The one who leads a life confident that he is a child of God and strives to be part of the kingdom of God is a true disciple of Christ.  Archbishop Fulton J Sheen says, that we acquire everything if we know Christ, even though we acquire everything and do not know Christ then we have nothing.

We live in a world of competition and we fight every day to own and acquire, power, wealth and everything this world has to offer. The meaning and mystery of a Christian life lies in experiencing God.  St Paul had the option to be the most powerful person in the society. But he was ready to renounce all that for Christ and goes on to say, “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). St Paul was able to renounce the worldly attractions because he was filled with the thought that he belonged to Christ.

Let us along with Mary experience the same joy she experienced when she renounced everything to live a life in accordance with the will of God. Let us come to the realization that without God whatever we achieve is of no use and renounce all that which is standing in our way to attain Jesus.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

Fr Prince Chakkalayil CST