Mt 6:7-15 Why Not Get On Board?

Mt 6:7-15  Why Not Get On Board?

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Jesus said to his disciples:  “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them.  Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  This is how you are to pray:  ‘Our Father who art in heaven…”

I was recently told by a college student that I needed to get on board with issues such as abortion and gay-marriage.  I politely told the student that to get on board would mean to toss over board everyone and everything I knew, trusted and believed in.  I’m not exaggerating.  How could I reconcile Sacred Scripture with abortion or gay-marriage?  If God created life, is it not always a good thing, a very good thing?  If God conceived of life, could He have not separated it from sex?  Did He have to join man and woman together like listening and speaking go together?  Thank God He did!  Thank God something so beautiful was joined together with something so scary.  Otherwise, would we ever have children?  Would we ever listen to anyone?

Why in the world would I jump ship and get on board the Titanic and sink?  Why would I aim for a glacier when I can navigate an entire ocean?  Why in the world would I jump from a floating log to a slick, neat, catchy, speedy, and stylish but sinking ship?  I know.  I remember.  The Titanic (and all on board) represented the finest of the finest, the re-finest of the re-finest, the best of the best, the mightiest of the mightiest, a marvel of human invention.  But none the less, it ended up being an expensive museum piece at the bottom of the ocean.  Do you remember?

And what happened to the strongest ship, that not even God could sink (remember), could easily happen to the strongest nation that not even under God we can speak!  

To get on board with these issues would mean to be naive again; to trust in opportunists; to turn a blind eye; to be close minded; that is, intolerant of the beliefs and opinions of the vast majority of people on our planet, living and dead, present and past.  It would require that I remove world history from my thoughts.  You see, gay marriage is like no other issue.  There isn’t a single time in human history when gay-marriage was accepted.  There isn’t a single place in human history where gay-marriage was acknowledged.  There isn’t a single religion (not even a tribal religion) in the world that blessed gay-marriage.  This isn’t ‘Catholic bigotry’ or ‘Christian bigotry’.  This is a human reality.  This isn’t an issue that needed ‘time’ to be understood.  It has been understood.  Now, it’s been completely misunderstood.

Babbling like Pagans.  Pagans don’t pray, they babble.  I know.  They speak to me like they pray to God: “You need to get on board right now.”  They speak to me not as experts but as actors:  “I used to play a doctor on TV” …so that makes you qualified to speak to me?  Why does Hollywood raise money for politicians?  Shouldn’t they stick to acting like the Church sticks to humanity?  Shouldn’t they stick to the stage like the Church sticks to the poor and needy?  The Church doesn’t play God…Now playing!!!  The Church prays to God...Now praying!!! 

Maybe that’s the reason why there is such a big difference in opinion between those who go to Church every Sunday and those who never go to Church on Sunday.  Maybe that’s the reason why the "most liberal" tend to be the most atheist and the "most conservative" tend to be the most theist.  

Why won’t I get on board?  Because those who share with me their latest quip or their latest pet project almost never share with me the objective facts.  They will never mention a word from The Word.  They won’t dare go down History Lane.  They won’t dare touch a fact.  And these are the facts:  We have more Amendments to protect our freedoms than ever before.  We have more Laws written in our books regarding equal rights than ever before.  We spend more money on education than ever before.  And what are the results?  Take a look.  Is this what we can expect when we protect a particular class of individuals:  Arrogance, vulgarity, profanity, entitlement, insults and outright threats?   We go from one extreme to the other.  Only recently have actors and actresses spoken with such eloquence and drama with regards to the beauty of marriage; that is gay-marriage, while most hoped we forgot how they once bashed marriage as an institution all together.  Why the change of heart?  The ACLU will protect individual liberties but not religious liberties.  They will go the extra ten miles to protect one atheist student but will not go the extra mile to protect a single Catholic school or university.   Why the change of principles?  In creating a paradise for our children we have created a living hell for their parents and bus drivers.  Why the change in roles?  And yet, with ‘all our progress’, we have more kids killing kids; more kids on meds; more parents on meds; more immaturity than ever before. 

The institutions we once protected, supported, and defended have become victims to babble...or Babel...or Babylon. 

All because some don’t pray.

Mt 6:1-18 A Good Reason For Hiding

Mt 6:1-18  A Good Reason For Hiding

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Jesus said to his disciples:  “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.  When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do…But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret.…”

“There is one thing I ask of the Lord, only this do I seek:  to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”  (Ps 27:4)

Everything we do is for a reason.  Everything.  There is a reason why we sleep, eat, play, work, fight, starve, get sick, wear clothes, listen to music, talk, walk, etc... And if there is a reason for everything we do, then maybe it’s not so stupid to think that there is a reason for everything.  Maybe the reason for the sun is the earth?  Maybe the reason for the earth is the same reason to stick a playground in a park: to play in a special way.  Given all this, I don’t think it is unreasonable to think there is a good reason why good things happen and bad things occur.  I wouldn’t even say it’s silly to think that the same reason we live is the same reason God is who He is:  Love.

Everything is done for a reason, but not everything is done for the right reason.  God, who sees all things, sees a man’s reason for He sees a man’s heart and soul.  God, who is hidden, sees what is hidden and repays the man who is pure of heart.  If there is something we know about God, it is this:  He loves a humble man.  We know it because deep down inside of us, we love them too.  There is only one runner that can beat a first place winner:  the humble runner.  There is only one man that can finish last and win first place:  the humble man.  “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see the face of God.”  No one beats a humble man because no one humbles a humble man.  The humble man reveals himself every time he hides himself. 

Does the Lord work in hidden ways?  He does.  He prayed alone, hidden from his own.  He fasted alone, hidden from the world.  He rose from the dead, hidden by the tomb.  But although God hid himself by becoming a man, He also revealed himself by becoming a man.  God loves hidden things, like lovers love to hide things.  Parents love to hide things as much as children love to find things. Children love a surprise party as much as their parents love to hide one.  There is a time to hide and a time to reveal, but whatever we do, we must do it for the glory of God.  We must remain humble.  Through His humility, the Lord was able to remain in his humanity while revealing His divinity; He matured as man and remained childlike as God.  He was comfortable in His skin as He revealed His Sacred Heart.   
Just like God raises himself when He lowers himself, the humble man reveals himself when he hides (dies to) himself. In all things, God is glorified when a man is fully alive.

“What is done in the dark always comes to light”.  This is true for the bad we do as well as the good we do.  The Lord is not asking us to be humble by hiding our faith, our hope and our love.  Rather, He is asking us to share our faith, our hope and our love always, sometimes hidden, sometimes out in the open, but always in remarkable and humble ways.  I have seen many things in my life as a priest.  But just like love, I have never seen humility fail.

This morning I celebrated Mass in our makeshift chapel.  To the right of our ambo, mounted on the wall, is a glass and marble slab with the names of donors etched in it.  Is it wrong to be recognized?  No.  Is it better (holier) to remain anonymous?  No.  (Believe me; I know plenty of people who wish to remain anonymous for not so anonymous reasons.  One reason is so as not to be disturbed by other needy organizations).    

It is good to be generous.  It is good to be anonymous.  It is even good to be recognized.  But what is even better, the greatest, is to be humble.  In all things, may God be glorified! 

“And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

Mt 5:43-48 Love Who?

Mt 5:43-48  Love Who?

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Jesus said to his disciples:  “You have hard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.”

Many years ago, while I was working at Kodak, I got into a little fight with a co-worker.  It all started when I first started.  Although we were co-workers and roughly the same age, he took it upon himself to be my “mentor”; that is, to correct me when I made some mistakes.  I was in charge of product quality.  He was an Industrial Engineer in charge of procedures and processes.  My mistakes were not serious, but they were at times embarrassing.  They had nothing to do with product quality but mostly with following proper protocols.  Although our cubicles were side by side, this co-worker decided to send me e-mails to ‘help’ me.  As a young employee, I wondered why he wouldn’t just come over and talk to me.  I later found out it was because he was blind copying our boss.  Eventually, it dawned on me the reasons why I was making these types of mistakes:  we had no manuals, no protocols, and no procedures in place.  So, I wrote a friendly e-mail to my friend inviting him to do just that, “so that any future employee could learn the ropes sooner and better.”

I sent the e-mail.  Within an hour, I received a response.  But due to the pace at work picking up and a sudden surge in orders, I never got the chance to sit down in front of my computer and read his reply.  It would take me almost two weeks to do so.  All the while, we were working together, doing our jobs as a team, and having lunch together like normal. 

One day at lunch he asked me, “How do you do it?”  Do what? I replied.  “How can you just talk to me, work with me, sit down and eat lunch with me as if I didn’t lose my cool with you?  Aren’t you a little upset with my last e-mail to you?”  I wanted to tell him that I hadn’t read it.  Instead, I took credit where it didn’t belong and told him some lie like, “I’ve learned to turn the other cheek.”   That didn’t impress him as much as the way I treated him.  From that moment on, he considered me his ‘mentor’. 

Love your enemies.  Three words put together that, if lived, have power; the power to change lives...including my own.  

But is it possible?  Is it advisable?  Is it for me?

“Be merciful Lord, for we have sinned” (Ps. 51:3a).  I just found my answer.  Yes.  It is possible.  It is highly advisable.  And it is definitely for me.  Every time I sin, I switch sides.  When I sin, I fight for the enemy.  When I sin, I am technically at war with the Lord.  I become the enemy’s agent, not the Lord’s.  When I break my promises, I break His heart.  His voice, his hand should rise in anger but it doesn’t.  I know it doesn’t because I would be destroyed.  Instead, the Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, rich in compassion.      

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.  Isn’t this what Christ did?  Isn’t this what Christ was?  The Lord is now inviting us to do what He does best: Love those who persecute you; pray for those who hate you.  If you do this, then you will be a child of the Father, just like our Lord is the Son of the Father.  How you love may not change those around you, but it will definitely change who you are. 

Turn away your face from my sins (Ps 51).  I learned a great lesson that day at Kodak.  I learned that living by faith is more powerful than knowing the facts; that my opinions are not as meaningful as my gestures.  I learned that in order to hate, you must have a reason.  To be kind, you can be blind to reason.

Mt 5:38-42 Standing Can Destroy

Mt 5:38-42  Standing Can Destroy

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Jesus said to his disciples:  “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’.  But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.” 

Literalism is not the same as radicalism.  To take the word of God literally and in all cases is not the same as to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all cases.    

Offer no resistance.  Why?  Won’t evil prevail?  No.  Evil destroys itself.  But if you are like me, it seems like it doesn’t destroy itself fast enough!  That’s where we come in.  That’s where Christians can make a world of difference.  We can speed evil’s death by making it a little more obvious.  And the best way to make it obvious is for a Christian to stand in front of it.  “Offer no resistance” is not the same as saying offer nothing; or let evil step all over you; or let it roll over you.  Offer no resistance does not mean to be overcome or overtaken (cf. Rm 12:21).  It means do not fight evil with evil.  Do not fight fire with fire.  Don’t do it!  Otherwise, the difference between the son of God and the son of Adam will be harder to see; our light will not shine so bright.  Instead, “fight evil with good” (Rm 12:21) and our light will shine as bright as the Son! 

Christians follow a golden rule:  “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  It’s golden because it is solid and priceless.  Evil follows a rusty rule:  “Hurt others before they hurt you!”   It’s rusty because it’s decaying.  It’s decaying because it’s been recycled far too often.  Eventually, it will rip itself apart.  On the other hand, Christianity will never decay because it continually resupplies itself.  Love stimulates life.  Courage stimulates Heroes.  Evil stimulates extinction. 

Cheap music and cheap lyrics are more evident when compared to an opus of Mozart or Beethoven.  Pornography as art is easier to decry when compared to the masterpiece of a Mona Lisa.  Lenin and Stalin came out of the closet when Marx went in it.  Darwin planted a seed and Margaret Sanger sprouted.  Nietzsche and Feuerbach dethroned God and Hitler took his place.  “Can a bad tree produce good fruit? …You will know them by their fruits” (cf. Mt 17:16-18).

Christians are called to let evil die.  Sometimes it takes silence; sometimes it takes words.  But it always takes a stand.  The world is watching. 

According to the Detroit News, state Representative Lisa Brown was disciplined by House speakers for speaking over and over again about “her vagina” in a debate on an anti-abortion bill that would put new restrictions on abortion doctors.  Brown was silenced during floor debate for her comments.  They were deemed inappropriate.  But Brown, a pro-abortion representative, defended her actions.  “I used an anatomically correct word.  I said vagina.  Is there something wrong with that?  Can I not say elbow?  I don’t see the difference.” 

There you have it, folks!  She doesn’t know the difference between her vagina and her elbow.  And that explains why she has a hard time seeing the difference between a fetus and a tumor; or a body from a body part. 

Evil destroys itself.  Abortion will destroy itself.  It is just a matter of time, but we need to speed up the process.  We can.  I have always said that the best reasons for being Pro-Life can be found by reading the statements made by rabid Pro-Choice advocates.    

The Lord said, offer no resistance.  Let evil do what it does best:  destroys itself and its children.  Let us do what we do best:  destroy evil and put it to rest. 

Don’t forget to pray and take a stand so that people can recognize evil for what it is.

Mk 4:26-34 Plant Seeds, Pull Weeds

Mk 4:26-34  Plant Seeds, Pull Weeds

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Jesus said to the crowds, “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how…The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.  But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants.”

The seed is Christ’s word. We know it does not fail. But like those that surround us, even Christ’s word is surrounded by the words of others.  His Word has competition. Who will I trust? Who will I listen to? Whose word will I follow? If I give the Lord (his Word) a chance to grow in my heart, then He will keep me as straight as an arrow and as confident as He. I will fear no evil for He is my rock and fortress.


I got the phone call very late at night.  She was having another panic attack.  She’s been getting those more and more lately and I know why.  It all has to do with her father. 

He’s been an absent figure for almost all her life. Yes, he lives with them (wife and two kids), but rarely ever speaks to any of them.  It's been the longest time now since he ate a meal with his daughter.  Actually, since he ate with the family.  He prefers watching sports in his “man-cave” while the family gathers together.  After years and years of neglect, she's having a hard time seeing and believing that she is a treasure.  She’s very intelligent, beautiful, sophisticated, faithful and moral.  I often have to repeat it to her.  It will take some time for her to believe what I say.  It will be something that she struggles with for a while.  Things would be so much better if only she could experience the love that only her father could give to her.

Immediately I asked her what she was worried about.   She listed them one by one.  I told her that all her worries had to do with her father.  She insisted I was wrong.  She kept tellimg me that her worries were real.  But I know better, especially when you are a father to hundreds of children.  I asked her to go down the list again.  She didn’t hesitate at all in telling me. 

“I’m afraid I will never be able to take care of my mother or sister.”  I told her, “That’s because your father never took care of your mother or sister.”

She continued.  “I’m afraid that I’ll never get a job.”  I said, “That’s because your father gave up on getting a real job.” 

“I’m afraid that no one will ever love me.”  I told her, “That’s because your father never knew how to love, period.”   

“I’m afraid that I won’t ever be happy.”  …”That’s because your dad was never happy.”


I'm never usually this hard on anyone.  But I know this family.  I know everyone involved.  I know the good and bad that a father can do.


A few years back, Hallmark organized a wonderful campaign for prison inmates.  They sent free Mother's Day cards to every prison.  Do you know what happened?  They ran out.  This campaign was so successful; they decided to do it for Father's Day as well.  Do you know what happened?  They were a ton of cards left over.  After this morning's Mass, a postal employee told me, "You're right, Father.  Every year I work over time when Mother's Day comes around.  But for Father's Day, no overtime is needed." 

The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed .  A Christian is another Christ.  But it doesn’t happen overnight.  A seed thrown in rich soil is like a seed of faith placed in my soul.   The smallest seed can become the largest plant just like the humblest soul can become the greatest man.  All that the seed of faith requires is a wholesome place to grow.  Faith requires the Father's love.  His love, like his name, is shared by all fathers.  A Father's love will turn his seed into a strong, vibrant, enthusiastic, holy and confident young person.      

God has given all men an opportunity to take the name of Father.  When a father is strong, then his children will be strong.  If he knows how to love, then his children will know how to love.  Let me ask you a couple of questions.  How does a son learn how to speak to a woman; how to treat a woman; how to love a woman?  How does a daughter know how a man should speak to her, treat her and love her?  The answer is clear:  from a father.  No movie, no books, no computer websites, no manuals will ever be able to replace the love that only a father can give.  Men:  Do not abdicate your role!  Do not run away from your vocation!  Be faithful to the name the Lord has taken for himself.  Be a Father!  We will be judged accordingly.

I love today’s first reading from the prophet Ezekiel.  It is so manly.  It is so fatherly.  “Bring low the high tree, lift high the low tree, wither up the green tree, and make the withered tree bloom.  As I, the Lord has spoken, so will I do.”    In other words, dads:  it’s okay to beat your son silly in tennis, ping-pong, golf, basketball or baseball while you still can (bring low the high).  Teach them to be humble.  But also encourage your children.  Let them know they can do great things (lift high the low tree).  Plants require time, patience, pruning, trimming, nourishing, raking, tilling, pulling in order for them to grow, and to grow well.  The same goes for your children.  Your children need you to plant seeds in their hearts and help pull weeds that surround them! 


As a father (a priest), it feels great when a teenager comes up to you and asks to speak to you.  Wow!  What an honor it is to be trusted.  What an honor it is for someone to consider your opinion worth listening to.  Dads:  Do not discourage your children from speaking to you.  Do not abdicate your role and send them off to their mother!

There’s nothing like the love of a Father because there’s nothing like the love of Our Father.  Do not fail.  St. Paul made it clear:  “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil” (2Cor 5:6-10).

Happy Father’s Day. 

Mk 4:26-34 Looking For Him

Mk 4:26-34  Looking For Him

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Mary said, “Son, why have you done this to us?  Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”  And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 

Be yourself!  And you can be anything. 

Yep!  I know.  Here I go again.  I’m sorry to say this but I also have a problem with this saying.  I know what you are thinking?  Why so much time on such useless things?  Believe me, I wish I didn't think so much!!!  But I do.  And I think it is important that we, as Christians, begin to speak a language that is different from our secular brothers and sisters.  We have much more to offer than they do.  But before we can offer anything, we need to understand some things. 

What's wrong with this?  Of course it makes sense Father!  It means be true to yourself and you can be anything you want to be!  But how can I be anything other than myself, especially if I am demanded to be true to myself?  It would make more sense to say, “Be yourself!  And you will be… yourself!” 

Father!  If you set your mind to it, you can be a great singer!  Really?  I can?  But doesn’t that take training, correction, changing or mastering?  Doesn't that open us up to criticism, to correction?

Alfonse!!! If you are true to yourself, you can be a priest!  Really?  But doesn’t that mean being like others, like the Lord’s disciples?  Like Jesus Christ?  Yes, but you can be unique!  Oh…like Judas, right?

Enough!  Yes, enough!

Be yourself!  And you can be anything.  I looked around but could not find a single ancient author that said something like this.  What I did find instead were artists like Oscar Wilde, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Judy Garland, Jim Morrison, Frank Zappa, Marilyn Monroe, Marilyn Manson, etc… that did.  Isn’t that interesting…

My question is “Why now, but not then?” 

Why were you looking for me?  Now this is something new and refreshing!  This is what I found among the ancients.  Why are you looking at me?  Plato said, “Don’t look at me.  I’m just the messenger; Socrates was the teacher.”  Buddha said, “Don’t look at me; look at my philosophy.”   John the Baptist said, “I’m not Him; I’m just a prophet.”  Only Christ said, “Believe in me.  I AM”. 

I AM who I AM.  How can any mere man say something like this and be honest?  I am not myself and I never will be!  I am the product of so many things, good and bad.  I am a product of the genes given to me by my family.  I am the product of the upbringing that I received; the schools I attended; the neighbors I hung out with; the faith that I received or did not receive.  My past may haunt me, enlighten me, disturb me, move me, encourage me or discourage me.  To say “Be yourself” is insane and insulting!  How can I “be myself” if someone never let me be? 

To say, “Be yourself!” is like saying “Be your own god”.

Not even William Shakespeare had the courage to encourage Hamlet “to be himself!”  How could his tragic protagonist do so with his world collapsing around him?  Instead, he asked a question, “To be or not to be?”, for he knew, that by being ‘himself’ he could end up killing himself. 

Shakespeare only gave Hamlet two choices.  Maybe there's another choice:  To be someone else and true to thyself.

In my Father’s house.  Mary was a young teenager in her Father’s house.  She heard the voice of an angel because she was in her Father’s house.  She could give her yes to God because she lived inside her Father’s heart.  Mary was true to herself because she was full of grace!  She was someone else by being true to herself. 

Why does the ‘modern girl’ have to be a sick little girl?  Why does she experience so much pain, sadness, depression and anxiety?  Why do she hurt herself, abuse herself and offer herself for so little?  I truly believe it’s because we don’t give them a chance to be true to themselves; to be “full of grace.” 

So many children are over taxed.  We expect so much from them.  We demand that they grow up and that they do it quickly.  We expect them to be thin.  We tell a child, “Be yourself!” and quickly airbrush over them, paint them, cover-girl them or hide them under a ton secular expectations.  We encourage them to “get noticed” in elementary school, have a boyfriend in middle school, dye their hair and wear fake nails in High School.  We’re shocked to learn their still adjusting after a divorce or when a stranger moves in.  We expect them to settle just fine with two moms or two dads.  We expect so much from them except to be full of grace.  We expect them to be successful in any home, except in their Father’s home.

Mary’s goal in life was not so much to be herself; but rather, to be full of God’s grace.  St. Paul's was similar when he wrote, “It is no longer I who live in me but Christ who lives in me.” 

Everyone:  Be true to yourself by being open to God's grace.

John 19:31-37 Sacred and Scary

John 19:31-37  Sacred and Scary

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One soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

Last year I thought Katy Perry was the greatest.  Her hit single, “Firework”, inspired me so much that I used her lyrics in one of my sermons (for teens) and went out to buy her CD.  But then my world (that revolved around her) began to crumble.  I saw her video and thought it was so unoriginal; you know, politically correct.  In fact, I was thinking of making a spoof out of it.  The final blow came when I heard the rest of her songs.  That’s when I decided to throw the CD in a dumpster.  I was devastated (not really). 

A few nights ago I saw a preview for Katy Perry’s documentary, “Katy Perry:  A Part of Me.”  In the short preview, she made a comment that I’ve heard a ton of times and is commonly used in today’s pop culture.  She said, “I’ve made mistakes in my life but I don’t regret any of them.”  Now I know that Katy Perry is a musician, not a philosopher or theologian, but every word she speaks is as if she were a guru, a monk, a rabbi or a sage for millions of teens.  Yes, every word, from her insured lips, will be repeated a thousand times from the young lips that look up to her and would gladly follow her.  So what exactly did she mean by what she said?  What mistakes did she make but not regret?  Is it even possible (logically speaking) to call something a ‘mistake’ if you don’t regret it?  I don’t think so.  I asked myself what it would sound like if I listed my mistakes and did not regret them.   “Let’s see”, I thought to myself, “I’ve used people in my life, but I don’t regret it???  I’ve lied to people in my life but I don’t regret any of it???  I’ve broken people’s hearts but I don’t regret any of it???   Remember…she said “I’ve made mistakes” (errors in judgment) not “choices” or “options”. 

Who knows…maybe in her documentary she will clarify what it all means.  But I think we can assume for now what it means because we’ve heard this before.  We’ve all heard this before; it’s been repeated for centuries by many world leaders in various languages.  We can translate it.  It means, “I’ve made mistakes in my life, but what really matters is I’ve become what I wanted to be.”  Yes, a lesson for all our youth:  “Do whatever it takes to get what you want.”    This is what it’s all about.  Look at me…I’m a hit!  I’m a celebrity!  My opinion matters!  The lights shine on me!  The fans wave at me!  The music plays for me!  Yes, I’ve made mistakes in my life but I don’t regret any of them.”  I realized my dream (at the expense of the truth, of others, of my innocence) and that’s all that matters.

They all go down the same:  they all go down.  When she is dead, she will be remembered.  If death happens suddenly, she may very well take with her a few of her fans.  If it takes years, then just like any other 95 year-old performer: she will be remembered mostly by her bed-ridden fans. 

What I love about Jesus Christ is He is so different.  When He went down, He actually rose.  He rose from the grave, in popularity, in significance, in meaning, in every single possible sense of the word.  He died and the world gradually fell in love with Him.  Why?  What’s the difference?  What makes Christ so much different from all the rest? It's obvious:  His life.

The Lord did not realize his life-long dream; He realized his life-long nightmare. 

Most of us would run at the first hint of our nightmare coming true.  Instead, the Lord stood his ground.  Cost whatever it cost, He would not betray His Father, His dignity, His mission, His humanity, His divinity.  What led the Lord to his death were not his feet or his brains.  It was his heart.   It was and still is His Unconditional Love for us.  Only this kind of love goes a long way, passes the test of time and reaches all people. 

The Lord did not live to realize his dream; the Lord lived so that we could realize our dreams!  He did not come into the world to be loved; He came into the world to love.  If you are going to love, then make it Unconditional and realize your worst nightmare!

Unconditional love is shocking and scary.  It translates as "be another Christ".  This means I will love as the Lord loves me; that is, “It doesn’t matter how many mistakes you’ve made in your life.  As long as you repent (regret) and ask for forgiveness, then you will make it big!"         

This is the sacred heart of Jesus.  It's sacred and scary.