I heard a very profound homily for this Sunday that I wanted to share. It really has me reflecting .... Father said we ( or our parents) ask of the church (catholic) for faith. We receive faith through our baptism. And We ask for baptism so we can have eternal life. And then he asked what does eternal life give us. I of course thought eternal happiness with God. But His answer was unexpected. He said it was so we can be like Christ and go to The Cross and to Love the enemy. Each of us (Mankind ) was an enemy of God but Christ went to the Cross loving us while we were His enemy so we could be reconciled and have eternal Life. So eternal life is to have this spirit of Christ within us so we too can be like Christ and to love our enemies. To have no fear on whatever "cross" we have knowing it is temporary. The homily causes me reflection on how I live out my baptism: • Am I willing to “go to the Cross” in my life? forgiving someone who has hurt me, sacrificing personal desires for the good of others, or standing firm in my faith despite challenges. • Do I love my enemies? This could involve praying for those who oppose you, showing kindness to those who are difficult, or seeking reconciliation in broken relationships. • How am I growing in Christ-likeness? Do i pray each day and participate in the sacraments, and acts with charity ? The homily made me think differently about eternal life. Its not just a wonderful destination but is really a call to radical love and self-sacrifice, mirroring Christ’s love on the Cross. Through my baptism, I got the faith and grace to live this way, but i need to be a good steward of this. Im grateful I heard these words. Happy Sunday!
Thank you for sharing this, Miker! And thanks be to God for His good, holy priests teaching us Truth.
One day we're walking along the beach, a pleasant breeze caresses our faces, and the sun begins to set over the horizon. The colors in the sky vibrate, and we are aware of the beauty and wonderful good fortune we have to be living that moment. Christians could give thanks and glory to God for this gift. The next day we wake up with kidney pain that prevents us from living a normal life. At the hospital, we are informed of irreparable damage, and we await a donor. Both situations are not the result of chance, but are under the divine plan. God is not guilty of evil because evil was already here through sin. God allows this evil to build Good and asks for our collaboration. We can rebel, deny, hate, or despair... but we can also think, "You only want me to go to heaven. I can do nothing without You. Your will be done, and thank you for always being with me." That is the cross that changes the world. That is the path Christ taught us. We must know that He will always provide us with sufficient grace to face any suffering, and through that cross accepted with faith, we will be able to see great miracles in ourselves or in our loved ones.
Yes, from Spain, specifically from the northern region, in Cantabria; a land visited by the Virgin Mary and home to the Lignum Crucis, in the monastery of St. Toribio de Liebana. Considered the largest surviving fragment of the cross of Jesus Christ, it corresponds to the left arm of the Holy Cross. A beautiful and blessed land.
