My sisters and brothers,

By knowing all is God’s, all is sacred. Jesus lifted up everything in offering to the Father, as He asks us to do. Remember everything we have is given to us by God and we are called to return to God what we have received, multiplied by His goodness, by His blessing.

When He took the bread and wine and called the elements of this meal, His Body, His Blood and asked each one of us to take and eat as He did, He made all the earth His own, every meal is His. He is recognized in the breaking of the bread. That one meal made us His own, a sign of His making us sacred.

When we participate in the celebration of Mass and receive Him in Communion, or visit Him in the Blessed Sacrament, we remember Him, not as a person who lived long ago, historically, but as God who was, is and will be, present here with us, among us, through us. We cannot leave Him at the door of the Church or in the tabernacle. He lives within us and we richly offer Him to one another by our very prayer, the words on our lips, the beat of our heart, the core of our being.

As we leave the sacred space of the parish church, we, marked by Him as sacred, enter the sacred space of the world in which we live, called to renew its consecration by our thought, word and deed.

This summer, wherever you go, whether living your daily routine or visiting family, or traveling to other parts of the earth, remember God is with you. By your person, people will know Him who envelops you, body, mind, spirit and strength. Smile to one another, say hello, offer a handshake, hug, kiss. Deliver food and diapers to those in need or write a card (not a text!) to an elderly family member. Take a basket of cookies to a neighbor. Pray. Participate in the celebration of Mass, partake in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Tell someone hurt by you that you are sorry. When you have time, study the suggested amendments on which you will be asked to vote in November, such as Florida Amendment 4 in which we are asked to vote no because it denies the sacredness of life by enshrining unregulated abortion.

Our Holy Father said, “We tirelessly proclaim peace to those who desire war, proclaim forgiveness to those who seek revenge, we proclaim welcome and solidarity to those who bar their doors and erect barriers, we proclaim life to those who choose death, we proclaim respect to those who love to humiliate, insult and reject, we proclaim fidelity to those who would sever every bond, thereby confusing freedom with a bleak and empty individualism.”

Connect with one another in the name of Christ Jesus as your life depends upon it. Because your life eternal does. God will provide you with the gifts needed to accomplish that which for each one of us, alone, would be impossible. May we seek the humility of our Blessed Mother that we have her invincible strength to lead each person to her Son, our Savior Jesus.

Click here for a column written by Bishop Thomas Grady.