Without Cost

I was at a meeting several years ago when someone made a comment that they were thankful they could obtain the data we were discussing for free.  Another person in the meeting replied the data was NOT in fact free but was available to us for no fee. The difference of one letter. Someone else had paid for it. That person's reply really struck me.

Earlier this month we read in Matthew's Gospel (10:7-15) how Jesus was sending out His Apostles to "Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons." In the same passage, Jesus says, "Without cost you have received..."  Think for a moment about what Jesus said. Without cost you and I have received. But Someone DID pay the cost. 
 
Our Lord has paid dearly...for us. "In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed, and our sins forgiven, so immeasurably generous is God’s favor to us." (Ephesians 1:7-8)

In these perilous and evil times, these passages from Matthew and Ephesians should speak to all of us to trust in the Lord. He has poured His favor upon us! By His death and resurrection, He has opened wide the door for us to enter into eternal life in Heaven if we just follow His commandments and the teachings of His Catholic Church.

We need to ask ourselves, why would our Lord stop giving us His favor, and of all times NOW?!  It's impossible for Him to stop loving us and giving us what He knows we need! Yes, as Fr. Fred said in his homily this past Sunday, we will have difficulties such as what St. Paul encountered. However, a little further along in Matthew we read that we should, "not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill soul..." and not one sparrow "...falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge...so do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

God's Son paid with His life for our admission into eternal life with Him.  He went all in for us.  Despite what's going on around us and in the world, do we go all in and maintain, even grow in our trust in our Lord?

May God bless you and keep you,
Deacon Bob