Last Sunday, Jesus reminded us in the Gospel that we are to take up our crosses and follow him. Jesus demands a total commitment from us on the road of discipleship, which will certainly include sacrifices and challenges. Today, we hear Jesus tell us the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, emphasizing the way that Jesus came to save the sinner and the lost, to rejoice when the lost soul repents and comes back to the fold. Paul describes how he once embraced blasphemy, persecution, and arrogance on his journey of faith, but that through God’s grace and mercy, he experienced a profound conversion in his life that brought him to Christ. We can be lost in many different ways on our journey, but God always offers us his love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
As we pass Labor Day, which is traditionally seen as the end of summer, we start our new school year of religious education. Having taught religious education myself as a layperson before I became a priest, and having come through the RCIA program as an adult to the Catholic faith, I have experienced the importance of religious education first-hand in my own life of faith. All of us are called to be lifelong learners in the faith. We have changed the Mass time at Immaculate Conception in Raymond to 8:00 am in order to better accommodate our program of religious education. Next weekend we will celebrate Catechetical Sunday as we recognize the importance of formation on our journey of faith and recognize our catechists and teachers of religious education. Blessings to all of you - Father Lincoln.
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