#MyMassTakeaway: Authority

Today’s the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Find the Mass Readings here: 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 28, 2018

My takeaway:

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#MyMassTakeaway: Authority . In the Gospel, Jesus spoke with divine authority. He commanded demons to leave and they did. . Good shares His authority with me. And I wish I could command the same obedience. But the truth is, He also have my kids free will. They can choose to accept or reject my authority. . Thus morning I ran into a power struggle with my kids. I wanted them to dress in proper church attire. They wanted shorts and a T shirt. . After a brief back and forth I realized Sunday Best clothes weren't going to happen unless I was willing to physically wrestle them on my kids. . So I decided to respect their autonomy. They could choose to wear church clothes or not. But if they didn't, they would suffer the natural consequences: NO DONUTS. . They choose no donuts. . It was a lesson in free will. A lesson in consequences. A lesson in true authority. God doesnt force us to accept His commands. But if we don't, there are inevitable consequences. . And I'd rather my kids learn that lesson now, with mild but effective consequences. I'd rather give them respect as they learn obedience than teach obedience through fear and force. . I pray that I remember to use my own authority with justice and respect. I pray that I set fair rules and policies. And that I show my children that I will use my authority with love and with desire for what's best for them. . And I pray that as my children grow they learn to love and trust God's authority. Because His commands are always for their good.

A post shared by Sara Estabrooks (@tojesussincerely) on Jan 28, 2018 at 8:36am PST

Thoughts from my blogging friends:

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Do you ever wonder what it would be like to not worry? Just to lay it down and really trust the Lord to the point that you’re not anxious? I want to make this my prayerful contemplation today. #mymasstakeaway #liturgy #catholic #mercy #grace #christian #nofear

A post shared by 📿⚒Sticky Rosary⚒📿 (@stickyrosary) on Jan 28, 2018 at 6:16am PST

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“Look beyond the bread you eat, see your Savior and your Lord. Look beyond the cup you drink, see His love poured out as blood.” . . . Look beyond the bread you eat, and the cup we share. Look beyond the physical manifestation. . . . See our Savior and our Lord. . . . See His love for each of us. . . . #mymasstakeaway w/ @tojesussincerely #catholicblogger #catholicsonline #proudcatholic #catholicsofinstagram #enoughsaid #faith #hope #love

A post shared by Anni Harry (@beautifulcamouflagedmess) on Jan 28, 2018 at 8:33am PST

https://www.instagram.com/p/BegHXUsgdFl/?tagged=mymasstakeaway

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10 minutes late and we stumble into the pew like a band of drunken pirates. . One, one thousand. Two, one thousand. Three, one thousand. . "Go!!!!" . The 3 YO makes a jail break and heads full speed toward the altar. I vaguely hear the lector begin the second reading: . "I should like you to be from from anxiety." . Heh. . Then the Gospel and the homily – the unclean spirit leaps from Scripture to my lap. There is crying, desperate wailing, and the frantic dash out to the stairwell. . But we showed up, got the Eucharist, and got back home with most of our sanity. . Hooray for our side, as my dad would say ❤️ . #mymasstakeaway #mysundaybest

A post shared by Ginny Kochis •Not So Formulaic (@ginnykochis) on Jan 28, 2018 at 9:21am PST

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Philomena joined us for #mysundaybest with @rosiehill425 this week!. . Also I am going to do my first #myMasstakeaway with @tojesussincerely . . The Gospel for the Old Rite this morning was the vineyard owner who called laborers in throughout the day to work and paid them all the same whether they worked just one hour or the whole day. The workers who had gone out earlier grumbled at this. . Father talked about how Christ was happy to pay the high wages of sin no matter how late in someone’s life they turn to Him. . A person who converts and goes to Mass with great love for a month before dying is given the reward of Heaven. A person who goes his whole life to Mass without love but just out of guilt isn’t somehow deserving of more because he has worked longer. . The first shall be last and the last shall be first. . Sometimes I take for granted being raised so strong in the Faith by my devout mother. It’s easy for me to judge others who haven’t come to Christ. I need to be faithful in praying and sacrificing for them, remembering it is never too late. . I must run my race well.

A post shared by Mariette 💕 (@thenaturalcatholicmom) on Jan 28, 2018 at 11:13am PST

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Happy Sunday! And happy birthday to our new SEVEN year old!! . Does anyone else get really *excited* by the laborers in the vineyard parable? I LOVE it. Y'all, that hope and that promise that even if our friends or relatives hold out until the last minute, they'll still get all God's goodness?? YES!!! . Maybe it's because my mom and my husband are both converts, but I just get so darned happy every time I even hear of a complete stranger coming home and joining the Church. If you're being received into the Church this Easter, please let me know so I can pray for you! . #mysundaybest #mymasstakeaway

A post shared by Rosie Hill (@rosiehill425) on Jan 28, 2018 at 6:14pm PST

Your turn:

I want to know your Mass Takeaway too! Comment with your thoughts on the readings, your pastor’s homily, or anything that struck you during your time at Mass.