Sending Forth!!!

One of my favorite endings from the Mass in the Roman Missal is: "Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life." That truly says what our call to discipleship is all about. What we receive at Mass each week needs to be lived every day of our lives. Discipleship is a way of life and we live it 24/7, 365 days. There is no break or vacation in being a disciple of Jesus. For two weeks, Jesus told us, "If you wish to be my disciple, you must deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me." Then he said very simply, but challenging, "Follow me!" If Jesus was standing before us and said, "Follow me," how many of us would be able to do it? Being a disciple takes total focus, commitment, and dedication. Jesus is counting on us to continue his mission on earth. A wonderful example for us in this present day has been the life and ministry of Pope Francis. He is truly the pope of the people and has reached out to all peoples. He invites us to have the best interest of our brothers and sisters in mind. Here is a quote from our Holy Father that I shared this past weekend in my homily: "God does not want a house built by men, but faithfulness to his word, to his plan. It is God himself who builds the house, but from living stones sealed by his Spirit. ... Today..., amid so much darkness, we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others. To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love is to open up a horizon of hope; it is to let a shaft of light break through the heavy clouds; it is to bring the warmth of hope" (Pope Francis, Homily at Installation Mass, The Priest, 26)! We are sent forth to be a beacon of hope to a troubled world. Being a messenger of hope is the primary work of the church. Let us do our part as we are sent forth, so that we can be faithful disciples and messengers of hope! God Bless our journey!!!