Ordinary Time, 21st Sunday (B) Why have so many people left the Catholic faith? Some left because they didn't experience the Catholic church to be a loving, healthy family. Others have left because they don't believe that we teach the truth. But the vast majority of people have left for one simple reason: they want to be happy.

We all know that I'll be happy if I get my way, getting to have the things I want and do the things I want to do. The Catholic Church tells me to do God's will, not my will. It tells me to give generously and not hoard my stuff. And it wants to ruin my weekends by making me go to church. Obviously, I'll be happier if I don't do that Catholic stuff.

I go tent camping for vacation. That way, my every day life feels like a luxury resort! The priests I went with insisted on not just celebrating Mass every day, but on also sitting for a quiet Holy Hour every day. I thought it would ruin the fun, but it turned out to be the very best part.

Your heart's deepest desire is to be with the Lord and to be with one another. Having stuff is only a means to an end and never an end in itself. Doing stuff is great, but it passes. The being with, the relationships, are the part that last. The Eucharist comes from God's deepest desire is to be with us, and to satisfy our deepest desire to be with Him and to be in communion with one another. 

We who have accepted Jesus have a tendency to hedge our bets. Jesus becomes the ultimate life accessory, a means to me living the life I want. We all need to trust that God knows best. If we let him be "God-with-us", the having of things and the doing of things will fall into place. And we will find ourselves truly happy.

(25 Aug 2024)

Going Deeper: Join me for a Jubilee Pilgrimage to Italy September 15-25, 2025. Learn more at https://prorometours.com/antigo/

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