Of Grace and Gratitude

History is ripe with the events placed upon us by simple men and women, willing to lay down their lives for their devotion to the heart, mind and soul of our Savior.  Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.  If that sounds familiar, it is.  We, as Christians do this on a daily basis.  In masses across the globe on Sunday we give ourselves to Christ as Christ gives of Himself to us in the most reverent way, through the Eucharist.  Many non-believers cannot comprehend that serving each other is an act of courage.  There is also a saying that having such courage is like praying for rain during a snowstorm but I am steadfast in my belief that loving one another and offering sacrifice without acknowledgement for greed or esteem is the truest form of dedication and love.  If one cannot make that leap of faith, their image is blinded by the self-constraints of heart and in their limited understanding of eternity. 

I myself am guilty of such vanity.  I used to go to mass but was somewhat distant from the rituals going on around me.  I knew that is was important but did not appreciate the true majesty of the event itself.  One day, I decided to start attending daily mass and was there when the children of the Parish were celebrating mass.  That did it.  Seeing their eyes and watching their emotions I realized that innocence, purity and piety was simply allowing time for Jesus to work in us through them.  I soon found out that what we were given by Christ was a true interconnection between His heart, His body, His blood and in our own willingness to become a part of something truly wonderful.  

This may not happen for everyone, certainly not for those whose knowledge lacks wisdom, but it may manifest itself in ways we cannot see or feel.   Our minds can become pre-occupied with other things but God is always there.  He may give us a memory from our past or bring us face to face with an old acquaintance or even put us into a situation that makes us reflect on why we were doing what we were doing at the time we did it.  Sound confused.  Don’t be.  It just reminds us of our fallibility and why we need Him now more than ever. 

Our needs are a unique connection with others who saw the world as we do.  Saint Juliana of Liege, Saint Peter and Saint Paul all shared a common bond.  They suffered for their faith.  Not torture as we know it, but through the intercession of Mother Mary and in Jesus’ divine love for all of humanity.  Remember that the bread of life must first be shaped by water and fire in becoming the true feast it is intended to be. 

Blessed Pope John Paul II called this gratitude.  It is the nature of the human spirit to want to belong and to give thanks for what they have and return that gift as a form of love.  I have found on those rare occasions I tend to react very cautiously to another’s invitation.  I was brought up in an atmosphere where emotion was restrained and dedication to faith was subdued.  But I am learning to open up to such advances.  I am beginning to understand that without risk there is no reward.  We cannot receive the graces God gives to us unless we are willing to sacrifice ourselves for the betterment of humanity.  By offering our hearts to Jesus, we are given a renewed sense of freedom on our path to enlightenment.

His is the food for the journey.  We welcome Him into our heart as Mother Mary did, in unison with His own heartbeat and of the pulse by which we have everlasting life.  So come to the table, feast on Christ’s banquet full of His grace and holy gratitude. 

May you feel the gentle breath of the Holy Spirit, may you receive God’s bounty in plenty and may His peace be with you, always.