To listen to this homily, click here.
First of all, I hope all of you had a great holiday weekend and a joyful celebration of the 4th of July. This year, everything seemed to line up perfectly; the weather was hot and sunny, the holiday fell on a Friday, and it all felt exactly the way it should for parades, barbecues, sitting by the pool, or heading out to the lake.
I don’t know about you, but I have so many good memories of this holiday, especially from childhood; running around with friends and cousins, lighting fireworks, eating too much good food, and feeling like life was full and free.
This time of year, I sometimes come across stories of people who can trace their ancestry back to someone who was part of the American Revolution and the foundation of our country. For many, it’s a deep source of pride, and understandably so. I imagine I would probably feel the same way if one of distant relatives had signed the Declaration of Independence or fought alongside George Washington.
There’s something deeply human about wanting to boast, not always in a showy or arrogant way, but in the simple desire to take pride in something that gives us meaning. For some, it’s their family name or bloodline. For others, it’s wealth, status, or accomplishments, the trophies on the shelf or degrees on the wall. Today, some people boast in newer ways: the number of followers on social media, the brand names they wear, or the vacations they take that show they’ve “made it.”
The list of what people boast about is as varied as we are. As the old saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” And so often, what we boast about reveals what we think gives us worth.
That’s why today’s second reading from St. Paul is so striking. Paul had every reason to boast: he was a brilliant scholar, a respected missionary, and a courageous leader in the early Church. He suffered much and achieved much. But in the end, the only thing he wants to boast about is the cross of Jesus Christ.
Not his own achievements. Not his credentials. Not his strength. But Christ’s.
He says something truly radical: “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” In other words, Paul is proudest not of what he’s done, but of what Jesus has done — for him, in him, and through him. The cross is his strength, his salvation, his identity.
We see this principle at work again in today’s Gospel. Jesus sends the disciples out on mission, not just to teach or visit people, but to actually share in his power. They go out healing the sick, casting out demons, preaching the Kingdom. Jesus entrusts them with real authority and that’s no small thing.
It’s like a parent handing over the car keys for the first time. It’s exhilarating and terrifying all at once. But it’s an act of love and trust.
When the disciples return, they’re bursting with excitement. They’re thrilled about everything they were able to do: miracles, conversions, signs of real spiritual power. But Jesus gently redirects them. He says, “That’s all good. But don’t boast about what you’ve done. Rejoice, rather, that your names are written in heaven.”
That’s the real miracle. That’s the real gift.
Jesus is saying: the most important thing about you is not what you can do, but who you are to God. You have a place in heaven. There is a seat at the table prepared specifically for you. That’s what you should be shouting from the rooftops — not your résumé, not your highlight reel, but the fact that you belong to God forever.
So today, maybe we take a little time to reflect:
- What do we boast about?
- What do we lead with when we meet others or think about our identity?
- What defines us in our own minds?
- Is it our job? Our appearance? Our achievements? Our reputation?
- Or is it the cross of Christ... the fact that God knows our name and has written it in heaven?
Are we investing more in things that won’t last, things that can be lost, stolen, or forgotten? Or are we building a deeper relationship with Jesus, the one thing that will follow us into eternity?
And lastly: are we letting him work through us? Jesus gave his disciples real power to bring healing, hope, and salvation. He wants to do the same through us — not because we’re perfect or powerful, but because he is. And when he’s our first and greatest priority, when he becomes the one thing we boast about...then the miracles begin.
