Donate
Appleton, WI

Jan. 13: Day by Day with Father Bill

WEDNESDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

-from Pope Francis’ homily for the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, January 1, 2021

We are in this world not to die, but to give life. The holy Mother of God teaches us that the first step in giving life to those around us is to cherish it within ourselves. Today’s Gospel tells us that Mary kept all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) And goodness comes from the heart. How important it is to keep our hearts pure, to cultivate our interior life and to persevere in our prayer! How important it is to educate our hearts to care, to cherish the persons and things around us. Everything starts from this: from cherishing others, the world and creation. What good is it to know many people and things if we fail to cherish them? This year, while we hope for new beginnings and new cures, let us not neglect care. Together with a vaccine for our bodies, we need a vaccine for our hearts. That vaccine is care. This will be a good year if we take care of others, as Our Lady does with us.

Father Bill +