Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.
The letter to the Hebrews describes people of faith in the Old Testament and how their lives were lived by faith and they died in faith. We often associate faith with trust. When we say we have faith in God, we mean that we trust in His eternal promises. God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit loves us unconditionally. God forgives us, when with a contrite heart, we acknowledge our sinfulness. Jesus promised that He will be with us always. We have the gift of God the Holy Spirit, guiding us every moment of our lives. God made us to be with Him through all eternity. He deeply desires for us to live a life for and with Him now!
Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. What is our treasure?…is it our family and friends, our Catholic faith, the sacraments, a life of prayer, a life of service in our vocation and state in life or something else?
How are we using God’s gifts to us of time and talent? …then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour… You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. Readiness, vigilance, preparation for the coming of Jesus… not only for the time of our particular judgement at the end of lives, but for Jesus’s coming to us each day. How does Jesus come to us each day? We know that answer… in the sacraments, especially Holy Communion and Confession, in Sacred Scripture, in prayer, through our serving the least of the brethren…
Let’s be vigilant, so as to not miss any these encounters with Jesus Christ! Expect the unexpected… this is faith! Abraham and Sarah were provided by God with an unexpected child in their old age…only those with faith recognized Jesus Christ, the Messiah in their midst. May Mary, our Mother in faith, lead us closer to Jesus!
God bless us all always!
Deacon Mike