by Sister Charlene Hockers
"Jesus, looking at him, loved him."
"Give to the poor and follow me."
"All things are possible for God."
"No one who gives up home, or brother or sister, mother or father ...for the sake of the gospel will not receive a hundred times over ..."
During the early months of this year, I was challenged after my mother's death to sell the home I had inherited from her. The process included not only grieving the loss of my mother but also disposing of all her furniture, clothing, and possessions and eventually to move out of what had been her home for 40+ years.
Letting go is never easy. We can relate to the young man who went away sad. When Jesus talked to his disciples, letting them know "all things are possible for God," and told them they would receive a hundred times more than what they gave up, we know it as a reality in our lives. Jesus looks at us and loves us. We who are His followers continue to experience the hundredfold that is ours.
Let us be grateful for the gift of being Jesus' followers, knowing that for the sake of the Gospel, we possess a hundredfold here and eternal life to come.
My Soul Longs for You, O God (US Catholic Catechism for Adults, The Creed)
by Sister Laura Zelten
"My soul thirsts for you,
my flesh yearns for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water." -- Psalm 63:1
To be human is to search for God. As creatures made in God's image and likeness, we search for truth and we long for God's unconditional love. Our human desires are ultimately fulfilled in God, who is truth and love. "Your desire to know and understand the Catholic faith is your journey toward God through his Son, Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit" (Study Guide for the U.S. Adult Catholic Catechism). We are invited as baptized Catholics to journey in community, as members of the Body of Christ. The dignity of all persons rests on the fact that we not only thirst for God, we are invited into a personal relationship with Him.
"Only in God will my soul be at rest." -- Psalm 62:6
Thanks, Sister for the timely and inspiring reflection
Charlene...sometimes the Gospel words seem written just for us. Blessings as you let go of the 'home' of your family and those possessions which make us feel so close to those who had loved us and who we have loved.