[Here is part 3]  Remember the disciples on the Road to Emmaus “…were not our hearts burning…”  Has your heart ever been burning, the Eucharist helps hearts get ignited, helps them burn for the Lord and so does faithfulness to daily prayer.

 

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, “As he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct.”  (1 Peter 1:15)

All the children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic school for lunch.  At the head of the table was a large pile of apples.  The teacher left a note that read, “Take only one, God is watching.”

Moving through the line, to the other end of the table, was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.  A boy wrote this note, “Take all you want, God is watching the apples.

Jesus saved us over 2,000 years ago!  Now we are challenged to allow His saving grace to mold us, to renew us, and to form us.

Charles Taylor (A Secular Age)  and Fr. Michael Buckley, S.J. (At the Origins of Modern Atheism) point out that Secularism and Atheism are challenges that we face.

We need to deal with them in a serious manner, but we should not fear them.

Bishop Cupich said, “… we should welcome this moment as an opportunity to embrace more fully our own discipleship ….” (Origins, 9/5/13 p. 214)

The bishop offered several ideas on how to talk about Faith in a Secular Age; I think the key one is this: “Our confidence that the Gospel speaks to the deepest longings of the human heart ….”         (Ibid. p. 217)  The Gospel should be the foundation of how we speak, as well as how we live.

St. Francis de Sales tells us, “Take courage, and turn troubles which you cannot remedy into material for progress and maturity.” 

St. Paul says  “…God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength….” (1 Cor. 10:13b)

Christ is counting on us, We are His hands, His feet, His heart, His compassion, His love, His tears, His smile.

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!

We need a plan to grow in holiness; maybe we need to revise our plan because of changing circumstances or the Spirit moving us in a new / different direction.

Each one of us has a unique glimpse of God in our hearts / souls that only we can share with the world.

What a privilege!  What a responsibility!

“I have called you by name. You are mine, I forbid you to be afraid. I am with you.”  (Isaiah 43)

“With what gift shall I commit Yahweh’s presence?

This is what Yahweh asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6; 6)

 Following Jesus is based on Wisdom. (Celtic Tradition)

1.  knowledge of self

2.  compassion for others

3.  friendship with God

Friendship with God is grounded in Scripture, the Sacraments (especially reconciliation and the Eucharist) and in prayer, in particular, quiet time with the Lord.

The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith; it is the FOOD for our soul, of our FAITH!  Stay close to Jesus, do the best you can and let Him handle all the rest.

I want to share one last story.  This is about William Dyke who when he was 10 years old was blinded in an accident.  Despite his disability he graduated from a university in England with high honors.  While in school he fell in love with the daughter of a high-ranking British Naval Officer and they became engaged.

Shortly before the Wedding William had eye surgery that would hopefully restore his eyesight.  He asked to keep his bandages on until his wedding day; because if the surgery was successful he wanted the 1^st person he saw to be his bride to be.

As William stood at the foot of the alter with his bride-to-be next to him, the surgeons carefully removed his bandages and William words echoed through the cathedral,

“You are more beautiful than I ever imagined!”

When we get to the “land of the living” – we shall be overwhelmed by God’s beauty and exclaim in awe and in wonder and in reverence: “You are more beautiful than I ever imagined.”  (Bausch, 40 Seasonal Homilies, p.59)

St. Therese of Lisieux gave us this simple but profound insight into living our discipleship, "Holiness consists simply in doing God's will, and being just what God wants us to be."

May God Be Praised!