Our second reading at Mass this weekend is from the second letter of St. Peter. In it, he tells us that we should be persons “conducting (ourselves) in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming day of God.”
I am blessed to be a part of a faith community in which I am surrounded and inspired by people who conduct themselves in holiness and devotion. I see it in loving, compassionate people who live by Gospel values and devote themselves to building a more just and peaceful world.
I see it in parents who bring infants, toddlers, and young children to Mass–a task as difficult as it gets. I see it in those who come to church with walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, etc. I see devotion and holiness in those who serve us devoutly as our liturgical ministers, catechists, and parish staff members, as well as in those who serve in our outreach ministries. I see it in those who volunteer in our schools, hospitals, and soup kitchens. I also see it in caretakers, teachers, counselors, coaches, scout leaders, first responders, health care workers, hospice workers, smiling store clerks, and those many kind people I encounter every day.
Today’s readings remind us that we are not only preparing for Christ’s Coming, but we are also called to hasten it! To bring it about! We do so by living holy lives, that is, by living according to Gospel values and devoting ourselves to building the Kingdom of justice and peace.
