We had a great showing at our parent session last weekend, and it’s always so great to have an opportunity to be around such a dedicated group of people! We are so blessed with so many incredible families here at Saint Paul’s, and I always look forward to seeing all of them on our religious education weekends. More than ever, we need to help support each other and lift each other up in the promise of Jesus Christ! As I said in my presentation, we have to keep Christ in the center of our lives because society is doing everything it can to keep Him out of it! I am always discouraged when I hear of the arguments that people are having over these divide-and-conquer politicians, and it is truly shocking the grip they have on individuals these days. I pray we learn that the only true savior is Jesus Christ and only in Him, can we find true peace and happiness.

This weekend’s Gospel is another example of the leaders of this time testing Jesus, and another instance of them trying to “trap” Him in making some kind of false statement. However Jesus knowing what’s in their hearts, does not fall prey to this trap. He reinforces the teaching that loving God is the first and greatest commandment! Everything in life goes back to God our Father. When we center our lives on this commandment, it is where we truly find ourselves and live out God’s Will for our lives. When we run from this, and boy do we ever, that is when we find a chaotic and out of control life. We must constantly fight to keep Christ present in our everyday life, and we must realize that when we fall the most important thing we can do is allow Him to help us back up. Let us challenge ourselves this week to find ways to center ourselves on His Word and Will. Pick your favorite way to do this; whether it’s picking up a rosary, reading a passage in the Bible each day for the next week, or simply saying a simple prayer like “Jesus, help me to hear You and follow You.” Just make sure to do something to help you grow in peace from His loving way! Have a peace-filled week!