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Get into the ring! How this works...

This is easy! Each week on Thursday I post my homily idea...my main focus for preaching this coming Sunday. What I am hoping for is a reaction from people in the pews. Does my "focus" connect with your daily life, faith, and experience? Or not? Either affirm the direction I am going in (by giving me an example from your life) or challenge me, ask for clarification! Questions are the best! Reaction rather than reflection is what I'm looking for here. Don't be afraid, get in the ring. Ole!



Friday, October 19, 2012

October 21 Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at USCCB.org>>>>
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00 Sat and 11:00 Sunday

Faith - access code

It seems that this year of faith, this political season, and the Scriptures are presenting me with the invitation to an essential connection with God for the transformation of my life and the world. That connection is accessed by faith first, faith essentially, faith alone.

It is by faith uniquely that we gain access to communion with God, God's great mercy, the throne of grace, the truth. It is only by faith and in authentic communion that one can be transformed from death to life, from isolated, nominal, Catholic to responsible conscientious voter, from simply observant Catholic to fully alive member of the body of Christ, the church.

Maybe I am starting to sound like Martin Luther with this faith alone stuff (you know the Protestant affection for the five alones), however, I think that this fundamental act of believing it is the inescapable foundational principle of our living life to the fullest in Christ. If you don't have faith - you cannot have a full human life.

Therefore, the question remains, "do you believe?". Yes, Lord, I believe, increase my faith!

2 comments:

Faith said...

Reading this homily prep helped me appreciate the transformative nature of faith. "It is by faith uniquely that we gain access to communion with God...." And I continued on in my mind, it is by faith that I find real purpose in life, it is by faith that even small, simple things in life become access points to God, and it is by faith that even suffering becomes worthwhile because of its redemptive value. It IS by faith that the true servant becomes the "great one."

"What do you wish me do for you?" - indeed, please make my faith great.

JoyFuralle said...

Having a VERY hard time with what you say because of circumstances in my life. I am dealing with people FILLED with faith during the easy and good times of life. Now, with difficulty, when the rubber hits the road, it's not making it. And I think of 1 Corinthians 13:13... Faith, hope & love these three; but the greatest of these is love.