“I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” Take a moment to absorb that statement from Jesus. “I have come that YOU…” The promise of the Lord is that He who is the Good Shepherd comes into our life, takes upon himself the flesh of humankind and walks among us to teach us how to live and how to love. Then He takes upon Himself the sins of the whole world and dies upon the cross so that we may have an ABUNDANT life, filled with everything we need to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.
What does an abundant life in Christ include? In addition to life everlasting, spending eternity with God after this earthly life, we can be certain that every grace and blessing from the Lord is available to us who pursue a life in Christ, following His example and seeking to live with the faith and love for a brother, sister or even a stranger as Christ taught us.
When you are a pastor, a spiritual father of a parish, there are often special moments that bring great joy to your heart. One of those moment for me is when the children of the parish come forward to receive the Eucharist for the very first time. When I look into the eyes of those young boys and girls who are, for the first time, receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus, I am convinced of the loving presence of Jesus. Their innocence of faith and their pure hearts are a testimony to the very words of Jesus, "unless you become like little children, you cannot inherit the Kingdom."
Through the reception of the Eucharist and the sacrament of Reconciliation, we too can be restored to the innocence of a pure heart and a life that welcomes the opportunity to serve the Lord in every aspect of our lives. We too are fed at this table and the life that awaits us, having been fed at this table, is one of abundance.
I’m also reminded, as I look at our teenagers who are preparing for Confirmation in order to take a greater role in their faith, the abundance of God’s grace and love is without end. His guidance and unconditional love follows us throughout our lives and we must, at every stage of life, proclaim our belief in word and deed. These young men and women are not "graduating" from the religious education, but embracing the challenge of putting what they have learned into practice.
I am always amazed by the parent who says, "I don't want to force my child to go to Mass because they may stop going." My response is, "They have already stopped going, what do you have to lose?" We forget that the grace of God and the abundant life He offers is greater than any one of us. You can "make" your kid go to Mass, but the real work is up to the Lord. Forcing them is merely providing God the opportunity to give them the abundant life He promises. And who are we to deny our children or any one on this earth a life of abundance in God?
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