BUT, WHY ARE YOU HERE TODAY? WHY ARE YOU HERE ON EARTH? At the beginning of Lent my article used the analogy of going to Disney World but never leaving the hotel. None of us would ever do that, yet sometimes we do that with life! I stated: The Lenten season can be a beautiful journey that, when we take full advantage, can allow us to enter the Easter season encountering Jesus in a whole new way, growing in our faith, and being able to be the missionary disciples to which we are called. So, it’s evaluation time: how did you do on your Lenten journey?
If you are not bursting with new hope as you read this, don’t worry. It is not too late. God never stops calling and it’s now time for us to answer. Let me pose another question. When you read it, give your gut response. “What is your purpose?” If you find it challenging to respond, you are not alone. I experimented throughout Lent asking many folks this very question. Most struggled to answer. So, let me propose the answer for you. It comes from the “Unleash the Gospel” initiative: God is calling us, each one of us, to embrace a new identity, to become a band of joyful missionary disciples and witness to the power of the Gospel. Why? Because Jesus Christ is the desire of the nations, and his Gospel is the answer to the deepest desires of the human heart. Our goal is not to be good and make it to heaven. Our goal is to extend the kingdom of God on earth by making the world a place where Christ is known and loved, so that as many people as possible are brought with us to eternal life. We are a local Church in movement; join us as we follow where Christ leads. Join the mission to unleash the Gospel.
If I haven’t lost you yet, let me give you another challenge that will truly benefit and inspire you. I believe it will really light a fire that will allow you to really burst with the hope I mentioned above. I challenge you to talk to one of the 8 people who were received into the Catholic Church in our cluster this weekend. At one point each of these people felt somehow dissatisfied with their life and did something about it. These people have gone through an amazing conversion experience. They wanted to better understand their purpose, so they entered a period of reflection, prayer, instruction, discernment, and formation.
Now that they have been baptized, confirmed in the Holy Spirit, and received the Lord in the Eucharist, they have experienced Jesus and now begin to serve Him in a whole new way. They have a whole new hope. They understand their purpose! Take the first step to true happiness. Email our Evangelization Coordinator, Marian Bart (or call 313-883-2869). She will help connect you with someone or something for you to experience, which will make your life so much better. Let’s go back to the beginning. Get out of that dark isolating hotel room and experience something greater than Disney! Experience your purpose. Experience new hope. Experience true joy.
God Bless, Fr. JJ