“Following Jesus”

You have heard the expression, “Actions speak louder than Words!”  There is much truth in that statement.  St. Francis Assisi, in his rule for the Franscians stated, a similar idea, that “All the Friars … should preach by their deeds.”    (Rule of 1221, Chapter XII)

St. Francis de Sales wrote, “Do not look forward to the changes & chances of this life with fear; rather look upon them with strong hope that, as they arise, God, whose child you are, will deliver you from them.”  While St. Paul taught us in his Letter to the Ephesians that, “There is but one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope given all of you by your call.  There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God & Father of all, who is our all, & works through all, & is in all.”

The Christian Life is a life of Prayer, “Live Jesus” as deSales said.

We pray inside God who is Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Our relationship with God is a bond, a covenant.

Examples as this can be found in The Little Prince, The Giving Tree and The Rabbi’s Gift.

The Little Prince instructs us that to see rightly one only sees with the heart, in The Giving Tree we are reminded to keep giving, and in the story of the Rabbi’s Gift we are told “One among you is the Lord!”

We have many kinds of relationships: Parent/child, Husband/wife, Clergy/laity, Friends and Jesus/you.

St. John Paul II said that in the “… Incarnation we see the human face of God & the divine face of humanity.”

St. Augustine said, “You have made us for your self, Lord, & our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”  A loving relationship is the communication of feelings, the willed decision to commitment and the openness to the graces that God gives.

DeSales taught us that “The measure of love is to love without measure.”  Easy to say, very hard to live. 

St. Paul shared this insight with us, “No longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”  We (you & I) are called to be Saints - that is the goal of Christian life, and Saints are people who do ordinary, extraordinarily well.” (de Sales)

In fact, “There’s more to get thrilled about in the ordinary than the extraordinary.” (Colors, p. 73) We should live this wise insight, “Don’t waste your time trying to get people to love you. Instead, spend your time loving people & the other will follow.”(Colors, p. 78)

The way we live, our words but more importantly our actions, present Jesus to the world or cast “doubt” on Christianity.

Christianity is hard work, hard work filled with joy but hard work nonetheless.

Jesus calls us to Truth that is to know, to Serve that is action along the way, to Love that is Life in the Spirit!  The Eucharist is the source & summit of our faith; it is the FOOD for our soul, of our FAITH!

Stay close to Jesus, do the best you can & let Him handle all the rest.

May God Be Praised!