Cold is the morning, warm is the dream… chasing the answers ‘til I can’t sleep.
Will I be stronger, or will I be weak when you’re not with me?
Who am I without my armor, standing in my father’s shoes?
All I know is that it’s harder to be loyal, brave, and true
From Loyal, Brave, and True written by Crabtree, Hartman, Golan, Gregson
In this weekend’s Gospel, Jesus challenges us to focus on who we belong to, the world or to God. We can be so easily seduced by our culture, our society, and our world to give into the temptation to turn away from what our conscience knows what is right- we can show indifference to the call for each of us, by our words and actions, to be instruments of peace, we can ignore the plight of the poor and the struggling in our midst, we can turn our eyes and our ears from the cry that each human life is sacred and has dignity, from the moment of conception to natural death, we can turn away from our calling as Christians, and particularly as Catholics, to be make a difference in this world.
Beyond our citizenship in this country and our world is our membership- by our baptism- in the Body of Christ, and our Lord makes this truth crystal clear. We are blessed to live in this free land, with all our rights and responsibilities. Jesus doesn’t deny the importance of governance in this world, but He, as we celebrate later next month, is our true King, calls us to something greater than this world can ever give, and ever know. Our King is calling us today and every day, in every moment, to be loyal, brave, and true to Him- in every way. May we hear the clarion call- may we find the courage to follow it- and live it.
