A few days ago, I came across an article about Catholics leaving the church.  The conclusion that the author made was that, many times, it is not a situation of someone abandoning Catholic belief, but instead a case of him or her having not ever really found it to begin with “or having not known the fullness of faith which makes it worth keeping even when it feels the most difficult” (Grabowski, 2021).  I think this author is completely correct in saying this.  If people really understood the teachings of the faith, they would not leave or stop practicing.

Oftentimes, people will say they simply stopped believing in what the Church teaches or that the Church is wrong about certain teachings.  The beliefs of the Catholic Church are misunderstood and falsely presented by the world.  Many times, people who leave the Church are unable to see the truth in the midst of the lies the world is feeding them.  When people don’t have a solid foundation in the faith, they will inevitably fall through the cracks.  If people are not standing firmly on Christ and his words, then their ability to understand Church teachings and beliefs will crumble.

Instead of asking, “Why did they leave the church?” we need to ask “Why were they Catholic to begin with?”.  In other words, once they were old enough, what made them take ownership of their faith?  I think what we often see in the church today is a failure of people to take ownership of their faith.  In many cases, people are only Catholic because they were baptized and sent to Catholic school or CCD (weekly religion class).  Just take a look at Confirmation classes.  How many students cannot really tell you why they are being confirmed aside from the fact that their parents want them to or because it’s just the next thing to do.  Many of these students abandon their faith upon going to college.  Or maybe they never had it to begin with.

There are teachings that, although they are filled with truth and goodness, many find difficult to accept.  What the Catholic church teaches on abortion, contraception, IVF, marriage, and the Eucharist are just a few topics that people often attribute to their reasons for leaving.  While some of the teachings on these topics may appear complex and hard, when we dive into the reasons we believe what we do and try to understand, it is evident that these teachings allow us to live the fullness of life.  As we heard in this weekend’s gospel, even some disciples had a hard time accepting what Jesus was teaching, specifically on the Eucharist.  Something that stands out to me  in the passage is that Jesus doesn’t back down or change what he says.
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Like Jesus, we as the Church need to live and speak on what we believe with the same conviction.  We must be able and willing to defend what the Catholic church teaches even when it is hard.  We need to be available to teach, answer questions, and be there to discuss our faith with others.  We should be ready to help people build a strong foundation so they take ownership of their faith.  And ultimately, may we all live in such a way that each and every Catholic would say, “Master, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.”  (John 6:68)

Last week at work I locked myself out of my office.  Once I figured out that my keys were sitting on my desk and I really was locked out, I realized that there was only one way to get back in.  I would have to crawl through my sliding glass window.  This window is quite high from the ground and I knew it would not be easy to get in.  However, I could not just sit there and do nothing.  My immediate thoughts were, “What if someone walks past as I’m trying to boost myself up into the window?  This is going to be a bit uncomfortable.  What if I fall?”  I pushed those thoughts aside and reminded myself that if I wanted to get in, I had to just go for it.  When it comes to our faith, how often do we have some of these same thoughts?  “What will others think when they see me practicing and living out my faith?  This might be uncomfortable.  What if I do something and I fall?”  Living out our faith as Christians/Catholics is not a walk in the park.  There are obstacles and times when we will be required to step out of our comfort zones.  We will fall and have to get back up.  If we want to strive to grow in holiness and grow closer to Jesus, we have to just go for it.

To what lengths would you go to completely surrender everything to the Lord and to follow Him wholeheartedly?  I often think I am going all in when it comes to being a disciple.  But then, I stop to reflect and realize that I am clinging to comfort, familiarity, and spiritual mediocrity.  Are we satisfied with who who are and where we are at in our relationship with God?  Are we content to just settle in and slide by, not putting in much effort?  Do we think our faith is strong enough or that as Catholics, we are “good enough”?

What are we doing to grow?  Do we let fears, worries, excuses, or the opinions of others get in the way?  We must not just stand still and expect to get somewhere.  It is only when we remember that the path will not always be easy and comfortable that our faith will be greater, our trust stronger, and our love for God deeper.  
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When it comes to our faith, there will be challenges and obstacles.  If we want to experience more depth and real growth in our faith, we will have to step outside of our comfort zones.  And that means it will not be as simple as walking through an open door.  At times, we may have to crawl through the window.  It is when we crawl through the windows that we will be able to rise up higher, to the places God is calling us to.

“Jesus has made Himself the Bread of Life to give us life. Night and day, He is there. If you really want to grow in love, come back to the Eucharist, come back to that Adoration.”  Yesterday night, I came across this quote from St. (Mother) Teresa in a little prayer book I was flipping through.  While much of the world was asleep, I sat in Eucharistic Adoration.  From 10:30-11:30 PM, I was able to tune out the noise of the outside world and be still in the presence of Jesus.  And that one hour made all the difference in my week.  How different would our world be if we spent more time sitting in front of the Blessed Sacrament?  As the quote says, the Bread of Life is life-giving and He is there at any time, night and day.  

Many parishes offer adoration at some point, at least throughout the month.  Whether it’s in the early morning, late at night, in the middle of the day, or 24 hours, there are many opportunities to go and pray.  Aside from mass, going to adoration is one of the most important things we can do.  The past couple of Sundays, we’ve been hearing the Bread of Life discourse at mass.  If this passage in scripture does not convince us, what will?  We believe that Jesus is fully present in the Eucharist, body, blood, soul, and divinity so why would we not go and spend time sitting in his presence?
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There are a lot of excuses we may make for ourselves. We all have busy schedules and other commitments.  But making time for and committing to spending time in adoration will be the best thing you do.  Maybe it’s hard to sit in silence for an hour.  The good thing is, there is no time requirement.  Stay for 30 minutes, 15 minutes, or even five.  We might find ourselves distracted or bored.  Nobody is perfect so our minds will wander at times.  Maybe we feel like we can’t hear God or we don’t know what to do in adoration.  Whether we hear God or not, he is there and He sees our efforts and desires to know Him better.  There are so many resources and materials we can use to guide us in our time in adoration.  The world will tell you that this is unproductive and the biggest waste of time, to sit in silence and “do nothing.”  But how could we expect a world that glorifies busyness, noise, and productivity, to understand silence, contemplation, and prayer?

Time spent in adoration will change you.  It will deepen your prayer life and your relationship with God.  It will help you carry on throughout your day and bless you in many ways.  Jesus is waiting, day and night.  Go and spend time with Him because the Bread of Life is truly life-giving and life-changing.

Something I’ve noticed at wedding receptions is how many people head straight into the dining area while staff is still setting up, in order to find their spot for dinner.  They often think they need to reserve their spot ahead of time, as if there is not going to be enough seats for everyone.  Seeing this makes me think of how entitled people think they are.  Are we grateful for all of the blessings we have in life or have we just come to expect them, feeling entitled to them?

It’s not hard to notice the sense of entitlement present today among people and maybe even within ourselves.  Whether it’s a student who is demanding that a professor gives back missed points on an exam, people expecting a certain salary, or people assuming they will always have good health, it’s easy to fall into the mindset of expecting everything to be handed to us.  However, any good thing we have is a gift from God.  God does not owe us anything yet he gives us everything.

In today’s gospel, we read the story of Jesus multiplying the five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand.  He turned very little into an abundance.  And God does that all of the time; showing us an abundance of blessings out of the little bit we have.  We may not witness big miracles like the feeding of the five thousand but if we open our eyes we can see God bringing blessings into our lives that we would not have without Him.
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We might think that because “we are good people and work hard” we will find success and have everything we want.  We may believe that everything we have in our lives that is good is due to our own hard work and determination.  It’s important to work hard and make good choices.  But, apart from God, we can do nothing.  Everything we have is not solely from our own doing, including our gifts and talents.  All that He gives us is truly a gift.

​Every day, may we remember to be grateful and pray:

Good and gracious God, help me to remember that everything I have is a gift from you.  Give me a spirit of gratitude rather than entitlement.  Help me to see all of the blessings in my life.  When I think I deserve certain things, show me that ultimately, your love is enough and it is the greatest blessing I could ever experience.  Open my eyes and my heart to see you working in my life.  Amen.

Things were finally looking up and going well at work again after a long six months of instability and messiness at the organization, caused by financial struggles and almost all the staff quitting amid sexual assault charges against the director, along with several other issues.  Since March, we had a full team again and several fundraisers and events were planned for the year.  We finally had a great, dedicated team of employees who could focus on the organization’s mission.  But then a few weeks ago, it all changed, again.  Besides the director and a security employee, I was left alone once again as the only employee.  I asked, “Lord, why is this happening?  I don’t want to go through this again.”  Sitting in prayer a few days ago, I realized I have been clinging too tightly onto something that can change in an instant.  Instead of trying to hold onto a job and people I enjoyed working with, I need to hold onto God, who never changes and always provides.

Do you ever find yourself clinging onto earthly and temporary things?  Why do we do this?  Maybe we don’t trust God as much as we should.  Maybe we think what we have is better than anything else God is going to give us later.  Maybe we are scared of change.  As I’ve come to the conclusion that it might be time to start searching and applying for new jobs, I ‘ve been reminded of what really matters.  At the end of the day, it is just a job.  The change and questions about what is to come are small in comparison to God and His providence.  My job and coworkers may change but God never does.  His love, protection, and goodness remain the same no matter what else is happening.

We are not promised the absence of losses, changes, or difficulties.  But God does promise to walk with us always, provide for us, and give us all that we need.

​When we experience change, loss, or disappointment, may we pray:

Lord, I know you are never surprised.  You hold this moment, hour, day, and my whole life in your hands.  You know what I need and when I need it.  Help me to trust in your promises always.  You are so good and you never fail to provide.  It is you alone who can satisfy and give the fullness of life.  Amen.

Over the past several weeks, an abundance of checks were sent to me (church treasurer), as people were determined to have their sacrificial giving in by the end of the fiscal year.  Often called “church dues”, it appeared to me that many people seem to take that term too literally and view being part of a church as a type of club that requires membership fees.  As checks rolled in, I noticed that there were many people who I did not even realize were members of the church.  No volunteering at parish events, no helping out in various ministries, and no mass attendance.  The mindset among some people seems to be along the lines of, “well, I paid my church dues so now I’m set for another year.”  Of course, our churches need financial support and we need to be generous in our giving but what is the point of “belonging” to a church if we don’t gather as a community to participate in the church and embrace the faith?

What gives people the desire to want to be part of a church but not actively involved?  Aside from being in a nursing home, sick, or physically unable for various reasons, there is nothing that makes sense.  What purpose is there to sending in a check each year just to say “we belong” or “we’re members”?  Anyone can throw some money at a building and call it a day.  But guess what?  Jesus doesn’t just want your money.  More than anything, He wants your heart.  He wants you to know Him and love Him in a deep and personal way.  He does not just want to be another obligation you have or an organization you join.  He wants to be everything for you.

What if every single person who was a “member” of the church was a person who attended mass and shared their gifts and talents with the faith community?  The church would look a lot different.  The church would be on fire and all who identify as Catholic would be excited and vibrant in their faith.  Think of how many people out there are Catholic on paper based on membership lists but fail to embrace the teachings of the Church, and even worse, fail to know and have a relationship with God?  Our church membership lists may be long but the list of those who fully participate and really know God are short.

​Each and every one of us has an infinite desire for love.  That infinite desire is ultimately a desire for God, which is written on the human heart.  No amount of “church dues” or money can satisfy that desire.  Reach out to the people you know who belong to the church but who never show up and pray that they will not just give their money, but their hearts.

There’s nothing quite like deep life chats late at night.  My older sister was home for the week, visiting from North Carolina, so naturally, the four of us siblings sat in the kitchen Saturday night talking until 1 AM.  Much of our conversation focused on our dad and how his Frontotemporal Dementia has continued to progress rapidly, causing him to go downhill quickly in the last several months.  It’s been over ten years so it shouldn’t feel hard, yet it is.  Shouldn’t we be strong by now?  For the most part, we laugh at the crazy, unbelievable things that happen on a daily basis.  But sometimes, we cry.  It is only because of being vulnerable and sharing the struggles that we can experience the laughter and joy.

We heard in this weekend’s second reading, “Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong” ( Corinthians 12:10).  It is through our weaknesses and struggles that we find strength through Christ.  It’s often tempting to think that we have it all together, that we are like cement walls that cannot be moved or shaken.  When we have these thoughts and try to rely on our own human strength we will break much more easily.  When we admit to our difficulties and weaknesses and rely on Jesus’ perfect strength, we become strong.

A lot of times, people think vulnerability is a bad thing.  They see being vulnerable as a sign of weakness.  Being vulnerable means going deeper in our relationships with others and trusting more.  It allows us to connect more deeply.  It means sharing our hearts, thus revealing our weaknesses and struggles.  Being vulnerable requires courage.  Have you ever started crying in front of a group of people while giving a talk or cried in a co-worker’s office?  These types of situations can be embarrassing but usually out of our control.  They show that we are willing to take risks and that our hearts do not have walls around them.  When we are vulnerable, we allow others to accompany us in our sufferings and lift us up in prayer, which is what we are all called to do for one another.

Jesus showed us what it means to be vulnerable.  He wept at times.  He cried out to God the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He hung fully exposed, beaten and bloodied, on the cross for us.  Jesus’ vulnerability was not weakness, but strength.  It is through His strength that He shows us what it looks like to love completely, without barriers.  To be vulnerable means to fully expose our emotions but it also means to love and allow ourselves to be loved.

Rather than trying to cover up our struggles and hardships, we should work to be open and vulnerable.  This allows us to lean into our faith and be drawn closer to Jesus.  Our strength pales in comparison to His.  If we allow ourselves to give up our own strength and walk into our weaknesses, we will find that we are stronger.  

At times when we feel weak and tired may we pray: 

Jesus, many days, this cross feels too heavy.  I am weak and walking this path often feels like a crawl.  Help me to carry this cross with grace, perseverance, and strength that comes only from You.  Help me to have the faith to carry it and help me remember what it means to be your disciple.  When I question the suffering and doubt your goodness, may I offer everything up to you.   Help me know that I do not walk alone and that you are carrying this cross with me, guiding me every step of the way with your strength.  Amen.

Whenever I’m driving at night, particularly on country or back roads, I tend to go below the speed limit, making sure to keep my eyes peeled to all of my surroundings.  I’ve hit three deer in my eight years of driving.  I’ve learned to go slower than necessary, be more alert, and take notice of what’s on my right and left.  Deer tend to pop up out of nowhere, leaping from the woods or ditches and into oncoming car headlights.  If you’re not watching, you will miss them.  Similarly, in our daily lives, God is everywhere, working in every moment.  If we’re not paying attention, we will miss Him.

Most of us have probably been in the situation where we are asked to reflect on and share where we’ve seen God in the last week or few days.  If you’re like me, this question has, at times, left you scrambling to come up with any seemingly profound moments you’ve experienced recently.  You hear other people share their ‘God moments’ and you wonder why God’s been working and doing profound things in their lives but not yours.  Then you realize that God is there but you just are not paying close enough attention!

How do we learn to be more attentive to God in our daily lives?  We must take it slow, be alert, and take notice of our surroundings.  We should spend more time listening and reflecting and work to grow closer to God.  The closer we grow to God, the better we will become at hearing Him and seeing Him on a regular basis, recognizing His presence in the regular moments of our days.

​God never stops working.  He remains with every one of us at all times, whether we notice Him or not.  When we open our eyes, we will see Him and notice all that He is doing in our lives.  Take time at the end of each day to think about a ‘God moment’ for that day.  Ask yourself, “Where have I seen God today?”  Start a journal and write them down or just reflect mentally.  When you look for God in each day, you will become more deeply aware of His presence in your life.  And then, you can’t miss the love and goodness that He is pouring out upon you each and every day.

“Do you not yet have faith?” (Mark 4:40).  This line from the Gospel we heard at mass this weekend really stood out to me.  Of course I have faith, I told myself as I was reflecting on this question.  As this line from the Gospel floated around in the back of my mind as mass continued on, I was struck again; this time by the song the choir was singing at communion, “Only A Shadow.”  There is one line, sung during the refrain, that hit me; ‘our lives are in your hands.’  If we have faith, it means we know and trust that our lives are in the hands of God.  Do I have a strong, unwavering faith that withstands every moment of my days?  I think the real question you and I should be asking ourselves is do we have faith that is stronger than doubt, fear, worry, and everything else that is not from God?  Do we have faith, not just sometimes, but in every moment of every day?  Do we fully know and trust that our lives are in God’s hands?

When was the last time you worried about something or were filled with fear about a situation?  If we are being honest with ourselves, it was most likely not too long ago.  Last week, yesterday, a few hours ago maybe?  Having these feelings is normal since we are all human.  However, we cannot let these feelings take over. 

 The important thing to do when we experience fear, worry, and doubt is to offer it all to God and dive into our faith.  Our faith needs to be stronger than fear, worry, and doubt so we can remember and trust that whatever happens in our lives, God is the One in control.  His plans are greater than ours and His ways better than our ways.  When we trust that our lives are in God’s hands, it means knowing that God is good and that He will never give us anything that is not good or put us in a situation wherein good cannot come from.

​The God who created the heavens and earth, the seas, and the sky, and you and I holds onto each one of us.  In every moment of our lives, he is protecting us, guiding us, and loving us.  When we experience the wind and storms of life, may we hold tightly onto our faith and trust that there is nothing to fear because our lives are in His hands.

There’s a quote from Saint John Paul II in which he says, “Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure.”  It’s a simple quote, yet filled with so much truth.  Many people have the mindset that following Jesus, being Catholic, and having faith is boring.  They think that it’s just about following a bunch of rules that are restrictive and that interfere with the ways they want to live.  Personally, being Catholic is the most exciting part of my life.  When I think of the best, coolest, and most fun things I’ve done in my life, most of the experiences that come to mind are opportunities I’ve had only because of my faith.  Colorado Leadership retreats, a pilgrimage to Washington D.C. for the March for Life, college mission trips, the SEEK Conference, and Biking for Babies are some of the big things that stand out.  These are in addition to the countless smaller activities, gatherings, and events that happen on a more regular basis.  The best things we can do are those which are pure, wholesome, and holy things that lead us closer to Christ. 

​There are so many opportunities our faith presents us that people are missing out on.  People often dismiss the experiences and opportunities that will fill them up and help them grow in their faith, believing that these kinds of things are dull and boring.  The truth is, these kinds of opportunities are the experiences that allow us to enjoy full, abundant, and adventurous lives, which is what God wants for us.  To put it simply, trying to enjoy life apart from Christ is very difficult, yet this is what so many people do.  Pushing faith aside prevents us from experiencing all that is good and holy.

When I think about some of the best experiences of my life, several common denominators stand out.  My favorite experiences have been ones that involve pure and wholesome fun, which means they were aligned with my morals and did not compromise my values.  Also, these experiences have involved a strong community who share the same faith and have the same beliefs, which makes it easier to grow deeper in faith and be encouraged and inspired.  Another factor in these experiences is the Holy Spirit.  Reflecting on each of these experiences, I have noticed that they were all events in which it was very evident that the Holy Spirit was present and at work.  Love, joy, peace, and goodness were fruits that were strong parts of each of these events.  In addition, in each of these events, the focus was on Jesus and centered on encountering Him.  Opportunities I’ve had due to my faith are the ones that stand out as the best for the sole reason that they are unlike anything else in this world.

Without my faith, I know for a fact I would not have had nearly as many amazing opportunities as I have.  Many of the best memories and times of growth are thanks to being Catholic.  The greatest adventures you will ever have are when you choose to fully and wholeheartedly follow Christ.  Open yourselves up to Jesus and the opportunities to encounter Him and trust that your life will be filled with excitement and adventure like you’ve never experienced before.  Will you follow where He leads?