Jesus’ baptism. He didn’t need to be baptized, since He was born without Original Sin and had never sinned Himself, yet He allowed Himself to be baptized by John to show His humanity.

Jesus is fully God and fully Man. We often focus on Him as solely God forgetting that He lived on this earth amongst us. He felt pain. He felt joy and sadness. He laughed. He cried. His baptism is part of that humanity. It is a part of Him that makes Him like us. We need the cleansing waters of Baptism to wash away the stain of Original Sin, with which we have all been born. In essence, He showed us what happens, since the Holy Spirit descending upon Him in the same way we receive the Gifts of the Spirit.

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! In the Catholic Church, Christmas isn’t just one day. The season of Christmas begins on December 25^th and doesn’t end until we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. You officially have an excuse to leave those decorations up… Just make sure they aren’t still up in February!

Beyond this season though, we can embrace the spirit of Christmas and celebrate it at every single Mass. Christmas represents the day that Jesus was born into this world. He came down from Heaven and became physically present among us. Sound familiar? Every single Mass, He does the same thing. Heaven literally touches Earth during the source and summit of our faith—the Mass—just like it did on that first Christmas.

Don’t let the joy and spirit of Christmas end. Carry it with you every day knowing that Christ, in the Eucharist, is very much among us. Alleluia!

Advent - Eucharist

We’re in the home stretch, but it’s not Christmas yet! First, we heard an amazing (my favorite) story this weekend about Mary (pregnant with Jesus) visiting her cousin Elizabeth (pregnant with John). John actually leaps in his mother’s womb at the mere presence of an unborn Jesus! God came into the world in such an inconspicuous manner—in the womb of Mary as a baby. This is obviously one of many reasons why the Church is against abortion, but it is also a testament to the source and summit of our faith—the Eucharist.

Every Sunday at every Mass, Jesus again enters this world in an inconspicuous way. He becomes physically present (Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity) in what was once a piece of bread. Like an infant Jesus, it’s easy to confuse this Sacrament for something else. Yet, like John, we should recognize His presence and leap with joy!

Advent - Joy

Sunday was the third of four in our current Advent season. Gaudete Sunday. Joy. We take a break from waiting and anticipating to rejoice! There are a few reasons this happens, and it’s not just so our priests can wear rose-colored vestments (don’t call them pink… whatever you do).

1.     We are celebrating that Christmas is coming! It’s not “Christmas MIGHT come.” Christmas IS coming!

2.     We can rejoice because Christmas has already come! The first Christmas was when Jesus entered the world, which has already happened.

3.     As Catholics, the Mass is ALWAYS a time to rejoice. It doesn’t matter what liturgical season it is, Christ has come and conquered death and given us His body to consume.

Catholics should always be filled with joy because we know Jesus. We know that He came down to save us. We know that He died to make that happen. We know joy because we know salvation.