Righteousness and Eternal Life

In today's first reading, Romans 6: 19-23, St. Paul expands on yesterday's Scriptures. As "slaves of sin," Paul tells us, we "were free from righteousness. But what profit did you get...?For the end of those things [which are offensive to God and separate you from Love] is death.  But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit that you have leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life."

All of us are on a journey that leads to eternal life.  We will be given an option when we die, I believe,  as we are now given: choose life or choose death, eternal death that is!  Just as now we are asked whether or not we want to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, so, too, in death, I believe, we will be asked that same question.  On this side of the grave, all things work for the sanctification of those who believe. And even when I am in a period of unbelief, even when I have turned away from God, God waits for us to come back to Him. And when we do, He opens His arms to receive us into His heart.  He welcomes us in the same way as the Father of the prodigal son welcomed his wayward son, rejoicing, throwing a welcome-home party, giving us the best of what He has: sanctification and salvation!

Doubt Changed to Belief

In today's Gospel, John 20: 24-29, Thomas says to his fellow apostles, who testify to Jesus' resurrection from the dead, that he will not believe, unless he personally encounters the Risen Lord. Thomas does not put on airs. He is honest about his faith at that point.  He has seen Jesus horribly crucified, dead on the cross, as any criminal crucified by the Romans. How could Jesus possibly be anything but dead. His hopes shattered. His belief destroyed, so it seemed, by doubt. "Unless I put my hands into the marks of His hands and side, I will not believe."

Thomas believes on his own merits. He believes after a personal encounter with the Risen Christ.  That, too, is how our faith  grows, namely, by developing a personal relationship with the Lord, by talking to the Lord, by spending time in His presence, by being honest with the Lord, not pretending, by seeking the Lord and sharing our doubts, fears, hurts, concerns, our love and faith, by being involved in what is happening in the world and striving to do good!

In the first reading, Eph. 2: 19-22, St Paul tells us that we are no longer strangers, aliens, or sojourners. We are members of the household of God with all of the saints and angels in heaven; yes, with St. Thomas and all of the apostles.  Just as Thomas and the apostles shared intimately with Jesus, experienced what Jesus went through, so, too, do you and I. We are not strangers to suffering or resurrection, to doubt or faith, to love or a lack of love, anymore that Jesus was! Also, reflect on what it means to you to be a member of the household of God--think of what it means to be a member of your family and then translate that into being part of God's household. What a gift! What a privilege! What an honor! Just as I drop in anytime and am welcome in my family here on earth, am I welcome into God's house, day or night!

The Power of Faith

“Only say the word and my servant shall be healed,” the centurion says to Jesus in today’s Gospel, t. 8: 5-11.  Jesus is amazed at this man’s faith, a faith He has not found in his fellow Jews. The centurion is a Roman soldier, one who enforces Roman law and probably has killed Jews who have transgressed Roman demands.  To hear Jesus praise this man must have been difficult for the Jews. “What is Jesus doing,” they must have wondered. Does He not know who this man is?  God has no favorites, we are told by Paul in Romans 2:11. He saved anyone who believes that He is Son of  God, the Messiah, the One sent by the Father to reconcile the world to the Father.

Do I believe, as did this centurion? Do I realize who comes down upon our altars at every Catholic Liturgy, that is, at every Catholic Mass? Do I realize that at every Mass Jesus is reconciling humankind with God in the breaking of the bread, the Body of the Lord,  and the outpouring of the wine, the Blood of Christ? At the time of Holy Communion when we pray  “Say only the word and my soul shall be healed” that my soul is actually being healed? That too happens when I intercede for the world, for loved ones, for all involved in crime of any kind. Like the centurion, I am saying:  “Say but the word and those I am praying for will be made whole.” Yes, in every liturgy, we ask the Lord to say only the word and our world will be healed of its divisions and participate in the reconciling action Jesus has accomplished for us on the cross. Do I really believe that?