As the year starts, I often take a few weeks to collect my thoughts, reflect on the successes and failures of the previous semester, and plan out the semester’s topics. For this reason, there’s only one thing to share this week, but there is more to come soon!
Behold the Lamb of God
In today’s Gospel, we heard from John the Baptist announcing Jesus’s arrival: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” This is among the most powerful statements in all the Gospel.
Behold: This is not a matter of just looking or taking a peak at. He wants us to see in a way that that captivates our attention, penetrates us, and that stays with us. It’s about seeing not only with our eyes but with our minds and hearts. Behold.
The Lamb of God: This is the first time that we see this phrase in the Bible, but it is immediately familiar. Think about how lambs are used in the Old Testament. Abraham sacrifices one in place of his son; the suffering servant is led like a lamb to be slaughtered; the lamb is sacrificed and its blood placed above the door to protect the Israelites and deliver them from slavery. This is who Jesus is: the one who is taken in our place, who sets an example for us to follow, and who saves us from the slavery of sin.
Who takes away the sin of the world: How does this happen. Why must Jesus die? In today’s homily, I gave a brief explanation, but the longer answer can be found in this video I made a few years ago.
Roasting the Church? We need a word
Recently, Trevor Noah announced that he was leaving the Daily Show. As a smart comedian, he was known to have great insight over the years while making everyone laugh. Unfortunately, he wasn’t always charitable, or accurate, when it came to the Catholic Church.
New Video Tomorrow
I’ve been working on a new video for my Breaking in the Habit channel for a few weeks now and I’m excited to post it. It’s going to be a tough one, I’m sure, but hopefully it will help bring hope to a challenging situation. Check the channel tomorrow for “Police Have Problems. The Catholic Church can help.”
Have a great week!
Breaking In The Habit 
This is he first I have heard from you
Hi, Fathers!
I have missed your enlightening and inspirational videos very much. I hope you both had a very Merry Christmas. I wish you a happy and blessed New Year.
Pax et Bonum,
Karin Bennett, OSF
More and more are leaving the Roman Catholic Church do to it misrepresenting Jesus’ teaching and creating a merit based male leadership system. Saying women are not worthy to be priest (Down playing the reality that Mary Magdalene was called the apostle to the apostles), only thru an annulment can a couple remarry (yet a priest after many years of study and discernment and say – hay I’ve changed my mind – how deceitful), LGBTQ people cannot receive the Eucharist and so much more false teachings for the purpose of control and creating a us and them society.
Ever since 313 when Jesus teachings were taken over by the power structure the Roman structure the Church Leadership succumb to earthly power they have failed to follow nor teach Jesus true teachings found summarized in the Beatitudes. The Roman Catholic hierarchy is self-serving and ignores the first bible; creation itself. Look around at nature to see that LGBTQ is natural not sinful as one example. Judging the worthiness of someone to receive the Eucharist is truly sinful.
It’s nice how you try to show love but we need you to be more honest and acknowledge the past and current errors of the Roman Catholic hierarchy as soooo self serving.
I would much prefer less content which you are happy with rather than a quota driven by your spiritual director, your brothers in OFM, or even yourself.