we preach the Gospel at our church...don't we?

It was last Sunday. My husband celebrated the 6:30 AM Mass as usual and had the 11:30 Divine Liturgy. That's the simple way to describe a typical Sunday, but there is always more to it. He also had an end-of-life seminar to teach for future nurses right after the six thirty. Then, he picked up a visiting deacon and his wife so they could give meetings for possible future deacon candidates for our eparchy and then he went on to the eleven thirty an hour away. This week, we left the church early (the three-hour council meeting was a week ago), so we were all home at 5:30 PM.

I was starting dinner when the hospital called. Someone needed sacramental ministry. I offered to chauffeur him to make up for all the driving he had done already that day. I waited in the van while he went into the hospital to give sacraments.

While I waited, I was listening to 'Air One.' They were taking a break from the music and had a teen suicide prevention program going. The radio personality was interviewing a woman who was now working with a suicide prevention hotline. She had attempted suicide when she was seventeen. 

The radio personality asked her, "Were you a Christian when you attempted suicide?" She answered, "No, I wasn't. I would have told you I was a Christian. I went to services every Sunday and youth group, but I wasn't Christian. In all my years at that church, I never heard the Gospel preached once." 

I felt sick to my stomach. What does this mean? Could someone say the same about our Liturgy? Do people leave our services feeling like 'they haven't been fed?' Sometimes he preaches a little fire and brimstone, but usually my husband is the 'pastoral' type. Is he not hard enough with the people because he doesn't constantly preach on difficult subjects? One Sunday, I challenged him not to use the word 'invite' (as in- 'God is inviting you today'....) in his homily. His preaching always focuses on the epistle, Gospel, and applying it to our lives with some Church Fathers' teaching in the mix- either in a pastoral or fiery style. 

One part of the Church that I love is that there are no secrets. I can find out exactly what the Church teaches by reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Pope's writings and other bishops are available to read. I can meditate on the life of Christ through the four decades of the Rosary. In the Byzantine rite, we have a rich tradition of vespers, akathists, changing troparions during the Divine Liturgy. 
If you keep your ears (and heart) open, there is so much to learn and grow from as a Christian. But faith is a gift. I pray that our micro-missions are 'successful' with bringing people to Christ, but all we can do is be faithful. 

a prayer for those who are struggling

O God, our help in time of need, Who are just and merciful, and Who inclines to the supplications of His people. Look down upon me and have mercy on me and deliver me from the trouble that now besets me. Deal with us not according to our iniquities, but according to Your manifold mercies, for we are the works of Your hands, and You know our weaknesses. I pray to you to grant me Your divine helping grace, and endow me with patience and strength to endure my hardships with complete submission to Your Will. Only You know our misery and sufferings, and to You, our only hope and refuge, I flee for relief and comfort, trusting in Your infinite love and compassion, that in due time, when You know best, You will deliver me from this trouble, and turn my distress into comfort. We then shall rejoice in Your mercy, and exalt and praise Your Holy Name, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit, both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.