Would Jesus go viral?

 4 Sunday OT (Mt 5:1-12)

Social media if full of influencers who try offering advice to people, telling them what it means to live a good life. Those who create this content want to get the maximum number of people watching them - they want to go viral. If Jesus had a social media platform in which he offered His teaching, would He go viral? When we hear the Beatitudes in today's Gospel (Mt 5:1-12), it seems that such teaching would not gain traction online because it does not seem logical. How can those who mourn or are persecuted by "blessed"? Who would want that? The truth of the Beatitudes, however, is realized only when we live them out.

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We all get chosen for Jesus' team

 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

In the Gospel today, Jesus choses his initial followers, the first members of His team (Mt 4:12-23). Sometimes we might fear we don't have what it takes to be chosen by Christ. In reality, He calls all of us. We are all necessary and important members of the community.

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Being a commercial for Christ

 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

John the Baptist was like a commercial for Christ. By his words and actions he drew people to Jesus (Jn 1:29-34). In our baptism, we are called to imitate John the Baptist, being signposts directing people to the goodness of Jesus.

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Following the Magi, following a star

The story of the Magi (Matthew 2) is more than just a nice story to tell at Christmas. The stages of their journey to encounter Christ parallels our own experience as we follow Jesus. Their story is our story.

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The value of silence (Mary Mother of God)

We may want to imitate one practice of Mary as a New Year's resolution. The Gospel today (Lk 2:16-21) shows us the ability of Our Lady to "ponder" the wonders God was working around her. By taking some time in silence each day, we too can ponder the ways God blesses us and be strengthened and filled with hope.

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