There’s a story of a man known throughout this entire town for his tremendous wealth and tightfistedness, truly a miser, who never contributed anything to charity or supported any effort to alleviate the sufferings of the poor. The chairman who won the community’s local organizations decided to approach the rich man at his office. “Sir,” the fundraiser said, “our records show that despite your tremendous wealth, you have never given to our cause or any cause.” “Oh really,” the rich man fumed. “Well, do your records show that I have an elderly mother who was left penniless when my father died? Do your records show that I have a very sick brother who’s unable to work? Do your records show that I have a widowed sister with three small children who can barely make ends meet? Do your records show any of this information?” The miser had shouted, “Well, no, sir,” replied the embarrassed volunteer. “We did not know any of that.” “Well, if I do not give to any of them, why should I give anything to you?”

In life, what do we value? Where our treasure is, there will our heart be. Jesus calls us to repent, to change our lives, and to find our way back to Him by loving those around Him in His name. We must make visible the invisible God in our world. And Jesus says to all of us today, “Reform your lives, the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.

The story is told about someone coming to the gates of Heaven and meeting Saint Peter. And Saint Peter asked him, “Do you believe in the cross of Jesus Christ?” And the man answered, “Absolutely, yes, I do.” But the man was refused entrance into Heaven. So he protested and said, “Why can’t I come in? I believe in Jesus Christ.” And Peter replied, “Where are your wounds? Where are your wounds?”

Today, we remember those unborn children who have lost their lives since the Supreme Court decisions “Roe v. Wade” and “Doe v. Bolton”, which legalized abortion. That decision was rendered 44 years ago today. May we pray for an end to abortion. The real failure in life that is truly tragic is not to try and fail, but rather to fail to even try.