This Fourth of July week, in light of this recent trip to the museum, I have found myself meditating over what it means to be "our brother's keeper"—to truly live you before me.

If we consider this discourse about becoming "real" as an allegory for growing in holiness, the lovely words take on an entirely new meaning. Conforming our hearts to the heart of Christ is the journey of life, the purpose of our existence - the transformation of love for which we were created.

I think about this painting every time we read this Sunday’s Gospel. Just like the storms in my life, my eye immediately moves to the space of panic, chaos, and fear while Jesus fades to the periphery. Rembrandt’s use of light highlights this human weakness—our tendency to quickly forget the presence of God before us.

It is a dangerous world out there friends and neighbors, and it does not appear that the 21st Century is going to be kinder or safer anytime soon. It is even less secure for those in the Pro-Life movement, especially men and especially Catholic men.

Recently, I saw an article entitled, Life is Hard, Jesus Doesn't Make it any Easier...Yup. Following Jesus isn't easy. So few of us live like we believe, and even fewer risk like we believe – because it’s hard.

Each Sunday, on our knees, we hear Christ's words: "This is my body which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." Before our eyes, a miracle beyond our comprehension takes place—His Body and Blood are before us, ready to restore us to new life.

Usually, at the Pelican Project, we sidestep the day's headlines and stick with the fundamentals. I choose to do this because, with four kids and a day job, I can hardly tackle pop culture as it pops. However, the impact of Harrison Butker's speech at Benedictine College is significant, and on this Pentecost Sunday, I’d like to comment on one part of his speech.

“This is what we do for the kids.” They said, “Abstinence and promiscuity.” They went on to explain that this exercise was to show kids what’s happening to their bodies when they have premarital sex

Every one of us is called to live out the spousal love of marriage. Sometimes this looks like uniting ourselves intimately and exclusively with Christ, often it means man and woman entering into a sacramental marriage together with God.

As sure as we will hunger within our lifetime we will die, we will watch loved ones die, we will walk past and through cemeteries, we will stop in traffic for funeral processions and send flowers to funeral homes for those we mourn….The reality is, how we treat the dead mirrors how we treat the living—a human person has an eternal dignity as he/she was created in the image and likeness of God. 

God designed us to have daily physical needs because they point us to a deeper spiritual need that must be nourished. Our body requires food while our soul aches for the Eucharist; our body needs the protection of clothing while our soul desires a veil of virtue; and our body seeks shelter while our soul is restless until it rests in the sanctuary of God's heart.

Much of our content is about love and service because, at its foundation, pro-life work is seeing, loving, and caring for our neighbor. It is a movement of the heart, not a box to check. If we don't see Christ in the homeless man on the park bench and we don't get on our knees to wash the feet of someone who needs it, we don't yet live as we believe.

On this Divine Mercy Sunday, let us pause in prayer and reflect on the sin we'd rather hide from than face.

Who is this Man we read about in the Gospel, the Man we sing out to in Alleluia, the Man who brings us to our knees? We must ask the question because the answer changes everything. Do we believe He is a legend? A story that gives men hope? Do we believe He is a cultural ornament that adorns our year with seasons that allow for parties and presents? Is He simply a good man, a guru of proper living? Is He a lunatic who recruited a cult following? Is He a liar? — A man who claims to be God but is nothing more than a deception?

I understood that those who encountered Jesus during His earthly life would praise Him in this way, but why now? This was a stumbling block for me. I would think if God really is all mighty, what could He possibly gain from my praise? Why does He need something from insignificant me? Or, on the flip side, I would think, God needs my praise because He is looking for a pat on the back. Then I would question all that I knew about humility and the heart of a God who had an ego.

Parents, here is where the rubber meets the road. Here is where your past, or maybe even your present, catches up to your role as a parent and your desire for them to walk a different path than you. When the two catch up, they either collide or fall in step with one another. You decide what happens.

Through Christ, we become a part of the story of Israel; we become adopted sons and daughters of God joining this sacred family; and we hear the words we ache for… you belong. It is through Christ Jesus that we understand who we are, where we have been, and where we are going.