There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. (Mk 9:39-40)

As the liturgical year once again rapidly comes to a close, our days will get shorter, our nights will get longer, and our Scripture readings will continue to point us toward the end times, judgment and the kingdom of God. We should be careful, in these familiar times, not to miss the point. In today’s Gospel John who protests to Jesus that someone not in their company was using the power of his name. Jesus essentially tells him that he’s missing the point. Whoever is not against us is for us, he says. So what is the point? We might think of it this way: how are we doing in our preparation for our personal end of time experience, namely our death? If Jesus returned today, would we be comfortable with him judging how we are doing with the Father’s creation, with the gift of life, with the gift of faith? Would we be prepared today to enter into the kingdom of God? These questions are not meant to drag us down or put us all on some sort of guilt trip. Quite the contrary, for each of us, Jesus calls us to live each day to the fullest, which means striving to be in the right relationship with God and with one another and to follow the true order of things as God’s loving providence has arranged them. In order to do this, we need to be aware of those areas in our life which keep us from being good examples of Christ’s love. And when we discover the things that are preventing us from being good examples and sharing Christ’s love with others, we must remove them. We cannot negotiate with them. We ought not be content with half-measures. We ought to tackle, head on, those things which distract us from a life of good faith and good works. Chasing after material things is not living to the fullest. Chasing after the things of God is.

Receive, Lord, my entire freedom. Accept the whole of my memory, my intellect and my will. Whatever I have or possess, it was you who gave it to me; I restore it to you in full, and I surrender it completely to the guidance of your will. Give me only love of you together with your grace, and I am rich enough and ask for nothing more. Amen. (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

Hail Mary full of grace…

Peace in Christ,

Father Vincent-Vuong Nguyen

St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church

Houston, TX