Stay Attached

“Receive communion often, very often…. There you have the sole remedy, if you want to be cured. Jesus has not put this attraction in your heart for nothing….” St Therese of Lisieux

I was visiting a priest friend of mine who was new to a parish. This parish had been neglected for many years, was poorly attended and lacked a spirit. He realized this after being in the parish for some months. It is in the centre of the city where I live and many people walk by it often. He decided to be in the church and leave the doors unlocked. People began stopping by and now every time I want to visit my friend, I need an appointment because people are booking appointments and asking for baptism, conversion, RCIA, or for many other things. He is busy. It is a nice old church, and it stands as a contradiction in the centre of town. Recently, I had been listening to a radio program, and a new convert to the Church lamented that he could not convince his lapsed Catholic relative to attend mass monthly. In a way, the host scoffed. The caller was told not to push, but to attract. Others need to see the change in our lives, not to be coaxed, pushed or convinced. They will be attracted if we live something real. The Carmelites near my home reminded me all the time that Christ is a perfume and the scent permeates our being. This is something that we cannot resist.

“The secret of being always with God and of assuring His continual presence in our hearts is constant prayer.” St. Isidore of Seville

Recently, I read about a few saints that seemed to leave an impression. Blessed Wiktoria Ulma married a man named Josef. They had six children in rural Poland and then the Nazis invaded. They attempted to hide Jewish people as best they could, but when a shopkeeper noticed the increase in food being bought, it was reported to the authorities. The Jewish people hiding on their farm were killed, the family was killed, and Wiktoria was killed with her unborn child. They gave their lives. Also St. Paul VI had his feast day recently. He governed the Church in a difficult time after Vatican II, and he continued to remain faithful to his vocation in the Chair of Peter. We need to stay faithful to what we have met. We need to stay faithful to Christ.

“Sanctity consists in the accomplishment of the duties God lays upon us. In this way, one who fulfills well the duties of his station and, much more, one who fulfills them well for God, will become a real saint – nothing more is needed.” Blessed Louis-Édouard Cestac

Nothing more is needed. I received a phone call recently from a friend in another city who was attending an ordination. It was a beautiful conversation. We need to continue to pray for these people who are following Christ more closely. We need to pray for ourselves. We simply need to pray. As difficult as it may seem, we cannot take our focus off the road in front of us. We must stay attached to Christ and His Church.

“We are disciples of Christ. Christ goes before us. The world needs His light. Humanity needs Him as the bridge to be reached by God and His love. Help us also, and then help each other to build bridges, with dialogue, with encounter, uniting us all to be one people always at peace.” Pope Leo XIV