29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

I’ve been hearing a lot of discouragement at the state of our world, our country: the divisions, the politics, the games, the manipulation from all sides.  I hear people sad that many of their own kids have fallen away from the active practice of the Catholic faith, that their own grandkids or great-grandkids aren’t baptized.  I hear people lamenting that our younger generations are spending so much time on their phones and on social media.

All legitimate feelings.  But there is a very evil temptation/conclusion that can come about as a result of these feelings.  It’s a temptation that must be rejected, with a positive call to action from God that must be accepted and lived out by His followers here on earth if we wish to see souls saved and lives changed for the glory of God!

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Last Advent we preached about the 4 Marks of a Disciple: Quick to Pray, Joyfully Sacramental, Intentional in Relationships, and Committed to Growth.  Since then, I hope that you’re finding yourself on certain weeks striving to grow in one or another of those Marks as we have continued to bring them up in preaching.  This weekend we return to the first — Quick to Pray — and after some examples of how we as a staff here at our Central Office have been changing our habits and actions to grow in being Quick to Pray, I’d invite you to consider for yourself: How have you been more Quick to Pray in your daily life?  What are some ways you’ve thought of being more Quick to Pray but maybe just haven’t acted on yet?  (That’s likely the Holy Spirit inviting you to take the next step.)  The call in these days ahead: start challenging yourself, as we the staff are challenging ourselves, to grow in being more Quick to Pray!