Not long after my brother’s first child was born, a beautiful little girl named Mary Elise, I asked him what it was like. Was he nervous? Overwhelmed? He said, “When I first held her, I was in such shock. I think I just said, ‘I am your dad. I am your dad.’” That moment marked a deep transformation for him. He was not just holding a baby; he was stepping into a new identity. Over the years, I have seen him live his fatherhood with quiet sacrifice, joy, and faithfulness. It started with that moment of truth.
This, I propose, is a glimpse of what Jesus means when he prays, “Consecrate them in the truth.” (John 17:17) To be consecrated is to be set apart in love, not taken out of the world. Consecration sends us into it with a new identity, always one that binds us to him and to others in love. Our bond to Jesus and others is the deep truth that he continually renews.
Whenever we speak deep truths about ourselves, we experience this renewal: “I have sinned;” “I need help;” “I forgive you;” “I take you as my husband;” “I believe in one God…” Whether in confession, in the liturgy, or in a recovery group, truth heals and transforms.
And the deepest truth of all? That we belong to the Risen and Ascended Christ. Our lives are no longer just ours. We are his and he is ours.
Name one truth you need to step into more deeply, about yourself, someone else, or God. Maybe put it on a note on your mirror. Let that truth consecrate you this week.
— Father John Muir
©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Mass Intentions
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A.
