• As Christians, we should let God define us and use the love and power already given to us to live out our true purpose.
• 00:00 🙏 God loves and takes joy in our existence, and having superpowers doesn’t make you a superhero, it’s how you choose to use them that defines you as a Christian.
  • Many people say they believe God loves them, but in reality, they live as if God only tolerates them, hoping not to mess things up too bad.
  • We exist because God wants us to exist and takes joy in our existence, loving us and not merely tolerating us.
  • The speaker discusses the idea of superpowers and how people often choose flight without thinking it through.
  • In order to fly just shy of the speed of light, you would need superpowers such as the ability to think faster than the speed of light, indestructibility, and the ability to survive extreme temperatures and lack of oxygen.
  • Having superpowers doesn’t make you a superhero, it’s how you choose to use them that defines you.
  • The speaker discusses the responsibility of Christians and compares them to superheroes, asking the audience to consider which superhero best exemplifies a Christian.
• 06:24 🙏 We are made good but fallen, following Christ is not just about training and discipline, and getting help can make you stronger but doesn’t change your identity.
  • We are not like Superman or Batman, as Christians we believe that we are made good but fallen, and following Christ is not just about training and discipline.
  • The idea of Pelagianism is that if you work hard enough, you can be as good as Jesus, but that is not what we believe.
  • Getting help can make you stronger, but it doesn’t change your identity, as seen in the example of Ironman.
• 09:02 🙏 God’s Spirit changes us from the inside, allowing us to live out our true purpose and let God define us, similar to how superheroes have dual identities.
  • Martin Luther believed that God’s power surrounded us but didn’t change us, while Catholics believe that God’s Spirit changes us from the inside, similar to how Captain America exemplifies what a Christian is by wanting to fight evil and be better, but struggling to do so.
  • Through receiving grace and the Holy Spirit in baptism, we are transformed from the inside out and given the power to live out our true purpose.
  • Superheroes like Captain America and Captain Marvel have dual identities, allowing them to switch between being powerful and being themselves, which is similar to how we can let God define us.
  • We often take off our identity and mask when we don’t feel like doing good, and just want to live our own life.
• 12:51 🙏 You are always a son or daughter of God if you’ve been baptized, and being a disciple of Jesus means letting him be the lord of every aspect of your life.
  • Just like Captain America is always Captain America, if you’ve been baptized, you are always a son or daughter of God, and you can’t just turn your faith on and off.
  • A guy who was a good Christian kid in college led a Bible study but also went to nightclubs and slept with girls on the weekends.
  • A guy realizes that a girl from his Bible study saw him at a club and felt betrayed because she thought he was different.
  • Believing in Jesus is not the same as being a disciple of Jesus, who is the lord of every aspect of your life.
• 17:00 🙏 Let go of self-definitions and let God’s love define you, because you are worth dying for.
  • A man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, and Jesus challenges him to go beyond following the commandments and become a disciple.
  • Jesus loved the rich young man, but he was lacking in giving up his possessions to follow Jesus.
  • Many people identify themselves by their weaknesses or strengths, but God should define our identity.
  • Let go of whatever defines you and let God’s love define you, because you are worth dying for.
• 21:52 🙏 Let Jesus define you, accept the love and power already given to you, and be the person you are made to be.
  • You are deeply loved, but many of us are not willing to accept that love.
  • Let Jesus define you, not your weaknesses or strengths.
  • Let Jesus define who you are and how you live, including your weaknesses and strengths.
  • You are already consecrated and loved by God, and all you have to do is say yes to the power and love that has already been given to you.
  • You have the power of God inside of you, and by saying yes and belonging to Jesus, you have the power to be the person you are made to be.
• 27:26 👨‍👦‍👦 Trust in God to carry us through fears and struggles, illustrated by the story of the Great Blondin walking across Niagara Falls.
  • The great blonde Dini was a famous tightrope walker who once stretched a tightrope across Niagara Falls and amazed thousands of people by walking across it without falling.
  • The great Blondin walked across a tightrope daily, adding new degrees of difficulty, such as sitting in a chair and drinking tea, and walking in a burlap sack.
  • The speaker tells a story about the Great Blondin carrying people across Niagara Falls, illustrating the idea that we can trust in God to carry us through our fears and struggles.
• 30:26 🙏 Surrender to Jesus, let him define you, and say yes to his love, like Frodo carrying the ring, bearing our sin and guiding us into life.
  • Are you willing to let Jesus define you and say yes to his love, rather than just being a fan?
  • Saying yes to Jesus as Savior and Lord, like Frodo carrying the ring in “The Fellowship of the Ring,” symbolizes carrying the sin of the world and needing guidance.
  • You have the opportunity to say yes to the one who bears our sin and loves us to death and into life.
  • Surrendering to Jesus and letting go of double identity by giving him your life, whether in life or death.

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SOURCE: Ascension Presents

SOURCE: The Religion Teacher

On the Fourth Sunday of Lent, we celebrate what we call Laetare Sunday. Here are three important things to know.

#1. Where does the name come from? Laetare is a Latin word that means “rejoice.” The name comes from a Scripture verse from the book of Isaiah, “Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow.” This verse is the incipit of the Introit for the Mass. Incipit, in Latin, means literally “here begins.” It refers to the opening word or words of a text. The word Introit means “entrance.” The Introit at Mass is the entrance antiphon (psalm) that is sung or said as the priest approaches the altar for Mass.

#2. Why are the priests wearing pink? First of all, they are wearing rose, not pink. It’s a subtle difference but an important one. Just as on the third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday), priests wear rose colored vestments and the rose colored candle is lit, so too do you see priests at Mass wearing their rose colored chasubles during Mass on Laetare Sunday. Why? Well, the change from violet to rose is meant to mark a shift in our celebration of Lent. Today is a day to rejoice even as we make our Lenten sacrifices. It is a short break from the somberness of penance symbolized by the color violet. Here is another historical explanation for the color: Beginning about a thousand years ago, popes would honor faithful citizens with a pink rose and priests would wear rose-colored vestments as a reminder and celebration of this honor. Still today, a Golden Rose that is blessed on Laetare Sunday is occasionally given by popes as an award to churches and shrines throughout the world. Download a graphic organizer to go along with this video here: http://www.thereligionteacher.com/lae…

#3. Why do we celebrate on the Fourth Sunday of Lent? Laetare Sunday marks the half-way point through the season of Lent. It is celebrated 21 days before Easter Sunday. Essentially, this is a day of encouragement for those of us doing penance and making our Lenten sacrifices. On this day we are encouraged and reminded that through our sacrifice we will soon taste great joy. So, rejoice now in your sorrow. Don’t forget that after Christ’s Passion and Death on the Cross came the joy of Resurrection!