The Pepper in the Eggs: When Catholic Influencers Let Us Down

The scrambled eggs sizzled in the pan. They looked beautiful, my mouth watered at the thought of taking a bite of the cheesy goodness. Maybe a little more pepper, I thought. I reached for the container.

“Oh no!” I said out loud as I accidentally dumped a mountain of pepper onto my nearly perfect eggs. I had opened the wrong side of the lid. Hopefully no one will notice, I told myself, stirring the pile around.

Sure enough, my brother made a face after his first bite.

“How much pepper did you put in this?”

Recently, Alex Jurado–known online as “Voice of Reason”– was accused of sending impure messages to women. His fan base was stunned. In recent years, Alex became one of the most articulate and humble voices defending the Catholic faith online. I’ve met people in person who are just as good (if not better) at doing this. But Alex had a gift for reaching people online. I respected his sincerity and how grounded he seemed.

And now–the pepper in the eggs.

Maybe the allegations are false. Maybe the screenshots are fabricated. But if they’re true, we need to take a deep breath. No one is perfect. Lust is a common trap for all of us. Alex has done more good than bad.

But that’s the nature of sin. It spoils what’s good. What once looked beautiful, holy, even delicious… can get overwhelmed by the wrong dose of something dark.

Yet, we’re all sinners. From St. Augustine, who famously prayed,

“Lord, make me chaste–but not yet,”

To St. Mary of Egypt, St Mary Magdalene, and St. Moses the Ethiopian, we all fall. Holiness isn’t about perfection. It’s about direction.

The rise of Catholic influencers can be a great gift to the Church. But we do harm when we idolize their personalities and forget the truth they point to. The Church is not built on Alex–or me–or any one influencer. It’s built on Christ.

The Church is a hospital for sinners. We all have our cots to return to. None of us is fully healed. But God often works through brokenness to bring healing to others.

The difference between Alex and the other great apologists I know in person is that I don’t know him personally. I see the flaws and struggles of others. But with Alex, I only ever saw the highlight reel.

When others fall, it’s a moment to examine our own hearts. Am I pursuing holiness—or just the appearance of it? Am I grounded in Christ, or in the people who speak about Him?

Let’s pray for Alex, for the women involved, and for all those feeling disillusioned. And let’s ask God to purify our own hearts—not later, but now.

Lord, make me chaste–Now!

Chaste in mind, spirit, and the body.