Congratulations on one week! My prayer this day is your journey is transformative and enlightening. Thank you to Michael White and Tom Corcoran for offering us this forty-day journey. Today, they take us to a challenge to rebuild our church. They say:” Rebuilding our Catholic faith is all about Jesus. It is all about Jesus and where he leads us.” Simple as that. Jesus gives us the Great Commandment from the Jewish Scriptures (Old Testament):
“Hear O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4–5)
Jesus also gives us the Great Commission:
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18–20).
If we live the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, we’re on the right path. It’s as simple as that. The authors shared five STEPS to guide us and these reflection questions:
Do you agree that following Jesus is simple but not easy? Why or why not?
Rank in order which of the STEPS interest you most.
What STEPS are present in your life right now? Which would be the most challenging step for you?
For me, as I reflect on these questions, following Jesus is simple and not easy. Encouraging voices offer inspiration. I think some of the challenges is how we have complicated the Great Commandment and Great Commission.
Using the STEPS cited by the authors, I would say Service, Practice and Share Faith are most visible in my life right now. I think Tithe and give is an area I need to develop. Hopefully, as this forty days progresses, I’ll have a better balance of the five S-T-E-P-S.
On to week two!