Dear brethren,
We are baptised people and our baptism requires that we really and always get committed to Christ. This means living out our faith even in the midst of a misunderstanding or mocking world. Commitment to Christ is our privilege, a privilege of self-oblation alongside the Lord Jesus, in whom we place unreserved faith, hope and love.
Commitment to Christ means, for us Catholics, commitment to his Church, founded on Peter and the Apostles. This Catholic Church is our Saviour’s principal Sacrament in the world. It is here that the fullness of truth and grace are found. It is here that we meet, embrace, and hear the living Lord Jesus.
However, to be a Catholic can be especially difficult today. At times we may be tempted to cover-up our catholic identity and keep quiet or feel shy to proclaim our catholic values to the world. Like Jeremiah in the first reading today, we may say everybody would mock me or I would be derided and reproached, etc. And yet we should neither shy away from being Catholics nor be scared of telling the world the teachings/values of our Catholic Church. If we are really “convinced Catholics”, then, we would realise just like Jeremiah that there is something like a “burning fire shut up in our bones” and we are weary with holding it in, and we cannot. We will certainly speak out.
Since baptism we are all prophets! Like Jeremiah, therefore, we must treasure God’s Word, Catholic Values and share them with others, even if they do not listen, even if there is going to be opposition. No wonder why Jesus tells us all in today’s gospel: If you want to be my committed followers, then you will have to accept your daily struggles/challenges and follow me.
Let us, therefore, be convinced that to be committed to Jesus is to be committed to the Catholic Church and to its Values.
As we are set to enter into September, let us pray for all school children ! God bless!
Fr Saga.
Pastor.
