COVID-19 has disrupted our lives, offering us an opportunity to examine our habits and reflect on what might change for the better. Discipline – the ability to consistently and regularly carry out an appointed task with a high level of performance – is a crucial element that can help us thrive in body, mind, heart and soul.
Fasting is an ancient in the Church that has helped countless Christians grow closer to Christ and one another. May we examine how this discipline can empower us today.
The readings this Sunday both challenge and console us to foster unity, endure discipline, and focus on the Kingdom of Heaven. While life will not be easy, God will give us what need for the journey.
What do we do to strengthen and nourish our faith in Jesus Christ? The Lord’s response in his native place reminds us that being a disciple is a daily decision that demands our determined discipline.
The spiritual discipline of fasting offers a powerful tool to help us recognize the needs of others. Both Isaiah and Jesus offer key insights into this practice, guiding us to see how fasting in our bodies can bring renewal to our souls.
The wise women in the Gospel today remind us that we are called to be prepared to live our faith for the long haul. Saying yes to the Lord is a crucial step, but it is reaffirmed moment-by-moment as we keep true every day to the teaching and example of Jesus.
This presentation was given at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Solon Springs on March 6, 2017. It is the first part of a presentation on discipleship, focusing on repentance and ongoing conversion. (45 Minutes)
In the Book of Hebrews we are reminded to treat our trials as discipline, something that Jesus encountered when he preached at Nazareth. As we live our faith today may we consider our struggles and difficulties as “homework for holiness” through which God strengthens our faith and renews us in grace.