My approach is simple - Keep things as simple as possible when it comes to the Catholic faith - Don’t make what is very clear - Complicated - Such an approach will serve you well

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading taken from the Book of Romans that Abraham took God at his word…The question I want to explore in this reflection is - Do we take God at his word?…..”Abraham did not doubt God's promise in unbelief; rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God and was fully convinced that what God had promised he was also able to do”……Jesus makes some pretty incredible statements documented throughout the pages of the New Testament - Do we actually believe him?….He shares with us his wisdom and also gives us guidance on how to live - Again, how do we view these very clear and bold statements of Christ?…..I am of the belief that our Catholic faith should be boiled down into its simplest of forms…To put it bluntly - Don’t make complicated what is not complicated…And part of that approach should be actually believing the words of Jesus himself……Because he says a lot! - And while many say we “Believe in Jesus” - Based upon our actions - I often wonder if we take his words seriously…Because we should - Why? - Because Jesus is God….And if you believe that Jesus rose from the dead - Then we have to believe everything he said is true - Right?….That would mean we have to live a certain way - Right?….We are told that Abraham took God at his word today in the first reading from Mass …And the impossible happened…He had a child in his old age and became the father of a nation…What about us?…..What if we dared to take Jesus at his word?…..What if we lived our life in and through the one Church Jesus founded?……Say we did all that - And fast forward to the hour of our death - Do you think you would regret your decision?…..My bet is - You will be glad you listened and more importantly acted upon the words of Christ, when its all said and done and your life’s journey comes to an end……The words of Christ are time tested - They give us the “blue-print” on how to live and also on how to thrive….Do we take the words of Christ seriously? - If we don’t - We should…As I tell my five children all the time….”I am not telling you this for my benefit - I am telling you this for yours”

“Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven”

Throughout the pages of these daily reflections I often quote Mother Teresa when she says…”I take Jesus at his word”…..Keep in mind - This statement is coming from a great saint….So clearly, the outcome of her decision to put into action the words of Christ should speak volumes to us….Again, if we are honest and when we hear the words of Jesus read to us at Holy Mass, there is a lot there to “digest” - Right?…...Let’s start with this….”For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him”….How can we “get around” that statement?…..This is a direct (notice the word “direct”) reference to the Eucharist…Notice too that the person who consumes this “meal” will in turn “remain in me and I in him”……What does that tell you?….It tells me that we need to consume Jesus’ flesh in order to remain faithful…This is not an option!…And by the way - That is not my opinion, these are the words of Christ himself…What else does Jesus say on this subject?…..”Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you”…….Interesting? - What do you make of that?……Seems pretty clear to me…Jesus is telling us that without the grace of God, which comes to us through the reception of the Blessed Sacrament (His very Body and Blood), we have “no life within us” - Did you catch that?……All human beings are born flawed - I think we can all agree with that claim……Guess what? - Jesus understood that too…That is why he walked among us…..But he also understood that we need grace to “overcome” our flaws and weaknesses - That is why he established a Church and that is why he gave us the Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday at the Last Supper…. We need God’s grace to animate our life……..Living a Sacramental life is not an “option”…...It needs to be our way of life - Why?….Because to execute on what Jesus asks of us requires grace - Period Full Stop - "Don't kid yourself" - As we say in New Jersey….And the very flesh of Christ is the “medicine” for the ills of the world….Still don’t believe me?….”For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him”…….Seems pretty clear to me.

“He has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David”

We are told today at Mass that Abraham took God at his word….And if we are objective and honest with ourself, we will conclude that Abraham made some very good choices in life…..How about us?….Jesus walked among us 2000 years ago so that “we would have life and have it more abundantly”…He did not come to punish us or make us miserable - As many sadly believe…..Jesus also gave the world a “road map” on how to live…Yet - So much of what Jesus said is ignored……All we have to do is read the words of Christ and take them to heart…He tells us everything we need to know…..My approach is simple - Keep things as simple as possible when it comes to the Catholic faith - Don’t make what is very clear - Complicated - Such an approach will serve you well…………….JMJ

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