Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin [In the Dioceses of the United States]

Prayer Prompt before reading LK 10:34-11:1: 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.

“WHOEVER FINDS HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT, AND WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL FIND IT.” MT 10:34-11:1

Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.

Jesus teaches some difficult teachings to begin today’s Gospel. His point is that following Him is the most important thing a person can do in their life. If we don’t recognize our beginning, the One who created us and gave us life, then our whole life is out of order. Our life is a gift, and who are we to have received such a gift. So, Jesus makes a radical point today, He is even more important than the ones we love the most here on earth.

Jesus is telling us that He must be the center of our life. He comes off a little harsh, but he compares Himself to our family so we can understand how much His love is for us and that our love for Him must be greater than our love for families. The only way to be transformed by the greatest love there is, Christ’s love, the love of the Father for His children, is to put Jesus right in the center of your life.

What a difficult task! If we come to know Christ’s love and develop a personal relationship with Him and give Him all, no other love compares. My only proof is that for the last 15 years I have awakened early to receive this message of love and journal about it, nothing else in my life has awakened me early to do this so consistently, if it is not God’s love then what is it? God fills my reservoir and many times makes it overflow so I can share it with others!

Our families cannot love us perfectly like Christ can. Jesus teaches us to lose our life for Him. He is not greedy, but generous. It is a paradox, because God is the greatest good and we are sinners affected by the Fall who need a Savior. We are part of the plan of salvation that is much bigger than ourselves! So, Jesus teaches us to die to self (deny the desires of our fallen human nature/flesh/worldly/material; kill our ego), take up our cross (everyone has their own to carry each day fashioned by God’s hand), and follow Him.

We are to die to self and serve others, “And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple–amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.” This is the law of the gift and another paradox. The more we empty ourselves, the more full we become!

This is a daily task that is extremely difficult, but I have never walked away from serving others unfulfilled or sad. Love likes to suffer! Love until it hurts! Remember, there will be a great reward, it will all be worth it. Fill yourself with the Lord and ask Him what He made you for, then ask Him to give you the graces you need to cooperate with His Will! Fill up, overflow, and serve joyfully for another today!

Today’s challenge: Give someone a cold drink of water or just do something very little for a person that God puts in your life today at home, work, or on the streets. Give yourself up, so Christ can transform you into Himself. May others see Christ in you through your actions.

Be a servant, be a saint today!
​#Christian YODO (You Only Die Once; we will live again!)