Epiphany Catholic Church - Normal IL

Subject: Dying to Self in the Lord’s Vineyard

Dear Epiphany Catholic Church & School,

I hope you are continuing to reflect on what it means to bear spiritual fruit in the Lord’s vineyard and to seek the Lord above all things.

In the readings, the vineyard represents God’s people, whom he planted and expected to bear fruit, though they often turned toward riches, pleasures, and power instead of remaining faithful to him. Jesus’ parable foreshadows his own passion, when he would be taken outside Jerusalem and killed, and it also reminds us that the Lord continues to plant seeds of grace in our hearts. Through the bread and w**e of the Eucharist, we see how Christ emptied himself for our salvation and how we, too, must die to our own will. On the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, we were reminded that his radical poverty brought him freedom—not freedom for its own sake, but freedom for worship and devotion to the Eucharist.

This week, ask the Lord to show you one attachment or desire that keeps you from bearing spiritual fruit, and practice surrendering it to him in prayer. Like Saint Francis, seek the freedom that comes from being emptied of self so that your life may become a witness to the goodness of God.

Blessings,
Epiphany Catholic Church & School Team

Subject: God’s Grace and the Hidden Paths of Providence

Dear Epiphany Catholic Church & School,

I hope you are continuing to reflect on the mysterious ways of God’s grace and the hidden paths of providence in our lives.

The workers in Jesus’ parable remind us that God’s grace does not work the same way as money, because Jesus is speaking to us about salvation and not about a business model. Those who serve the Lord throughout their lives and those who turn to him at the very end both receive the same reward—eternal life—but those who begin early have the privilege of spending their lives working alongside the Lord. Saint Paul gives us a similar perspective when he recognizes that remaining in this life is not for his own betterment, but for the benefit of others. And when we consider the Slade brothers missing the Titanic because of a train, we are reminded that the obstacles we try to push through may sometimes be the very means by which the Lord is leading and preserving us.

This week, take time to notice the obstacles in your life rather than immediately trying to power through them. Ask the Lord what he is actually asking of you, and whether you are being faithful to his will or simply to your own thoughts and desires. Trust that his thoughts are not our thoughts, that the first will be last and the last will be first, and that he is leading us on the journey toward salvation.

Blessings,
Epiphany Catholic Church & School Team