Take Courage...It's Personal

Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul

 

~~~ Haggai 2:1-9 ~~~Psalm 43 ~~~ Luke 9:18-22 ~~~

 

...take courage...

For I am with you, says the LORD of hosts.

And my spirit continues in your midst;
do not fear!

 

It has been such a long time the Lord asks who is left

who remembers how it was.You know the good ole days.

Only a few remain; the governor, the high priest,

 and a remnant of people.

 

Not many were still alive who could remember the temple

when it was initially completed, only a remnant.

Remnant is an interesting word.

You usually hear this word used when referring to the last

bit left on a bolt of fabric.

Here it is used to describe the remaining small number of people left.

God tells them to take courage because he has never left them.

It does not matter to God how many people

were familiar with the temple.

He is about to make something even greater and more glorious.

Even in a remnant piece of fabric the pattern and the colors are visible.

 

...in this place I will give you peace,
says the LORD of hosts!

God will place a special peace in his house.

This peace is available to all who come into the temple.

This is true today...the spirit of God's peace remains in our churches.

 

I believe that each time we offer the Eucharistic celebration in the church

the remnant of God's peace lingers ever so slightly.

I try to be aware of this subtle, but yet real, presence

 of God's peace when I come into our church. 

 

 

We hear this gospel more than once throughout the liturgical cycle,

I think because we are being asked to look

 at our personal relationship with Jesus.

First Jesus asks about the people at large, the greater community. 

 

“Who do the crowds say that I am?”

 

We cannot be complacent with our faith just because

we belong to a 'crowd'.

The group consensus cannot replace our personal responsibility.

We cannot hide within our community of faith.

You cannot just give the rehearsed answer...

 

“But who do you say that I am?”

 

The only way to answer this question...the only way

you can answer this question

is if you have made a personal commitment.

You cannot say who someone is if you do not know them.

You must have some contact with someone

before you can say who they are.

The answer to this question must come from the heart.

A heart which has had a personal encounter with the Lord.

 

The crowds did not have the right answer...they were just guessing.

We can only know who God if we first believe he exists.

 

Blessings in how you speak about who Jesus is to you.

It's Personal!