Sacramental grace is available to us every day. We are baptized once, but we carry the grace of our baptism with us every day. We may go to the confession every couple months, but the grace of this sacrament helps us to avoid sin over and over again. We were married on our wedding day, but the grace of the sacrament is available to us day in and day out.
Today my husband and I celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary and we have had to tap into that grace time and time again. The ups and downs of life often have us floundering, but we return to the Church, to the fount of grace for renewal and refreshment. In today’s Gospel Jesus tells us “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
Today’s world does in fact give us all sorts of trouble. It tries to destroy marriage and family at every turn. It throws distractions and temptations at us, telling us lies that make us turn inward or lack trust. It teaches us that selfishness, not selflessness, reigns supreme. It proclaims that getting our own way and being comfortable will make us happy. It preaches that being served is far superior to serving.
Jesus says, “I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.” No matter what the world throws at us, we can still find peace in Him. We can still hold the family high as our little domestic Church, where we love and grow together. For we know that this world is not our home and that He is waiting on the other side to gather us into His loving arms.
La gracia sacramental está a nuestra disposición todos los días. Nos bautizamos una sola vez, pero llevamos la gracia de nuestro bautismo con nosotros a diario. Nos confesamos cada cierto tiempo, pero la gracia de este sacramento nos ayuda a evitar el pecado una y otra vez. Nos casamos el día de nuestra boda, pero la gracia del sacramento está disponible para nosotros día tras día.
Hoy mi esposo y yo celebramos nuestro decimocuarto aniversario de bodas y hemos tenido que recurrir a esa gracia una y otra vez. Los altibajos de la vida a menudo nos hacen titubear, pero volvemos a la Iglesia, a la fuente de la gracia, para renovarnos y fortalecernos. En el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús nos dice: “En el mundo tendrán tribulaciones; pero tengan valor, porque yo he vencido al mundo”.
El mundo actual, de hecho, nos presenta todo tipo de dificultades. Intenta destruir el matrimonio y la familia a cada paso. Nos lanza distracciones y tentaciones, diciéndonos mentiras que nos hacen encerrarnos en nosotros mismos o perder la confianza. Nos enseña que el egoísmo, no la generosidad, es lo que prevalece. Proclama que salirse con la suya y estar cómodos nos hará felices. Predica que ser servido es superior a servir.
Jesús dice: “Les he dicho estas cosas, para que tengan paz en mí”. No importa lo que el mundo nos depare, podemos encontrar paz en Él. Podemos seguir valorando a la familia como nuestra pequeña Iglesia doméstica, donde nos amamos y crecemos juntos. Porque sabemos que este mundo no es nuestro hogar y que Él nos espera al otro lado para acogernos en sus brazos amorosos.
Tami Urcia is a midwestern gal from a large Catholic family. As a young adult she was a missionary in Mexico, where she studied theology and philosophy. After returning stateside bilingual, she gained a variety of work experience, traveled extensively and finished her Bachelor’s Degree at Brescia University. She loves organizing and simplifying things, watching her children play sports, deep conversations with close family and friends and finding unique ways to brighten others’ day with Christ’s love. She works full time at Diocesan in the Software Department and manages the Inspiration Daily reflections. She is also a contributing writer on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net.
Feature Image Credit: Tom The Photographer, unsplash.com/photos/man-holding-red-flowers-aeXJOuph2N4
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