"Lord What You Ask Is Difficult". By: C.C.

"To believe in Jesus is to accept what he says, even when it runs contrary to what others are saying. It means rejecting the lure of sin, however attractive it may be, in order to set out on the difficult path of the Gospel virtues." (Bl. Pope John Paul II)

   Blessed Pope John Paul II reminds us in these short lines about the reality of being a follower of Christ in the world. There is such a duality presented to one striving toward holiness in today's society. It seems that almost everything surrounding us from the political atmosphere to ethical standards is presenting a message contrary to the teachings and values of our faith. What does this mean for us?
"To believe in Jesus is to accept what he says, even when it runs contrary to what others are saying" Most of what we as Christians believe in and fight to uphold are things that everything surrounding us claims absurd, outdated, and illogical within our present time. Despite this, we must not lose heart and we must remind ourselves of the Lord's promises. As we draw nearer to Christ we will come to realize that everything pressing against us will soon be met with the mercy of our Lord.   
    It is through accepting what Jesus says that there will also be the grace for us to build virtue as to further love and serve Him. His will is that we love Him, and so it is through Him where we receive the courage and fortitude. 
    Let us recall the lives of our beloved Saints and biblical ancestors and may their witness provide us with a reminder of how we are called to serve Him. Let us also be reminded of God's unconditional love, His mercy and His providence throughout the ages and to this present day. May we cling to this truth as we are faced with things seeking to compromise what we stand for; recognizing that the the path is difficult but it is one of great love. (C.C.)

"He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life." (Canticle of Zechariah)