St Margaret Roman Catholic Church

Life is full of questions: What is the key to happiness? Why do bad things happen to good people? What is my purpose on this earth? Why is there evil in the world? In a world that values quick fixes, it can be unsettling to confront questions like these—complex questions that cannot be solved with simple slogans or one-word answe

Pope Benedict XVI tells us that as much as we may like quick answers, we can gain clarity on the enigmas of life only as we take the time to immerse ourselves in the word of God. So in this article, we want to look at how we can meet Jesus, the living Word of God, in the Bible, which is the written word of God. We want to make three practical recommendations that will help us hear God’s own voice and sense his presence as we ponder his word in Scripture.

Read Every Day!

“May every day of our lives thus be shaped by a renewed encounter with Christ, the Word of the Father made flesh.” (VD, 124)

The first step sounds obvious, but it’s one that we can often overlook: Set aside time to read the Scriptures every day. Schedule it in your day. Do it first thing in the morning. Become familiar with the story of the Bible so that you can see how God has worked throughout the ages. Discover for yourself how patiently God has worked, teaching us his ways and preparing us for the coming of the Lord. And don’t be afraid to use reliable commentaries and Bible studies to help you. The more you know about the background, history, and context of the Bible, the better you can piece together its story.

But be sure that as you are reading and studying, you are also praying and searching. As Pope Benedict emphasized, we can meet Jesus in the words of Scripture. We can develop a deep relationship with him as we let his words sink into our hearts.

This doesn’t happen overnight. Like any relationship, it takes time. Think of any close friendship you have. Didn’t you and your friend grow to appreciate each other as you spent time together? Didn’t you become attached to each other as you shared the highs and lows of your lives? You grew to love each other because of the way you shared your hopes and fears, your dreams and disappointments.

There is no substitute for time. Relationships take time. Communication takes time. Love takes time. And so we need to be reading Scripture every day so that we can get to know God. How does he think about things? How does he react to hardship or to good fortune? What makes him happy or sad? What are his dreams and hopes?

Become Part of the Scriptures.

“The word of God draws each of us into a conversation with the Lord: the God who speaks teaches us how to speak to him.” (VD, 24)

As you read every day, try to imagine yourself in whatever scene you are reading. When he read the Gospels, St. Ignatius of Loyola would often picture himself as one of Jesus’ disciples so that he could observe closely everything that was going on. He would imagine himself as an extra witness at the Last Supper, drinking in everything around him as Jesus offered the first Eucharist. He would look closely at Jesus’ face as he forgave the woman caught in adultery or as he challenged the Pharisees and Sadducees. He would join Mary Magdalene and the apostle John at Calvary and observe the sights and sounds of the day when Jesus died for him.

Inserting ourselves in the Scriptures this way shouldn’t be a passive thing. We shouldn’t just sit back and watch what is happening. We can become part of the scene as well. For instance, as you picture yourself on Mount Horeb with Moses and the burning bush, feel free to ask Moses what it felt like to hear God’s voice. Imagine him turning to you and sharing with you what he was thinking when God told him to con- front Pharaoh and demand that he release the Jewish people. You just may be surprised at the answers you get!

Be sure not to limit yourself just to the stories in the Bible. Benedict himself encourages us to do the same thing with the psalms, which have been called the Bible’s own prayer book:

In the Psalms we find expressed every possible human feeling set masterfully in the sight of God.

. . . In this way our word to God becomes God’s word . . . and our whole existence becomes a dialogue with the God who speaks and listens. (VD, 24) Imagine yourself as one of the psalmists as you bring your heart before the Lord. And like the psalmists, be bold enough to expect an answer from God. In place of the psalmist’s concerns, insert your own needs and desires, your own longings and hopes. Let his words of praise and thanksgiving become your own. As Benedict said, God’s words will then become your words. His thoughts will become your thoughts. His ways will become your ways, pushing aside anything in you that is opposed to his way of thinking.

Slow Down and Listen.

“Only in silence can the word of God find a home in us, as it did in Mary, woman of the word and, inseparably, woman of silence.” (VD, 66)

Placing yourself in the Bible this way may feel like nothing more than playing make-believe at first. How can you tell if the things you are picturing are coming from your own imagination or from God? The key here is through quiet listening.

We live in a very noisy, active world, and all that activity can influence our time with the Scriptures. It can be tempting, as you are placing yourself in a scene from the Bible, to lose sight of your goal and let your imagination run away with you. You may end up spending all your time picturing the scene in detail, imagining the people’s reactions, and letting the story continue to unfold. But all this imaginative activity has to be balanced with silence and stillness. How else will you be able to hear God’s voice?

If a particular word or phrase or image catches your attention, stop and dwell on it. Slow down. Take your time. Don’t worry about getting to the end of the story or the end of the psalm. Instead, mull over it. Wait for the Lord to speak to you. It could be as simple as Jesus’ words “Have faith in God” at the Last Supper (John 14:1), or it could be as involved as Paul’s statement that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13). Whatever it is, take time to let it unfold. Repeat the word or phrase over and over again, asking the Lord what he wants to say to you. Write down any impressions you may have. Quiet your heart, breathe deeply, and receive whatever God wants to give you.

If the thoughts that come to you fill you with peace, joy, hope, or a desire to be more like Jesus, you can be sure that the Holy Spirit is speaking to you. If the thoughts make you feel anxious, frustrated, or immersed in guilt, then you can be sure they aren’t from God.

If the thoughts that come to you move you to act differently, to act more like the Lord, then you can be confident that God is behind them. For instance, you may feel moved to show extra kindness to a friend or family member. You may be compelled to confess a past sin that has been heavy on your conscience. You may find new courage to get involved in a parish ministry. Or you may feel the need to mend a wounded friendship. Whatever you sense God asking you to do, step out and do it. More often than not, you’ll find that one simple step leads to another and another—each one drawing you closer to the Lord.

The God Who Speaks. In the introduction to his exhortation, Pope Benedict tells us:

There is no greater priority than this: to enable the people of our time once more to encounter God, the God who speaks to us and shares his love so that we might have life in abundance. (VD, 2)

With these words, Benedict is telling us that the key to a full, fruitful, and peaceful life lies in hearing God speak his word to us. He is telling us how deeply our heavenly Father wants to open our eyes to his presence and his love. All we have to do is let his word take root in our hearts. Life is full of questions, just as Benedict XVI told us. How good it is to know that we can find the answers as we ask Jesus, God’s full and perfect Word, to speak to us!

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Saint Matthias, Apostle (Feast)

May another take his office. (Acts 1:20)

You probably know the story in today’s first reading already. Jesus had chosen twelve apostles, a way of mirroring and fulfilling the role of the original twelve tribes of Israel. But when Judas betrayed him and then took his own life, a gap in the number of apostles opened up. So when the remaining apostles selected two possible candidates and sought God in prayer, he chose Matthias to be the new twelfth apostle.

God loves to fill in gaps, just as he did with St. Matthias. Whether it’s the gap between him and you, an empty place in your heart, or the distance between what you believe and how you behave, God delights in closing them all. You might say that’s what living life in the Spirit is all about.

But there’s another kind of gap God loves to address. Does it seem like there’s something “missing” in your parish? Maybe the flowers around the altar look like they’re not getting enough water. Maybe the selection of music seems limited. Single people might feel left out of family-related activities, or you notice too little emphasis on serving the poor.

If you notice something lacking, that’s a good indication that it’s on God’s heart as well. And it’s also quite possible that he wants you to do something about it. So instead of becoming discouraged or worrying about the problem, ask him if there’s something you could do to help fill that gap.

God is endlessly creative, and he may have ideas for you that you never would have thought up yourself. If you play an instrument, he may be asking you to offer to accompany the choir. He may prompt you to invite people into your home for a Bible study. Or he may inspire you to organize an intercessory prayer ministry among those who are homebound.

God used Matthias to fill a clear gap among the apostles. Are there ways he wants to use you? Think about the “gaps” you notice in your church. Then see if the Holy Spirit is inviting you to do something.

“Father, thank you for the full life you want all your children to experience. Is there a gap you want me to help fill in?”

Psalm 113:1-8
John 15:9-17

WANT MORE? SUBSCRIBE AND RECEIVE 

Our Lady of Fatima (Optional Memorial)

. . . so that they might have life . . . more abundantly. (John 10:10)

“But I already have life,” you might argue. True, and yet there is more. With Jesus there is always more. Whatever degree of “life” you experience today, there’s more waiting for you. Thoughts and temptations may try to convince you otherwise, but Jesus is clear. He came to this earth, in fact, so that you would experience rich, overflowing life. Rich, in grace and gifts from God your Father; overflowing, in God’s love that fills your heart and spills out to people around you.

This abundant life is already yours through the Spirit you received in Baptism, so why not experience it? Here are a few ways you can discover it.

You can know this abundant life in your thoughts. You don’t have to be a slave to negative or critical thoughts. Jesus came so that you might think the best of yourself and other people, even those who have hurt you. Perhaps it means praying, “Father, forgive” hundreds of times a day. Or “Holy Spirit, help me know how you think” repeatedly. It might mean trying to focus your mind on God’s goodness, not about who has hurt you, or on what God has promised you rather than any troubles that might happen.

You can know abundant life in your words too. Your words can influence the atmosphere around you; they can heal, comfort, encourage, and impart wisdom. Try telling yourself, “My prayers are powerful” or “Jesus lives in me.” A simple statement such as “What a good daughter you are” might encourage someone caring for an ailing parent. Words like these, words of grace and truth, pleasant and insightful, can flow out of your mouth as Jesus’ love fills your heart. And of course, there’s much grace in knowing when to keep quiet.

Jesus also came so that your actions might flow out of his abundance. The smallest actions—taking soup to a sick friend or mowing a neighbor’s lawn—bear fruit, even if you never see it. When you take a moment to comfort someone, you are bringing Christ, and his abundant life, to them. When you spend a few minutes in prayer before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, you are receiving even more of that life so that you can keep sharing it with other people.

Jesus always has more to give you!

“Thank you, Lord, for giving me abundant life.”

Acts11:1-18
Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4

3rd Week of Easter

To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. (John 6:68)

Imagine if you were to ask Peter what was the most pivotal moment of his life with Jesus. Maybe it was the act of faith we hear in today’s Gospel. Or was it when he made the whopping catch of fish after Jesus told him to put down his nets? It could have been when Jesus walked on water and called him to walk toward him. What about when he saw Jesus taken away by the guards to be condemned to death, or when he peered into Jesus’ empty tomb?

But Peter’s life is a story not of one pivotal moment; it’s the tale of a growing relationship with Jesus. Every encounter with Jesus deepened that relationship. Peter asked questions, listened to every word Jesus spoke, and grew in understanding. He watched the way Jesus related to the people around him, and it increased his faith. Even when Jesus ascended to heaven, their relationship didn’t end. Peter kept praying, and Jesus sent him the promised Holy Spirit.

Clearly, Peter was not just pursuing pious rules or trying to get on Jesus’ good side. He wanted to know Jesus more. Like a parent and child or best friends their relationship developed and deepened. As Peter learned more about Jesus, he trusted more. As Jesus saw Peter persevere, he revealed more of himself and entrusted more of his work to this brusque fisherman. Then, when Jesus poured out his Holy Spirit on him, Peter was able to move forward in faith, determined to build the kingdom of God.

Are pivotal moments important? Yes, but they are not goals in themselves. They help build our relationship with Jesus and encourage us to keep pressing on. But each day, with or without pivotal moments, we deepen our relationship by pursuing him who has the words of eternal life.

That’s the relationship that Jesus invites you into. Not a series of flashy moments. Maybe not even one big pivotal moment. But a consistent, growing relationship with him. That’s what deeply affects us. So don’t be so concerned with seeking out dramatic encounters with Jesus. Just look for him every day, and your life will change.

“Come, Lord Jesus, and deepen my love for you today and every day.”

Acts 9:31-42
Psalm 116:12-17

Saint Damien de Veuster, Priest (Optional Memorial)

Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him. (John 6:56)

The few moments before you receive Jesus in the Eucharist at Mass are a beautiful opportunity to turn your heart and thoughts toward the Lord. Have you ever tried, as you walk up to receive him, to talk to him as you would a close friend? That conversation could help you remain in his presence long after you return to your pew.

What would such a dialogue look like? Here’s one suggestion:

“Jesus, as I come forward to receive you, I know ‘I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,’ and yet that’s just what you offer me! Lord, I know that you see me—all of me—and you love me. You see my strength and my weakness, my good moments and my not-so-good moments. But you say that I am not the sum total of those: I am the sum of your love for me. You pour out that love here, in the Eucharist. Thank you for giving yourself to me, not because I deserve you or because I have earned your approval, but because you love me unconditionally and delight to do it.

“Jesus, you know that I am not perfect—I have questions, struggles, and doubts—but when I eat your Flesh and drink your Blood, I receive your very life into me, and that changes me. I give you permission to enter into my questions and struggles and to touch them with your peace and assurance.

“As I approach, Lord, I hear the words ‘The Body of Christ.’ And when I receive your Body, my soul is healed. You have the power to remove my anxiety, illness, or heaviness. I have nothing to fear because you are with me. Your Eucharistic table is the table you set before me in the presence of my enemies. As I feast, you scatter these enemies: the troubles I face in the world, my own fallen nature, my sickness and weariness.

“Jesus, I rejoice that you love to enter under the ‘roof’ of my life. You delight in me, and you come to dwell in me because I am your beloved. Heal my soul, and enable me to remain in you!

“Jesus, thank you for giving yourself to me in the Eucharist! I give my life to you.”

Acts 9:1-20
Psalm 117:1, 2

3rd Week of Easter

Philip . . . proclaimed Jesus to him. (Acts 8:34, 35)

Who was this man who met up with an Ethiopian court official and then was mysteriously “snatched. . . away” (Acts 8:39)? Not to be confused with the apostle Philip, this Philip was one of the seven deacons appointed to oversee the distribution of food to the poor widows in the Jerusalem church (6:1-7). After the martyrdom of Stephen, the community scattered, and Philip went to Samaria where he continued to proclaim the gospel. His preaching was accompanied by signs and wonders, and many turned to the Lord (8:4-7).

Philip was seeing so much success, so why did God interrupt his work in Samaria to send him on this special mission?

Philip listened to the Spirit and did what he asked. When an angel of the Lord told Philip to go south on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, he “got up and set out” (Acts 8:27). When the Holy Spirit told Philip to join the chariot, again he obeyed immediately.

Philip knew the Scriptures. Just as Jesus opened up the Scriptures to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), the Holy Spirit had opened up the Scriptures to Philip. That meant he was able to help the Ethiopian see that the passage he was reading from Isaiah pointed to Jesus.

Philip was open to the new way in which God was working. The Ethiopian court official was most likely a “God-fearer,” a Gentile who prayed to Israel’s God. He may have been returning from worshipping at the Temple in Jerusalem when Philip caught up with him. Despite the man’s faith, however, he was still considered an outsider. When he asked to be baptized, Philip didn’t hesitate, and the Ethiopian man became a full-fledged member of the people of God.

Just as he chose Philip, the Lord might choose you for a special mission of some kind. As you listen to the Spirit, he might just nudge you to talk to someone about what God has done for you. As you read the Scriptures, he might inspire you to share a meaningful verse with a friend. As you look for opportunities to welcome outsiders, he might ask you to greet a newcomer at Mass. The possibilities are endless. You just have to keep listening—and obey!

“Holy Spirit, I am listening to you. Use me to spread the gospel.”

Psalm 66:8-9, 16-17, 20
John 6:44-51

3rd Week of Easter

There was great joy in that city. (Acts 8:8)

You watched your friend Stephen being stoned to death. Now persecution has broken out in your city (Acts 8:1). You might even be the next person killed for believing in Jesus. So you leave Jerusalem, but you keep preaching the gospel—and many people turn to the Lord. Despite the risks you face each day, you are still happy to see so many conversions.

What if the early Christians had focused on their precarious situation instead of on all the good they saw happening? Instead of rejoicing, they would have become fearful and discouraged. They might have decided to abandon their newly found faith instead of continuing their mission to spread the good news.

Most of us don’t experience the same kind of persecution that the early Christians faced. But we may still feel overwhelmed at times by what we see around us. Even if we don’t experience it directly, we hear plenty of bad news—homicides, drug overdoses, famine, abuse, and so much more. A steady diet of such news can wear us down over time and cause us to lose our joy.

But here’s what doesn’t make the news: how the love of Jesus in the hearts of his people causes them to reach out to others in love. Think of all the men and women who dedicate their lives tending to the poor and forgotten. Think of all those who teach RCIA or work in Catholic schools or campus ministry. Think of the people who care for women who need healing after an abortion. You are probably part of this “good news” yourself!

Don’t discount simple everyday acts of love and kindness either. Maybe you had a kind word for a coworker who rarely talks to any of her colleagues or a neighbor who keeps to himself. Maybe you kept your cool while helping your children reconcile after a fight. In situations like these, you are bearing the love of Christ and spreading his word.

Today, choose to focus on the good news. Think of one act of love you have seen or read about recently. Then rejoice that Jesus is alive and active among his people today!

“Heavenly Father, help me share the good news of Christ’s love to one person I encounter today.”

Easter is the most important feast of the Christian year— so important that the church sets aside a full fifty days to celebrate Jesus’ victory over sin and death. Not many of us are used to sustaining an “Easter spirit” of celebration all the way to Pentecost, though, so here are fifty easy suggestions.

Don’t try to do them all! Each week, just pick a few ideas that work for you and your family. You’ll be rejoicing long after the last jelly bean is gone.

1. Light a special candle during meals to recall the light of Christ.

2. Every day, read together from the Easter story: Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20-21.

3. Plan fun family activities—one for every week of Easter.

4. Put up a sign or banner that proclaims, “He is risen!”

5. Was anyone received into the church during your parish Easter Vigil? Invite them over.

6. Add an “alleluia” song, or three alleluias, to your grace before meals.

7. Put on an Easter play. Invite relatives and friends to a performance.

8. Make a poster of a life-giving cross. Add paper flowers and leaves to it throughout the Easter season—and even beyond.

9. Celebrate new life by doing something as a family to support unborn children and their parents.

10. Keep fresh flowers around.

11. Use the traditional Easter greeting and response: “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!”

12. Visit a lonely neighbor or do some other family act of kindness to express thanks for the resurrection.

13. Talk about baptism. Tell stories of family members’ baptisms.

14. Plan a family outing to a river, lake, stream, or ocean.

15. Drape your crucifixes and crosses with a strip of white cloth.

16. Make cookies in the shapes of Easter symbols. Freeze some to serve throughout the season.

17. Learn how other cultures celebrate Easter. Try out some of their customs and foods.

18. Make greeting cards announcing the good news of the resurrection.

19. Use a special container for newly blessed water from church. Show your children or grandchildren how to use holy water.

20. Throw some water balloons!

21. Listen to Handel’s Messiah and other Easter music.

22. Read about the Emmaus disciples (Luke 24:13-35); take a family walk.

23. What about a short trip to an interesting shrine or church?

24. Pray for peace and justice in the Holy Land. Consider helping the Christians who live there.

25. Discuss what it means to be Christ’s witnesses (Luke 24:48) and how each person’s witness matters.

26. Wear more white, even gold! They’re the season’s special colors.

27. Pray the Liturgy of the Hours together in the morning or evening (www.universalis.com).

28. If your family likes to sing and play instruments, have people over for a musical Easter celebration.

29. Read about the disciples’ amazing catch of fish (John 21:1- 14). Then go fishing together.

30. Or imitate Peter, and go swimming (John 21:7).

31. Give thanks for God’s goodness by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet on the Sunday after Easter (http://thedivinemercy. org/message/devotions/ praythechaplet.php).

32. Talk about how the disciples hid (John 20:19) until the Spirit’s coming at Pentecost. Follow up by playing hide and seek.

33. Plant some seeds.

34. Honor the risen Lord’s mother by learning about the flowers in “Mary gardens” (www.mgardens. org).

35. Read Luke 24:50-53 or Acts 1:6-11. Ask family members to imagine themselves present at Jesus’ ascension. How would they have felt about it?

36. Watch a movie with an Easter theme.

37. Talk about how Jesus is truly present in the consecrated host. Visit an adoration chapel to pray before the Blessed Sacrament.

38. On Ascension Thursday, choose a family intention. Make the nine days till Pentecost a novena to the Holy Spirit.

39. Add some Pentecost red (for fire) to your Easter decorations.

40. Read Acts 2, the Spirit’s coming at Pentecost. Read it in all the languages family members speak. (See the Bible translations at www.biblegateway.com/ languages.)

41. Decorate a cake with Pentecost flames and other symbols to celebrate the birthday of the church.

42. Talk about the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (see Isaiah 11 and 1 Corinthians 12; also the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1830-1831).

43. Make a Pentecost hanging or mobile that features a dove and tongues of fire.

44. Learn a prayer to the Holy Spirit to use in your family prayer time.

45. Play “Twenty Questions”: Have someone choose a Bible character or something from the Easter and Pentecost stories. The group gets twenty questions (yes or no answers only) to guess the right answer.

46. List the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23; Catechism, 1832) on separate slips of paper. Have each family member randomly select a fruit to cultivate.

47. Fly a kite to celebrate the wind of the Holy Spirit.

48. Place an icon or picture of the resurrection, ascension, or Pentecost in a place of honor.

49. Make Sunday meals festive during the Easter season.

50. Every Sunday is a mini-Easter celebrating the resurrection. Brainstorm ways to celebrate the Lord’s day all year.

He gave them bread from heaven to eat. (John 6:31)

These words, spoken by the people who had just witnessed Jesus miraculously multiply loaves and fish, contained a challenge in them. “What sign can you do?” they asked (John 6:30). Can you top Moses, who gave our ancestors manna from above? He fed us during our journey to the Promised Land.

We all know the answer: of course Jesus can “outperform” Moses! As he told the people, he himself is “the bread of life” (John 6:35). He is the One who came down to redeem us and to sustain us on our journey toward his heavenly home.

Both Jesus and Moses offered their people a glimpse of all the good things they were journeying toward. We might say that Moses reached into the Promised Land and brought back to the people a taste of the kind of abundance they were hoping for: “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:17). Jesus, too reached into the Promised Land of heaven and brought back to the people of his day a taste of the abundance awaiting them: heavenly bread that “gives life to the world” (John 6:33).

But it’s not just Jesus who can reach into heaven. In his resurrection, he has opened heaven’s gates for us. Now every person on this earth can reach in and receive the Bread of Life.

There are many ways we can touch heaven while on earth: through prayer, Scripture reading, caring for the poor, offering forgiveness, and loving our families. But the most powerful and the most important way we can reach into heaven is by receiving Jesus himself, the true Bread of Life, at Mass.

Like the manna in the wilderness, this heavenly bread can nourish us on our journey through our own wilderness. Our nourishment doesn’t come because the Eucharist contains some magical power, but because it is Jesus himself, Body and Blood, soul and divinity. His love, his life, his mercy, his joy, his grace—all of it is available to everyone who eats and drinks in faith. As author Scott Hahn wrote in The Lamb’s Supper, “When we begin to see that heaven awaits us in the Mass, we begin already to bring our home to heaven. And we begin already to bring heaven home with us.”

“Jesus, true Bread from heaven, I am reaching out to you!”

Acts 7:51–8:1
Psalm 31:3-4, 6-8, 17, 21

2nd Week of Easter

Even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7)

What an exciting time it must have been for the first Christians! Luke tells us that the number of disciples was increasing “greatly” (Acts 6:7). How many converts that translates to is anyone’s guess, but knowing that Peter brought three thousand to the Lord in one day, we can presume that it was a big number. And then Luke adds what we might call a throwaway line about some of those converts: “Even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith” (6:7).

It may seem like a small detail, but it’s not. While Jesus was alive, the Jewish priesthood had largely rejected him. Many of the chief priests were his bitter opponents, and some had connived with the scribes and Pharisees to have Jesus crucified.

Even those in the lower divisions of the priesthood, who were more likely to be sympathetic to Jesus, would have had to go through a radical turnaround in their thinking to accept him. Like many devout Jews of their time, they were expecting their Messiah to be a warrior king, not a crucified carpenter.

This one detail from Acts assures us that we can expect the unexpected. If the Holy Spirit could touch people so completely steeped in their traditions, he can touch anyone. Conversions do happen, even to those we might consider the least likely people. The friends and family members we have been lifting up to the Lord for years may be just a heartbeat away from turning to him. They may be just waiting for an invitation or a witness from us to bring them to a decision of faith.

So never give up! If you have a son or daughter who is struggling, keep praying. Your child’s story isn’t over yet, and neither is the story of your love for him or her. Try not to be argumentative or self-righteous; try to sow kindness and love instead. If you keep taking steps forward, even if they are baby steps, God will bless you. If you persist, you will find a breakthrough. Just keep leaning into his grace, trusting that he can do all things.

“Holy Spirit, touch the hearts of those who don’t yet know Jesus. Help them experience the joy of salvation.”

Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
John 6:16-21