I hate wet clothes. Maybe I should saying highly dislike, because hate is such a strong word, right? I detest wet clothes even on a hot summer day. I am not sure why it is, but ever since I was a kid, something about a “water ride” at an amusement park never scared me, just annoyed me. You would set out on this fun roller coaster, just to come off it soaking wet for the remainder of the afternoon…your next ride would be wet, the bench at lunch would be wet, your tennis shoes, socks, oh the list of terror continues. I know this sounds silly, but I would prefer to do anything over jumping in the water fully clothed.
Reading the Gospel this Sunday made me think of getting uncomfortable for Jesus. Peter upon seeing Jesus was so excited that he didn’t have the patience for the boat to come ashore. He jumped right in the water, fully clothed, no hesitation. With joy and zeal, the last thing on his mind were wet clothes. That would be the one instance I would jump freely out of the boat, fully clothed, to get to Jesus. It would require discomfort, annoyance, and general displeasure to do so, but it would be worth it to see Him on the shore.
Friends, this is what discipleship and stewardship are all about. How many of you are comfortable witnessing the Good News on Facebook? When we see a post about a pro-life issue, do we share it, even if we may have “friends” who would be offended? How many of us are willing to sit next to the stranger in the pews and shake their hand, offering welcome? How many of us are willing to say yes to tithing, even though we fear we may run out of money for weekend activities? How many of us are willing to bring the kids or grandkids to Mass on Sunday or daily Mass, even though we know it is sometimes a challenge and we face kicking and screaming? What is normally an inconvenience or uncomfortable experience, often produces the best fruit for the soul.
- Maybe your “shared” Facebook post reaches someone considering an abortion.
- Maybe that stranger was considering joining the parish and becoming Catholic and you were the one that introduced them to Jesus and our Parish.
- Maybe the re-prioritization of our finances leads our family into a deeper prayer life, in which we eat at home on Friday night and pray before the meal, instead of rushing through a drive-thru window.
- Maybe the grandkids won’t kick and scream, and next time invite their parents to Mass with you.
The willingness to jump in, to “let go, and let God,” is hard. However, in my life during the hardest times, I found my vocation, my spiritual home, and great joy. Let go and let God be the driver. He would jump in, fully clothed, to get to you. What would it look like if we were willing to jump in first toward Him?
Katie Price is the Coordinator for Stewardship at the Cathedral and works for the Diocese of Springfield, IL by helping parishes grow in discipleship and stewardship efforts.