The world needs to hear the Good News - to learn the difference between right and wrong and to teach the truth of Christ our Savior. God offers us unconditional love - we respond to this offer by loving our neighbor. Love is a commitment; it is something we choose to do regardless of our feelings. Love of God and love of neighbor are two sides of the same coin – we love God and love our neighbor as much as it is possible. We are challenged to live the life we are given as love shapes our hearts. We are called to love anyone who is in front of us.
Faith draws us into the mystery of God. We believe God is infinite and also close to us. He is the God of compassion, love and forgiveness. Jesus presents Himself to us in the Gospels as a gifted storyteller. We see Jesus healing the sick, raising the dead and being in conflict with the ideas and attitudes of the Pharisees. Jesus wants us to care for the vulnerable – what He doesn't want in us is hypocrisy. Jesus says that what we do or fail to do to the weak and vulnerable we do or don't do to Him. We are all children of the one Father, brothers and sisters in Christ.
The call to discipleship is a challenge. Jesus wants our chief and primary affection and calls us to humility and purity of heart. Do we have what it takes to respond to the call? Do we crave pleasure, desire or wealth or do we aspire to spiritual heights? Do we make Jesus the center of our lives? Are we willing to be transformed to be more Christ-like? Do we invite Jesus to live in us? What are we doing with the gifts God has given us?
Wisdom recognizes there is more to life than what we have on earth. We are all on a journey, a pilgrimage to heaven as our goal. We come from God and travel to happiness with God in His eternal kingdom. There is more to life than what we have here on earth. Heaven is the fullness of life and joy. Wisdom helps us cope with life. It comes ultimately from God and allows us to pursue truth and to discern right from wrong. It helps us to love righteousness and to pursue peace and justice. Wisdom helps us to discern God's will for us.
The purpose of God's creation is that we may use it to go to God. God's creation leads us to God. We have to search for God as a moth search for the light. Sometimes we get so caught up in God's creation that we do not seek God. Jesus says if we walk in the path of the Lord, all will be OK with us. We have a great longing in the center of our being for God. Faith is a light for us as we realize that God is with us despite the darkness around us. And if we listen for it, we will hear the quiet voice of the Spirit which
is always present in us. We are created to give glory to God to enjoy the beautiful journey of life
A man converted to Catholicism and joyfully told his friend that he met Jesus. The friend asked him "How tall is He?" "What color hair does He have?" "How was He dressed?" The man said that he couldn't answer these questions but that he knows he met Jesus in his heart and that Jesus changed his life. What is at the core of our faith – to say with Mary, "My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God, my savior!”
"If you need to go to extremes, let it be in sweetness, patience, humility and charity."
St. Philip Neri
"A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost. He who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love."
St Basil the Great