Dear Brothers and Sisters,
"If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above..." (Col 3:1). This is the call of everyone who is baptized into Christ. The call of every Christian. To seek what is above. Saint Paul continues in our second reading with a list of behaviors, actions and attitudes that distract and restrain us from seeking what is above, the Kingdom of God.
"Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self..."
The "old self" he refers to is the person I used to be before I knew Jesus Christ. It also means the person I was before the life of Christ was given to me at my baptism. But our baptized life must be renewed and lived each day.
This week were saddened by news that an 85 year old priest of God, Father Jacques Hamel was martyred by Islamic terrorists while celebrating Mass in St.-Étienne-du-Rouvray, the working-class town in Normandy, France where he had spent much of his life. The parishioners and two nuns were held hostage during this tragic event.
But a portrait of the life of Father Jacques has begun to emerge. Father Jacques had recently told a brother priest who asked him to retire "I will work until my last breath." He left this world fully alive in Christ. He often told his parishioners to "aim for sanctity," and " do not think that holiness is not for us."
Aim for sanctity. Seek what is above, all else is vanity.
God bless all of you,
Father Robert Letona
"If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above..." (Col 3:1). This is the call of everyone who is baptized into Christ. The call of every Christian. To seek what is above. Saint Paul continues in our second reading with a list of behaviors, actions and attitudes that distract and restrain us from seeking what is above, the Kingdom of God.
"Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self..."
The "old self" he refers to is the person I used to be before I knew Jesus Christ. It also means the person I was before the life of Christ was given to me at my baptism. But our baptized life must be renewed and lived each day.
This week were saddened by news that an 85 year old priest of God, Father Jacques Hamel was martyred by Islamic terrorists while celebrating Mass in St.-Étienne-du-Rouvray, the working-class town in Normandy, France where he had spent much of his life. The parishioners and two nuns were held hostage during this tragic event.
But a portrait of the life of Father Jacques has begun to emerge. Father Jacques had recently told a brother priest who asked him to retire "I will work until my last breath." He left this world fully alive in Christ. He often told his parishioners to "aim for sanctity," and " do not think that holiness is not for us."
Aim for sanctity. Seek what is above, all else is vanity.
God bless all of you,
Father Robert Letona
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