Saturday of the Fifth Week - April 12

Ezekiel 37:21-28 John 11:45-56

I was raised in a very religious home with devout parents that displayed patience and grace toward me. They used the trials and tribulations of Jesus to put life into perspective. They taught me that no matter what was happening to me, it paled in comparison to what Jesus faced in his life on Earth. And they never ceased to remind me that God’s patience and love was an opportunity to learn from every experience.

Years later, with numerous life lessons learned, God blessed me with an opportunity to travel the world. I saw this as the chance to see all of God’s creation firsthand. I had no clue how big the world was, but I wanted to find out. My family was less than thrilled, as my career would take me to austere and dangerous places; but I reassured them that I have God to protect me. All gave me this guidance, “keep God in your heart, pray often and never let your belief falter. And always know there is no place like home.”

I visited some of the most beautiful places on Earth; but also war-torn areas where the culture was defeat, uncertainty and being cast away if you did not follow the social and religious beliefs of the current dictator. It was there that “no place like home” rang truest. I could only imagine the persecution and fear those people faced in the place where they were born and raised. “How lucky I have been,” I thought. Jesus taught all that heard him to believe in our Heavenly Father. I have often wondered what became of those that I met in my travels and I pray daily that they find God in their hearts and minds.

Now, many years later, still subject to daily life lessons, my faith is as strong as ever. God continues to bless me with two beautiful children, a loving wife with a large family and a perfect church family here at Visitation. There really is no place like home when you find it and it warms my heart that God saw fit for me to have the wealth of love.

Q: Where do I feel most “at home?” How often do I invite God into those spaces?

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