St. Anthony the Abbot Catholic Church

One of St. Paul's most famous phrases summarizes an essential Christian truth. In his Letter to the Romans, Chapter 8 verse 18 - just two chapters after the passage we just heard proclaimed - St. Paul writes: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." He doesn't deny that, as Christians, we will have to suffer in this world, as Jesus promised. But he points out that the goal of our journey is well worth those sufferings. This is the experience of all the saints, and if they could say one thing to us, it might very well be this truth: Following Christ faithfully is tough, but it's worth it!

St. Maximilian Kolbe is a particularly eloquent example of how our faith in Christ gives strength and meaning in the midst of this world's sufferings. He was a Polish Franciscan arrested by the Gestapo during World War II because of his criticism of Nazism. Eventually, he was sent to the concentration camp of Auschwitz, where he was treated with extra brutality because he was a priest. We have all heard of the famous incident where a fellow prisoner, a man who was married with children, was condemned by the guards to execution, and St. Maximilian Kolbe offered himself in the other prisoner's place. His offer was accepted and he died with other condemned prisoners in a starvation bunker. But even before that dramatic finish, he was already bringing Christ's light into the darkness of the concentration camp.

Here is how a fellow prisoner who survived the camp expressed the inspiring power of Fr. Kolbe's presence, even in that hellish place: “Each time I saw Father Kolbe in the courtyard I felt within myself an extraordinary effusion of his goodness. Although he wore the same ragged clothes as the rest of us, with the same tin can hanging from his belt, one forgot this wretched exterior and was conscious only of the charm of his inspired countenance and of his radiant holiness.”

Whether we follow Christ or not, we will suffer during our earthly journey. But if we choose to suffer with Christ, our suffering will take on a meaning and fruitfulness beyond anything we could have imagined. None of us would be here today if we didn’t believe that Jesus Christ really is “the way, the truth, and the life.” We are all convinced that our friendship with Him is the path to the happiness we seek. But hearing His words in today’s Gospel should make us reflect: Is there something in our lives that is holding back that friendship?

In response to our Lord’s renewed call to us today, it would be a good idea for each one of us to take an hour or two sometime during this week to make a spiritual inventory. We should turn off our cell phones and spend some time alone with God. In His presence, reflect on the different aspects of our lives in order to see if anything is interfering with our true purpose of following Jesus Christ.

We can reflect on three categories of things:

First, material things: Are there any material goods or pleasures that have grown out of proportion in my life? Is wealth or pleasure, or the desire for wealth or pleasure, leading me to selfishness, to impatience, to violating any of the commandments? Remember, you cannot take it with you to heaven – all material goods will pass away sooner or later.

Second, relationships: Are there any unhealthy relationships in my life? Relationships that bring me down instead of bringing out the best in me? Relationships that make it impossible for me to fulfill my real responsibilities? If so, we need to ask God to give us the grace to cut them off.

Third, time: Are there any time-wasters in my life? In the post-modern world, hobbies and entertainment have become, in too many cases, idols, mini-religions. Rest, relaxation, and recreation are good values, but they are meant to help us recover energy for our real mission in life, our real duties and responsibilities. Have I let a favorite game or pastime take over too much space in my mind and heart? Or am I so overcommitted that I simply have no time available for proper rest and recreation? Time is too precious a gift to waste.

Let us once again renew our commitment to Jesus, our confidence in His goodness, recognizing that following Him is hard, but remembering that it’s worth it.