Sharing

   This Sunday I will be performing my first baptisms here at St Joseph parish. I have performed many baptisms, but since this is the first in my new parish, I embrace it as yet another chance to touch new lives with God's word. I never realized howinvigorating   it could be to be able to take the message to new people. I was very comfortable at my former parish and enjoyed preaching and presiding, but now I understand more fully what spurred the followers of Jesus to put their fears aside and leave their homes to spread the good news.
   This should be every baptized person roles. In living our lives, in interacting with the people we meet, in the day to day, same old same old grind, the message of Christ resurrected should be conveyed in some way. That could be sharing our beliefs at the proper moment, so something as simple as helping someone, known to us or a stranger, pick up things they have dropped. Always, Jesus at the forefront of everything we do.
   In my teaching career, this is what I try to convey. Yes I am restricted by the rules of learning. No matter how much I may want every studentt to pass, they must still pass on their own, but I will always try to offer a way for the hard workers to get their reward. And I will always have an encouraging word, even if that is a harsh word of encouragement. Always strive for sharing the message. Remember St Francis of Assisi. "Continually spread the gospel using words of necessary." We sing that they will know we are Christians by our love. They will never know unless they feel it, see it, experience it.