28 Oct 2014 - do this one thing before you evangelize

When day came, he called his disciples to himself,

Jesus is calling us to himself this morning.

He says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock" (cf. Rev. 3:20). He is at the threshold of our hearts inviting us. He knocks with the persistence of the man who needs to borrow bread at midnight. Yet he is the one who has bread of finest wheat for us (cf. Psa. 81:16).

He says, "Follow me" to us just as he does to Andrew and his companion (cf. Joh. 1:43)

We stand idle in the markets. But we are not forgotten. Jesus says to us "You also go and work in my vineyard" (cf. Mat. 20:7). He has a purpose for us.

This invitation echoes through creation and through the Church: "Their message goes out through all the earth." It must echo ceaselessly because the world is starved for truth.

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost" (cf. Isa. 55:1).

We must echo it tirelessly because the world is so weary.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (cf. Mat. 11:28).

We all experience the sense that something is missing from time to time.  But now, "in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." God in us- this is the missing piece! This is the hope of glory! If we respond to the invitation Jesus offers with love "My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them" (cf. Joh 14:23).

We are being built into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit so let us respond:

Lift up your heads, O gates;
be lifted, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may enter (cf. Psa. 24:7).

This invitation is for the whole world. And the whole world together is meant to be built into this "temple sacred in the Lord". We are no longer forgotten, no longer strangers and sojourners, all because Jesus invites us to be a part of this. We ourselves are to be living stones in his temple (1 Pet. 2:4-6). And since we don't want to see any gaping holes we too must repeat this invitation.

Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.

Let the chorus of this message swell! Jesus shows us the way to do this the most effectively. He spends the whole night beforehand in prayer on the mountain. And he is Jesus! How much more must we entrust all of our efforts to the Father. Yet when we do, we can be sure that all things will work together for our good (cf. Rom. 8:28).