Author of the Gospel of Matthew. He wrote on the account of that turning point in his life. We too need to look at our very own lives in this same manner and discern what God has done and what we need to do to live a full life in Christ. Matthew was approached by Jesus while working in the taxing booth, he said to him, follow me, and Matthew stood up and followed Jesus. He wrote for his countrymen in Palestine, embracing all people having been filled with the spiritual and not the carnal ways. How can you today follow Jesus and live more worthily in him. Living half of my lifetime, I learned a very important lesson. And that lesson is this. I learned to follow Christ through the mass, through the Eucharist, through adoration, through weekly confession. He removes in me the branches that are no longer bearing good fruit. We have to at some time or another look deep within ourselves and see the imperfections that have hurt us and hurt others and go to Jesus with repentance. This is one great and valid way to overcome the sinfulness that has clung to our nature, we must purge all of it away in order to live fully live in Christ Jesus and to bear great fruit in his vineyard as we live out each and everyday serving Him and serving one another.
This weekend I am asking for your prayers as I am going to enter into my Temporary Promise as a Third Order Dominican. I am devoted to a life of prayer and I assure you each and every prayer will be said for you and every soul living in Christ and those yet to live in Him. We have a large responsibility in front of us, we must achieve as sons and daughters of Christ. Let us work together, let us help each other and prepare one another's hearts for the truth in life and in death. We must be prepared in advance for Christ, and not be tardy on the day of our demise, we must prepare today for eternity with our creator. Please join me and together we will win all souls for Christ. We have this opportunity this period of time that is precious and it belongs to Jesus, let us follow Him, let us know him through our prayers, our commitment to serve, as the apostles and saints who lived and served during their tenure, we have that same responsibility to do this and more. Christ love is larger than any love you will ever experience. Go to him, go to Mary, she will bring you to her son, through every prayer Mary guides us, covers us in her holy mantle of protection. The truth of Christ living in you comes alive when you enter into this committed relationship of prayer, of kindness, and of love that comes from Jesus first. Remember he knew you first, at the moment of your conception to the moment of your death, he knows every single hair on your head, he knows when you sin, and when you do not repent the way that you should. True repentance frees us of our sinfulness, frees us from the hands of our enemies, frees us to do the holy work that is needed in the vineyard with Christ. Don't miss this chance to meet Christ, to serve Christ, to love Christ, who loves you more than you can fully understand. His love is so great that when we meet him on judgement day face to face our eyes will lock into his and we will remain in his presence forever. I am sure of it that we will all weep in his presence at the love he expected of us to bring into a world that never knew of Him. That never served Him. And yet lived worshiping other Gods. Let us straighten up our crooked paths, and be lead upon the illumined path of Christ that leads us all to the heavenly banquet, Amen.
