1 Corinthians 16:13
Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.
There’s a difference between being watchful and squinting. A watchful Christian has his eyes on the heavens, waiting in hope for the coming of Our Lord Jesus. Watchfulness is joyful. But the one who takes his eyes off heaven and starts squinting at the faults of his neighbor is not joyful or hopeful. He is merely fearful and accusatory. Today, if you are being watchful, stay that way. If you are distracted into squinting, then repent and return your gaze to Christ in watchful hope. It’s His Church, not yours. He’ll be faithful to take care of it.
Mark P. Shea is a popular Catholic writer and speaker. The author of numerous books, his most recent work is The Work of Mercy (Servant) and The Heart of Catholic Prayer (Our Sunday Visitor). Mark contributes numerous articles to many magazines, including his popular column “Connecting the Dots” for the National Catholic Register. Mark is known nationally for his one minute “Words of Encouragement” on Catholic radio. He also maintains the Catholic and Enjoying It blog and regularly blogs for National Catholic Register. He lives in Washington state with his wife, Janet, and their four sons.
