Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Parish in Prescott shared a reflection recently on what it means to follow Christ. 

"Tolerance is a much-needed virtue today," the reflection stated in the parish's Oct. 25 bulletin. "But aren’t we often tolerant for the wrong thing or for the wrong motive? Christian love seeks the highest good of both one’s neighbor and one’s enemy."

We are called to follow the Lord, and this means that we should be gracious to all those we interact with because we have been given the grace to do just that.  

"We have so many desires and attachments in life," the reflection said in the bulletin. "We have so many fears and anxieties. We regret or feel nostalgic for so much of the past and worry so much about the future. All of these can have a crippling effect on our lives."

Though we may find ourselves getting in the way of that calling, we must remember— as St. Paul wrote to the Galatians— that we have been freed by Christ.

When we are free, however, we must also recognize that this means we are responsible for our own actions and that we cannot blame others. No longer can we try to hold onto our earthly securities, but rather we must realize that we are called to be loyal to God and his vocation for our lives. 

"It means not clinging to external securities like money, property, status, success, achievements and the like," the reflection stated in the bulletin. "On our own we can’t, and we’re not alone on this journey; we are accompanied by Jesus and this community of faith. When we stumble, lose our way or get disheartened, one of the travelers with us will be there to support us and help us along the way— Christ’s way."