Dear Friends,
In the midst of this Memorial Day weekend, as we remember, honor, and pray for all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country, we celebrate the great solemn feast of the Most Holy Trinity.
We acknowledge in Faith what God has revealed about Himself that He is One God, Three Divine Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Our Gospel this weekend comes from the end of Saint Matthew, the great commission from Jesus: *“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”*
We hear echoes of this great commission every time we recite our parish prayer. While baptizing ordinarily is the role of deacons, priests, and bishops, the exception being an emergency situation, making disciples is entrusted to each and every one of us with no exceptions.
So, the questions we should ask ourselves on a regular basis are ~ how many times have I given witness to my faith in Jesus, or told someone what Jesus has done for me, or when asked to remember a prayer intention taken that very moment and prayed with the person. Now to many Catholic folks that all may sound a bit out of the ordinary. But how else are we going to make disciples unless we talk about Jesus and share Jesus in our ordinary moments of life with others?
At this point let me recommend a very remarkable book, very short — 60 pages. It is entitled, Making Missionary Disciples, by Curtis Martin. Many of our staff have read it and our Envisioning Team members have read it as well. It is a great insight into living out our discipleship, modeled on Jesus’ own life.
It is not helpful to lament the numbers of people leaving the practice of the Faith, or the numbers who no longer attend Sunday Mass, or those pushing secular agendas and worse. We are in a battle, truly a fierce spiritual battle in this world. There is a breach, which the forces of evil try to manipulate. But we, by God’s free grace, are His living temples. The Holy Spirit enflames us, prepares us, and equips us for this struggle as we surrender our minds, hearts, and wills to Jesus Christ, our Lord.
So let us not grow faint of heart, overcome by the worries, anxieties, and fears of the world around us. Let us seek and accept God’s grace every day, and in every moment, for by His grace we will meet the challenges of this life with His power, wisdom, and light.
God bless you, God love you,
Monsignor McCulken
