True and authentic humility endures all things - As my father would always say - “Straight ahead”

Today at Holy Mass we hear Jesus instruct his friends about how we are to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God…He tells them this through a parable about soil…How “the soil” must be rich in order for the seed of faith to grow….How true this is…We do our part by purifying our soul through the Sacraments, daily prayer, alms giving and fasting…And God does his part by giving us the needed grace…But there is more Jesus tells his friends…”But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance”……Perseverance is vital in the life of the Spirit….As we all know - Life is not “cake-walk” - For anyone…..To walk the “narrow road” which leads to heaven is not easy….This is why we need Sacramental grace, which strengthens the human will….Our “YES” must be resolute and we MUST commit to God fully - “Burn the bridge and the boat” - “There is no turning back!”….How many souls give up when times get tough? - When there appears to be “no light”…When darkness seems to have won……In those times - And we all will experience them, we must look at the Cross…How the world of Jesus’ day thought all was lost when the Roman Empire crushed his mortal body….The only one who did not give up…Who was able to look past what seemed an insurmountable defeat was Our Lady….In those moment…Cling to Our Lady…As St John did…And you will persevere until the end.

“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance”

In December 2007 I went to Kolkata India for the first time….It felt very natural for me to go - That may sound “weird” but my entire life of traveling for work and backpacking around the world I believe prepared me for the trip….The city of Kolkata for those who are from a western country reading this reflection is a shock to all the human senses….The people of India call Kolkata - “The City of Joy”….But when you lived a comfortable life in America and arrive at the airport for the first time and ingest the air pollution, see the poverty on the streets, hear the sounds of the craziest traffic you have ever heard and smell the trash each morning littered with rats as you walk to daily Mass…..American hearts can grow weary and fast!….Thoughts like - “What have I done coming here” start to get louder and louder in your head……Needless to say…The city is shocking at first glance…But it does grow on you….And I have come to understand why it is called "The City of Joy"….Allow me to explain why - My first trip to Kolkata, I got very sick from the air pollution…I traveled in 2007 all alone and I found myself with a fever and dysentery…For two days I stayed in bed thinking to myself…”God - Did you bring me here to destroy me?”….During those two days many negative thoughts went through my mind….I thought I would never return to the city again…..God had another plan!….I returned five more times!……Back to my story - Once I recovered my strength…I continued to serve at the Home for the Dying with Mother Teresa’s sisters….One of my tasks was each day I would help a Korean nun clean the burns of a man who was cooking on the street over a propane stove that exploded…A large part of his body was badly burned…I would hold him down as sister would clean his wounds…The man’s name was Joseph…..The more I gave myself to the work, to prayer and to the poor…. The more the memory of my own sickness faded away….The more I knew I HAD to come back to the city….Looking back…I believe the devil…Through me getting sick for those two days tried to discourage me….And it almost worked….Its in those moments in life and we all have them, when we feel like we are “groping in darkness”….Its in those moments that we must trust all the more - As if we were literally blind walking down a New York street!….Clinging to Our Lady….And remembering that there is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday….God will have the last word!….”The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”…..But before that happens…We must endure…We must persevere…We must NEVER give up!….NEVER!

And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” After saying this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

Today we hear Jesus tell his friends that if we want to bear fruit for the Kingdom, we must persevere…..It’s easy to say with words - “I will never give up”….As we all know - Talk is cheap!……”Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”…..Bravado and “tough talk” - Those are the first to turn around and run! ….Humility conquers every hardship, every trial and every obstacle….Mother Teresa would say - “If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are”……True and authentic humility endures all things - As my father would always say - “Straight ahead”….………………….JMJ