Embrace “the cross” - And strive to live a “crucified life”……Its the only means by which we will transform the world

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the second reading St Paul instructing his friends in the way one must demonstrate the faith to others…..His instruction if you notice is not some esoteric diatribe…It was straight up - It was common sense…..Paul was a man of the people - He showed his friends what it meant to follow Christ - Not just with words - Words are easy to say…Paul lived it - He walked among the crowd…and because of this…His message was heard……...............”Brothers and sisters: You know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat”….Catholics should be all ears to this message - People believe what they see!…They could care less what you say if they do not see our faith lived out in real time….How is our faith lived out? - In one word - Sacrificially!….A Catholic must pour out his life……To his family….To his community…To the poor….Until there is nothing left…This is the message of Jesus Christ crucified! - The most powerful message ever witnessed to this day…..And when our faith is lived out in this manner - We stop traffic….So take note…….The Catholic faith is not some academic pursuit…While intellectually speaking, one can spend an entire lifetime reading and learning about the depth and richness of the Catholic faith…This is not what will attract others to the Church…..We must become what was demonstrated to us on Golgotha…..This is the witness that changed the world….And it will change the world once again.

“Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand”

One Saturday afternoon I arrived at the convent of the Missionaries of Charity in New York City…..After we prayed a Holy Hour and said the Rosary….Three of the sisters said they were headed to a boarding house where an old woman Sarah lived…Sarah was very poor and did not take very good care of herself…..I asked the sisters what they were going to do there…They told me they were going to do Sarah’s laundry and clean her apartment…..Let me stop there - When was the last time you EVER heard of ANYONE doing such a humble act of kindness for basically a stranger?…..Never mind a bishop, priest or a nun doing something like this……I mention this now because when I saw what the sisters did for this poor lonely woman - I was simply blown away……Why? - Because people do not live this way……Why did the sisters do this? - Because they see Jesus in others?….How do we acquire this outlook?…By purifying our hearts….A pure heart “sees”……This is how we as Catholics transmit the faith……We are NEVER going to argue anyone into the Church - No matter how good the argument…….You can be the greatest theologian - Memorize the writings of St Thomas Aquinas, St Augustine and St Bonaventure….As well as know every verse of the Bible by heart….In my humble opinion - None of those academic pursuits will produce the same impact of what I saw Mother Teresa's sisters do for that poor woman that Saturday afternoon….As Catholics who believe that our Church and its teachings are in fact true…....That being Catholic leads to life eternal…That the Catholic Church is an extension of Jesus himself…..If we believe all that - And many do….How are you going about showing it?…….There is only one effective way to demonstrate this reality to the world....…To show and teach our children….To instruct our neighbors….To impact the world around us…..That one and only way is to die to ourself - To give our self away sacrificially…....This is the message of Jesus Christ……..And while we most probably will not be “nailed to a cross” in this life - (Maybe I will because I have a big mouth - I am from New Jersey - It comes with the territory!)….We must strive to pour out our life for others……”Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it”……..This is the witness the world needs to see…And if we are “serious” about our Catholic faith…..This is how we MUST aspire to live……This is the only way we will convince the world that Jesus is real…And that being an active member of the Catholic Church is the means by which we save our soul…..People need to SEE Jesus in us….And that only happens when we live sacrificially…..Everyone can understand that message - And not only will they understand it - They will be impacted by it….As I was when I saw three Catholic nuns clean the apartment of poor woman in New York City.

"See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and 'The time has come.' Do not follow them!”

Today St Paul at Mass tells us….Watch what I do - Then listen to what I say….This is the proper order of how a Catholic effectively evangelizes the world around him….No one cares that you have degrees on the wall….....Or that you have memorized the entire Bible - No one cares!…….The greatest example of love ever witnessed was that of an uneducated man, who gave up his life for the sins of the world - That man we all know was Jesus Christ - Who showed us the way….....And what is that way?…….That the road to life - Is to die to ourself…..This is how we teach the Catholic faith and when others see this, then they will listen to our words and not before………Embrace “the cross” - And strive to live a “crucified life”……Its the only means by which we will transform the world………………JMJ

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