We have a core group of 3 of us who began out Cursillo weekly group over the past 10 years or so. We have had a few people come and go during this time. You have met one of them, Mark Gates, through his recent writings for ACM. We have been very fortunate to have him as part of our group. Mark has had a wonderful journey to his current place in his walk with God. Busy raising a family, busy with work but always having some relationship with the Lord. Now that he is retired, I believe the Holy Spirit has been using the extra time Mark has to increase his growth and in sharing his passion with others.
We had another member of our group who still is in a position later in life to have to put in many hours of work to support him and his family, both immediate and extended. He felt guilty about not having the time to devout to study and worship that others in the group were able to engage in. But he served as a lector, helped with recording masses online, cared for his wife’s aunt in their home for an extended period. There is no question he has served God in the ways that he could.
I know many faithful parents of young children who spend much of their day caring for their children, their spouses and working at the same time. Leaving little time to spend with Scripture or formal prayer. And guilt often grows in them as they strive to mirror others who do not have the same time constraints. But they are serving God when they serve their families and others. God smiles down on them always.
I recall when I was a senior in high school, one of our religion teachers, Brother Bill Fadrowski, asked each of us what are plans were after graduation. When I told him of my college plans I got the impression that he hoped that I would enter seminary. I never forgot this feeling. I found Brother, now Monsignor, Fadrowski on Facebook several months ago and told him of my memory, and perhaps regret. He said to me that God wants me to be exactly where I was at that moment.
In today’s first reading from Acts we find Paul under home imprisonment while being held in Rome. He has been accused of cursing his own people and their customs. He speaks to the Jews during this time about Jesus and how He was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Most were not convinced, but some did receive Paul’s preaching openly.
Also, during his imprisonment, Paul wrote letters to the Colossians, the Ephesians, and to his disciple Philemon. During this time the church grew in great number. Prior to Paul’s being in prison he was a major league globe trotter. He was in constant motion and constantly writing letters of encouragement to the communities he helped develop. He spoke in numerous synagogues preaching that Jesus was the Christ. The long awaited Messiah. But that all changed when the Jews had him placed in jail. He writes, “… for it is on account of the hope of Israel
that I wear these chains.”
Paul’s life situation changed numerous times in his life. He went from a persecutor of the new Christian faith to perhaps the greatest evangelist of all time. He was free to travel the world spreading the Good News to being imprisoned and restricted from travel. But he always found a way to serve the Lord.
We all grow in our faith journeys as we go through life. We may go from ignorance to wisdom. From no time to all the time in the world. As we enter our final days, maybe all we can offer is to pray “Jesus I trust in you.” Where does God want you to be? Exactly where you are now.
