”I must decrease and He must increase” - This is how we do it!

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first readings about how the early disciples prepared themselves to bring the Gospel to others….Do we somehow think that this method is outdated? - That “the times” have changed?…..What worked then - Will work now!…….”While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off”…..If we do not make a priority of developing a deep interior life - Everything we do for God will be done in vain! - And fasting is a big part of this process - Do we fast regularly?……This practice of fasting seems to have been forgotten in many Catholic circles…Fasting is not just for Lent….The Church asks us to fast every Friday…..How about for Advent? - Do you fast to prepare for the Christmas Season?……If we are serious about being the people we were born to be - Saints! - We should incorporate fasting into our weekly spiritual regiment…..The closer we get to God, the more he can use us……Fasting is also a good way to break sinful habits - Again, its another “tool” Mother Church gives to us - The question is - Are we utilizing everything we have been given?

"I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven”

How does one become holy?…..A good question and something each Catholic should think about…..A holy life can not be self manufactured….God is holy and in order for us to become Christ-like, we must continuously “make room” for the Holy Spirit in our life….This involves a number of practices - Living for others is something every Catholic should be doing - Whether a Priest, a married person or living in the single state…The more you “give away” your life in service to others - The more God will fill you with his Holy Spirit….Fasting is also apart of this process - Fasting helps us to “detach” from the things of this world and in turn we focus more upon God…….The more we empty ourself, the more God will fill us - Remember this “formula”!……..Years ago when I was in my twenties I was struggling with chastity….I was not married and wanted to live as a practicing Catholic….I spent two Lenten Seasons in a row of intense fasting to overcome sinful behavior…Finally, I went to a retreat and was given the grace of chastity….Following that retreat, what seemed impossible became possible and as a result I was chaste for roughly 15 years until I met my wife and got married…..This taught me something very important - Grace is REAL!…And how through fasting, we can overcome sinful behavior…..Fasting is a VERY important spiritual expertise that every Catholic should be utilizing - This is why the Church in her wisdom calls all Catholics to fast every Friday…..”Mother Church” knows what she is doing! - Are we listening to “Our Mother”?

“The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel”

Today at Mass we hear how God prepared St Paul to go forth and proclaim the Gospel…Think about this herculean task given to St Paul - There would have been NO WAY he could have accomplished what was achieved through his ministry without a deep interior life…Now think about YOUR own life - How do you expect to be the person God called you to be without developing an interior life? - As Catholics, we must prioritize our time and when we make God a priority - Everything else in our life will fall into its proper place….Some may claim - “I have no time”…..Jesus tells us otherwise…..”Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides”……Maybe its time to “Make Time”?………The closer we get to God - The more effective disciples we will become…………….”Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it”…….Fasting and Daily Prayer may not “change” the world but it surely will change YOU - And in turn - YOU will change the world………”I must decrease and He must increase” - This is how we do it!………JMJ