Being a Christian is hard. This is probably not news to you, but it is not easy openly living out a faith that will often get you ridiculed. I have certainly asked myself, is it worth it? It is worth being made fun of, or yelled at, or lumped in with a group of people I hold nothing in common with. Being a follower of Christ is counter-cultural because Christ was counter-cultural. Although the idea of going against the grain and being your own person sounds really good in theory, it can be really tough. As a Christian, you will experience suffering and hardship, which shouldn’t be a surprise seeing as how you are striving to be like Christ who was ultimately abandoned, mocked, tortured, and died. 

We all suffer. For many of us, maybe our suffering is trying to openly live out our faith, but for some, maybe it is something deeply personal and serious like an addiction, or depression, or anxiety. I don’t know what you might be going through, but we all suffer in someway, which is okay. What is not okay is allowing yourself to fall into despair. This is what St. Paul was talking about when he said “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.” Whatever suffering you may be going through, big or small, Jesus is there suffering with you. You have to remember that Jesus has experienced suffering to a degree that I hope none of us will ever know. Yet for some reason we think that Jesus can’t handle our issues, because he just wouldn’t understand, or some excuse like that. Jesus knows exactly what it is like to suffer, physically, emotionally, and psychologically. So instead of running away from our suffering, or trying to hide it from God, why not give it to Him? Why not simply ask Christ to help, to take it away or to fill us with hope so that you can persevere through your suffering. St. Paul says, “through hope we are saved." What he means is the only way we can persevere through our sufferings and hardships is through hope rooted in Christ. A hope that God loves you, has a plan for you, and that He will ultimately bring you out of any hardships you might be going through. 

Suffering may be part of the Christian life, but it shouldn’t be done alone. If there is something you are suffering with you need to tell a friend or trusted adult. When you have people around you who know what you are going through, they, along with Christ, will make you stronger and make sure you keep striving for greater holiness. 

Don’t lose hope and know you are never alone in your suffering. Christ is always with you, especially in the darkest times.

What are some of the things causing you suffering in your life right now?

How can you give these sufferings more to Christ? How can you unite your suffering to His, instead of hiding it from Him and trying to handle it all yourself?

​How can sharing your suffering with people who love you help you get through it?

"Here's my heart Lord"

"It is well, with my soul."

​"Jesus, heal me."

Don't let suffering and despair bring you down. Shine light on it and give that suffering to Jesus. If there is something you are struggling with, share it with a priest or you parents or your youth minister today. Do not let it keep you down a minute longer.

What is enslaving you? What cravings do you find most difficult to resist and usually succumb to that keep you from God? 

How can you invite the Holy Spirit into your heart when temptation arises?

What do you need to change in your life to be more open to the strength and freedom that the Holy Spirit brings into your heart?

"Come Holy Spirit."

"Free my heart."

"I want more of you."

Resist temptation today. Pray to the Holy Spirit and ask for the strength and guidance to overcome slavery to sin and choose to grow in your relationship with God. 

You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

My mom always told us that when my dad was courting her, her parents did not approve with my dad so they sent my mom to another city to stay with her sister. My dad could not bear the thought of other men meeting my mom, so, as a young man, he risked it all and followed my mom to make sure that she was alright. He moved to a strange place in pursuit of the woman he loved so that he could prove he truly cared for her. My dad’s thoughts of my mom with other men tormented him. He loved my mother so much that he was willing to follow her wherever she went, even to a strange town away from his folks.

For whom does my heart beat? What occupies my thoughts lately?

The greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, meaning in everything that we are. Yet the whole day passes sometimes and the thought of God never even passes by. Even when I pray, I like thinking thoughts about God rather than speaking to God Himself. He is a person to be loved, and greatness lies in loving Him first.

How often do I feel my heart burning in love for God as to leave everything in pursuit of my love for Him? 

I need to express my love for Him when I wake up in the morning, when I take the ride to school, when I eat, and when I’m with friends. He must be in every thought, in every action, and in every conversation with my friends, with my family. I need to love him in every person that I encounter.  The pursuit of God is where true greatness lies! To do this is to recognize and love Him in everything, but most especially in everyone, every person. To tend to Him in every parent, brother, sister, friend, and even stranger in need. Today, as you receive Him in the Eucharist, let Him know your love for Him as you kneel in adoration.  Pursue Jesus.

In what ways do you feel God calling you to follow Him as radically as Fr. Caliente's dad gave up everything to pursue his mom? How have you responded to those calls? 

How do you feel your heart burning in love for God? Is that something you experience? How can you fall more in love with Him in that way?

​What greatness is God calling you to? How can you seek Him and in seeking Him find the greatness He has in store for you?

"I will pursue You."

"I find my greatness in You."

​"I love you, Lord."

Over the next day or so, let your schedule change in some way for God. Get up earlier, give up watching an episode of Stranger Things Season 2 for now, or find some other way to make God a priority by going to Adoration, Daily Mass, or just spending extra time in prayer in order to seek after and pursue Him.

Use the following meditation to help you reflect more deeply on the Scripture (you may want to read the passage again).

​I moved to Minnesota a little over a year ago to serve as a missionary at a university up here in the Twin Cities. When I signed on to be a missionary with Saint Paul’s Outreach, my biggest prayer was that the Lord wouldn’t send me to Minnesota. Whenever anyone asked where I wanted to go, my immediate response was, “ANYWHERE but Minnesota!” You see, fall is my favorite season and winter my least favorite, and from all that I heard about Minnesota winters, fall only lasted a few weeks whereas winter lasted a few months. 

But of course, Jesus has a HILARIOUS sense of humor, so I moved up to Minnesota, cringing in fear every time anyone mentioned the words winter or snow. When the leaves began to change and the mornings began to cool, I soaked in as much outdoor time as I possibly could, terrified that I would only have 3 weeks to enjoy my favorite season.

But here it is a year later, and I’m sitting on my front step in 65 degree weather in October looking at my yard that is covered in beautiful fall leaves. And as I read today's psalm, I was struck at how fitting it was for my current activity. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork […] through all the earth their voice resounds.” 

Sometimes it’s very difficult for me to see the Lord’s love in a tangible way in my life. I don’t know about you, but unless He’s speaking clearly His love for me in prayer, I’m pretty oblivious to it. And far too often, my life is filled with too much noise to hear his voice outside of the time I set aside each day for prayer. But lately, an invitation that the Lord has been placing on my heart is to quiet my life: to turn off the podcasts and the music, to carve space in my schedule to rest, to be satisfied with the still and the silent. He’s been inviting me to make space to make space in my heart and in my life for Him to pursue my heart.

And as I turn off the music that I usually keep playing as low background noise, as I choose not to watch that episode of Gilmore Girls to fill the extra hour, as I take an hour in the afternoon to go for a walk or to sit on my front porch, it’s amazing how quickly my eyes are opened to the subtle ways that Jesus wants to show me His love through the world around me. Sitting here now on this porch, feeling the gentle breeze swaying the trees and blowing leaves into my front yard, my heart is overflowing with love from my Father. It’s not snowing or freezing yet. We’re now in our fifth week of fall and I still haven’t had to dig out my winter coat. What a love letter from the Lord to my heart! The whole world declares His glory and throughout all the earth His voice declares that I am loved.

These questions are to be used to talk to God; have a conversation with the Lord about these questions and what is going on in your heart as you pray today.

What are some of the noises or distractions in your life that you need to turn off for a little while?

​In what subtle ways is Jesus showing you His love for you?

How can you glorify God today? Where do you see God's glory surrounding you?

In this step, you listen. Stop talking, let God speak to your heart. You may repeat one of these short phrases to focus your mind on the Lord.

"I praise you, Lord."

"In the silence, Lord, you speak."

​"Rest in His love."

In light of today's reading and your time spent in prayer with the Lord, what concrete action or actions will you take to let this encounter with the Lord bear fruit in you today?

​​Take some time today to turn off the noise in your life and open your ears to listen to the symphony of creation’s song of love from the Father for your heart specifically. Go for a walk, drink a mug of tea by the window, hunt down some good vibrant fall leaves. Our Father wants to use His whole creation to shout to the world that you are His beloved one. Open your ears to hear His voice of love.