If you have ever been hiking in the mountains, you'll know what a false summit is: when you reach a peak that appeared to be the pinnacle of the mountain but see that the true summit is even higher. False summits can cause hikers to give up, despairing of ever reaching their goal.
This experience happens to us in our own lives, and it happens to Saint Peter in the Gospel today. We can get to the top of a summit and be so excited that we forget that the true summit still lies beyond us—in Heaven. But if we learn to look at the false summits as signs of the peak, we can actually regain strength in those moments, because we remember where our life is ultimately headed.
Up Next in Year B
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3rd Sunday of Lent (Year B)
Today's readings are the midway point in our Lenten journey, focusing on the relationship between God's laws and the state of man's heart. The First Reading begins with words many of us have heard frequently throughout our lives—the Ten Commandments. Before giving all of the Commandments, God pro...
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4th Sunday of Lent (Year B)
Have you ever walked from a dark room out into the sunlight? It hurts. You end up squinting and wiping away tears from watery eyes. It takes time to adjust, and you may wish to return to the darkness where it's a bit more comfortable. Think of the reverse scenario: when you go from the sunlight i...
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5th Sunday of Lent (Year B)
Many of us fear death. It brings sadness and an unknown. We may have experienced the grief of losing a loved one, and we may be angry that God allows death. But today's Gospel lends itself to hope. Jesus tells us that we must die in order to have new life. What a strange command. Let's pause a mi...
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