Mary, Mother of Sorrows

 The Third Sorrow of Mary, the loss of Jesus in the Temple, is a reality in all of our lives.  Each of us is a temple in which the Living God dwells.  How, when and where do we lose sight of Jesus, live as though Jesus were not the center of, the reason for, and the source of who we are and what we  o? And when is the opposite true?

 I believe that I lose Jesus whenever I fail to choose that which is best for me and, if best for me, then best for others, that is, I am, then, in right relationship with God, self and others and my living the Gospel message is strong.   Simply put, I lose sight of Jesus when, for instance, I follow distractions and/or temptations that lure me away from doing that to which the Spirit is calling me: avoiding a challenge, walking away from difficulties that need to be addressed and/or worked through to a satisfactory solution. I also lose Jesus, I believe, when I fail to choose actions that strengthen my awareness of the Kingdom of God in my midst and help others also be Kingdom-of-God builders as well.  I believe I have lost Jesus when I engage in sinful behaviors and entertain negative thoughts that focus on my weaknesses and faults and on the weaknesses and faults of others, when my interactions are not life-giving or life-enhancing.

When is the opposite true, that is, when have I found Jesus?  I encounter find Jesus and Jesus encounters me, I believe, when I engage in those actions and promote those thought processes that bring me peace; when I acknowledge, express and follow truth; when I seek to understand myself and others, when I act kindly toward myself and others, when I forgive myself and others, when I am responsible and faithful in carrying out my ministerial, communal and personal  duties, in my case, as a vowed religious and a caring, intelligent, faith-filled and God-centered person.

What is your truth concerning the issue of losing and finding Jesus in your lives?