I recently read an account from Ronda Chervin, a convert from Judaism to Catholicism that made the following observation about her journey:
“I had imagined that with entrance into the Church would come immediate sanctity. Then came the slow-moving drama of daily Catholic life which is shared by born Catholics as well as converts. It is a question of holding fast to all the moments of grace in the midst of humdrum times. Daily, one must remember again that life is to be lived toward God.”
What a beautiful description of the hard, daily work of our Catholic faith journey!
The Gospel reading for the 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time hints about the challenges of living a Catholic life when Jesus tells his disciples and us:
“Fear no one. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed nor secret that will not be known.” (Matthew 10:26)
What first comes to mind for me is something we’ve discussed in Bible study with incarcerated women in jail ministry and that is:
The good news is that God sees into our hearts, and the bad news is that God sees into our hearts. But wait that’s not the end of the story, there is more good news – God knows us fully and loves us anyway!
In his teaching, Jesus is telling us not to be afraid of living an honest life even though it may be a daily battle we face. What does an honest life look like? What Jesus describes for us is a call to live in the light. Living in the light involves not having part of ourselves hidden as a dark secret. Living in the light involves taking a hard look at ourselves, an honest self-examination of our lives.
"You're only as sick as your secrets" is a famous recovery adage suggesting that holding onto hidden shame, guilt, or trauma allows it to grow and harm us. Exposing these secrets through vulnerability breaks their power, fostering emotional healing and mental clarity.
Father Ron Rolheiser describes how our spiritual health lies in honesty and transparency and how we live in the light when we are willing to lay every part of our lives open to examination by those who need to trust us.
He gives the following practical examples of what this means:
• To live in the light is to be able to always tell our loved ones where we are and what we are doing
• To live in the light is not to have to worry if someone traces what websites we have visited
• To live in the light is to be able to let those we live with listen to what’s inside our cell phones, see what’s inside our emails, and know who’s on our speed-dial
• To live in the light is to have a confessor and to be able to tell that person what we struggle with, without having to hide anything
• To live in the light is to live in such a way that, for those who know us, our lives are an open book
Besides living in the light, Jesus is teaching us that we must also spread his light to others, making his presence known to others and pointing them to his goodness.
It’s not always easy to be the light of the world, to shine God’s light on others. The prophet Jeremiah echoes this:
“I hear the whispering of many. ‘Terror on every side!’” (Jeremiah 20:10)
But Jesus tells us: “Fear no one.” He assures us that if we hold fast to the moments of grace he provides, and do our best to live honest lives, he will be with us, walking with us. That is the best of news!
Debbie Garza is a parishioner of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Leon Springs, and is an experienced Pilgrimage Group Leader with Pilgrim Center of Hope. She has traveled with Pilgrim Center of Hope to the Holy Land, Italy, and Greece. She says, “On pilgrimage, I know the ears and eyes of my heart have been opened by God’s grace and I’ve experienced the Joy of the Gospel. I am committed to helping other pilgrims experience their personal journey of faith.” Debra is also a member of Pilgrim Center of Hope’s Speaker Team.
Pilgrim Center of Hope provides events, experiences, and media; initiating a desire in people to encounter Jesus Christ in their daily journey of life. See what’s happening & let us journey with you! Visit PilgrimCenterOfHope.org.
