St. Anthony & Our Lady of Fatima

Hospitality was a responsibility and privilege highly valued by the Jewish people. In offering hospitality, we may be entertaining angels (Heb 13:2) or even God Himself (Gn 18:17ff). Abraham and Sarah, for example, offered hospitality to God and two angels. As a result, God promised them they would miraculously have a son, although both were almost a hundred years old (see Gn 18:10ff). Hospitality is the breeding ground of promise, blessing, and miracles.

As awesome as hospitality is, Jesus claimed that prayer is even better (Lk 10:42). This was a surprising revelation. Jesus even maintained the necessity of praying always (Lk 18:1; cf 1 Thes 5:17). He did this Himself, praying early in the morning and late at night (Mk 1:35; Lk 22:39ff). Jesus prayed in such a new way that people who had prayed for years asked Him to teach them to pray (Lk 11:1).

After Jesus ascended into heaven, His disciples caught onto Jesus’ message on prayer and “devoted themselves to constant prayer” for nine days (Acts 1:14). The Church was born after this nine-day gestation period of prayer. From that point on, the Spirit has empowered the followers of Jesus to devote themselves to prayer (see Acts 2:42).

We should acknowledge Jesus as first in everything. When we wake up, the first word on our lips should be “Jesus.” Our first activity each day should be praying in the name of Jesus. Before talking to anyone else, we first talk to Him. Before we pick up the phone, answer the doorbell, or put the key in the ignition, Jesus comes first. Before turning on the TV, opening the refrigerator, or pressing a button, Jesus is first. Before we pay any other bills, we pay our tithe. Jesus has the primacy in everything — financially, sexually, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

Jesus is “the First and the Last” (Rv 1:17), “the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End” (Rv 21:6). Jesus is first chronologically. We seek first His kingdom and give Him prime-time (Mt 6:33). Jesus is first ontologically. “He is before all else that is…the Beginning, the First-Born of the dead” (Col 1:17, 18).

Jesus is God. He is not only Lord, but Lord alone. Therefore, we should love Him with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength, and all our mind (Lk 10:27).

Jesus died for our sins. If we had not sinned, there would have been no need for Jesus’ sacrificial death on Calvary in atonement for our sins. In other words, when we commit sexual sin, gossip, eat too much, refuse to evangelize, or don’t forgive, we are directly involved in Jesus’ passion and death (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 598).

All Christians accept the fact that our sins and Jesus’ death are related, but for many this is only an idea or theological abstract. The Holy Spirit, however, will change that by convicting us of our sins (Jn 16:8) and taking us to the cross. Here we will experience deeply how our sins wounded Jesus even to death. The sins of the world will no longer amuse or entertain us (see Prv 10:23). We will be crucified to the world and the world to us (Gal 6:14).

This personal experience of the cross is not necessarily a mystical experience. The Holy Spirit may merely give us insight into the harm of subtle influences on our lives. The result of this will be a profound alienation from the sinful ways of the world. We will intensely hate sin (see Sir 17:21) and love sinners, as the Lord does.

Jesus turns his face towards Jerusalem despite his awareness of the implications of rejection. And that is what happens when he sends messengers ahead to make arrangements in a Samaritan village. James and John are angry but Jesus rebukes them and makes alternative arrangements. He remains free. He remains himself. Then come the call stories and the echoes of Elisha. What happens to us when things do not go according to plan? What happens when people let us down? Do we make easy excuses when we are invited to offer a helping hand or some useful service? Are we ready to go to Jerusalem with Jesus? Or are we like James and John, full of fire and brimstone and quick anger? Are we like the people Jesus called to follow him, swift with our excuses? Or do we hear God’s voice, put our hand to the plough and respond in love?