+ Dear Saint David Parishioners,
Suppose Joshua were to ask you on this 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, “If it does not please you to serve the Lord, where will your main focus in life be?” “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” What would be your response to Joshua’s inquiry?
The truth is, when we examine our conscience before retiring for the night, a simple question we could ask ourselves is, “Did I put God first in my life today?” With the help of the Holy Spirit, we then consider the times during the day when we responded to God’s grace by allowing Him and others, rather than ourselves, to be the focus of our words and actions. If we have fallen short, we ask Jesus’ forgiveness and help for improvement. With Jesus’ grace and guidance, we can then grow more into His likeness with each passing day.
Parents, you can instill this practice of examining the happenings of the day with your family. In time, your family may exclaim, “Bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall be ever in my mouth” (Psalm 34). Your family may also strive with greater emphasis to “live in love, as Christ loved us,” respecting and cherishing one another as Jesus would have us do. Jesus recognized that His teachings were not easy, but since He is truth, He declared to His followers that His words are “spirit and life.”
Some disciples on hearing His challenging teachings, left and returned to their “former way of life, and no longer followed Jesus.” He then turned to His apostles and, we can imagine to us, and asks, “Do you also want to leave?”
Let us, with Saint Peter, affirm our loyalty and love to Jesus for ourselves and loved ones and answer courageously, “Master, to whom shall we go: You have the words of eternal life. Jesus, we believe that You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We will follow You all the days of our lives. We are convinced that You are the Holy One of God.”
God’s blessings to you and your family. Enjoy these last days of summer vacation!
In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sister Mary