Those who have never been told of him shall see, and those who have never heard of him shall understand.

My posts this week have been somewhat harsh.  But as we read in today’s first reading from St. Paul, sometimes being harsh is part of our Christian duty…

I myself am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.

So, as this work week ends and we prepare for the coming celebration of Sunday Mass, one last thought that I will share with you and you can share with others who seem to have lost their way and chose to not fulfill their Sunday obligation.  The “thought” came to me a couple days ago while praying my daily rosary, about our duty to attend Mass.  Now when I write “thought” in parenthesis like this, it means the Holy Spirit has guided me to write this.  The greatest prayer ever given to us, taught to us by Jesus Himself, commits us to attending to, fulfilling, our Sunday Obligation.  We all know this prayer and I’m willing to guess, even those among us who don’t attend Mass anymore still recite this prayer quite often.  Let’s all say it right now and see if you understand where I am going with this…

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.  Amen.

Do you see it?  Do you see where am I going with this?  Again, I didn’t really realize it until the Holy Spirit guided my thoughts about this the other morning.  It came to me when I recited the line – Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.  What are taught about what God’s will for us is?  Love.  God’s love for us is inexhaustible and we are to love as God loves us.  How are we taught to do this?  By following, by committing, ourselves to live the commandments God gave to Moses.  I’ve said this before, do not read the commandments as you telling someone else how to live, but to read them as your own personal commitment to God.  Do not say “Thou shall honor thy Father and Mother” but rather say “I will honor my mother and father.”  Trust me, the commandments take on a whole different meaning when doing this.  So how does this relate to me/you going to Mass?  When we recite God’s prayer, when we commit to saying God’s will, not mine, be done, we are committing ourselves to live as God commands.  It was God Who said…”Thou shalt keep holy the Sabbath.”  It is I now, who promises to follow the will of God who say…”I will keep holy the Sabbath.”  And I do. I pray you will too.

So as this week comes to an end and I am reminded of the true sacrifice God’s Son made for all of us through His death as I reflect on the Sorrowful Mysteries this morning, I will also reflect on committing to the will of God as I recite the prayer Jesus taught me, taught you, taught all of us.

Do something great for our Lord today – say an Our Father; say it as many times as necessary to see the commitment you are making to God and to your fellow neighbor as you say this prayer.  If you follow my blog, this commitment should look very familiar to you, as we state it everyday…God’s will be done.

God’s will, not mine, be done.  (I know, I’m repeating myself.)

Be not afraid; just have faith.

Jesus, I trust in You.

He must increase; I must decrease.

But you, man of God, pursue righteousness,
devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.