Monday of the Third Week of Advent Dec. 18

Monday of the Third Week of Advent

December 18, 2006

“Joseph was a righteous man.”

Matthew 1:20

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Are you are person of your word?

Think of the Holy Scriptures. If we truly believe they are The Word of God leading us home to heaven, do we follow their commands and demands? For example, do we love money and what it affords which Jesus says is the root of all evil. Does our current war point to that end? How are we doing with praying constantly and really making the Sabbath holy? What about Jesus’ scathing challenge to the Pharisee’s, “You hypocrites and blind guides. You wash the outside of the cup but you do not clean the inside.” Is our life just an external show or are we honestly trying to become more like Christ from the inside out? Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Do we? What if we do say we love Christ above all other things and we only give Christ an hour a week? Isn’t that a lie? Remember how Jesus asks us to pray for our enemy’s and forgive each other fully (70x7 times). Do you? Are you are person of the word to all the commands and demands of The Holy Scriptures?

When we go to church we say “Amen” which means, “Yes. So be it. I will live what I say yes to!” Well, we have got to know what we are saying yes to! We are living our life as a living sacrifice in order to glorify The Lord. The epitome of this is captured when we receive the Eucharist. As we come forth in the communion line to receive The Body and Blood of Jesus, We hear the words, “The Body of Christ. The Blood of Christ.” And we reply, “Amen.” In our “Amen”, we are saying back to Jesus, “This is my body given up for you. I am saying “Yes” to you Jesus and I will live for you with all I got!

In my nearly ten years of priesthood, I have had about two-hundred weddings. Always, a very profound time is when the couple exchanges their vows. They are giving their word to God and the whole world that they are going to be true to each other come hell or high water. They are totally giving themselves in sacrifice to each other for the rest of their lives. I know there is a lot of pain around marriages and why they do not work out at a high rate, but there is not too much more of a beautiful portrait of God’s love in this life when you see a couple holding hands who has been married fifty, sixty or seventy years.

I love the quote, “God loves you right where you are at. But he loves you so much that he doesn’t want you to stay there.” Yes, you are loved right where you are at. Whether your marriage worked out or it did not, whether your plans came to be or not, you are loved right where you are at. But, God loves you so much that he has more for you!!! And where do we find that more? In following his commands and demands. Of course, in order to follow them you need to hunt them down and capture them in your heart! Do this!

I always say that there is nothing more beautiful than when a believer believes. How beautiful are you? Be a person who keeps your word to Christ.

Love is spelled T-I-M-E,
Fr. John