THE COST OFDISCIPLESHIP FOR YOU AND ME.............

On this 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time today's Liturgy of the Word at Sunday Eucharist speak to us about the price of believing in and following the Living and True God of the Universe as Catholic-Christian Disciples of Jesus The Christ.  My Diocese of San Jose seminary classmate, Reverend Father David Mercer has a very good homily today, which I have posted on my Facebook page for your consideration.  My own reflection were I preaching on the Cost of Christian Discipleship I give you as my blog column today.  On this 545th day of sitting on the sidelines denied the opportunity to preside and preach at public Mass, having endured and persevered through eleven years of health challenges, just as I have with my lifelong physical disability, I remain resolute.  Resolved and resolute in remaining in active ministry and not retiring early and walking away from the great need for productive priestly ministry my  native Sacramento Diocese faces presently and going forward. I can assuredly say the the cost of Catholic-Christian Discipleship is and can be high, very high, causing you and me to expend inordinate measures of endurance and perseverance at times in order to be true to our calling as friends and followers of the Lord Jesus.  I am having to do that, and find myself blessed with the affirmation and support of the People of God ranging from personal friends, former parishioners, and professionals in the community - Catholic and non Catholic alike, who value the contribution my priestly ministry makes to both the Diocese and the wider Sacramento community.  Most of these persons have known me well for thirty to forty years and longer.  So despite the heaviness of the personal cross of disappointment I have had to bear for the past year and a half, my Faith in God, in the ordained Priesthood of Jesus Christ in which I share, and my belief that it is the Divine Intention that I not shrink or surrender to the frustration of this involuntary exile, but push forward in the full expectation of resuming my daily and Sunday ministry opportunities VERY SOON, keep me anchored to pushing forward  My experience and insight causes me to tell you whoever and where ever you are with the inordinate crosses of frustration, hardship, disease, disability, injustice, or unfairness, you are contending with - not to give up, or give in, but push forward proactively with Faith in God and personal/communal perseverance.  Despite the afflictions of nature or other persons imposed on us as human beings, we have a God of All Creation, Who is the Lord of Our Salvation, and the Eternal Source of Love, Peace, Love, Justice, and Righteousness, for you, me, and for all, which makes the extremely high cost of our Discipleship and Faithful Witness worth paying despite and beyond the price exacted from us by temporal powers in this World.  Let us Pray for Peace + Justice and seek to live our Vocation from God to make everyday a better way to building the Kingdom of Everlasting Righteousness.............Fr.  Troy David