All we say and do reflects our life as followers of Jesus Christ
Reflections on the readings for the 19th Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (August 12, 2018): 1 KGS 19:4-8; PS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; EPH 4:30 – 5:2; JN 6:41-51
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
St. Paul is always eager to encourage new converts to understand that they have certain obligations as disciples of Jesus.
Anyone who professes belief in our Lord and welcomes His message of salvation must emulate His way of living. We need to put aside any attitudes or actions that interfere with our relationship with God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We must face whatever temptations come our way and willingly, steadfastly, turn away from them. “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.… So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love” (Ephesians 4:31-32, 5:1-2).
True faith in Christ means letting Him live in us. If we cooperate with Him, our Lord will transform us so that others see Him and His loving goodness in us. There is nothing passive about the life of a Christian. After we recognize Jesus as the Son of God and our Savior, we must also choose to walk in His footsteps. Even at those times when we have to take the way of the Cross, we accept our suffering as part of our union with Jesus – just as we do the joy of the Resurrection. Let’s remember that when we pray the Our Father and say, “They will be done,” as Christians, as Catholics, we have to mean it.
