NOTE: Christ in Our Neighborhood is a parish-based program consisting of small Christian communities that gather in the home weekly to prayerfully discuss the upcoming Sunday Mass readings. It’s easy to form a community and you can find out more at Christ in Our Neighborhood – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix (dphx.org)
This coming Sunday, we celebrate the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Check out the question the Christ in Our Neighborhood reflection poses: When trials surround you, what kind of Christian are you?
It can be relatively easy to believe in and trust Jesus when the path is smooth and our lives are free from difficulties. When a loved one dies in spite of desperate pleas for healing, when you don’t get the promotion you wanted, when you’re crushed by mounting debt — well, then it becomes intensely challenging.
And yet that is what our Lord is calling us to do: to persevere in faith even when all seems lost. The essence of faith is believing and trusting in God’s goodness and knowing that whatever suffering He permits in our lives, He has a plan for our good, even if we can’t see it right now.
The path to following Jesus can grow steep at times, and He warned us that we must “enter through the narrow gate” which can entail embracing the crosses in our lives with loving trust in God’s goodness and mercy.
In the midst of trials, let us turn to the Lord and ask Him to empower us to move forward in faith.
If you haven’t joined a Christ in Our Neighborhood small group yet, perhaps you are being called to start one yourself. Check out our website today to find out more: dphx.org/Christ-in-our-neighborhood.
Watch the video of the weekly podcast segment featuring Christ in Our Neighborhood with Bishop Dolan by clicking HERE.
Be sure to attend our Sept. 6 Morning of Reflection for all CION participants and leaders at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 8 a.m. to noon. You can RSVP for this free event HERE.
To sign up for our weekly Christ in Our Neighborhood newsletter that has everything you need for your next meeting, visit: https://phoenixdiocese.flocknote.com/CION
