Faithful & Authentic: The All Saints Parish Podcast

Your True Identity: Beloved

The most important piece of paper in your life isn’t your diploma or your résumé — it’s your baptismal certificate.
This Sunday homily from January 11, 2026, reflects on the Gospel proclamation spoken over Jesus and spoken over each of us in baptism:“You are my beloved. With you I am well pleased.”
Our identity is not earned. It is received.It was purchased at the cost of Christ’s death, and it defines who we are and how we are called to live.
May we ask for the grace to live the vocation won for us through baptism and the cross of Jesus Christ.
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Behold the Lamb of God: Bethlehem, the Shepherds, and the Eucharist | Alive

Alive is our weekly Sunday preparation.In this episode, Fr. Jonathan Meyer reflects on the Gospel for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (John 1:29–34) and the powerful words we hear at every Mass: “Behold the Lamb of God.”
Why does John the Baptist choose this title for Jesus?
This reflection weaves together: • Bethlehem as the House of Bread • Jesus laid in a manger — a feeding trough • The shepherds who raised lambs for temple sacrifice • And the fulfillment of it all in the Eucharist
From the unblemished lambs of the Temple, to the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world, this Gospel reveals that Jesus is not a symbol — He is the reality.
As priests lift up the Eucharist at Mass, they echo the words of John the Baptist and the faith of the Bethlehem shepherds, holding not a sacrifice that points forward, but the Lamb who fulfills every promise.
👉 Discussion questions are available at allsaintscatholic.net and linked below.Grab a friend, get a cup of coffee, talk about Jesus, and let’s grow in faith together.
Let’s be saints together. Amen.
 
Gospel Discussion Questions:
2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time- John 1:29-34
What is the basic story or content?
What is the good news in this passage?
How is Jesus like the Lamb from the Passover story?
Why was the Passover Lamb important to the Jews?
How does Jesus take away the sins of the world?
John says that Jesus existed before him.  How is this possible?
What does the dove represent?
The word CHRIST means “anointed one.”  How was Jesus anointed?

ALIVE | Sunday Gospel Reflection with Fr. Meyer — You Are God’s Beloved

Welcome to ALIVE, our Sunday Gospel preparation series with Fr. Meyer.
 
ALIVE follows the Sunday Gospel each week and is designed to help you slow down, reflect, and truly encounter Christ through Scripture. Each reflection is paired with discussion questions to help spark meaningful conversation and prayer.
 
This week’s Gospel (Matthew 3:13–17) brings us to the Baptism of the Lord, where the Father proclaims:
 
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
 
In this reflection, Fr. Meyer invites us to reflect on the beauty of the Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — and to hear those same words spoken over us through our own baptism. You are not defined by your worst moments or your struggles. You are God’s beloved son. You are God’s beloved daughter.
 
We encourage you to journey through ALIVE with at least one other person — a spouse, friend, neighbor, or small group — and to walk together in faith each week.
 
👉 Discussion questions are available below or at allsaintscatholic.net
📅 ALIVE continues weekly through the start of Lent
 
Let’s make this an amazing Ordinary Time — together.
 
God bless you.
 
Gospel Discussion Questions:
Baptism of the Lord- Matthew 3:13-17What is the basic story or content?What is the good news in this passage?What would it be like if Jesus asked you to baptize him?  Would you feel worthy?What does it mean that the heavens opened?What does the dove represent?How is the Trinity represented in this passage?Has anyone ever expressed that they were pleased with you? How did that feel?Have you ever let someone know you were pleased with them, how did that feel, what impact did it have on the person?

Will You Let Jesus Take, Break, and Give You? | Peace on Earth | Epiphany Reflection

On the Feast of the Epiphany, we’re invited to ask a deeper question:
Will you allow yourself to be taken, broken, and given?
In today’s Peace on Earth reflection, we look at the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish — a profoundly Eucharistic moment where Jesus:takes, gives thanks, breaks, and gives.
This isn’t just about bread.It’s about you.
Jesus wants to take you — to delight in you.He wants to give thanks for you.And yes, He may allow you to be broken…so that you can be given to the world.
This is how love multiplies.This is how vocations are lived.This is how lives are transformed.
As the Christmas season draws to a close, may we surrender again and trust that God can do more with our “yes” than we could ever imagine.
May there be peace on earth — and peace in your heart. Amen.  
#PeaceOnEarth#Epiphany

Have You Changed Since Advent Began? | Peace on Earth | Day 12 of Christmas

As we reach the 12th Day of Christmas, the question isn’t how much we celebrated — it’s whether we’ve changed.
This Peace on Earth reflection looks back to the beginning of Advent and asks:Have prayer, repentance, and time with the Lord actually shaped us?Or are we the same today as we were on November 30?
Our faith is full of “re” words:repent, return, renew, rejoiceEach one is an invitation to begin again.
If you’ve changed — praise God.If you haven’t — today is still a beautiful day to return.
As we prepare to celebrate Epiphany, may we present our hearts honestly to the Lord and allow Him to keep transforming us.
Happy 12th Day of Christmas.  
#PeaceOnEarth#AdventReflection#ChristmasSeason#12DaysofChristmas

What Are the Three Gifts You’re Giving Jesus? | Epiphany Reflection | Day 11 of Christmas

On the Feast of the Epiphany, we remember the gifts brought to Jesus — gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But the bigger question is this:
What three gifts are you offering the Lord?
In this Peace on Earth reflection, Father Jonathan Meyer invites us to look honestly at time, talent, and treasure: • Do we give God our time — even a few minutes a day? • Do we offer our talents for the good of others and the Church? • Are we generous with our treasure, trusting God with our hearts?
Epiphany isn’t just about what the Magi gave long ago — it’s about what we choose to give now.
May this Christmas season help us offer meaningful gifts from the heart.
Happy 11th Day of Christmas. Amen.  
#PeaceOnEarth#Epiphany#CatholicReflection

“Behold the Lamb of God” — Do You Recognize This Moment at Mass? | Peace on Earth | Day 10

Do you realize that John the Baptist speaks to us at every single Mass?
When the priest lifts up the Eucharist and proclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God,” those words are straight from John 1:29. In that moment, John the Baptist introduces Jesus to us just as he once did at the Jordan River — pointing to Him as the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world.
The Mass is overflowing with Sacred Scripture:• John the Baptist• John the Evangelist• The Book of Revelation• The Passover Lamb• The Wedding Supper of the Lamb
All woven together in one sacred moment.
This reflection, on the 10th day of Christmas, invites us to listen more closely at Mass — to hear Scripture come alive, and to encounter Jesus truly present in the Eucharist.
If you’ve ever wondered how deeply biblical the Mass really is, this is for you.
Let’s get to Mass… and find Jesus.Happy Christmas. Amen.  
#PeaceOnEarth#CatholicMass#BeholdTheLambOfGod#JohnTheBaptist

Who Are You? | You Are a Child of God | Day 9 of Christmas

On this Ninth Day of Christmas, Father Jonathan Meyer reflects on a question that echoes through every generation:
Who are you?
Drawing from today’s Gospel (John 1:19–28), we hear John the Baptist refuse to define himself by titles or roles—and instead point us toward our true identity.
You are not your job.You are not your worst day.You are not your failures.
You are a child of God—loved, worthy, created with purpose, and not finished yet because God is not finished with you.
This reflection connects beautifully with the questions posed in Decision Point:Who are you? Why are you here? Where are you going?
Take time today to wrestle with this question. Everything else in life is built upon it.
🎄 Peace on Earth — Day 9 of Christmas
📺 Watch the full Peace on Earth Christmas series here:👉 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuie34UwUVpjiIMU5qfKh59ctB2fW2_Tv
#PeaceOnEarth#Day9OfChristmas#WhoAreYou#ChildOfGod

What Have You Heard and Seen? | Mary, Mother of God | Day 8 of Christmas

On this Eighth Day of Christmas, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and reflect on a powerful question:
What have you heard? What have you seen?
Drawing from today’s Gospel (Luke 2:16–21), Father Jonathan Meyer invites us to pause and reflect on how God has spoken to us this Christmas season—through Scripture, prayer, the Eucharist, our neighbors, and even the quiet moments of our hearts.
Mary pondered all that she heard and saw. Today, we’re invited to do the same.Take time for silence. Write it down. Let God show you how He is moving in your life.
✨ A holy day of obligation—and a holy day of opportunity.
📺 Watch the full Peace on Earth Christmas series here:👉 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuie34UwUVpjiIMU5qfKh59ctB2fW2_Tv
#PeaceOnEarth#Day8OfChristmas#MaryMotherOfGod

7 Steps to an Amazing 2026 | Peace on Earth | Day 7 of Christmas

On the seventh day of Christmas, we reflect on the gift of seven swans a-swimming and what it can teach us about preparing our hearts — and our lives — for the year ahead.
 
In this Peace on Earth reflection, Father Jonathan Meyer shares seven practical steps to help you enter 2026 with intention, clarity, and hope:
 
1️⃣ Assessment
2️⃣ Highlights
3️⃣ Lowlights
4️⃣ Lessons learned
5️⃣ What to stop doing
6️⃣ What to start doing
7️⃣ Practical, doable strategies
 
As we close out the year, this reflection invites you to pause, look back honestly, and make a simple plan so that God can do something new in your life.
 
🎄 Happy Seventh Day of Christmas — and Happy New Year.
 
#Day7OfChristmas #PeaceOnEarth #CatholicReflection #SevenSteps #NewYearReflection #PrepareFor2026 #ChristmasSeason #CatholicYouTube #FaithAndLife #SpiritualGrowth