At every priestly ordination, there is a powerful moment when the man being ordained says, “I do with the help of God.” It is an honest admission that holiness cannot be lived without grace. That same truth applies to all of us. We are all called to grow closer to Jesus. But we can’t do it on our own. He is the goal, and He is also the one who gives us the strength to get there.

In the reading from Revelation, the heavenly Jerusalem has no temple because Christ Himself is the temple. He is the light that fills the city. He is the Lamb who was slain. When Jesus is at the center, we have everything we need.

So often our hearts are troubled because we put our trust in things that cannot save us. But when we turn back to Jesus and let Him lead, we find peace. We find joy. And we are changed.