Let's not get complicated

At one time in my life I was a high school football coach. I loved the excitement of Friday nights. There were always so many elements that I loved about coaching.
 I will never forget one particular lesson from our head coach.  We had lost a game and in retrospect it was clear to me that we had outcoached ourselves.  We had become too complicated with our game plan and the players were often confused and apprehensive.  We outsmarted ourselves.
Sometimes, I think the same can be said for our faith.  We have so many traditions and doctrines and it is easy for us to get confused about what is really important and what are just customs.
 The central point of being Catholic is rather uncomplicated—we turned our backs on God and sinned.  
Since God is love, He did not leave us there wallowing in our sin with no way to escape; however, God is not just mercy, He is also justice, and justice demanded that we pay a price for disobedience and rejection. Our merciful Savior came and placed Himself in the middle of the drama of salvation.  Jesus became a man in all things. God then, who had taken on our fallen nature, offered Himself to the Father.
 When Jesus died on the cross, it was a man who paid the price, which was sufficient since it was God who paid it. Jesus’ sacrifice was complete and worthy.
 Sometimes we get complicated and we forget how much we are loved by the God of the universe.  
Let us never doubt His love and never forget how much we are loved and cherished—God thinks we are worthy of His love.
 Let us share the good news!  We have been set free.
 Thank you Jesus.
— Pat Arensberg is the Director of the Office for Evangelization and Family Life. Email him at [email protected]. For more information concerning the events of this office, visit us at mobilefaithformation.org.