From Maintenance To Mission

If you’ve gone out to do any shopping in the past week you know that retailers are already prepared for Christmas shoppers. This is the time of year children begin making their lists for Santa, and spouses begin dropping “hints” to one another. What’s on your wish list this year?
It’s always fun to hope for something new. An upgraded phone, tickets to an event, a new outfit, or a great pair of shoes can all bring about a level of happiness and excitement. But events come and go, and new electronics and clothing eventually become out dated. Why not add something to your list this year that will continue to be a source of inspiration, enlightenment, comfort and joy for you for the rest of your life, and that you can pass on to the next generation of your family? Try asking for a beautiful crucifix for your home, a statue for your mantle, a set of rosary beads for your personal prayer time, or a medal to wear. These are wonderful, affordable, and very special gifts to give or receive! The Church calls them sacramentals. Displaying or wearing these items shows that your faith is important to you, and they are ever-present reminders of how to live as a follower of Christ. People who have a devotion to Mary often wear the Miraculous Medal, praying,

“May this Medal be for each one of us
a sure sign of your affection for us
and a constant reminder of our duties towards you.
Ever while wearing it,
may we be blessed by your loving protection
and preserved in the grace of your Son.”

Don’t confuse sacramentals with good luck charms, though. Think of them as visible prayers that guide us in the ways of holiness in every situation, rather than things that prevent bad luck. The faithful use sacramentals to express devotion and piety, but they are not to compete with or replace the Mass or celebration of sacraments. Paragraph 1670 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) says, “Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church’s prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it.” Simply stated, they are meant to lead us into a deeper relationship with Jesus. Could there be a better gift to give or receive?Striving for holiness is the job of every disciple. Perhaps there’s a sacramental that you can add to your wish-list, one that will guide you on the path of discipleship and will help you do your part in leading our parish from maintenance to mission.