Tag: Allison Gingras

Luke 16:1-8 is sometimes referred to as “The Shrewd Manager,” while other translations use the title “The Dishonest Steward.” This Scripture usually leaves me scratching my head at its meaning. My pastor recently offered life-changing spiritual advice when he recommended facing a passage that confuses you, is new to you, or that you’re very well acquainted with but would like a new insight into, by enlisting specific assistance from the Holy Spirit. Ask the Spirit to clear your mind from any obstacles to grace, and then illuminate the words of Scripture to reveal the truth they hold within. I did, and the Spirit, as usual, did not disappoint! 

First, the Spirit showed me the clarity of Jesus’ audience — he was speaking to His disciples. Next, knowing Jesus would never lead us astray from virtuous behavior, we can be assured we are not to imitate this unsavory behavior, which all these characters of the parable display. There is a bigger-picture lesson Jesus is looking to teach. The steward is a manager or a keeper of another’s resources, and his crime is mismanagement. Keep that word in mind.

The steward is guilty of squandering the rich man’s property and is told to prepare a complete account of his dealings. Each of us will have to make a full account of the gifts, resources, and talents bestowed by God for our use during our lifetime. Every word, action, and non-action will need to stand before Jesus one day; this is His warning to us to be very careful not to mismanage these gifts. 

Jesus points to the shrewdness shown by the manager and others like him out of self-preservation; the children of this world (non-believers) are more prudent in dealing with their generation than the children of the light (believers). However, unlike the children of the world who hold tightly to the materials of the here and now, our call as disciples is to put the heavenly before the earthly. 

The material world is tangible, ever before us, at times making it difficult to ignore in light of the invisible glory to come. A prime, albeit embarrassing example, happened to me one Sunday. Kneeling in my pew, having just received the Eucharist, my watch vibrated with a message from my son. The response needed to be timely, but it certainly could have waited less than ten minutes until the end of Mass. Yet, I caved to the immediate and (probably not so) slyly pulled out my phone and texted my son! 

Saint Clement I sums up Jesus’ moral of this parable and the struggle, which is so very real, with these words, “This world and the world to come are two enemies. We cannot, therefore, be friends to both; but we must decide which we will forsake and which we will enjoy.” Which “shrewd” moves will we make this day to become friends with the things of heaven and thrive as children of light?

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A veces se hace referencia a Lucas 16:1-8 como “El administrador astuto”, mientras que otras traducciones usan el título “El mayordomo deshonesto”. Este pasaje de las Escrituras generalmente me deja perplejo por su significado. Mi pastor recientemente ofreció un consejo espiritual que cambia la vida cuando recomendó enfrentar un pasaje que te confunde, que es nuevo para ti o que conoces muy bien pero que te gustaría conocer de una manera nueva, solicitando la ayuda específica del Espíritu Santo. Pídele al Espíritu que limpie tu mente de cualquier obstáculo a la gracia y luego ilumine las palabras de las Escrituras para revelar la verdad que contienen. Yo lo hice y el Espíritu, como siempre, no me decepcionó.

“After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’”

Observing people while avoiding judgment can be a valuable lesson in growing one’s own virtues. On a recent business trip, I noted how fewer people seem to embrace a heart like Jesus. Yes, I know how dangerously close that statement is to judging, especially when only God knows the hearts of men, but what dwells within should be evident in our behavior. Again, I am speaking to myself!

One particularly upsetting moment took place on the flight home. Sitting across the aisle—a young mother with a toddler on her lap. In front of them, a middle-aged gentleman fixated on his phone. The child slept for the first half of the flight and awoke with renewed energy. Facing his mother, his back on the man’s seat, I am sure the older passenger was jolted by his seat being pushed forward more than a few times. We seem to forget another human is on the other side of the headrest. This inconsideration, however, could never justify his seemingly retaliatory behavior of flinging his seat back into a reclined position, striking the child in the head with the rigid plastic media holder. Angry words were exchanged, as you can imagine, and my heart sank for the loss of common courtesy and the ability to communicate with kindness. In short, to be Jesus in the world, I must walk daily through that narrow door of Christian living and love.

Our lower nature battles too often against our desire to do good, fueled by a society that says you deserve to be first and get everything you want; don’t be pushed around. Jesus, the epitome of meekness and humility, calls us to embrace this more difficult path because it comes with the greatest reward. Many will strive to enter, but not all will be strong enough, especially if they rely on themselves and do not lean on the grace of God!  The bottom line is that God never asks for the impossible.

As I sat waiting to disembark the plane, the boy’s father stood in the aisle, with his coat repeatedly hitting me. I politely pointed out what I knew he was unaware was happening. He apologized, the behavior ceased, and we left the plane content. Would I have taken this gentle approach had I not witnessed the earlier exchange? I’d like to say yes, but I know myself better than that. Pray, as you observe any situation that upsets you, for every heart involved to be softened, molded to Christ’s, especially your own.

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“Cuando el dueño de la casa se levante de la mesa y cierre la puerta, ustedes se quedarán afuera y se pondrán a tocar la puerta, diciendo: ‘Señor, ábrenos’. Pero él les responderá: ‘No sé quiénes son ustedes’.”

In today’s Gospel, Martha, busy serving and fretting, loses sight of just who it is she has welcomed into her home. In light of the three-year National Eucharistic Revival, I wish to explore a subtle connection between Luke 10:38-42 and the Eucharist — although when we come to Mass, it is Jesus welcoming us into His home! Many of us come to Mass so busy and distracted with many things that we halfheartedly go through the motions of Mass, forgetting Who we are so privileged to receive in the Eucharist. 

Jesus has come to visit the family in Bethany and share fellowship and a meal. At Mass, we come to Jesus’ house to visit and, yes, share a meal. Gratefully, Jesus is never too busy to welcome us in! We, like Martha, may approach our visit with Jesus frenzied, anxious, and worried about many things—work, home, or family. Perhaps we, too, are aggravated with a loved one we think should be helping us out somehow. 

Jesus’ words to Martha that “there is need of only one thing” should refocus our attention to what is truly important, especially as we prepare our hearts and minds for Jesus to “enter under our roof.” Like Mary, our eyes should remember Who is before us. Sitting at His feet fills us with all the blessings and graces necessary for whatever lies ahead. Whether we face days of strife, hardship, or smooth sailing, it is inconsequential if we’ve not made developing a relationship with Christ our number one priority.

I remember a time in my life when I attended Mass with more of a Martha than a Mary mindset. I would grab a bulletin on my way into the church. During the Mass readings, I would daydream, running the week’s chores and tasks through my mind. During the homily, I would doodle my to-do list in the margins of the bulletin. My mind would wander again during the Consecration, unaware of the supernatural, glorious, awe-inspiring event happening upon the altar before me. The moment heaven and earth mystically collide—the humble substance of bread and wine became an even more humble substance of my Lord and Savior. Then I complained that I never “get anything out of” Mass.

Of course, I didn’t. Like Martha, I’d let the world cloud my vision and keep me from the one thing needed—the better part. Praise God, like Mary, it was not to be taken from me. Eventually, as I learned more about the Catholic faith and the beauty and magnificence of the Sacred Liturgy, I allowed myself to be fully present for all Jesus had for me in those moments. 

In the words of St. Paul, the better part exists in “the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. But now it has been manifested to his holy ones…” Most significantly, in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

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En el Evangelio de hoy, Marta, ocupada sirviendo y preocupándose, pierde de vista a quién ha recibido en su casa. A la luz del Avivamiento Eucarístico Nacional de tres años, deseo explorar una conexión sutil entre Lucas 10,38-42 y la Eucaristía, aunque cuando venimos a Misa, ¡es Jesús quien nos da la bienvenida a Su hogar! Muchos de nosotros venimos a Misa tan ocupados y distraídos con muchas cosas que vivimos la Misa por inercia y sin entusiasmo, olvidando a Quién tenemos el privilegio de recibir en la Eucaristía.

Sometimes, God’s sense of humor is hard for me to ignore. When I opened my Bible to begin penning this reflection in a quiet adoration chapel, it took all my strength to muffle the involuntary giggle that arose. Why would I find the Gospel heading, “Jesus Cures the Deaf Man” humorous? I was struck by the fascinating “godincidence,” as I am the mother of a child who is deaf.

There has been many a Good Friday, as we venerated the Cross, that my family and I have wondered if my daughter would return to the pew miraculously able to hear. Please don’t get me wrong, we love her just as she is, and she is the first to tell you this is how God created her and that she loves being deaf! It is not that we want to change her, but being able to hear would make some things much more accessible. Learning about her Catholic faith would be one world we’d love more open to her, and that is precisely the blessing behind the deaf man’s miracle.

Today’s story of healing goes far beyond providing this man the ability to enjoy listening to singing birds or smooth jazz! No, the greatest gift here is Jesus giving this man the ability to hear the Word of God. He now had the chance to grow in his knowledge of the Messiah, to discover the blessing of living a life yoked to the man who had just healed him, and more importantly, who longed to heal his soul. This life of faith is what Jesus wants for all of us, for our eyes and ears to be open to hearing the Good News and to focus our hearts toward heaven. There are enormous blessings available to everyone who is open to the grace of God, which brings me to why I chose to write for this day in the first place.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  While we don’t know the exact date of Mary’s birthday, the Church recognizes that her life is definitely worth celebrating! No one’s ears are open wider than Mary’s! This woman pondered God’s Word in her heart, which allowed her the courage to answer “yes” when the Angel Gabriel asked her if she would allow the Holy Spirit to overshadow her and bring the Savior of the World. That was the power of grace overflowing and active in her life!

A little aside: this day was chosen to celebrate Mary’s birthday because the early Eastern Church began its Church year in September. This date also helped determine the Church’s  celebration of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. Mary’s birth is truly a joyous moment and is considered “the dawn of our salvation.” (see Marialis Cultus by Pope Paul VI). Though it may not be her real birthday, I don’t think anyone would take issue with you if you celebrated this momentous day with a cake! 

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A veces, me resulta difícil ignorar el sentido del humor de Dios. Cuando abrí mi Biblia para comenzar a escribir esta reflexión en una capilla de adoración silenciosa, requirió toda mi fuerza para amortiguar la risa involuntaria que surgió. ¿Por qué me parece tan gracioso el título del Evangelio, “Jesús cura al sordo”? Me sorprendió la increíble “coincidencia” divina, ya que soy madre de una niña sorda.

** This reflection has been reposted from Diocesan Archives.**

Does your outside match your inside? Actions, as they say, speak far louder than words. We reveal so much more of ourselves by our behavior than from what we say. However, even if we sometimes fool the world, we can never hide the truth from God. 

No wonder today’s Gospel calling out the Pharisees is paired with Psalm 128, particularly the responsorial refrain, “Blessed are those who fear the Lord.” God’s knowledge of us goes so far beyond what we can imagine, for He has created us. He knows every hair on our heads, our comings in our goings, and our inner beings. What good does it do us to even attempt to hide from God? What objective do we hope to accomplish? If we believe in Him, should not our whole being become a symphony of pleasing Him? Every moment in harmony with the life of grace and holiness His love calls us to?  

Through sin and temptation, we can fail, we can fall, we can even attempt to evade, but regardless of what we do, because of what He did, we are never lost. Even if we become unwittingly whitewashed tombs, God is there to rescue our souls with the vivid color of His grace.  On the outside, a perfectly crafted faithful avatar to show the world, but inside we rail against many of God’s teachings. 

Jesus calls the Pharisees “Hypocrites”. Looking at your life, does this harsh term apply to who you have allowed yourself to be? Do your Christian insides match your outsides?  You search me, and you know me, Lord. You know there are days I struggle to attend Mass or even to pray. You know, my battle with gossip and judging, and all the sins I continually bring to my Confessor. You know I doubt, fear, and forget some days to bring these weaknesses to you in prayer. 

Loving God, never leave me without hope. “Whoever keeps the word of Christ, the love of God is truly perfected in him” (Alleluia verse). May you find more of you and less of me the next time you search me, God. May my insides match more closely the outside, especially that image of me who longs to love and live like you.

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¿Tu exterior coincide con tu interior? Las acciones, como suele decirse, hablan mucho más fuertes que las palabras. Revelamos mucho más de nosotros mismos a través del comportamiento que por lo que decimos. Sin embargo, incluso si a veces engañamos al mundo, nunca podremos ocultar la verdad a Dios.

How do we love our neighbor as ourselves?  We pray for them, we serve them, and we want for them what we want for ourselves. Want to truly love your neighbor as God commands? What about desiring more for them than you do for yourself?  How do we love our neighbor as ourselves?

We ask God to bless them and give them every good and perfect gift. We hope for them what we hope and pray for those we love the most in the world—all of it, everything. We do not judge, gossip, covet, or harm in any way. We ask God to show us how to do this, since with some neighbors, it will be much more difficult than others.

How do we love our neighbor who is difficult to love? How do we pray for the neighbor we struggle to care for or even like? Not with a holier-than-thou, “Lord change them” prayer or “Lord, this person needs some fixin’.” No, we pray for them to be blessed. We pray for them as we would ourselves and those we love most in the world. Again, we pray for them to receive every good and perfect gift. We ask for them to receive everything God has for us and more.

How do we love God and neighbor with all of our hearts, minds, and souls? We beg for Jesus’ heart to replace our stony hearts so we can love as He does. We seek the grace to see everyone with His eyes through prayer, living a sacramental life, and reading the Scriptures – embracing our differences and always wishing the good of the other. We pray for them and for ourselves, trusting God will never ask for the impossible. 

The secret and source of true holiness and joy come from this simple formula of faith: to love God first, others second, and ourselves last, but to love everyone with all we have and all we have to give, knowing that if we do that, the Spirit will do the rest and infinitely more!

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¿Cómo amamos al prójimo como a nosotros mismos? Oramos por ellos, les servimos y queremos para ellos lo que queremos para nosotros mismos. ¿Quieres amar verdaderamente a tu prójimo como Dios manda? ¿Qué tal si deseas más para ellos que para ti mismo? ¿Cómo podemos amar al prójimo como a nosotros mismos?

When reading Scripture, I often place myself as a character in the verse I am reading. In this case, I put myself in Peter’s place, but to my surprise, this question stumped me. “Who do you say that I am?” I sat there staring at the words for a long time, unable to answer them accurately. Am I confident enough, like Peter, to be able to say, “You are the Christ”? I’ve come so far in my spiritual journey in responding to this question, yet it always makes me pause when presented with it. Who do I say that Jesus is?

First, I must be willing to allow Christ to define Himself and not project who I want Him to be. I have to be open to understanding Jesus’ true identity through the Holy Spirit, as Peter did, and not seek to set earthly parameters. My spiritual director has teased me on more than one occasion saying that I am willing to love Jesus entirely and surrender my life to him, but first I want “a prenuptial agreement.” 

That is partly my struggle with anxiety and partly due to the fact that identifying who Christ is to me personally was foreign for so much of my life. Christ was on the cross, and I appreciated his salvific work, but he was not in my heart. I could see, yet did I believe? Or was I like the father of the child in Mark’s Gospel (9:24) who “cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’” In addition, Jesus did not have to worry about me telling people who He was; not only was I not really clear myself back then, but I was also of the ‘faith is private’ mindset. 

What changed all that uncertainty and closed-lippedness to get me where I am today—blogging, speaking, radio broadcasting, yelling from the rooftops that Jesus is the Christ? Three simple things: prayer, Scripture, and embracing a sacramental life. Scripture came first; the other two naturally followed as I got to know Christ more. The more I read and learned about the greatness of God and His Only Son, the more I wanted to be in communication with him and therefore, my prayer life grew. As my time in prayer with Christ grew, I wanted to be in even closer communion. I could only find that in the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist – received in the liturgy and adored in the Blessed Sacrament – and Reconciliation.

Like St. Peter, without the Holy Spirit’s intervention, I could never know that Jesus is Christ, “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” I needed to spend time with Jesus and get to know him, and only then could I make the statement with Peter’s conviction. The more I know, the more I love, and the more I can not only say along with Peter, “You are the Messiah,” I can also proclaim “You are my Messiah, my Savior!”

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Cuando leo las Escrituras, a menudo me ubico como un personaje en el versículo que estoy leyendo. En este caso, me puse en el lugar de Pedro, pero me sorprendió que esta pregunta me dejara perpleja. “¿Quién dicen que soy?” Me quedé sentada mirando las palabras durante mucho tiempo, incapaz de responderlas con precisión. ¿Tengo suficiente confianza, como Pedro, para poder decir: “Tú eres el Mesías”? He llegado muy lejos en mi camino espiritual respondiendo a esta pregunta, pero siempre me hace detenerme cuando se me presenta. ¿Quién digo que es Jesús?

Early July is traditionally vacation time for my family. I am a big fan of resting, relaxing, and recharging. However, I must admit that I haven’t always invited Jesus away with me. While the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, it is not always in my heart—or part of my vacation. 

With my usual routine at home, I do reasonably well in consistently connecting with Jesus. I’ve mastered prayer when I wake up, contemplating my favorite Scripture verses, and reciting a Hail Mary or Memorare as needed throughout my day. My calendar, for the most part, includes what I lovingly refer to as “Coffee with Christ” prayer time before beginning work. 

In the comfort of my home and with my family, I rock living my faith out loud and unabashedly. I find ample time and feel very comfortable with making regular Adoration holy hours and attending Sunday Mass – I’m even blessed to have daily Rosary and Mass offered at my office. Participating in small group faith-sharing rounds out my weekly spiritual activities.

Take me out of this environment, especially when vacationing with family or friends who are not Christians or living a mainly Catholic lifestyle, and well, things go awry. This detachment from Jesus can also happen to me on holidays, which is more upsetting when it is a religious holiday such as Easter or Christmas. I resolve every year to keep the Kingdom of God at the forefront of all that I do, yet in my feeble, human-fallen nature, I often leave it behind. 

Recognition is the first step to making changes. Sin happens, which is why our merciful Father offers us the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Before you travel, it might be a good idea to avail yourself of the powerful grace Jesus offers in the sacrament. Filled with the Holy Spirit, we may find it harder to be forgetful or dismissive as we enjoy our free time. Finally, as you make your final preparations for your summer vacation, decide how to pack your faith and not leave Jesus at home. 

How will you keep the Kingdom of heaven always at hand? As Catholics, we are blessed to have a vast number of saints we can call upon, especially the original followers of Christ, the Apostles, to keep us focused on the eternal prize and reward. If God stopped thinking about us for an instant, we would cease to exist. Therefore, we are always on His mind; shouldn’t He always be on ours? 

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A principios de julio tradicionalmente es tiempo de vacaciones para mi familia. Soy una gran admiradora de descansar, relajarme y recargar energías. Sin embargo, debo admitir que no siempre he invitado a Jesús conmigo. Si bien el Reino de los Cielos está cerca, no siempre está en mi corazón ni forma parte de mis vacaciones.

During Jesus’ life on earth, it was required that every Jewish man make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Passover. It was a time to recognize and celebrate the Jewish people’s freedom from Egyptian slavery.  Jesus goes missing and is found three days later in the Temple during this feast that recounts freedom from slavery. As I read this account, I can’t help but contemplate how Jesus would become, just twenty years later, our freedom from the slavery of sin. 

Jewish men typically brought their wives and children on the pilgrimage but would travel separately from them. Therefore, it was not a matter of irresponsible parenting for Mary and Joseph to discover Jesus was missing. At twelve, Jesus was considered old enough to be among the men, although at this age, the cusp of manhood, it would not have been unusual for him to travel alongside His mother. For each to assume Jesus was with the other, therefore, would have been a logical conclusion for His parents to make. (see CCC 583)

At 12 years old, Jesus understood who he was in regard to His deity.  His response to return home with Mary and Joseph, where we are told He would remain obedient to them, growing in wisdom and honor under their watchful eye, demonstrates He also understood who He was in regard to his humanity. Furthermore, when we study this moment in the Gospel, we can not ignore the juxtaposition of the three days Jesus spent in the temple with His resurrection from the dead after three days. (see CCC 534)

Lastly, let us look at the interaction between Jesus and the Pharisees. The Pharisees were asking Jesus questions, and were amazed and astonished by His answers. Two thousand years later, it is easy to forget that we can still come to Jesus asking questions and receiving answers that astound us. Yet, how often do we seek His wisdom and counsel? Do we go to Him with questions, looking for instruction and guidance in the faith? How can we always keep in the forefront of our minds that He is alive, able to teach, direct, console, and amaze us? 

Our Lord and Savior is not dead! He is not distant or unaware; Jesus is back, for eternity, in His Father’s house, sitting at His right hand and able to love us in a way we can barely comprehend! Knowing this, pondering this in our hearts, we can take heart remembering Jesus’ promise to be with us until the end of the age. Jesus cannot be lost; He has made it very clear where He must be and where we can quickly locate Him — still in His Father’s house, in the Tabernacle, in the guise of Bread and Wine — our Eucharistic Lord! (see CCC 2599)

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Bartimaeus, a blind man, sat by the roadside begging; as Jesus was passing by he yelled out, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”  This may sound familiar to anyone who knows the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”  The Didache Bible (Ignatius Press, p. 1335) refers to this passage from Mark’s Gospel as “a marvelous instruction on prayer.”

When we look at this blind beggar, we see several characteristics to be emulated in our own lives:

• • A strong faith
  • Persistence in prayer
  • Practice and participation in the faith
  • Drawing nearer to Jesus
  • Acknowledging Jesus as Messiah
  • Bold confidence in Christ
  • Undeterred by anyone’s attempts to hush his voice as he sought Jesus 

Bartimaeus knocked on the heart of Jesus. He asked for mercy, for the Lord’s pity, and his prayers were heard; the door was opened and his eyes were as well. He experienced the healing power of Christ in his life!

The Word Among Us referred to this passage in Mark’s Gospel as “the perfect profession of faith.” The man, unable to see with his eyes, had clear vision of heart. He opened himself up for healing, and we can do the same when we put our faith and trust in the goodness of God. When we ask Jesus for His loving mercy upon us, we may not see physical healing but we can be assured of spiritual healing. 

This encounter is an allegory of our own faith journey. We too can be cured of our spiritual blindness until our life with Him becomes more clear. It may take several attempts sometimes to be who God created us to be; there is a reason the spiritual life is often compared to a journey. But we too must first yell out to Jesus to have mercy on us, then be open to his movement of that mercy in our lives. Though we may want to do it figuratively if we are in Mass or Adoration,  if alone, we can feel free to speak our desires with bold confidence as Bartimaeus did.

What do you seek to have your eyes opened to? Jesus’ touch, more important than any temporary physical healing, brings healing and strength to a broken heart or a fragile faith.  Just as the people encouraged Bartimaeus, “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you,” I encourage you to do the same.  What will you tell Jesus you need? Where do you seek his mercy, pity, and compassion in your life?  

May we all hear these comforting words from Jesus, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”

And may they inspire us to follow ever closer to Him with a renewed heart and clear vision!

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** This reflection was reposted from Diocean Archives.**

I had a lot of crazy things to bemoan during my teenage years. Most were embarrassing or even downright stupid, such as: smoking, swearing, skipping school, driving too fast, bullying the poor boy that sat in front of me in math class. The world meant everything; I wanted my peers to embrace me as I worked toward acquiring the latest and greatest material things. It feels as if my entire teenage years were spent trying to fit into some specific group or place.

While perhaps these activities are typical at that age, they were still dangerous, absolutely awful, and in the end, downright sinful.  Yet, I didn’t care; I suffered from an earthly, misguided tunnel-vision.  I worried only about what I could see, without a thought beyond this realm or of the eternal consequences of my behavior. Leaving it all behind to follow Jesus never entered my mind; that life seemed dull and hollow—if it was even real.

In my teens, I longed for what was below. I cared what other people thought of me. I sought acceptance and approval from my peers, whatever the cost. It was an incredibly egocentric period, yet ironically a time filled with uncertainty and insecurity. 

My dreams included marrying someone rich but also being rich and famous myself. I read Cosmo and Tiger Beat magazines and strived to look as model-like as possible and judged and scorned those who did not. At parties, I sought the most popular people to impress and joined the ridicule of those not in that group. My validation of worth came from the world’s view, and being someone of significance in the eyes of family and friends, even strangers, enveloped my whole being.

I wish I could look back at my life and say these thoughts and behaviors remained a part of my immature teenage self, but alas, that is not so. Gossip, judging others, making poor choices to belong to a particular crowd would follow me throughout most of my life until I discovered the Truth. Joy came when I was finally willing to be last and strive toward heavenly rewards. 

Through Tradition and Scripture, I learned that there is more, much more, beyond this earthly dwelling place, and finally allowed what is above to matter more than this world. This renewing of my mind was not easy and came with many tears, regrets, and painful confessions. Yet, it was not impossible, and the freedom and hope I now feel striving not to belong to the world are by far more amazing than anything I attempted to attain here below.

As you think about your current state of life, can you say you are more concerned with the things of Heaven? Are you rooted in the things of earth? Could you leave them behind to follow Jesus?

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