21st Sunday - Fr. Leo
Reaffirming faith in God is the theme that runs through today’s scriptures. Joshua gathers all the tribes of Israel to have them choose whom they will follow. The God who leads them out of Egypt or another. Quickly, they reaffirm their faith in the God of their fathers.
The same happens in the Gospel. Jesus tests his follower’s faith and calls them to embrace the unbelievable. Many left him, but the disciples reaffirm their faith when they choose not to leave Jesus and say, “We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
The reason they believe, is because they have accepted the gift of faith from the Father who draws them to Christ. By our baptism, we all were made disciples of Christ, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to renew our faith daily. To begin each day affirming our faith blesses all that follows. With heart felt dedication at the beginning of the day we open our hearts to the constant experience of living in God as we ask him to live in us. Blessing our day allows the whole day to be an interaction with God in each event and with every wonderful breath.
We may not go to daily mass, but we can extend our commitment to living in Christ through a morning prayer. In the old days, some people had it attached to their mirror so the first thing they would do is begin the day with prayer. The following is an example:
Morning Offering
Most Holy and Adorable Trinity, one God in three Persons, I firmly believe that you are here present; I adore You with the most profound humility; I praise You and give You thanks with all my heart for the favors You have bestowed on me. Your Goodness has brought me safely to the beginning of this day. Behold, O Lord, I offer You my whole being and in particular, all my thoughts, words, and actions, together with such crosses and contradictions as I may meet with in the course of this day. Give them, O Lord, Your blessing; may Your divine Love animate them and may they tend to the greater honor a