Question for the Day: What is Our First Duty?

 "I must be holy because my Jesus wants it."    

                                    St. Bernadette Soubirous

The Church often reminds us of our obligations according to our state in life. A priest's or nun's duty is not the same as a husband or a wife, a mother or a father, a student, an employer, or employee. But one duty in which we all share is to be holy "because my Jesus wants it."

How do we do that? It's not very complicated, but it's anything but easy. Mary showed us how in her "fiat." When she responded to the angel, she gave us the answer. "Be it done to me according to your word." The angel was the the messenger of God's will. If we want to be holy we have to do one thing -- embrace the will of God! It's better to embrace His will out of love than out of fear, but Scripture tells us that the "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." A child may behave out of fear of Daddy's anger, but it's better to behave out of love and respect. And as we mature in our faith, that hopefully becomes our default position.

And how do we know what God's will is? That's not too complicated either. We know He loves us and wants us to love Him. And He told us what it means to love Him. "If you love Me, you will keep my commandments." [John 14:15] Among those commandments is the call to prayer, especially on the Lord's day. But prayer is like food. If you starve yourself for six days and only eat on the seventh, you won't have a healthy body. And if you only spend time with the Lord on Sunday and ignore Him the rest of the week, you won't have a healthy soul. 

Besides that, what kind of a relationship would you have? Friendship requires the investment of time. Do we want to be friends with God or just have a passing acquaintance? Beginning the day with prayer, even prayer on the run, with Jesus in the passenger seat as we drive to work or carpool the kids to school orients our day to the East to watch the Son rise.

May we all listen to that humble little saint of God, Bernadette, and strive to be holy because "my Jesus wants it." 

By the way, St. Bernadette's feast day is coming up, April 16th. What a good time to watch that beautiful film, Song of Bernadette. Did you know that Franz Werfel, a Jewish refugee from the Nazis, wrote the novel in thanksgiving to the people of Lourdes and the Blessed Mother who provided a refuge during his and his wife's escape from the Nazis. Here's what he said later about their escape:

I found a haven in Lourdes. I vowed that if I escaped from my predicament, I would sing as best I could the song of Bernadette. I shall be eternally encouraged that the people of America have shown that in their time of trial they too are appreciating The Song of Bernadette.

 Read more about Franz Werfel and The Song of Bernadette here.