March 17 we remember Saint Patrick. Let me tell you how I came to know this special saint. It was exactly 34 years ago, my beloved grandmother had died and I was stuck behind traffic building up in town due to a local parade. I shut off my car and stood by the corner and said Lord if this is what you want, for me to be stuck here watching this parade so be it. And I remember just giving in to what the Lord had wanted, and maybe even my late grand mother wanting. So Saint Patrick's Day, definitely had new meaning in my life, it was always a celebatory day whether I was attending a parade in my home town or heading for the big city, everyone celebrated big when it came to Saint Patrick. Why that was back in the day, I am not sure. Only thing that comes to my mind is that he was very much loved by the Irish community. Neither of my ancestors were of Irish descent however, on Saint Patricks Day everyone wore green, whether it was a dress, a painted face, a green carnation, green symbolized the love and reminder of this great saint.
He loved all men. He preached the glory of God to all of Ireland. The Saints of yesterday were very powerful men and women. They knew that God had given them a very specific mission in life to fufill and they went out and did exactly what the Lord had asked of them to do.
You and I have that particular mission too. We have to listen to the voice of God alive in us. When we receive the Holy Eucharist, Jesus is living in our bodies. We are sometimes fearful when it comes to looking that deeply inside of ourselves, but rest assure God allows it for a reason. For his greater glory, we make ourselves available to him attentive of every request he sends our way. We may not like it when we are approached for a specific task but in that moment we must realize Jesus is wanting our sacrifice for the greater good of humanity.
If we could look at every moment God gives us as a miracle, a gift from above, we would certainly live much more fruitful and meaningful lives. We need to stay on track, stay in Jesus company, listening, praying, fasting, and doing good works. Jesus may be asking of you to sacrifice for your children, and grand children, to live for their betterment. Yes, we are called to greatly sacrifice ourselves, our happiness, our desires, because we can, and that is why the Lord seeks us out, we can either say yes Lord, or we can deny him, and miss out on seeing what God wants to do through us.
Once he captures your heart, your life is never the same. He wants your heart, don't hesitate to give it to him, he is trying to do a greater work in you and needs your cooperation. When we cooperate with God, our lives are richer, fuller, more meaningful, more joyful, and happier because we are in the best place we can be. And in God's company we can overcome the impossible. We can redeem ourselves of our past, we can rise above our handicaps in life, and surprise even ourselves, when we see the power of God working from within us. We are his marvelous creation, he wants so much for us and all we have to do is be obedient to his call.
Obedience is greater than sacrifice. It is important that we know and understand the difference. Because when we do, we are no longer living, Christ begins to live in us, and the greatest of all fruit will prosper in us and in everyone we come into contact with.
Be God's fruit. Fruition, is defintely his realm of expertise. We can be fruitful human beings, we can be fruitful Christians. We just need to cooperate with the grace that is given to us by our King. And everything else will fall into place. Trust. Believe. Celebrate Jesus living in you and give him to the world!
