November 3, 2023
(St. Martin de Porres, Religious)
St. Paul wrote, For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. Rom_9:1-5
Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?” But they kept silent; so he took the man and, after he had healed him, dismissed him. Lk_14:1-6
Yesterday, in our Church calendar and in our Mass celebrations we reminded ourselves of the immense value of our souls; the Value of Eternal life – on All Souls Day. On Wednesday, we specifically remembered those souls who achieved their eternal reward as Saints, on All Saints Day: our patrons, the martyrs, the consecrated, the pure, and even our parents and kids – for enduring us! And on Tuesday we were reminded of the evil and temptations that our own souls have to endure in this life, as we watched the sometimes, horrifying costumes that the kids and even grandkids had donned on All Hallows Eve, or Halloween.
Today, St. Paul reminds us again, that we DO have the Holy Spirit with and within us, to protect, to guide and to lead our souls back to our glorious homeland with God our Father, and Jesus our brother.
And yet, like St. Paul and Jesus, we too mourn for those lost souls among us – who prioritize selfishness and independence from God, and laws, and money, and immorality over their own Eternal Salvation.
Jesus and St. Paul show us how, neither death, nor unjust laws, nor any other human institution will ever keep them, nor, should it, us, from doing everything we possibly can – to save, to heal and to love our brothers and sisters who are so lost in this world that they risk the eternal loss of their souls as well.
You see, for us, we know that God IS Life, and that God is Love. And we know that Jesus saves, and heals, and loves all of us, to the extreme of giving His own life – for us.
And so, now, it’s our call, our responsibility, our duty to let Him be known – through our own words, and actions, and love – in a world so desperately in need of Him. And we thank God for the grace and for the blessing of that call!
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Whispers to the Wind 