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A WORD FROM THE PASTOR

Excuses are stuffed with lies

In today’s Gospel Jesus gives us an invitation to abandon the building of our own individual kingdoms, and to join with him in building his eternal Kingdom with total commitment. We all admire people who do their duty, come what may. Jesus reminds us that our very salvation depends on constancy: “Whoever puts his hand to the plow but keeps looking back is unfit for the reign of God”
(Lk 9: 62).

  This is the age of the lack of true commitment. Modern people find many excuses for delaying marriage: “Well, let’s get good jobs and financial security first.” Another familiar excuse is:  "I want to be free to come and go as I please!” Another excuse for delaying marriage is: “Let’s live together first. We’ll see if we’re compatible!” To avoid the formalities of marriage is to avoid its obligations. But the fact is that the longer unmarried couples live together, the more they experience their incompatibility!  Some also seek divorce because their marriage vows inhibit their “freedom.” In such cases the good easily becomes the enemy of the best. One must say NO to a good thing in order to say YES to the one thing necessary.
YES

  We begin to be free only when we start the process called commitment, and our freedom is realized only when we give ourselves away in love. Unfortunately, like those three would-be followers in today’s Gospel, a lot of our youngsters are still confused and ill-prepared for any kind of commitment in their lives. As a result, they become adept (skillful) at evading Christ’s call to discipleship.

  There will be times when your mind just won’t go into God’s sanctuary. That’s when you spend your hour in God’s waiting room. Still, you’re there, and God appreciates your struggle to stay there. What’s important is the commitment. Success for a Christian is to be able to say at the end of the line, "I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course; and I have kept the faith" (2 Tim 4:7). So those who make excuses for any commitment are invited to examine themselves whether they are stuffing with lies.

  We will leave this hour from the church and return to the world with all sorts of tough choices and difficult demands. Hence, we need to pray for strength, we need to ask for forgiveness when we fail, and we need to renew our determination to walk with Jesus by being loyal to our spouse and family, earning our living honestly, and living not only peacefully, but lovingly, with our neighbors.

In the Service of the Lord,
  Fr Thainese Alphonse

 

     
       
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