God's Word Is Living And Active
Change is inevitable. It occurs every second in all aspects of our lives. The unbroken movement of time in the world causes us to make adjustments. We depend regularly upon material things to get us where we are going and to meet our personal needs. We live with a mindset of human expectation, but belief is what really gets us where we are going. Truthfully, the gap between light and dark, heaven and earth, is faith. “The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” – Albert Einstein
Like everyone else, there has been a lot of change in my life, particularly in the last year. Most of it was prayerfully planned; but as life goes, unexpected things happen. I cannot imagine getting through those organized plans or the unforeseen moments without unshakable faith and complete trust in God. This process can only happen if we change the way we think. Our Heavenly Father calls it free will.
The spiritual and historical events of the Easter Season reiterate how very prophetic the word change is to our world – especially regarding salvation history. Imagine how different life was for the disciples of Jesus during that time of transformation. The way they lived as followers of Christ "changed," and their belief kept them going.
In Scripture there are powerful passages about change that encourage us to be strong in all situations. We are reminded throughout the Bible that there is a time for every purpose under heaven; not to be anxious about anything; to remember that God has a plan for our good; to know that if He is for us, no one can be against us; and to believe that His word is living and active. He loved us so much that He sacrificed His only son, so that those who believe will never perish, but have eternal life. In other words, God is with us! Most importantly, He provides us with sufficient grace to make all the changes necessary, so we may be saved through Him. Please remember,“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). His love never changes!
An announcement was made at our new parish, Sts. Francis and Clare in Greenwood, a few weeks ago. The pastor of 12 years and the newly ordained associate pastor are being reassigned, effective July 1. Parishioners were saddened, and I began to recall the times I felt that same loss of continuity when priests were moved from Sacred Heart, my lifelong parish in Vincennes – my spiritual home, where I received all my Sacraments and attended daily Mass, and the place where we buried the people I love. Change is certain, and our way of thinking can make the transitions in our lives difficult or easy.
I often wonder what Jesus thinks when people only come to Mass if they like the priest and his homilies, the music or the people in the pews. Faith comes from hearing the words of Christ. Jesus said, “Do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19).The significance of the ordained hands of a priest may unintentionally be overlooked by our reluctance to change the way we think.
On Friday June 12, the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Church observes World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, established by Saint Pope John Paul II. Please offer a rosary, time in Eucharistic Adoration or an extra weekly Mass for our priests. Pray every day for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and the strengthening of marriage. Pray together as a family for young people to discern their roles in the Church. Through family prayer a child first learns who God is. Prayer is the most important way to change the world we live in. Thank your priest for offering God’s word, so it can become living and active in your life. Amen!
