How committed are we to God?

Sisters and brothers in Christ, after the Texas Longhorns football team won the 2005 National Championship, Theresa and I waited in line for 3 hours to meet the team and take pictures with Coach Mack Brown. (Of course, Vince Young was not longer with the team because he had declared eligible for the NFL Draft.) To this day, we share that story as an example of commitment in a relationship and how one person sometimes go the extra-mile for their loved ones. In this case, Theresa was willing to spend 3 hours in the Texas heat for me to meet the team. Now, it is also an example of the extent to go through when we are committed to someone or something. Another example is, I recently saw a meme of football fans sitting in the cold and now to watch their teams play.

The question is, can we show God this same level of commitment when it comes going to Mass on Sundays to worship Him and give Him praise and glory. We read in today's Gospel the lengths that the men went through to get a man who was paralyzed and on a stretcher so that he can be in the presence of Jesus. They were determined for him to see Jesus and the crowd did not deter them. Their efforts bear fruit because, not only does Jesus tell all of them that their sins are forgiven because of their faith, Christ healed the paralyzed man and he was able to walk. When we are committed to the practice of our Catholic faith, it can move mountains and bear fruits. Unfortunately, we oftentimes to not put in the commitment that we ought even though we certainly do not lack the ability to be committed.

Advent is the perfect season to recommit to our faith but, most of all, to recommit to our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Advent is a time to go that extra mile to love God (and love our neighbors). I recently met with a young engaged couple. They are both Catholic but have not been going to Mass on Sundays. I encouraged them to start now during the Advent season, to renew their commitment to God, go to Mass together, and pray for each other and pray with each other. I encourage to all to do the same. We take risks with various commitments in our lives. Our commitment to a relationship with God will yield much fruit, guaranteed.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

One day as Jesus was teaching,

Pharisees and teachers of the law,

who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem,

were sitting there,

and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. 

And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed;

they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. 

But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd,

they went up on the roof

and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles

into the middle in front of Jesus. 

When Jesus saw their faith, he said,

“As for you, your sins are forgiven.” 

Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves,

“Who is this who speaks blasphemies? 

Who but God alone can forgive sins?” 

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply,

“What are you thinking in your hearts? 

Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’

or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 

But that you may know

that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–

he said to the one who was paralyzed,

“I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” 

He stood up immediately before them,

picked up what he had been lying on,

and went home, glorifying God. 

Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God,

and, struck with awe, they said,

“We have seen incredible things today.”