Called To Be Saints

 We are all called to be saints, to walk a path to grow in holiness, to try each day to do a little better, to be a little kinder, to act with compassion and love. And yet, all around there are signs of depraved human behavior and the effects of original sin. It's hard to act saint-like, to act like Jesus, to be the best version of ourselves and yet that is what our faith calls us to be. 

I talk with friends, whose adult children are disrespectful, they tell me, "you have to watch what you say", "walk on egg shells" or they don't call or treat you respectfully. So much has changed. One of the Ten Commandments is "Honor your mother and father." What's happened to that? And yet in the midst of problems that families face, societal problems and tragic world events, we are called to keep focused on Christ, to keep faithful and to trust in God. Without faith in God, nothing makes sense. Without trust in God, life is difficult and unmanageable.

So another All Saint's Day is upon us. A day to dwell on the lives of the superheroes of our faith. Men and women from all walks of life, who put flesh and blood on the Christian way of life and succeeded against all odds, to become great men and women of faith and example. I hope they are praying for us.

NJA

The Destruction of Sanibel Island and the Beautiful Catholic Church

 Whenever I vacation I like to visit and attend Mass at the Catholic Church wherever I am. Many years ago I visited Sanibel Island on vacation with my family and attended Mass at St. Isabel Church. It was a beautiful church with a vibrant faith community. Of all the things that sadden me about the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, I am most saddened thinking of that faith community with a church, which I'm sure is devastated, like most of the island. I can't even imagine such loss, such human suffering, losing all your belongings, your home as well as your church. It's inconceivable and unimaginable. And of course, people lost their lives which is so tragic. My friend who lives in Naples, Florida near the Gulf of Mexico watched from her second floor condo as her car floated away....so many people have lost so much. But she was told to evacuate....I will never understand people who defy evacuation orders, it doesn't make sense to me. 

So as we pray for the people of Florida (and also some in South Carolina) who have lost so much, we have to think about the future. If climate scientists are right, they say storms will become more powerful and fierce as the climate warms. Its not happening in 50 years from now, the effects will be happening now and in the near future. 

How can God help us when we won't help ourselves?

NJA