We are each called to serve the Lord Jesus by our baptism.

Baptism is the mantel of the Lord thrown over us, it is the blood of the Lamb in which we are washed, it is the death by which we have been brought to life.

Perhaps many of us were baptized as infants and do not even remember our baptism. Others of us were baptized as children old enough to remember our baptism but perhaps not old enough really to make a choice! And there are some Catholics chose as adults to become part of the church and to be baptized.

First, we must be clear: It is God who is calling us to follow Him. It is our Lord Jesus who invites us to be with Him. It is the Holy Spirit at work in our souls, give us strength to walk with the Lord.

At times, for sure, we do not recognize the hand of God upon us. At times we may even resent that the Lord is calling us. Like those in today’s Gospel from St. Luke, we sometimes find strong reasons not to accompany our Lord when we are invited. Or, like others in the Gospel, we want to accomplish things quickly and so we are favor of violent actions.

We have been called by God. We have been called for freedom. This freedom can be misused, as history shows us over and over.

We are called to serve one another through love. We are called to love our neighbor as our self. Such love is never easy, even when we have the best of neighbors. And when we hear the sayings of our Lord Jesus, we know that every other person in this world is our neighbor.

As I look and see each of you, I can challenge you as I do myself: are you willing to give your life in service for the good of others?

So often I know that I am not that willing. How I hope that I am like the one in the Gospel who tells the Lord no, but then actually does what the Lord asks!

Sometimes I know that I shall be entirely blessed if only I can do the smallest thing for the Lord. So often I have good intentions, but I do not follow through with good actions.

Our Lord tells us stories like those in today’s Gospel because He knows our weaknesses even better than we do. We are given the witness of the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures, because we always need encouragement. St. Paul is always reminding us that we are free but can misuse our freedom.

We are invited to continue to trust in the Lord, no matter how many times we fail. We are invited to walk with the Lord, no matter how many times we have turned down His invitation. We are invited to renew our good intentions, no matter how many times we have had good intentions and have done nothing.

Jesus Christ came into our world to save us, not to condemn us.

Jesus Christ calls us to believe in Him. It is Jesus Christ who gives us the power of the Holy Spirit in our weakness so that we can cry out: Father.

May the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of our Lord Jesus draw us to the Father and give us strength this day to take one small step toward the Lord. Come, Lord Jesus, help us in our weakness.