This past Thursday, I turned 45 years old. I’m pretty sure this earns me full admission to the Midlife Crisis Club.

(No. I did not buy a red convertible.)

Life is already beginning to throw several mortality reminders in my direction. New band names sound completely made up. (“Hey mom! Can I go see Ziplock Baggy G in concert?”) I’m struggling through some major sciatic nerve symptoms. And have you noticed I shave my head? That is necessity, not fashion.

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I’m sure we’ve all heard “hate the sin, not the sinner.” It is an expression that helps us keep things in proper context and to see the world as Christ sees it. Unfortunately, we usually only apply this attitude, even on our best days, to other people.

At the start of Luke 13, Jesus calls us to repentance. Google defines this as “sincere regret or remorse.” So, the question becomes, what does Jesus want us to sincerely regret? If you read the first nine verses of Luke, the answer becomes obvious: sin.

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Sometimes, it can be difficult to be Catholic. People who aren’t Catholic hear horror stories about the worst of us. I remind you of something I wrote months ago, “Judge a medicine by looking at the people who follow the prescriptions.” Look to the saints. There aren’t too many people who look at St. Mother Teresa and think she was a jerk.

This is Catholicism.

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During Lent, Catholics are told we need to pray, fast and give alms. Why?

Yes. Prayer helps us grow closer to God. Fasting helps us recognize our need for God. Giving to others helps us recognize the blessings we have received from God and pass that blessing along to others.

Fine. Great. ...but there needs to be more. ...and there is!

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In Luke 6:39, Jesus suggests the blind cannot lead the blind. On the surface, this is common sense. In youth ministry, we used to do trust walks. One teen would be blindfolded and the other would guide them through an obstacle course. These would’ve gone horribly wrong if both teens were blindfolded. (In truth, they sometimes went wrong anyway. My youth group teens got easily distracted - while guiding a blindfolded friend through an obstacle course. Truestory. ...but I digress…)

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