October 2, 2011
Abundant living, cherishing life!
The Lord Jesus speaks to our hearts on this Respect Life weekend. He says to us…I came that all might have life, and have it to the full (John 10.10). The Light came into our world…that all may have life…abundant life….fruitful life…life to the full. We live this abundant life, realizing that life is a sacred gift, to be cherished, protected, honored, claimed, celebrated.
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A few years ago, lay-evangelist Matthew Kelly came to Saint Brigid and challenged us with the plan of God…that we become the best version of ourselves…in and through discipleship…in and through a living faith. This best version of us is the abundant life promised by the Lord Jesus. We are called to live abundantly, and not simply “function”. A machine functions…until it breaks. We do not “function”…we live,as active co-creators with the Lord, from the moment of conception to the last breath of natural life; and this Lord who speaks about abundance speaks also about a living that is beyond that last breath. Let us listen to Him!
The Lord calls on us to care for one another. The Lord calls on us to care for those in need, those imprisoned, those deprived, those hungry and thirsty, those in danger, especially the most vulnerable among us…human life within the womb of a mother. This care is part of abundant living, as we begin to define ourselves as being connected to our neighbor…as Jesus of Nazareth taught.
How will you accept the invitation of the Lord to live fruitfully and fully in His love? How will you build up the blessings of life? Along with all the activity that our Respect Life Committee offers us, along with volunteering with St. Vincent de Paul and North Fulton Community Charities, along with praying for a renewal of the whole Church…and our prophetic stance in protecting the gift of life…maybe you can celebrate the gift… while you drive.
Choose life…commit yourself to life. Choose life then, that you may live, by loving the Lord your God, heeding his voice and holding fast to him (Deuteronomy 30.19).
It took a long time, but we were able to push our legislators into allowing a choose life auto tag. I have one on my car. Our Archbishop has one on his. The extra dollars we pay for this “specialty” tag goes to serve life. Why not look at www.chooselifega.org or stop by the county tag office and choose life! What if the entire parking lot was filled with these “commercials for life”…
To be the best version of ourselves is to live as we have been invited to live…to be happily, joyfully holy…living life to the full!
AMDG