4
Dear Parishioners, Over the last 10 days we have seen the borders of Queensland open up. Some restrictions have been removed, some areas of Australia are still being limited in visiting Queensland. We are continuing to open all the churches in Queensland including our own. Because we have a large church we are able to allow 140 to attend our Masses. Since the beginning of June we have been able to gradually allow a larger number of people to attend our Church. Would you believe in the beginning of June it was only 20 people. For those who have not attended Mass recently there are a list of regulations at the end of this page which lets you know what we are allowed to do in our Church. To be able to attend Mass the majority of people will need to register on http://www.olol.com.au/massbookings.html to be able to register which Mass you would like to attend on the weekend. For weekday Masses there is no need to register online but to simply ensure that the marshals at the front of the church have your details (name, phone no. & email). There is some worry that in the future we may return again to lockdown and therefore our Churches will be closed. If this does happen we would like to be able to communicate with as many parishioners as possible. When you register on Eventbrite online there are privacy restrictions which do not allow us to use your information to contact you. The marshals at the front door will ask you can we use your information (name, phone number and email address) to send you important information about the Parish, especially the newsletter and other information. As most of you would know we cannot hand around the collection plates in Church. There are various ways of contributing to the costs of the Parish. There is a box in the aisle the Church. There is a tap on, tap offpillar at the front of the Church. You can always call the Parish Office to be able to share your details for a periodic payment. Also there is a Planned Giving app on the Parish website - olol.com.au. A lot of people have asked me how are the finances of the Parish. The answer I give is that we are struggling because we cannot take up our usual Sunday collection at Mass. Without the Jobkeeper in assisting in paying for our staff and clergy it would be very desperate. Thank you for anyway you can assist financially in helping to pay for the costs of our wonderful Parish. I continue to encourage you to also support financially the Winter Appeal of the St Vincent De Paul conference of our Parish. You can contribute financially or by donating blankets to keep people warm in our area during these cold nights. See page 3 for more details The Priests are available for the Sacrament of Penance (Confession). The Reconciliation rooms are closed so you will need to ring the Parish Office during office normal hours and book a time to see one of the Priests. God Bless you, Fr Dan Priests: Fr Dan Ryan (Parish Priest: Sunnybank) Fr Terence Nueva (Parish Priest: Acacia Ridge ([email protected] Office: 3277 2252) Fr Enoch Iheme (Associate Pastor) Fr Raju Joseph (Associate Pastor) Parish Office (adjacent to OLOL Church, Sunnybank) Ph: 3345 3766 Monday to Thursday, 8.30 am - 4.00 pm; Friday 9.00am - 4.00pm Post: PO Box 32, Sunnybank, QLD 4109 Web: www.olol.com.au Email: [email protected] Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - 19th July 2020 Acacia Ridge, Algester, Archerfield, Calamvale, Coopers Plains, Kuraby, Macgregor, Parkinson, Robertson, Runcorn, Stretton, Sunnybank, Sunnybank Hills Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 121 Mains Road, Sunnybank Our Lady of Fatima Church, 350 Mortimer Road, Acacia Ridge Monday 20th July 8.15am Morning Prayer 8.30am Mass - Sunnybank Tuesday 21st July 8.15am Morning Prayer 8.30am Mass - Sunnybank 9.30am Bible Study (Media Room) 7.00pm Adoration Wednesday 22nd July St Mary Magdalene 8.15am Morning Prayer 8.30am Mass - Sunnybank 9.00am Rosary 6.00pm Mass - Sunnybank Thursday 23rd July 8.45am Morning Prayer 9.00am Mass - Sunnybank Friday 24th July 8.15am Morning Prayer 8.30am Mass - Sunnybank 10.00am Legion of Mary (Media Room) Saturday 25th July St James 6.00pm Mass - Sunnybank Sunday 26th July 6.30am Mass - Sunnybank 8.00am Mass - Sunnybank 9.15am Mass - Sunnybank 10.30am Mass - Sunnybank 6.00pm Mass - Sunnybank (Youth) CHURCH REGULATIONS Movement around the church will be limited. The following directions need to be adhered to. Entry and Exit will be by the main front doors only You must Sanitize at the front door Marshals at the front door will check your name if you have registered online. If you have not registered the marshals, by law, require your name, phone number and email address. These details we need to retain for 58 days. An usher will show you to your seat where there will be social distancing (one & a half metres apart) of those not in the same family. After each Mass the Church needs to be sanitised and prepared for the next Mass. Be on time for Mass. The doors of the Church will be locked as Mass starts. No touching at the Sign of Peace The Eucharistic Chapel will be closed Communion will only be shared on the hand and not the tongue The Sacristy will only be accessed by the Priest (there will be no Sacristans and the Priest will set up the Altar by himself and no one will touch anything on the Altar) At the moment, there will be no access to the statues The Piety Stall will remain closed Only one toilet will be open There will be no collection plates but a box will be used for all collections Next Sunday: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: 1 Kings 3: 5, 7-12; Romans 8: 28-30; Matthew 13: 44-52

Parish Office (Parish Priest: Sunnybank)adjacent to OLOL Church, … · 1 day ago · Fr Raju Joseph (Associate Pastor) Parish Office ( Ph: 3345 3766 Monday to Thursday, 8.30 am -

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Page 1: Parish Office (Parish Priest: Sunnybank)adjacent to OLOL Church, … · 1 day ago · Fr Raju Joseph (Associate Pastor) Parish Office ( Ph: 3345 3766 Monday to Thursday, 8.30 am -

Dear Parishioners,

Over the last 10 days we have seen the borders of Queensland open up. Some restrictions have been removed, some areas of Australia are still being limited in visiting Queensland. We are continuing to open all the churches in Queensland including our own.

Because we have a large church we are able to allow 140 to attend our Masses. Since the beginning of June we have been able to gradually allow a larger number of people to attend our Church. Would you believe in the beginning of June it was only 20 people.

For those who have not attended Mass recently there are a list of regulations at the end of this page which lets you know what we are allowed to do in our Church.

To be able to attend Mass the majority of people will need to register on http://www.olol.com.au/massbookings.html to be able to register which Mass you would like to attend on the weekend. For weekday Masses there is no need to register online but to simply ensure that the marshals at the front of the church have your details (name, phone no. & email).

There is some worry that in the future we may return again to lockdown and therefore our Churches will be closed. If this does happen we would like to be able to communicate with as many parishioners as possible. When you register on Eventbrite online there are privacy restrictions which do not allow us to use your information to contact you. The marshals at the front door will ask you can we use your information (name, phone number and email address) to send you important information about the Parish, especially the newsletter and other information.

As most of you would know we cannot hand around the collection plates in Church. There are various ways of contributing to the costs of the Parish. There is a box in the aisle the Church. There is a “tap on, tap off” pillar at the front of the Church. You can always call the Parish Office to be able to share your details for a periodic payment. Also there is a Planned Giving app on the Parish website - olol.com.au.

A lot of people have asked me how are the finances of the Parish. The answer I give is that we are struggling because we cannot take up our usual Sunday collection at Mass. Without the Jobkeeper in assisting in paying for our staff and clergy it would be very desperate. Thank you for anyway you can assist financially in helping to pay for the costs of our wonderful Parish.

I continue to encourage you to also support financially the Winter Appeal of the St Vincent De Paul conference of our Parish. You can contribute financially or by donating blankets to keep people warm in our area during these cold nights. See page 3 for more details

The Priests are available for the Sacrament of Penance (Confession). The Reconciliation rooms are closed so you will need to ring the Parish Office during office normal hours and book a time to see one of the Priests.

God Bless you, Fr Dan

Priests: Fr Dan Ryan (Parish Priest: Sunnybank) Fr Terence Nueva (Parish Priest: Acacia Ridge ([email protected] Office: 3277 2252) Fr Enoch Iheme (Associate Pastor) Fr Raju Joseph (Associate Pastor)

Parish Office (adjacent to OLOL Church, Sunnybank) Ph: 3345 3766 Monday to Thursday, 8.30 am - 4.00 pm; Friday 9.00am - 4.00pm

Post: PO Box 32, Sunnybank, QLD 4109

Web: www.olol.com.au Email: [email protected]

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - 19th July 2020

Acacia Ridge, Algester, Archerfield, Calamvale, Coopers Plains, Kuraby, Macgregor, Parkinson, Robertson, Runcorn, Stretton, Sunnybank, Sunnybank Hills

Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 121 Mains Road, Sunnybank Our Lady of Fatima Church, 350 Mortimer Road, Acacia Ridge

Next Sunday: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: 1 Kings 3: 5, 7-12; Romans 8: 28-30; Matthew 13: 44-52

Monday 20th July

8.15am Morning Prayer 8.30am Mass - Sunnybank

Tuesday 21st July

8.15am Morning Prayer 8.30am Mass - Sunnybank 9.30am Bible Study (Media Room) 7.00pm Adoration Wednesday 22nd July St Mary Magdalene

8.15am Morning Prayer 8.30am Mass - Sunnybank 9.00am Rosary 6.00pm Mass - Sunnybank

Thursday 23rd July

8.45am Morning Prayer 9.00am Mass - Sunnybank Friday 24th July

8.15am Morning Prayer 8.30am Mass - Sunnybank 10.00am Legion of Mary (Media Room)

Saturday 25th July St James

6.00pm Mass - Sunnybank

Sunday 26th July

6.30am Mass - Sunnybank 8.00am Mass - Sunnybank 9.15am Mass - Sunnybank 10.30am Mass - Sunnybank 6.00pm Mass - Sunnybank (Youth)

CHURCH REGULATIONS

Movement around the church will be limited. The following directions need to be adhered to.

Entry and Exit will be by the main front doors only

You must Sanitize at the front door

Marshals at the front door will check your name if you have registered online. If you have not registered the marshals, by law, require your name, phone number and email address. These details we need to retain for 58 days.

An usher will show you to your seat where there will be social distancing (one & a half metres apart) of those not in the same family.

After each Mass the Church needs to be sanitised and prepared for the next Mass.

Be on time for Mass. The doors of the Church will be locked as Mass starts.

No touching at the Sign of Peace

The Eucharistic Chapel will be closed

Communion will only be shared on the hand and not the tongue

The Sacristy will only be accessed by the Priest (there will be no Sacristans and the Priest will set up the Altar by himself and no one will touch anything on the Altar)

At the moment, there will be no access to the statues

The Piety Stall will remain closed

Only one toilet will be open

There will be no collection plates but a box will be used for all collections

Next Sunday: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: 1 Kings 3: 5, 7-12; Romans 8: 28-30; Matthew 13: 44-52

Page 2: Parish Office (Parish Priest: Sunnybank)adjacent to OLOL Church, … · 1 day ago · Fr Raju Joseph (Associate Pastor) Parish Office ( Ph: 3345 3766 Monday to Thursday, 8.30 am -

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Year A

First Reading: Wisdom 12: 13, 16-19 In this hymn to God ’s power and mercy, the author of the Book of Wisdom praises the seeming paradoxical nature of God’s power which is great in its gentleness. Second Reading: Romans 8: 26-27 Continuing his teaching on the Spirit, Paul assures the Christians of Rome that in our weakness, the Spirit comes to our help: praying for us when we do not have the words. Gospel: Matthew 13: 24-43 In parables about darnel amongst wheat, mustard seeds, and yeast, Jesus

teaches us further about this upside down Kingdom which he brings: a kingdom where good and bad co-exist, a

kingdom where big things come from the smallest beginnings, indeed a kingdom which remains largely hidden from our

eyes.

‘GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE’ Rejoice and Exult THE GREAT CRITERION

CHAPTER FOUR Signs of Holiness in Today’s World

IN CONSTANT PRAYER

154. Prayer of supplication is an expression of a heart that trusts in God and realizes that of itself it can do nothing. The life of God’s faithful people is marked by constant supplication born of faith-filled love and great confidence. Let us not downplay prayer of petition, which so often calms our hearts and helps us persevere in hope. Prayer of intercession has particular value, for it is an act of trust in God and, at the same time, an expression of love for our neighbour. There are those who think, based on a one-sided spirituality, that prayer should be unalloyed contemplation of God, free of all distraction, as if the names and faces of others were somehow an intrusion to be avoided. Yet in reality, our prayer will be all the more pleasing to God and more effective for our growth in holiness if, through intercession, we attempt to practise the twofold commandment that Jesus left us. Intercessory prayer is an expression of our fraternal concern for others, since we are able to embrace their lives, their deepest troubles and their loftiest dreams. Of those who commit themselves generously to intercessory prayer we can apply the words of Scripture: “This is a man who loves the brethren and prays much for the people” (2 Mac 15:14).

Archdiocese of Brisbane Policy Statement ...for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Mark 10:14

The Archdiocese of Brisbane holds that Children, young people and vulnerable adults are a gift from God with an intrinsic right to dignity of life, respect and security from physical and emotional harm. They are to be treasured, nurtured and safeguarded by all.

A VOCATION VIEW: There are many weeds growing with the wheat in our lives. Sometimes the weeds strangle our growth, or prevent us from hearing clearly God's voice. We need time to reflect on the garden of our life.

Care for our Common Home - Sustainable Living

Jesus’ parables are so often about our earth, fields, birds, seeds. One key lesson of Laudato Si’ is Pope Francis’ challenge: we are all part of the one created world. ‘Nature

cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves, or as a mere setting in which we live. We are part of nature, included in it and so in constant interaction with it ..’LS139. We depend on nature not only for our physical survival, we also need nature to show us the way to get out of the prison

on our minds. We get lost in a maze of complexity and a world of problems. We have forgotten how to just be, to be still, be ourselves, to be where life is: Here and Now. During this COVID19 days, nature has continued just to be. Grass has grown, rain has fallen, bees continue to fertilise the

flowers. This week take some time to bring your attention to a stone, a tree, an animal. Be still, look, listen. A Prayer may be: God of all creation, your spirit dances throughout the earth. You give drink to the trees, shade for the birds, bread for the hungry. You bring life and make all things holy. We ask this through your Son Jesus Christ. Amen

Kingaroy Nanango Catholic Parish Position Vacant – Parish Administration Assistant

Applications are open for a position at the Kingaroy Nanango Catholic Parish. A person with excellent administration and secretarial skills is required for a part time position of Parish Administration Assistant for 20 hours a week

For additional information, please visit the Archdiocese of Brisbane website — https://clientapps.jobadder.com/68451/aob-internal-career-opportunities

The Archdiocese of Brisbane has standards of conduct for workers to maintain a safe and healthy environment for children. Our commitment to these standards requires that we conduct working with children checks and background referencing for all persons who will engage in direct and regular involvement with children and young people (0 - 18 years) and/or vulnerable adults. The organisation is fully committed to child safety and has a 0 tolerance to abuse of children or vulnerable adults.

Page 3: Parish Office (Parish Priest: Sunnybank)adjacent to OLOL Church, … · 1 day ago · Fr Raju Joseph (Associate Pastor) Parish Office ( Ph: 3345 3766 Monday to Thursday, 8.30 am -

Your Prayers Are Asked For:

recently deceased: Elisa Rosales, Eliezer Martinez, Armando Noches, Bill Boland, Benny George, Teresita Delaney, Ambrocio Lauron.

those with anniversaries & others who have died: Marjorie Gavino, Tom Jackson, Ben Haker, Karl Haker, Arthur Rainbird, Anna Allan, Ken Wright, Olive Taylor, Hughie Taylor, Michael Grace, Justina Ridolfo, Giovani Klaser, Tomislav Djorovic, Ana Powell-Klaser, Fr Tom Hegerty, Ambrocio Oco, Peter Despotovic, Januaria Verdeflor, Antonio Vederflor, Susana Verdeflor, Gladys Wendt, Martin Wendt.

for those resting in our Columbarium: Fredrick Aisthorpe, Harold Aisthorpe, Minnie Aisthorpe, Helen Bailey, Francesco Bonasia, Geoffrey Chapman, Pedro Gallibu, Fay Garner, Eric Glennon, Iris Glennon, Brian Hammerton, Stephen King, Lucia Yeen Lim, Noemi Lorenson, Maureen McDonald, Peter McSweeney, Eusebia Moraw, Gerard Murphy, Cuong Nguyen, Dr Roberto Rabuya Jr, Claribel Tungol, Anthony Van der Togt, Lily Rose Villas, Romeo Villas, Elizabeth Wilson, Monica Wong, Nola Wright.

those who are unwell: Mick Crust, Joseph Chan, Jaclyn Cho, Carlos Moreno, Henry Mencia, Mercedes Cerritos, Portillo Family.

the continuing sick: Giuseppe Abbate, Dawn Angus, Brian Burgess, Denise Burgess, Kerry Carrington, Lawrence Chua, Hilary Collins, Alan Cooke, Margo Couldrey, Hayley Cranwell, Mary Dixon, Jamie Edwards, Patricia Edwards, Jan Fooks, Carol Ann Grace, Mary Goode, Jean Hamilton, Marie Harrison, John Hickey, Shelley Hobson, Mary Hughes, Norma Ives, Gloria Ives, Stephen Ives, Geoff Ives, Mel Jones, Theo Jovellanos, Rochelle Keen, Graham Kelly, Betty Kennedy, Maryann Larcher, Malcolm Lilley, Denise Mann, Rod McDonald, Carolyn Miller, John Morris, Mark O’Brien, Duncan Pegg, Peter, Vivian Pin, Josephine Russo, Katie Ryan, Jim Scriha, Brian Strangman, Valmai Sutton, Maria Turner, Istvan Vadasi, Craig Woodcroft, Carole Young.

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY, SUNNYBANK - WINTER APPEAL What a strange world we are currently living in and while many things have changed there is one thing that has unfortunately remained constant and that is the needs of many of people in our community. With the arrival of Winter, we are once again asking parishioners’ help with donations of money and blankets.

If you would like to give blankets, or even join our team, please either drop the blankets into the office (call ahead first), or ring OLOL and give them your details and one of our team will get back to you to either collect blankets or give you more information.

We at St Vincent de Paul are always very grateful for the amazing support that we always receive from the wonderful parishioners at Our Lady of Lourdes, Sunnybank. Because of the COVID19 pandemic we are doing things a little differently this year and asking you to help out more remotely. Below are the various ways that you can donate:

Winter Appeal We appreciate your generosity at this difficult time when many people in our community need assistance. Please complete your details below and choose one of the ways to donate to the OLOL Sunnybank SVDP Conference. First Name ______________________________________ Surname___________________________________

Address________________________________ Suburb ___________________________ Post Code _________

Phone Number ____________________________ Email _______________________________________________

Please send Receipt to address above

Ways to Donate Donation Amount $________________________ A Do an online donation to SVDP Sunnybank Conference Account BSB : 064-786 Account : 100026096 (use your name as reference)

(For online donation please email if receipt is needed)

B Please debit my: Visa Mastercard Amex Diners

Card Number: ________ _______ ________ ________

Card Holder Name: __________________________________ Card Expiry Date: ____________________

C Cheque: Crossed Not Negotiable and made payable to St Vincent de Paul Society. Please post with this form to postal

address above or leave with staff at Parish Office during office hours. D Cash: Please place in a sealed envelope with this form and leave at parish office during office hours or call parish office to arrange collection. For further assistance please phone the Parish Office on 3345 3766 or Email: SVDP Sunnybank at [email protected] (Note: oll are lower case letters….not numbers).

E If you have received a SVDP return envelope in the mail, feel free to use this. Please make sure to write on it that you wish the money to go to the Sunnybank Conference of SVDP.

St Vincent de Paul Society Our Lady of Lourdes Sunnybank Conference

PO Box 32 Sunnybank 4109

Page 4: Parish Office (Parish Priest: Sunnybank)adjacent to OLOL Church, … · 1 day ago · Fr Raju Joseph (Associate Pastor) Parish Office ( Ph: 3345 3766 Monday to Thursday, 8.30 am -

PARISH STAFF & CONTACTS

Pastoral Associate

Christopher Voigt [email protected]

Parish Manager Karrin Halliday

[email protected]

Local Safeguarding Representative Karrin Halliday - Officer

Secretary

Michelle Morley [email protected]

Accounts

Tam Nguyen [email protected]

Caring Coordinator

Christine Smith [email protected]

Unite Youth/Young Adults Coordinator

Athira Crispin [email protected]

0403 182 617

Sunnybank Parish Groundsperson John Furlong

Housekeepers: Therese Prygiel Louise Weston

Paloma Reception Centre

3345 3766

OLOL School, Sunnybank Principal - Micheal O’Sullivan

Assistant Principal - Sally Smith 3345 0700

OLOL OSHC

Co-ordinator - Sheleen Lata [email protected]

3344 3064

OLOF School, Acacia Ridge Principal - Damian Gambley

3275 1152

St Stephen’s School, Algester Principal - Phil Manitta

3711 4911

St Stephen's OSHC Co-ordinator - Mel Maltman

[email protected] 3711 9291

St Thomas More College, Sunnybank

Principal - Les Conroy 3323 4600

St Vincent de Paul

1800 Vinnies 1800 846 643

Soubirous Place

Sr Bridgid 3323 2100

Sunnybank Aged Care

Unit 5/18 Torbey Street, Sunnybank 3323 2100

Is your faith based on “should” or a desire to deepen communion with God? From Life Teen Blog

You’re probably used to hear ing the word “should” a lot . Whether i t be f rom your f r iends tel l ing you about how you should be up to date wi th the la tes t T ikTok t rend, or how you should come hang out a t the next sports game to cheer your school on. Maybe i t ’s your parents tel l ing you about how you should be c leaning your room, or a teacher say ing that you should be s tudying f rom your notes in c lass to prepare for the next tes t coming up. You’ve maybe even heard i t f rom your youth minis ter tel l ing you how you should s ign up and come to the next ret reat your youth group is put t ing on (shout out to my youth minis ter for not giv ing up on gett ing me to come to my youth group’s re t reat a fter the many t imes I said no). This word has become such a part o f our vocabulary in l i fe as wel l as part o f the obl igat ions we set before ourse lves to ful f i l . What about your fai th l i fe? Does the word “should” play a ro le there? Striv ing for hol iness comes wi th obl igat ions such as at tending Mass, receiv ing the sacraments, and prayer — but that shouldn’ t be the basis for our fai th. Pr ior to many conversion exper iences, I went through in high school , being Cathol ic was very much part of my fami ly l i fe growing up. We prayed as a fami ly, a t tended Mass as a fami ly , and became heavi ly involved wi th my hometown par ish community. I didn’ t g ive i t much of a second thought o f be ing so heavi ly involved as a k id , and I remember enjoying the t ime I spent a t church when I was l i t t le . Over t ime as I got older, I found mysel f annoyed at the l i t t le things that came about wi th the fai th . I sought to escape from hearing what I “should” be doing to maintain my fai th l i fe and made excuses as to why I wasn’t going to do what I “should” be doing. Now don’ t get me wrong, I would not be where I am in my fai th today wi thout my parents rais ing me in the fai th, and wi thout the support system of f r iends and my youth group to journey wi th. Yet, even though the work and effor ts of my parents were what brought me into the fa i th , there was not a strong desire in my heart to l ive i t out for any reason other than “ I should l ive i t out.” Without any desire to pursue a relat ionship with the Lord , I fai led to t ruly acknowledge the inv i ta t ion God la id befo re me to en ter in to a re la t ionsh ip wi th h im as my Fathe r .

The Invitation and the Gift Spending time with one another is pivotal in a relat ionship . I t ’ s easy to overlook this when being caught up in the ‘busyness’ of the fai th , and viewing how we partake in our fai th as things to accompl ish whether i t be the week ly commi tment of going to Mass or even t ry ing to make i t to confession whenever possible. Yet through this ‘ checklist ’ mental i ty , the t ruth remains: God desi res and invi tes us in to relat ionship wi th him. I t ’s through th is immense love He has for us that he’s g iven us the abi l i ty to partake in relat ionship with Him through the g i f ts of prayer, the Mass, and the sacraments . These are gi f ts the Lord has given us to ab ide in relat ionship wi th him. Even though these are obl igat ions we partake in, these moments we get to spend wi th the Lord are meant to lead us to find true happiness and freedom in the one who gave his l i fe for us — not because we should , but because He is who He is.

What if you said yes? Communion wi th God is what should motivate us to partake in the gi f t o f the Mass, the gi f t o f the sacraments , and the abi l i ty to d ive deeper in re la t ionship wi th the Lord through

prayer. To bet ter enter in to this , here are some quest ions to re f lec t and consider:

What motivates me to l ive out the fai th in pursuit after the Lord? Does a desi re to enter in relat ionship wi th the Lord mot ivate me to be act ive in my fai th? Am I al lowing mysel f to enter in to a t ime of prayer more eager to spend i t wi th the Lord, or am I yearning for the t ime to be over? Am I making God a priori ty in l i fe? Does he come f i rs t? Am I making enough space in my day to spend t ime wi th him? Are there other obl igat ions tak ing more importance than making the space to pray , to attend mass, or receive the sacraments? What if you said yes? Because the Lord is invi t ing me in to a rela t ionship wi th him, what is there to lose when i t comes to giv ing up an amount o f t ime in my day to spend wi th him? Am I wi l l ing to dive in completely in my pursui t a f ter h im? Is there anything that may be holding me back f rom doing so? Take some t ime to wri te down your answers and take them wi th you to the Lord. Ask h im for the grace and clari ty to f reely enter deeper in relat ionship wi th him . Whenever you may feel as i f Mass or prayer is something you should be doing, rather than having the desire to enter freely into time with h im, return to these questions. Chris t ex tends

the invi ta t ion out for us to enter in re la t ionship wi th him. Are we wi ll ing to say yes?