The Inconvenient Faith - John

"So I went up to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll. He said to me, "Take and swallow it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey." I took the small scroll from the angel's hand and swallowed it. In my mouth it was like sweet honey, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. (Rev 10:9-10)"

This past weekend my family and I went the National Shrine of the Infant of Prague for Sunday mass. The priest there Fr. Shane Tharp is among my favorite priests. He can deliver an outstanding homily that is informational, insightful, humorous, and applicable to daily life. He made a mentioning of how God is always there for us, but we as a people turn our faith on and off for him. My mind began to think of the scripture above as he spoke about this topic.

When we hear the Word, and look at the wonders of God it is sweet as honey. It is such a beautiful and wonderful dream to think of the love God has for us. It is when we take this honey, that we can't keep the same taste. We like to hear and think of how wonderful our life is because of God, but we can't seem to take it into our own heart and apply it. Why is it we turn away? Why can't remain constantly faithful? He never turns from us. He is constantly calling for us. He loves us beyond what we can comprehend, yet we fail to love him back.

This also leads me to wonder about my own position with God. Why is it easy for me to speak of his wonders and deeds, but I have such difficulty showing the love of my neighbor. After all, both me and my neighbor are made in his likeness. I am challenging myself this week to not only take in the Word, but try to digest it in my heart this week. Perhaps if I try to better understand Mary the Mother of God who wholly took the Word into herself, can I come closer to my understanding.

"Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genetrix. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi. Amen."