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Because this issue of the Catholic Herald is going to every registered household in the diocese, I want to speak especially to our brothers and sisters who may have been away from Mass and the sacraments for a while and are seeking a renewed connection with God and the parish.
I am happy you are reading this and know that I am praying for you, that the Lord touch your heart with love, peace, and grace, that you feel in the depths of your spirit, Jesus’ great desire to be in relationship with you and that you be inspired to reach out to the Church.
The question of faith
The most fundamental decision every baptized Catholic must face is the question of faith.
Will I order my life with Jesus Christ and His teachings at the center of my existence or not?
If God exists and Catholicism is true, we are the most blessed individuals on the planet because the Lord has shared with us the fullness of life in Christ, offered us victory over the power of sin and death, and promises an eternal joy in Heaven beyond our imagining if we are simply faithful in this brief life.
This remarkably Good News of the Gospel, this divine love story with Jesus at the center, is the very meaning and definition of life for us.
As we celebrate our 75th anniversary as a diocese, our local Church here in southern Wisconsin is engaged in a bold effort to share the love of God and the truth of the Gospel with everyone.
This Go Make Disciples initiative seeks to engage every Catholic in our 11-county diocese more deeply in the practice of our faith.
Once we have experienced God’s love for us in a personal way, our religion becomes our way of loving God back.
No longer a heavy obligation or a set of rules to be followed, Sunday Mass, daily prayer, regular Confession, reading the Bible, being involved in the parish, serving the poor and the sick, living holy virtue are all building blocks of a Catholic discipleship.
When I truly realize the Son of God traded His life for mine on the cross, then how can I possibly remain indifferent to this amazing love at the heart of the universe?
Preparing for Lent
Next week, we begin the season of Lent with ashes on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday.
These 40 days leading up to Easter invite us to imitate Christ’s time in the desert, where He faced the temptations of the devil and prepared for His public ministry.
Through prayer, almsgiving, and penance, we deepen our relationships with God, others, and our own spiritual selves.
Given all of the stress, anxiety, fear, and struggle we have all experienced these past months, this Lenten season is a golden opportunity to let the Lord love us into new life, get a fresh perspective, release the attitudes, experiences, and habits that have wounded us and held us bound to anger, apathy, sadness, and exhaustion.
As we move out of COVID, imagine what would happen if we all made a commitment to Sunday Mass, daily prayer, regular Confession, Scripture study, and deeper involvement in the life of the Church?
Make this the best Lent of your life by making these spiritual building blocks your own daily routine.
Annual Catholic Appeal
We are also engaged currently in the Annual Catholic Appeal or “ACA” for short.
This diocesan effort fuels the ministries of our parishes, the flourishing of our schools and religious education programs, the education of our future priests, deacons, and lay leaders, the life-giving work of our local Catholic Charities, and the function of our cemeteries.
The ACA is to the diocese what the Sunday envelope is to the parish.
When I offer my time, talent, and treasure to the Church, I feel like I am putting those personal gifts into Jesus’ pocket, so that He can continue to walk through our diocese, continuing the same work He accomplished 2,000 years ago — preaching the Gospel, forgiving sins, healing the sick, teaching the crowds, feeding the hungry, praying to the Father, sharing with everyone the astonishing Good News of salvation offered, mercy given, and eternal life promised.
Any way that you can help in this effort is more appreciated than you will know.
If we all offer the Lord what we can, He can do wonders.
Remember, He fed thousands of people because one little boy gave up his five loaves of bread and two fish.
Christ can heal and save us
As I ponder the state of the world, our country, and the Church, one fact becomes profoundly evident.
Only the love and truth of Jesus Christ can heal and save us.
No political, economic, or social transformation will ultimately be the solution to our problems or assuage the longing hunger in our hearts. Only God can do that!
I encourage all of us, including myself, to deepen our love for the Lord through the daily practice of our Catholic faith, striving to become excellent disciples of His Gospel.
When we really come to know the love of Jesus, we want to share that gift with everyone we meet.
I hope the Holy Spirit uses my reflection here to move your heart, to feel the mercy and presence of Christ within you, and to make this Lent, this year, this moment an opportunity to spread your Catholic wings and soar to new heights of holiness, joy, and peace!
I am praying for you, as I am thankful for our diocese and our beautiful local Church.
Be a disciple.
Make a disciple.