The Gift of Surrender: Trading Defiance for Delight

 Readings 120225 

When I sit and talk with my friends,
we all share the same simple, raw truth:
before we gave everything to Jesus,
we were not nice people.

We were rough.
We were selfish.
We were running the show ourselves.

And yet—
the grace of God opened our eyes.
We know we aren’t perfect now,
but we finally realize it.
That realization, that awareness of our need,
is the first gift.

Deep down, every person carries a disorder of the soul—
an oppositional defiance toward God.
This is the root of Original Sin.
It’s that whisper from the beginning:
“You can be like God. You can decide.”

The world today only shouts that defiance louder.
Life in the womb dismissed as “just cells.”
Identity redefined by human will.
Marriage reshaped into whatever the culture imagines.

But the deeper struggle is not just out there.
It is within us.
Even as believers, we resist.
We want control.
We want to be our own gods.

Healing begins only when we surrender.
Only when we lay down our control,
enter into intimacy with the Lord,
and become small before Him.

This is where Isaiah’s prophecy becomes our hope:
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse…
The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.

This is Jesus—
the perfect man of obedience.
The One who breathes truth and justice.
The One whose delight is the fear of the Lord.

And here is truth:
this “fear” is not terror.
It is the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
It is reverence.
It is the child’s love for the Father,
a love that hates to cause Him pain.

Our defiance is replaced by delight.
Our rebellion is healed by reverence.

Jesus confirms this beautiful reversal when He rejoices:
“I give you praise, Father… you have revealed them to the childlike.”

The proud, the “wise and learned,”
cling to their defiance and miss it.
But the humble, the childlike heart that surrenders—
they receive the Kingdom’s secrets.

And this means us.
We, who were once broken and rebellious,
are now blessed.
We see what prophets and kings longed to see:
the face of Christ.

Our old life was defined by defiance.
Our new life, given by grace,
is found in the delight of reverent love.

Blessed are we who surrender.
For in that simple, childlike admission,
we finally see His love,
His justice,
and His peace.

Prayer of Surrender

Lord Jesus,
heal the defiance in my heart.
Teach me to lay down control
and delight in reverence before You.

Spirit of the Lord, rest upon me.
Make me childlike in trust,
so I may see Your love,
Your justice,
and Your peace. 

Amen.

 

What God Calls Us

Readings 120125 

In high school, we voted for class favorites:
Most Likely to Succeed.
Class Clown.
Best Dressed.
Most Artistic.

I didn’t get any of those.
One teacher told me, “I’d give you the title of Most Likely Not to Fail.”
But the truth is… I have failed, many times.

The world loves labels.
It measures us by success, appearance, achievement.
And sometimes we take those labels into ourselves—
calling ourselves failures, unworthy, less than others.

But God speaks a different word:
“He who remains will be called holy.”
Holiness is not our achievement.
It is God’s gift.
His mercy, His shelter, His presence makes us holy, healed, and united in His Kingdom.

The centurion in the Gospel shows us the way.
He doesn’t demand proof.
He doesn’t cling to his own worthiness.
He simply believes: the word of Christ is enough.
And in that trust, his servant is healed.
Faith opens the way to healing.
Healing opens the way to the Kingdom.

God doesn’t ask endless activity.
He doesn’t ask passive waiting.
He asks for living faith expressed in love.
Faith that trusts His authority.
Faith that rejoices in His presence.
Faith that allows Him to purify us.

Through faith, we are made holy.
Through faith, we are healed.
Through faith, we are united in His Kingdom.

So let us remain in Him—
in faith, in hope, in love.
And together, we will rejoice in the house of the Lord.

Prayer

Lord Jesus,
the world gives us labels,
but You call us holy.

Your word is enough.
Through faith, You heal us.
Through faith, You unite us in Your Kingdom.

Keep us in Your presence—
in faith, in hope, in love—
that we may rejoice forever
in the house of the Lord.

Amen.

Advent: Living in the In‑Between - Sunday Homily Reflection

Readings 1st Sunday Advent

Blessed be God. Praise be to Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit—fill us with joy, set our hearts ablaze with your presence.

 

Today we begin Advent—the first Sunday of a new liturgical year.
Advent is here: the time we wait, the time we prepare, the time we open our hearts for the coming of the Lord.

But what does this season really mean?

Some might say: “It’s just the countdown to Christmas. Jesus has already been born in Bethlehem, died, and risen. Why do we need Advent again?”

The truth is, Advent is far more than a countdown.
It is a season of tension—holy tension.
The tension between what has already happened… and what is not yet complete.
We live in the in‑between: the time of promise, the time of preparation.

I felt that tension just days ago, sitting at my family’s Thanksgiving table.

It was a buffet—not just of food, but of people.
Catholics, Baptists, and some who just say Christian.
Some who have fallen away.
Some still searching.
Friends mixed in with family.
A table spiced with many lives, many voices, many answers.

And with family, there is always a surprise. Rivalry. Jealousy. Maybe a little too much “cheer.” That’s the messiness of human life.

As I looked around, a question rose in my heart:
What if the Son of Man came on Thanksgiving Day?

That question—
that tension—
is the very heart of Advent.

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Already and Not Yet

Already, Christ has come.
Already, He dwells among us.
Already, He has brought salvation.

Isaiah gave us a vision: nations streaming to the Lord’s mountain, swords beaten into plowshares, peace reigning. That vision has already begun in Christ, who is our peace.

But it is not yet fulfilled.
We look at our world, our families, even our holiday tables—and we still see division, rivalry, brokenness.
The Kingdom is not yet complete.

That is why Advent is our wake‑up call.

Paul tells us: “Wake up! The night is far gone, the day is at hand.”
Cast off the works of darkness.
Put on the armor of light.
Repent. Ask forgiveness. Change.
Live as children of the day.

And Jesus says it plainly: “Stay awake! You do not know the day or the hour.”

Already, He is here.
Not yet do we know the moment of His return.
Advent is vigilance.
Advent is readiness.
Advent is living each day as if Christ could come today.

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Wisdom Passed Down

My father used to say:
“Don’t let Jesus find you where you shouldn’t be.”

That is Advent wisdom.
Be ready. Be faithful. Be found in His light.

The Word of God is not for personal justification.
It is for all of us.
It prepares us for His coming—like the word given to Noah, like the Word made flesh in Jesus Christ.

When I look back at my Thanksgiving table, I see people—messy people—still listening for the Word of God.

And when I look around this Church family, I see believers—sharing that Word, passing on faith to children and grandchildren, proclaiming the Kingdom to neighbors and strangers.

So what does this mean for us?

It means Advent is not just four weeks on a calendar.
Advent is every day.
Every day we struggle against despair and distraction.
Every day we choose to walk in the light.
Every day we abound in love.
Every day we strengthen our hearts in holiness.

Already, He has come.
Not yet is His Kingdom complete.
But we live in hope.
We live in faith.
We live in love—
in the in‑between.

So let us wake up.
Let us repent.
Let us rejoice.

For Christ has come,
and Christ will come again.
The time is now.

Already He has come. Not yet is His Kingdom complete. Wake up, stay faithful, and let your daily love proclaim Christ’s coming.

Praise be to Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.

Advent Prayer

Lord Jesus,

You have come among us,
and You will come again in glory.
Keep us faithful, keep us ready,
that we may be found in Your light.

May our daily love proclaim Your Gospel,
and may our lives bear witness to hope,
to faith, and to holiness.

The time is now.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Amen.