at the end of the day

Las Vegas Cathedral

At our parish’s Confirmation Mass tonight, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley challenged the Confirmation Candidates in the pews—and all of us by extension—to live out the Catholic faith in all and every aspect of daily life.

Quoting the now familiar saying by St. Francis ofAssisi, “preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words,” the Archbishop added, 

“You can’t compartmentalize faith. Live it out at school, at work, with your friends and family, on Facebook and other social media, in everything you do!”

Mary on the hood of a car

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

In her dignity and faithfulness, Mother Mary embodies the heart of this true discipleship. I find great comfort in knowing that Mary understood mystery in her life, the same mystery that as Christians we live out daily, hoping to understand God’s vision and desire for our life.

We know she said ‘yes’ in complete freedom at the Annunciation. She also said ‘yes’ to raising a child who was the Son of God. She said ‘yes’ every time she accompanied him during his ministry. She said ‘yes’ when she saw him suffer and die at the cross. And she said ‘yes’ when the Holy Spirit came to her and the apostles at Pentecost.

She was a woman, like us, who said ‘yes’ daily. And in so doing, she chose to truly LIVE everything, and she chose to live everything with God.   

On the wall of a chapel at Notre Dame University