The image on the left is today’s Gospel. The image on the right is a good question!

 

This is the only occasion recorded in the New Testament where Jesus specifically points to himself when instructing disciples. In doing so, He laid the foundation meant to characterize our entire spiritual life as we journey forward: namely, that it is to be one defined by the imitation of Christ, of following Jesus, carrying our cross as He did!

 

But how does “yoking ourselves voluntarily” to a way of life that could bring us a lot of trouble and suffering in today’s evil world bring rest for our souls?

 

How are we to understand doing that as taking on a light and easy burden?

The answer is actually quite simple to those with eyes to see. However, the answer can only be understood spiritually, by those who believe in the mercy and love of God.

 

When we truly surrender our will and ego to God to make the salvation of our soul our first and preeminent concern at all times, believing in God’s unfathomable mercy and love made manifest in the birth, life and sorrowful passion and death of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, Creator, Redeemer, brother and friend, the perfect image of the Father, the ONLY model that we can imitate and follow to attain holiness, and therefore, the ONLY way to God the Father and eternal life in heaven [as Jesus Himself proclaimed was the case] we can then experience the sense of security and safety, comfort, peace and joy of God’s own Holy Spirit! As Saint Paul says, “what can separate us from the love of God?”

 

If we truly believe in the victory of Jesus over sin and death, and God’s unfathomable love for us, and then ACCEPT the gift of salvation offered, then we will receive peace and joy. But at a very steep price: dying to our own will to live in the Holy Spirit for God.

If our concern becomes zealously doing always the will of the Father, as was the case with Jesus, and loving and serving others rather than seeking to enjoy our life in this world…. well, our future bliss in heaven is assured which is a pretty darn good feeling, that is, as long as we continually keep in mind our true fallen nature in this world and how much we are: (1) inclined to forget God and turn toward the darkness and death of sin, (2) how much God loves us and will keep us from experiencing that darkness and sin if we seek His grace and help, and (3) if we trust in God’s love, and abide in the arms of Jesus like a trusting, little child, then we will indeed find true comfort and rest with our head upon His chest: soothed by the rhythmic beating of His Sacred Heart, we will indeed find peace like the world cannot give.

 

When we discipline ourselves to turn our attention to God from the crack of dawn and first waking moment of the day, then strive to continue doing so with perseverance and effort throughout the day, trusting in God’s goodness and protection, then there’s absolutely nothing to worry about: we are left free in our Spirit to experience peace and joy, and also to truly experience life itself, not in imaginary worlds or video games, but are “made freed (liberated) in our attention” to live in the present, to live in God, being a “vehicle of God’s Spirit” to others, all while experiencing the most mysterious excitement from the awareness and periodic recollection of the hopeful expectation of the manifestation of the full glory of God.

Quick note on humility and meekness:

To be HUMBLE is to be true, both inside and out!

 

The word humble comes from the Latin word “humus” [same root word for “human”] which is the living part of the soil from which we were created. In Hebrew, the word for living topsoil is “Adammah,” while the word “Adam” is taken from that word just as he was taken from topsoil [after it was moistened with water of course].

 

To be MEEK is to “turn the other cheek,” to recognize that our victory lies in the spiritual realm culminating in the next life and therefore will only be realized in the future.

 

While we wait and work, we watch and pray, knowing full-well that this world is currently under the control of Satan.

We are to be “in the world” physically, but not “of the world” spiritually…. aware always that we are subject to temptations from our own flesh, from the allurements of the world calling us to live in the flesh, and from evil spirits working behind the scenes to influence and steer our decisions in the direction of evil.

 

We live in enemy territory, but we must not allow the evil of this world to contaminate us or to become in any way a part of our spirit.

 

To be MEEK is to be willing to stand with courage and witness to the truth in the face of and evil world, knowing that doing so will bring suffering in some form.

 

To then not reciprocate to evil and violence WITH violence, but to allow that evil to respond to our witness of truth [which we must do to be faithful to Jesus] as it will, is to respond with meekness as Jesus did.

 

The consequences of simply telling the truth about anything in the world today could now be quite dire!

The consequences for telling the “full truth” about the world passing away and Jesus being the only way to the Father and eternal life could soon be deemed legitimate grounds for our extermination [martyrdom].

 

We’re in the dying minutes of the final quarter and there isn’t much time remaining on the clock so get in there and give it your best guys!!

 

But do it with humility, meekness and full trust in the majestic power and love of Jesus and you’ll indeed be able to go forth with a smile on your face, peace in your heart, an untroubled mind, and perhaps even a joyful lilt in your step…. all of which other people will see and want, which is witness!