Take a look in the Mirror

86,400 - that is the number of hours  - if you graduated from high school at age 18, went to univeristy and graduated in four years, then went and got a 40 hour a week job, worked 48 weeks, took four weeks’ vacation and retired at age 65 - you will have worked-  86,400 hours by the time you retire.

86,400 - is also the title of Chapter 4 of Perfectly Yourself - the book by Matthew Kelly that we are making our way through as part of our current message series Defining Moments.

Over the last four weekends we have been look at “Defining Moments” – these occasions which bring definition and clarity to our life - which before we did not have. These defining moments are moments brimming with meaning..... Moments of Decision - saying Yes. Moments of Definition - knowing the way. Moments of Determination - deciding to keep at it.

These Defining Moments can be as bright as a Star in the East, or an Angel in the Sky, but most often they are as subtle as an encounter while we are busy in our day, as in the Gospel of today. But Defining moments also have a certain nature to them - We are never called for our own sake, but for the sake of others. Defining Moments come into our life - not solely to affect us! God does not invite us closer to Him simply for ourselves - but as part of His plan that all of us would be united to Him.  Defining Moments also have the danger of containing a certain nonsense to them. To be called does not require perfection on our behalf, only fidelity and holy listening.

In his Book “Perfectly Yourself”, Matthew Kelly, has been inviting us to look at the “Wins and Woes” daily, to keep track of asking Jesus daily “Where Do you Live?” (where are you?) and together we have even written our own little prayer:

Jesus I am looking for you

Jesus I want to see where you live

Jesus I want to come and see every day

A prayer that helps us in the silence of listening for His voice to remember that Character Defines our future, and that what we hold on to, and let go of, both help us to define who we are and whose we are. Ultimately this give us freedom to be Perfectly Yourself, and also to experience defining moments.

So as we keep moving forward, and as our message  reminded us, we have to take a good look in the mirror – who do we resemble (and I don’t mean do we look like George Clooney), but do we look like Jesus in those values? Our Gospel this Lord's Day challenges us to find what we love and do it – rooted always in Him.

See you Sunday!