text: The incarnate Son of God, born to redeem his creation, is eager for us to recognize his presence in our lives. He is eager to show us the way to his Father. He is eager for us to share his love with others while explaining the words that will lead to everlasting life.
  During our lifetime, Jesus will extend many invitations. All of them will be gracious and all of them will come with a promise. But don’t believe in Jesus or his promises simply on my say-so or even the church’s say-so. The point of today’s Gospel is that if you want to be a disciple of Jesus, you must accept his invitation to walk with him. You must set aside some time to reflect on the words that lead to everlasting life, and with a leap of faith, you must accept those words as your very own.
  If your faith in Jesus makes you ready to accept this responsibility, then the love of Christ, combined with our prayers and our service to others, will restore God’s Kingdom on earth. It’s only a matter of time and it won’t be easy. People are slow to change and they have a myriad of distractions to deal with .
  Our bodies are frail, our minds are overwhelmed with enormous responsibilities, our egos are easily bruised and battered, and we need to take time to grieve the loss of our loved ones. In addition, some of us are weighed down with the heavy burdens that accompany shame, sorrow, doubt, and frustration; but the Good News is that Jesus has already released us from those burdens. They are no longer ours to carry. They were nailed to the cross along with our Redeemer. They are no more. Again, don’t rely on my testimony just go and see for yourself.