24th Sunday - Fr. Leo
Our reading from Isaiah and from Psalm 116, celebrates a God who hears the cry of his people and stands up for the just. “I was brought low, and He saved me.” “I called on the name of the Lord, and he saved my life.” Joy is expressed for what the Lord has done for those who called on Him.
This is quite different from the gospel of Mark where Jesus says, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. Whoever looses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.” Here, we are challenged to embrace suffering for the triumph of good.
Following Jesus, requires a deep love for Him and his Truth. It is in His love that we are willing to embrace conversion for ourselves and others. It is a cross at times, but it is also the door to a fulfilled and meaningful life here and the peace of eternity ahead.
Peter didn’t like the news at all and tried to rebuke Jesus. And we all have our resistance to growth, but like Peter, we can come to embrace the Spirit and give our lives to God as Peter and all the great saints have.
So, we might ask, what disciplines can help me live a fuller life? To answer that, I would say that any good habits we form helps. Sleeping well and all that entails from monitoring caffeine intake and going to bed at a set time and rising at a set time can make a big difference.
How we spend our free time can be disciplined. Maybe we could watch less TV, limit our checking of our phones and take time to be quiet with God. Spiritual reading and any reading is better than staring at a screen that will make it harder to sleep at the end of the day.
Diet is another huge area where we can improve our health and energy level. And there are many more. When we take action in these areas of our lives we are living our faith. In a real way, we are being faithful to the words of St. Paul where we show our faith through our works. Works that make ourselves and the rest of the world healthier.
In our time of prayer each day, let us consider where to begin and ask God to help us create a better life that our sharing in his divine life may grow.