A Temple of the Holy Spirit

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Daniel & Catherine ready for Confirmation I had the privilege of witnessing my son and daughter receive the Sacrament of Confirmation this past Tuesday at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Annunciation in Lancaster, OH. It was a wonderful Mass with a full choir, trumpets, and all the rest. During his remarks, Bishop Earl K. Fernandes mentioned that we too, like the Basilica, are temples of the Lord. It caused me to reflect on this idea. Although I've mostly seen only pictures of the great cathedrals and basilicas in the world, I have seen some amazing churches even in our own diocese. These structures are a testament to the Church's love for God (read the entire Church - Militant, Suffering, Triumphant). They represent great skill, sacrifice, and passion for Our Lord and often times His Mother.  Yet the words of Christ always echo in my mind when contemplating the beauty that surrounds me in those places; “ Do you see these great buildings? There will not be one stone left u
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WCSS Gospel

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Sunday July 8th, 2007 - Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We are all born into a certain time for a certain reason. God has a plan for our life and our part to play in the world. I have been born into this time in history because I wouldn't have made it as one of the "seventy-two"!

This Gospel has WCSS written all over it - "harvest is abundant but the laborers are few, lambs among wolves, carry nothing, if peace doesn't return to you, eat what is set before you, if the town doesn't receive you, more tolerable for Sodom, serpents, scorpions...." The true WCSS sufferer is freaking out after reading this part of the Gospel. He or she is probably saying, "hey, this sounds like my life. I went on this trip where I was in constant danger, I couldn't bring any provisions, I had to eat what was there - like it or not - and there were all these terrible beasts surrounding me. Well, yeah, okay, it was the zoo but it was really scarry!"

The followers of Jesus realize a couple different things through this experience. I should learn from them too. They learn that it is not they but God who works the wonders. They are not responsible for "making it happen." Rather, they are merely responsible for following Jesus' instructions and spreading the peace of Christ. They and I also learn that nothing can take our peace. The peace that Christ gives to me is a peace that can never be lost if I am following Him. If I give that peace to another and it is rejected, the peace returns to me, I have been faithful. If I give that peace to another and it is accepted, my peace is increased!

The lesson today is to be faithful even when it appears that the mission is impossible, even if it seems as though I am heading toward a slaughter. If I am faithful God will work miracles through me. When this happens I must remember to be joyful not that some miraculous thing happened by my hands but that I have been chosen by God as a special instrument and that my name is written in the book of life.

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