Fully Alive: Weekly Message for 1-17-17

Dear Fellow Digital Pilgrim, pax Christi:

The first time I met a missionary was back in the mid 1980s. A young woman visited our classroom to share with us her yearlong experience in Ethiopia caring for orphaned children affected by famine. Still to this day, I remember vividly the story she shared of asking a severely malnourished young girl what she wanted to be when she grew up. The young girl simply answered, “alive”.

In his famous line, “The glory of God is man fully alive” Saint Irenaeus reflects the same deep desire God has for us to truly live. God blesses us each day with gifts and opportunities to thrive, not just merely to survive.

Tomorrow we begin the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25, 2017) overlapping with the Nine Days for Life, January 21-29, 2017. Both events encourage addressing the challenges that thwart the possibility of ‘man living life to the full’. “Reconciliation – The Love of Christ Compels Us” (2 Corinthians 5:14-20) is the theme for prayer, gatherings, events etc. during this upcoming Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It proposes that we recognize the pain of the subsequent deep divisions which afflict the unity between people, families, communities, and the Church.

In a similar way the Nine Days for Life prepares us for the largest pro-life gathering, the March for Life on Friday, January 27, 2017, and reminds us that in order to rebuild a culture of life and Christian unity, we must begin with an authentic, interior spiritual renewal. To truly live and be instruments of peace, love, joy, hope, forgiveness, and mercy we must first be deeply committed to a life in Christ through prayer and the sacraments.

So, let us be united in praying and working for Christian Unity and for the protection of life this month. At RC Spirituality, we hope that our resources help you to give God glory in living to full a life in him. By sharing a Retreat Guide, a Spiritual Smoothie video, or finding an answer for your question at Ask a Priest, you can invite others to taste the goodness of God, and hunger for more of His divine life.

God bless you!

In Christ,
Lucy Honner
lucy@rcspirituality.org