Father Clint's Corner

When we feel small in the face of a problem, small in front of an illness, when we experience fatigue and loneliness, let us not be discouraged. …
This is how we grow: not in the illusory pretense of our self-sufficiency — this makes no one grow — but in the strength of placing all our hope in the Father.
Pope Francis
October 3, 2021

We have to keep on loving even when we don’t see any results. We have to believe in the irresistible power of Christian love, convinced that every act of love, even those that are most hidden, has an impact on the world.
Chiara Lubich, Word of Life, June 1988

We all can do our part to stop this war and to assist those who are suffering. Prayer and prayer together is the best first ‘weapon’ we have. We can also dedicate the sacrifices we and the rest of the world are experiencing (shortages, prices, etc.) without complaint and spiritually place these ‘gifts’ on the altar at each Mass we attend. I remember stories of how the ‘home front’ supported WWII by gladly rationing goods and embracing the shortages as their contribution to the war effort. We should adopt a similar attitude. I am paying more for gas but I’m not being shelled. I can’t find certain products at the grocery store but I am not without bread, lights and clean water, etc.

“God, who is rich in mercy (…) made us alive together with Christ.” (Eph 2:4-5)
God takes the initiative to heal us, independently of our own personal merit. He reaches out to us and his love is completely free and without ulterior motives. (…) Since he is the first to love us, we become a new creation. He shapes us in the image of Christ, thus creating within us his same beauty, making us as lovable as his own Son.
Chiara Lubich - Word of Life, January 1985

By chance I came across this today from Chiara Lubich in 1981 talking about olympic athletes:
"Several times, while admiring them, I felt the urgent invitation within me (perhaps from the Holy Spirit).  It was as if someone were telling me: 'You, too, all of you have to become world champions.'  Champions in what?  Champions in loving God.  But do you know how much training (they) had to do?  Do you know that day after day, for hours and hours, they repeat the same exercises, without ever giving up?  You too, all of you have to do the same... Let's go then!  Let's practice without wasting precious minutes.  What awaits us is not the gold medal, but heaven!"

So, let's be Champions, gold medalists at loving God!
 

"When we say that a Christian is a spiritual being, we mean just this: The Christian is a person who lives and thinks in accordance with God, in accordance with the Holy Spirit. But I ask myself: And do we, do we think in accordance with God? Do we act in accordance with God? Or do we let ourselves be guided by the many other things that certainly do not come from God? Each one of us needs to respond to this in the depths of his or her own heart." - Pope Francis.
I'll be honest. I want there to be congruity between my beliefs and my actions... but I can get caught up unconsciously with worldly or cultural values and standards: How will X affect me? How will others respond to this decision? Will this produce results? How much time will this cost me? I'd rather just live from: "Is this what God is asking me to do in this moment?" Whether I understand it or not. Whether it costs me popularity/acceptance or not. Whether I will have to suffer or not. Whether it has a chance to be successful or not.