Prayer Prompt before reading MT 10:1-7: Come, Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray, interpret the Scriptures for me so that I may know the Truth about who God the Father is and God the Son so that I may know who I am.
“GO RATHER TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.” MT 10:1-7
Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
An estimated 33.5 million people are fallen-away Catholics in the U.S. St. Pope John Paul II encouraged the Church to seek out those who have fallen away, the New Evangelization. Why have they fallen away? They didn’t think the Church met their spiritual needs, they thought another religion did fulfill those needs, and most importantly they didn’t feel welcome.
A parish community that welcomes and offers many opportunities for people to feel a part of the parish is crucial. We are made for relationship. We must teach young people to know who Jesus Christ is and fall in love with Him. If our leader spent most of His time among the confused, abandoned, those who are on the fringes of society, but the people in our Catholic Churches are the opposite and do not welcome people with open arms, we have a crisis on our hands.
Instead of waving our moral teaching fist in the air criticizing people, we must teach the Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ that is infinite and bigger than the ocean. Doctrine can come later, first we must offer a hand, a drink, and a meal. We must forgive and allow people to heal. Christ wants us to come to Him broken not perfect. Most importantly, the reason I believe people fall away from the Church or criticize it is because too many Catholics don’t follow their own faith, actions speak louder than words.
Today’s challenge: Be a missionary in your own home first! Make hard decisions to change to be a good model for those you are raising. Seek to find ways to make your parish more welcoming. Ask a fallen away Catholic in your family to come to a parish event.
Be a servant, be a saint today!
#Christian YODO (You Only Die Once; we will live again!)
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