Homily | May 27, 2026 | Your Worth Is Not Your Status | (Episode 138)

I think today Saint Peter gives us one of the most important truths in all Christianity.

He says, you were ransomed.

Ransomed.

Think about that word.

Not purchased, not acquired, ransomed.

A ransom is paid when something valuable has been captured.

Someone is trapped, someone cannot free himself, and then what happens is another one steps in and pays the price.

Peter says that's us.

Humanity was trapped, sin had entered the world, death entered, shame entered, the human heart became divided.

And Saint Peter says, You were ransomed.

But then he tells us the price, not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.

I wonder if we really understand that.

Because we live in a world that constantly tells us our worth, our salary, our followers, what's your title, how successful you are, how beautiful you are, what's your status.

And Christianity says something shocking.

Your value was established on Calvary.

The Son of God gave his blood for you.

That's your worth.

Not silver, not gold, the blood of Christ.

Do you realize what Peter is saying?

The cross was not plan B.

He says he was known before the foundation of the world, before creation, before Adam, before the stars, the cross was not an emergency response.

It was love.

And then Peter says something else.

All flesh is like grass.

That's a humbling line.

We know grass grows, grass can look beautiful, grass can die, the flowers bloom, the flowers wither.

Everything passes.

Beauty passes, age passes, money passes, success passes, the house, the car, the career, the applause, all of it will pass away.

Maybe that's hard for us because we spend so much time, energy wasted on chasing things that cannot stay.

Peter says, The word of the Lord remains forever.

Everything else will fade, but God will remain.

I think this connects beautifully with the gospel.

The disciples are arguing about greatness.

Who is first?

Who matters more?

What's who has status?

What does Jesus do?

He takes a child, he places a child in their midst.

And in the ancient world, children had no status, no power, no prestige.

And Jesus basically says, Well, if you want greatness, stop climbing.

Receive, serve, become small.

What a word for our world.

Because everybody wants to be noticed.

Jesus says become humble.

Everyone wants to rise.

Jesus says become little.

Everybody wants importance.

Jesus says love.

Because in the kingdom greatness looks different.

The saints understood this.

Saint Francis, Mother Teresa, Saint Philip Neri yesterday.

They all became small, and God made them great.

So you were ransomed, not by gold, not by silver, but by the blood of Christ.

Which means this you are loved more than you realize.

You're wanted more than you know.

You're worth more than the world can measure.

Don't let the world convince you of anything else.

And if all flesh is grass, then build life on what remains.

Build it on Christ, because everything else fades.

Jesus Christ will always remain.